Ma stars Octavia Spencer as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town (Diana Silvers, Glass), to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own. She offers the kids the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her home. But there are some house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don’t curse. Never go upstairs. And call her “Ma.” But as Ma’s hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on earth.
Octavia Spencer departs from her usual lovable roles to deliver a terrifying performance in Ma, and to celebrate its release this Friday, we’re going to take a look at some of the best villainous performances from ‘good guys’.
Steve Carell – Foxcatcher
Steve Carell was well known from his role as Michael Scott on the US The Office TV show, and subsequently was hired to play a vast multitude of comedic roles in film. In 2015, Carell played the terrifying John Du Pont in the dramatic thriller Foxcatcher and was widely praised for his performance. Carell’s acting ability was on full display in the film as he starred in a dark thriller for the first time. Many viewers felt Carell was unrecognisable as his complete departure from a comedic role combined with the facial prosthetics he wore left him almost unidentifiable.
Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight
Before The Dark Knight, Heath Ledger had almost entirely portrayed good and moral characters, but the way his acting was perceived soon entirely changed. Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker is one of the best villain performances of all time, as he successfully brought to life the iconic comic book character, whilst adding a modern and unique take on the villain. Heath Ledger’s joker was a huge surprise for many viewers as they had previously just known him as the ‘good guy’.
Robin Williams – One Hour Photo
Robin Williams was mostly known as a comedic actor, starring in such films as Mrs Doubtfire, Aladdin and Flubber, as well as playing ‘good’ characters in some dramas such as Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society and Good Morning Vietnam. In 2002, Williams starred in One Hour Photo as Sy, a creepy and unsettling photo technician working in a big-box store. Sy becomes infatuated with a seemingly perfect family, the Yorkins, but is repeatedly ignored and rejected when trying to befriend them. When Sy discovers Mr Yorkin having an affair, his illusions are shattered and he attempts to fix things himself.
Michael B. Jordan – Black Panther
Before Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan had almost entirely portrayed heroic characters – starring in such films as Creed, Fantastic Four and Chronicle; but in 2018, Jordan took on a different role, bringing the comic book character Erik Killmonger to life on the big screen. Jordan superbly plays Killmonger as someone betrayed and rejected by his country, seeking revenge for his family and neglected childhood. Black Panther was the third collaboration between Jordan and the renowned director, Ryan Coogler, who had previously chosen Jordan to play the protagonists in Creed and the tragic Fruitvale Station. As a result, audiences were surprised when Coogler selected Jordan to be the antagonist of Black Panther, rather than the hero, but after seeing the film most viewers agreed he had made an excellent choice.
Harrison Ford – What Lies Beneath
All through the 80s and 90s, Harrison Ford consistently played the hero in a wide range of films. His portrayals of Han Solo and Indiana Jones are some of the most iconic heroic performances of all time, and so, not many people expected him to play a psychopathic killer in supernatural horror flick What Lies Beneath. Ford plays Norman Spencer, a scientist and professor who murdered a student he’d been having an affair with. Norman then spends the rest of the film hunting down and attempting to murder his wife Claire, after she discovers his vile deeds.
