Born in Englewood, New Jersey in 1950,Ed Harrishas had a long and lucrative career in Hollywood. Getting his start in 1976, Harris has been nominated for four Academy Awards and three Emmys. He’s had a varied career that has spanned multiple genres and formats. He’s ultimately found success in all of them. He’s even directed a few successful films likeAppaloosaandPollock.
Harris also made the jump from film to TV and starred in the successful remake ofWestworldas the iconic Man in Black.Ed Harris once said,“Acting is a lifelong situation…’til you drop dead.” In a lot of ways, Ed Harris is an actor’s actor. He may not be the biggest name in the game, but he always puts together great and memorable performances. These are only a few of the best from his long and successful career.
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Updated on August 4th, 2023 byDanilo Raúl:This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
15Walker (1987)
The best work by Ed Harris can be seen in films that are completely out of the blue.Walkeris a complex film, not because it’s challenging to follow, but because the sheer nonsensical narrative feels likewatching an old episode of The Twilight Zone. The movie is written by Rudy Wurlitzer and directed by Alex Cox, and it’s based on the actual story of William Walker, an American soldier that somehow became the ruler of Nicaragua during the 1850s.
The wacky story is filled with intentionally postmodernist anachronisms. Walker is a man of action whose hell-bent on a mission to bring peace to a third-world country by any means necessary. But we see him use modern political slang and tools not used in the era where the story is supposed to be set, such as lighters, helicopters, radio transmitters, magazines, cars, and more. It’s a unique film with a strong dose of criticism of the imperialistic agenda of America in the past.
14The Abyss (1989)
This sci-fi thriller is about a team of oil drillers tasked with recovering a Russian submarine and its precious military cargo. Ed Harris plays Virgil “Bud” Brigman, the team’s leader, a no-nonsense handymanwilling to help their government but not risk his crew. When they discover an alien presence at the bottom of the sea, he must guide the team to stop the military from taking action against unseen forces.
Certain actors can be pushed to their limits for the sake of an outstanding performance. According to Ed Harris, everyone who participated in the production ofThe Abysswas pushed to their very limits. While the actor refuses to talk ill of James Cameron, he has repeatedly stated that making this movie wasn’t fun at all. It doesn’t help that despite working with someone so high profile; the film was deemed a commercial flop upon release.
13Eye for an Eye (1996)
Some of the best work by Ed Harris is in supporting roles.Eye for an Eyeis very much Sally Fields' show, but Harris does a fantastic job as Karen’s husband Mack McCann. After their eldest daughter is brutally raped and murdered, they seek justice by the book only to be denied by technicalities. Mack wants to move on with his life, but Karen refuses.
Harris offers an outstanding balance against Field’s intricate obsession in the story. While the man usually embraces revenge in these stances, Karen has been affected directly. In his role as husband, Harris becomes more estranged from his wife ashe sees her fall into deeper obsessionby trying to warn potential victims. Ultimately he decides to go away for a while to leave his wife and enact justice by her hand.
12Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Some critics would sayEnemy at the Gatesis one of Ed Harris’s best performances ever, and it would be hard to argue against them. In this gripping war story written and directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, we follow the story of the cat-and-mouse game enacted by the best sharpshooters inThe Russian Army and The Nazi Command.
Jude Law plays Vasily Zaitsev while Ed Harris plays Major Erwin Köni. The main focus of the story seems to be the love triangle between Vasily Zaitsev, Commissar Danilov, and Tania Chernova, But make no mistake, the contests of wills fought between Major Erwin König and Vasily Zaitsev, Russian’s prodigal marksman and renowned war hero, is still the main drive of the film.
11Appaloosa (2008)
Anyone who says that Westerns are dead is wrong. Ed Harris helped verify they stay alive and well.Appaloosacould be considered his audition for the character he played onWestworldyears later. It was a passion project for Harris, who wrote, directed, and produced the film alongside Robert Knott. In the story, Harris plays lawman for hire Virgil Cole. He rounds up the cast with Viggo Mortensen, who plays his associate Everett Hitch.
