Heath Ledger tops Variety’s ranking of Christopher Nolan performances
Variety’s new Nolan list puts Ledger’s Joker at No. 1, with Guy Pearce, Cillian Murphy and three “Odyssey” actors close behind.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Heath Ledger’s Joker is back at the top of a Christopher Nolan acting list, with Variety naming his work in “The Dark Knight” the best performance in the director’s filmography.
The ranking, published by Variety chief awards editor Clayton Davis, arrives as Nolan’s “The Odyssey” heads to theaters with Matt Damon as Odysseus. Davis uses the new mythological epic as a jumping-off point to assess Nolan’s track record with actors, from Oscar winners to performances he argues were overlooked.
Ledger leads the 13-name list for his turn as the Joker in Nolan’s 2008 Batman sequel. Variety notes that Ledger died before the film was released and later won the Academy Award for supporting actor, becoming only the second performer to receive a posthumous acting Oscar.
Guy Pearce lands at No. 2 for “Memento,” Nolan’s 2000 breakthrough. Variety says Pearce’s Leonard Shelby, a man who cannot make new memories, helped turn the film’s high-concept structure into a portrait of grief. The piece also notes that Nolan and Jonathan Nolan received an original screenplay Oscar nomination for the film, while editor Dody Dorn was nominated as well.
At No. 3 is Samantha Morton for “The Odyssey.” Variety says Morton appears for about 10 minutes as Circe, the witch of Aeaea, and calls the performance a potential Oscar-winning turn. The list places Cillian Murphy at No. 4 for “Oppenheimer,” citing his portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the atomic bomb scientist, and noting that Murphy won best actor, becoming the first Irishman to take that category.
Damon follows at No. 5 for “The Odyssey.” Variety describes the role as a demanding lead part requiring both physical strain and emotional wear, with Nolan positioning Damon as the center of the film. Marion Cotillard is No. 6 for “Inception,” where Variety credits her with turning Mal, the dead wife haunting Leonardo DiCaprio’s character, into the film’s emotional threat.
Christian Bale appears twice. Variety ranks him No. 7 for “The Prestige,” as magician Alfred Borden, and No. 10 for “Batman Begins,” arguing that the first film in Nolan’s Batman trilogy gave Bale the fullest emotional journey as Bruce Wayne.
Matthew McConaughey is No. 8 for “Interstellar,” with Variety pointing to Cooper’s messages-from-home scene as a key emotional moment. Mark Rylance places No. 9 for “Dunkirk,” where his civilian rescuer Mr. Dawson carries much of the film’s quiet heroism despite limited dialogue.
Robert Downey Jr. comes in at No. 11 for “Oppenheimer.” Variety highlights his Oscar-winning supporting performance as Lewis Strauss, the government official whose resentment drives a campaign against Oppenheimer. Al Pacino is No. 12 for “Insomnia,” Nolan’s first major studio film, as sleep-deprived detective Will Dormer.
John Leguizamo rounds out the list at No. 13 for “The Odyssey.” Variety says his Eumaeus, Odysseus’ loyal blind swineherd, brings warmth to a film described as violent and dense with disturbing imagery.
The ranking also names several honorable mentions: Emily Blunt for “Oppenheimer,” Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt for “Inception,” Carrie-Anne Moss for “Memento,” Robert Pattinson for both “The Odyssey” and “Tenet,” and Jeremy Theobald for “Following.”
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.