In terms of pure acting caliber on this list, no one comes close to Gary Oldman. He’s a master of the craft and a true chameleon in his ability to make a character feel lived in. As a result, his turn as Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) is the most layered of portrayals. For the most part, actors have chosen to focus on a particular side of Dracula, his cunning, his evil, his isolation, his romantic nature, his warrior’s drive. Yet, Oldman manages to seamlessly blend all of those aspects, shifting depending on what the scene requires. He’s the greatest warrior, the greatest lover, and the greatest monster—the ultimate villain. All of that evidenced in Oldman’s reading of the line “I have crossed oceans of time to find you.” It’s sensual, heartbreaking, and frightening all at once. He’s a creature in total control yet on the verge of losing it. He’s a fascinating mixture of paradoxes, and ever-shifting not only thanks to Oldman’s brilliant performance but also thanks to Greg Cannom, Michele Burke, and Matthew W. Mungle’s Oscar-winning makeup effects.