Appaloosa is not the safest place to live, as rancher Randall Bragg keeps killing every Sherriff and deputy willing to tell him how to conduct his business. The locals hire Cole and Hitchto stop the madness of the unhinged landholder. Harris gives the performance of a lifetime as the cold, calculating Cole, a man of honor who is not above doing whatever is necessary to ensure justice gets served.
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10That’s What I Am (2011)
In the filmThat’s What I Am, he takes the role of Mr. Simon, a teacher with a particular type of sensibility and a unique approach to education for social outcasts. The story, written and directed by Michael Pavone, is a profoundly personal drama set in the 1960s.
In the movie, Harris takes a particular interest in a boy named Andrew Nichol and pairs him with Stanley Minors for a unique project. The two boys quickly bond over their similarities while regarding their differences. Mr. Simon is facing scrutiny by the conservative body of parents as there have been rumors about his sexuality. Mr. Simons stays until he helps the boys break from their shells, retiring after the period and leaving great memories with all his students.
9The Rock (1996)
A group of renegade soldiers led by Harris; General Francis X. Hummel take control of Alcatraz. They threaten to launch chemical weapons into San Francisco unless the government pays 100 million dollars to the families of the soldiers who were killed under his command in covert missions. FBI Special Agent Dr. Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage) and the only man who escaped Alcatraz, disgraced British Spy Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), are the only ones who can stop him.
Although Harris is an actor’s actor, he’s done some popcorn flicks here and there, andThe Rockmight be one of his best. His character could be a one-note villain, but Harris imbues him with empathy, loyalty, and duty to his men. The audience can understand his position, even if his methods to get the money are absolutely out of proportion. Most characters in Michael Bay movies are black and white, but Harris imbues Hummel with enough pathos and gravitas to make him a real human being with clear and honorable motivations.
8Snowpiercer (2013)
Ed Harris doesn’t have a lot of lines inSnowpiercer, but he still made a huge impact. His character is integral to the plot and has a lot of mystery and intrigue around him. He’s an almost mythic figure, and his performance had to be memorable or audiences would be let down by the reveal.Harris revealed to Colliderthat he “would have played any role if he’d asked me, just because I really appreciated his work. But, the fact that he wanted me to play this guy who’s talked about through the whole film, and who’sThe Wizard of Ozbehind a curtain, had some attraction to me.”
The dynamic between director and actor is an important part of putting together a successful movie. Bong Joon-ho is an incredible director - but Wilford is not an easy role to play. Despite all the complexities, Ed Harris made it look easy. He may not be themost lauded performance in the movie- but he should be.
7A History of Violence (2005)
Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) is an ordinary diner owner who becomes a local hero when he prevents a robbery. After the news goes viral, some people from his past come for him and reveal Tom’s horrible past as a mob enforcer. Harris’s role inA History of Violenceis not a big one, but it changes the tone and mood of the film.
He plays scarred mobster Carl Fogerty, who is on a mission for revenge. Harris plays the character as someone collected, but you’re able to see the angry devil inside. He is someone menacing and scary who could kill everyone in the room at any moment in a chilling performance that should’ve earned Harris an Oscar Nomination at least.
6Westworld (2016)
Westworldhas had a lot of ups and downs since the start of its first season. Ed Harris was been incredible as the villainous and intriguing Man in Black. The hyper-violent Western sci-fi has a lot of despicable characters, but maybe none more so than Ed Harris' character.
The format of television is perfect for fleshing out a character that may have just been relegated to a bad guy wearing a black hat in other Westerns.Westworldgave audiences time to think about a character and see all the paths that helped create him. Harris isn’t a stranger to playing villains. He’s done it expertly his entire career. This may be his best to date.Westworldwas recently canceledafter a disappointing season four.
