On March 21, 1958, Gary Leonard Oldman was born. Oldman went on to work as an actor and filmmaker in theater, cinema, and television. Oldman is considered as one of the best cinematic performers of his generation due to his versatility and “big” acting style.
He’s gone through substantial adjustments for whatever he was doing with all of the jobs he’s had over the years. Oldman has come a long way since his stage debut in 1979, whether it’s playing a Russian hijacker or winning over the audience with his appearance on Friends.
Joe Orton
Oldman appeared in another biopic a few years after playing Sid Vicious. He played Joe Orton this time, an English writer and author famed for his scandalous black comedy. The plot revolved around Orton and his boyfriend, Kenneth Halliwell, played by Alfred Molina.
This is not a well-known part for Oldman. In fact, it was only his third feature-length film. A youthful, clean-shaved Oldman looked exactly like the late playwright, which made it all the more poignant. Roger Ebert commended Oldman and Molina’s performances in the film.
Rosencrantz
Because Oldman is English, he was a natural choice to play Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Tim Roth played Guildenstern alongside Oldman in the film, which was based on the characters in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet as well as the play itself.
Throughout the film, there was a constant motif in which several characters, including Oldman and Roth, were unsure which was which. Despite the film’s unfavorable reviews, Total Film picked Oldman’s portrayal of Rosencrantz as one of his best performances of 2011.
Lee Harvey Oswald
According to Oldman, Oswald received relatively little attention in JFK. Oliver Stone, the director, handed him numerous plane tickets, a list of contacts, and instructed him to conduct his own investigation. To prepare for the part, Oldman visited with Oswald’s wife, Marina, and her two daughters.
Oliver Stone’s conspiracy-thriller film about John F. Kennedy’s assassination sparked outrage. Many major American newspapers published editorials accusing Stone of embellishing historical facts, including as the film’s allegation that President Lyndon B. Johnson was part of a plot to assassinate Kennedy.
Count Dracula
Francis Ford Coppola, the legendary director, returned to direct Bram Stroker’s Dracula. Not only did he complete the film, but so did Oldman. He played the character in one of the most terrifying yet alluring ways yet.
By blending a sinister demeanor with a very lovely and sensuous voice, Oldman and Winona Ryder lured audiences in to both fall in love with and fear the Count. The film was even used as the basis for an episode of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror.
Drexel Spivey
Oldman appeared in True Romance, which was written by Quentin Tarantino. He portrayed Drexl Spivey, an Alabama pimp. The cast included well-known actors such as Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, and James Gandolfini. Despite positive reviews from critics, the film was a box office disappointment, earning only $12.3 million on a $412.5 million budget.
One of Oldman’s strongest skills is playing the adversary. As the violent, dreadlocked pimp with a scar-faced, dead-eyed, murderous gangster holdout, he created one of cinema’s most iconic villains. With all of that makeup on, Oldman is almost unrecognizable.
Norman Stansfield
Oldman continues to make a reputation for himself with one of his most nasty, crazy, and divine performances.In the mesmerizing thriller Leon: The Professional, he plays a seasoned New York hitman who volunteers to train a 12-year-old girl after her family is murdered by a corrupt DEA agent.
Oldman’s outrageous portrayal as corrupt DEA Agent and drug addict Norman Stansfield was what made the picture so exciting to watch. He delivered every line flawlessly while murdering victims in a crazy manner. This is one of his most impressive efforts to date.
Ludwig van Beethoven
After playing Sid Vicious, Oldman found himself playing a performer again in Immortal Beloved as Ludwig van Beethoven. He appeared to be an unexpected choice for the role at first, but when the audience saw him, he blew them away with his performance as the arrogant composer.
He portrayed Beethoven as a brilliant figure who suffered with deafness and other afflictions. The film was released the same year as Forrest Gump, and Oldman was passed over for a well-deserved Oscar nomination that would not arrive for another few years.
Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale
By this point, Oldman has worked as a musician, a vampire, JFK’s shooter, and now a romantic drama. He co-starred with Demi Moore in The Scarlet Letter, a cinematic adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthrone’s novel of the same name.
Regrettably, Oldman’s performance as Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale was not enough to please the critics. The film received very poor feedback. Despite how horrible it was, it won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Remake or Sequel, and Oldman and Moore were nominated for Worst Screen Couple, which they lost (which I guess qualifies as a win).
Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg
Oldman would reappear in another part comparable to his Stansfield portrayal. He provided another wicked portrayal, this time as Jean-Baptise Emanuel Zorg in the sci-fi cult classic, The Fifth Element, when combined with filmmaker Les Besson’s humor-centric storyline.
