The Best Villain Performances from John Lithgow.
I think we can all agree that John Lithgow is one of the best actors on the planet. A guy with incredible amounts of talent who can do absolutely anything—comedy, drama, heroes, villains, you name it.
He’s one of the most versatile actors working today, with a career that has spanned decades, covering everything from stage to film to television. Lithgow started out as a phenomenal stage actor, and his work on Broadway is legendary.
But he has also built an impressive resume in film and television, proving time and time again that he is one of the finest performers of his generation.
The first time I remember really being struck by Lithgow was in All That Jazz. He had a small role in Bob Fosse’s masterpiece, but even in limited screen time, he stood out.
Then, of course, there was his unforgettable turn as Burke, the chilling and methodical assassin in Brian De Palma’s Blow Out.
But it was The World According to Garp that cemented his place as one of the most respected actors of the time. His portrayal of Roberta, a transgender former football player, was warm, human, and absolutely groundbreaking. That performance, along with his role in Terms of Endearment, earned him two consecutive Academy Award nominations.
From there, Lithgow's career took off. He was the ultra-strict reverend in Footloose, he gave an underrated and powerful performance in 2010: The Year We Make Contact, and he played a brilliant scientist in The Manhattan Project.
He brought warmth and humor to Harry and the Hendersons, making us believe that a Bigfoot could be part of a suburban family. He’s been in everything from Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar to Love Is Strange, in which he gave a beautifully subtle performance alongside Alfred Molina.
His more recent work, including his turn as Roger Ailes in Bombshell, proves that he continues to challenge himself with every role he takes on.
But let’s talk about Lithgow on television. His role in Dexter as the Trinity Killer remains one of the most terrifying performances ever seen on TV, a role that won him an Emmy.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, he was absolutely hilarious in 3rd Rock from the Sun, where his comedic timing, slapstick ability, and total willingness to embrace absurdity made Dr. Dick Solomon one of the funniest sitcom characters of all time.
Lithgow's work in The Old Man, opposite Jeff Bridges, showed that even after decades in the business, he can still command the screen with sheer presence. And his recent turn in Conclave, one of last year's most critically acclaimed films, reminded us all of his ability to bring depth and nuance to every role he takes.
Beyond all of that, I was incredibly lucky to see John Lithgow live on stage in 1988. I saw the original Broadway production of M. Butterfly, where he starred alongside BD Wong. It remains one of the best theatrical experiences of my life.
Lithgow was absolutely stunning in that show, delivering a performance that was heartbreaking, powerful, and transformative. I was even fortunate enough to meet him at the stage door afterward, where he signed my Playbill and was as kind and gracious as you’d expect. That’s something I will treasure forever.
Now, John Lithgow is back in the spotlight with a brand-new villainous role in The Rule of Jenny Pen, and that got me thinking: Lithgow is a fantastic actor, but when he plays a villain, he’s next level. He LOVES playing villains.
You can see it in his performances. He chews the scenery, he relishes every line, and he makes his bad guys larger than life. Some actors struggle with villains, but not Lithgow. He makes them fun. He makes them terrifying. He plays them with a capital V. And I absolutely love it.
So, in honor of The Rule of Jenny Pen, I’ve put together a list of John Lithgow’s 10 Best Villain Performances. These are the roles where he goes full evil, full unhinged, full magnificent. John Lithgow is a great actor—but when he plays a villain? He’s one of the best to ever do it.
Here we go—John Lithgow’s best, baddest, and most unforgettable villain roles.
The 10 Best John Lithgow Villain Performances (in no particular order):
1. SHREK (2001) – Lord Farquaad
Lithgow’s voice performance as Lord Farquaad in Shrek is legendary. A tiny, insecure, power-hungry ruler with a Napoleon complex, Farquaad is hilarious, petty, and ruthless. Lithgow delivers every line with delicious arrogance, making Farquaad one of the great animated villains of modern times. From banishing fairy tale creatures to his obsessive pursuit of Fiona, Farquaad is a villain for the ages, and Lithgow’s performance is a massive reason why. It’s no surprise that his character became a staple of the Shrek universe, from sequels to video games to stage adaptations.
2. BLOW OUT (1981) – Burke
Brian De Palma’s Blow Out is a masterpiece, and at the center of it is John Lithgow’s chilling performance as Burke, a methodical, psychotic killer-for-hire. Cold, calculated, and terrifying, Burke eliminates anyone who stands in the way of his mission, and Lithgow plays him with an icy precision that makes your skin crawl. He’s got one of the most sinister screen presences of all time in this film, and his brutal, emotionless killings still shock today. It’s one of De Palma’s best films and one of Lithgow’s most disturbing performances.