Oldman plays Zorg, an industrialist recruited by an alien species to find a collection of elemental stones that can be utilized to destroy the great evil for which they are working. He even had a fight scene with Bruce Willis’ character, Korben Dallas. Oldman offered laughter and a strong villain in a part replete with political satire that was entertaining to see.
Egor Korshunov
Oldman’s range is so broad that he convincingly played a Russian Radek loyalist in Air Force One, as the adversary who conducts the plane hijacking. Apart from making sure his Russian accent was right on for the film, he didn’t have much to prepare for the role.
There’s a wild allegation that President Marshall was involved in the hijacking of Air Force One. According to one Reddit user, President Marshall intended to have a policy of ‘never negotiate, never longer tolerate, no longer be terrified’ with terrorists, but his senior advisors scolded him for it in the limo after his address.
Dr. Zachary Smith
Lost In Space, Oldman’s second flop, was not the film that fans had hoped it would be. He played Dr. Zachary Smith, a spy who sabotages the ship’s onboard robot before launch. To be honest, that wasn’t his best work.
Lost In Space was based on a poor sci-fi TV show from the 1960s. It was released at an odd moment for CGI, and critics noted that it was difficult to look at. This film was released in 1998, years before CGI was used in any superhero films.
Rep. Sheldon Runyon
The Contender was inspired by the Clinton-Lewinsky affair. Not only did Oldman play Republican Sheldon Runyon, but he also produced the film. After its release, the film became a source of contention, which irritated Oldman greatly.
Editing cutbacks were allegedly done due to the studio’s Democratic leanings. Rod Lurie, the film’s director, was accused by Oldman of altering the picture to make it more Democratic. Dustin Hoffman called Gary Oldman after seeing the film to compliment him on his performance as the Republican politician.
Mason Verger
Despite the fact that Hannibal was the least well-received picture in the Hannibal Lecter franchise, one of the few positive aspects of the 2001 film was Oldman’s portrayal. Mason Verger, a wealthy and surviving Hannibal victim, uses his clout to have FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling switched to the Lecter investigation.
As you can see, Oldman is completely unrecognizable behind the character’s deformed face prosthetic makeup. Even though he is missing a nose and most of the tissue on his face, Oldman manages to bring the starved and deranged Verger to life.
Richard Crosby
The one and only time Matt LeBlanc and Gary Oldman were given a second chance. Following the failure of Lost In Space, the two actors appeared on LeBlanc’s Friends in the two-part episode “The One with Monica and Chandler’s Wedding.”
Oldman, who played Richard Crosby, kept spitting while saying his lines, which irritated Joey. Not only that, but Crosby’s drunken coma caused Joey to miss Chandler and Monica’s wedding. Oldman was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his appearance.
O.W. Grant
In the film Interstate 60, there is a red-headed Oldman. He appeared alongside James Marsden, Amy Smart, and Michael J. Fox in the film. One Wish Grant, the immortal offspring of a leprechaun and a Cheyenne Indian, was played by Gary Oldman.
Bob Gale’s directorial debut garnered an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was fascinating to witness Oldman take on a part he had never played before. Whatever he accomplishes, he always brings his talents when they are needed.
Sirius Black
He’s arguably the character who tugged at every Harry Potter fan’s heartstrings. Oldman was a driving force behind the success of the film version of Sirius Black. After learning the truth about Black, Harry grew close to James and Sirius.
With such a warm and sympathetic approach, Oldman did an excellent job playing Sirius. He did an excellent job of translating the character from the pages of the books to the frames on the screen. The best thing was that he wasn’t the only well-known British actor in the film.
James Gordon
Commissioner James Gordon has long been one of the most powerful side characters in the Batman comic books, working diligently to rid Gotham of corruption. While previous performers did not demonstrate much power, Oldman’s portrayal of the Commissioner was the first step in a live-action show version of Gordon being able to take down criminals on his own.
Oldman helped moviegoers rapidly connect with Gordon, and he didn’t stop there after completing the Batman trilogy. He also allowed viewers see a different side of the character, who would later be depicted as an even stronger and more autonomous lawman in the TV show Gotham.
Winston Churchill
Oldman’s portrayal of Prime Minister Winston Churchill was the most dramatic transition of his career. Oldman’s electric performance seemed to bring Churchill back to life. Darkest Hour was so good that Oldman was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars.
After years of hard work and various roles, Oldman was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor. Even before he won the Oscar, he was considered a high favorite to win. With his career, Oldman can now say he’s done it all.