3. CLIFFHANGER (1993) – Eric Qualen
If you want to see John Lithgow at his most delightfully evil, look no further than Cliffhanger. Playing a former British military intelligence officer-turned-criminal mastermind, Lithgow is absolutely chewing the scenery in this film. His over-the-top British accent, his icy demeanor, and his ruthless nature make him the perfect adversary for Sylvester Stallone’s hero. It’s a wild action movie, and Lithgow makes it even better by having the absolute time of his life playing a classic, maniacal villain.
4. RAISING CAIN (1992) – Dr. Carter Nix
This is Lithgow at his most unhinged. In his third villainous collaboration with Brian De Palma, he plays not one, not two, but five different characters due to his character’s split personalities. This is Lithgow Gone Wild. His portrayal of Dr. Carter Nix, a child psychologist with some, let’s say, extreme tendencies, is mesmerizing. He gets to do different accents, wear crazy costumes, and fully commit to playing multiple versions of one deranged mind. It’s an absolutely bonkers performance in a gleefully over-the-top thriller.
5. THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION (1984) – Dr. Emilio Lizardo
There’s no villain performance quite like this one. Buckaroo Banzai is already one of the most wonderfully strange cult classics ever made, but Lithgow takes it to another level as the totally insane Dr. Emilio Lizardo. His wild-eyed, bugged-out performance is next-level bonkers. He’s doing an over-the-top Italian accent, he’s yelling ridiculous lines (“Laugh while you can, monkey boy!”), and he’s completely off the rails. It’s one of the greatest villain performances in any cult film, period.
6. RICOCHET (1991) – Earl Talbott Blake
Now, this is peak Lithgow evil. In Ricochet, he plays a ruthless, sadistic criminal mastermind who gets busted by a young cop (Denzel Washington) and then spends the entire movie meticulously plotting an elaborate, twisted revenge. This guy is just pure evil—cold, calculating, and completely nuts. Lithgow’s prison scenes alone are worth watching, but once he escapes and starts systematically destroying Denzel’s life, it becomes one of the most intense and wild performances of his career.
7. OBSESSION (1976) – Robert LaSalle
This was Lithgow’s first villainous collaboration with Brian De Palma, and he already showed he had a gift for playing bad guys. He starts the film as a charming, seemingly trustworthy business partner, but by the end, he’s revealed to be the sinister mastermind behind an elaborate kidnapping and blackmail scheme. It’s a slick, smart performance that laid the groundwork for his even bigger, crazier villain roles to come.
8. SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE (1985) – B.Z.
This movie is bad, but Lithgow is great. Playing a greedy, cartoonishly evil toy manufacturer who wants to take over Christmas, he goes full ham in the best way possible. With his exaggerated expressions, devilish sneers, and hilarious line delivery, he’s the best thing in this otherwise forgettable film. Watching Lithgow play a holiday movie villain with the enthusiasm of a Bond villain is an absolute blast.
9. ALL THAT JAZZ (1979) – Lucas Sergeant
Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz is a masterpiece, and while Lithgow’s role is small, it’s incredibly impactful. He plays a smug, arrogant Broadway director (based on real-life director Michael Bennett) who’s ready to swoop in and take over once Roy Scheider’s Joe Gideon (aka Fosse) inevitably self-destructs. It’s a biting, layered performance that stands out even in a film loaded with incredible performances.
10. BEATRIZ AT DINNER (2017) – Doug Strutt
In this criminally underrated film, Lithgow plays a modern villain: a smug, ultra-rich, racist real estate mogul who represents everything that’s wrong with the world. He’s the embodiment of unchecked privilege, greed, and arrogance. His scenes with Salma Hayek’s character are intense, and the way he plays this character—without a hint of redemption—is deeply unsettling. A perfect example of how Lithgow doesn’t need to be over-the-top to be terrifying.
Final Thoughts
John Lithgow is one of the greatest actors of all time, and his ability to transform into unforgettable villains is second to none. Whether he’s playing an animated evil lord, a psychotic assassin, or a maniacal cult sci-fi villain, he always brings something unique, entertaining, and often terrifying to the role. He’s one of the best, and these performances prove it.
And with The Rule of Jenny Pen now in theaters, we can’t wait to see him do it again!
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