Not every actor is a Jack Nicholson, Christopher Walken or even Bill Nighy. Not every actor can take on the part of the 'bad guy' and pull it off time and time again, but still have the skill and popularity to return to more 'friendlier' roles.

A number of actors - through choice or necessity - take the safe route and stay the hero. Some never divert, while some have on the very rare occasion, with varying degrees of success.




7. ALAN ALDA

MOVIE: Whispers in the Dark (1992)

The guy who played Capt. Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce in no less than 251 episodes of the long-running comedy series M*A*S*H played a perverted psychiatrist turned killer in this thriller. His character, Leo Green, develops a deadly obsession with his young protege, Ann Heckler (played by Annabella Sciorra). Anthony LaPaglia plays a cop caught in Leo's in the firing line.

RESULT: Like the movie, Alda's performance was not very well received - he was nominated for a Worst Supporting Actor gong at the 1993 Razzies.



6. SYLVESTER STALLONE

MOVIE: Spy Kids 3-D (2003)

While Stallone's characters - namely John Rambo - have never held back from dishing out some rather brutal slayings, it wasn't really until the final chapter in writer-director Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids trilogy that he played a genuine villain. And he probably should've steered clear of taking on the part of the evil Toymaker in the lame family film.

RESULT: Among his 28 Razzie Award nominations is one from this pic for Worst Supporting Actor. It was his last big screen movie role before returning to old favourites Rocky Balboa in 2006 and Rambo in 2008.



5. HARRISON FORD

MOVIE: What Lies Beneath (2000)

Though he was brought to trial for the murder of a mistress (in Presumed Innocent) and convicted for the murder of a wife (in The Fugitive), the consumate movie hero Ford (Indiana Jones, Han Solo) didn't portray an actual cold-blooded killer until very late in his career. At the age of 57, he plays Dr Norman Spencer who has really done away with his first wife (and not been framed) - and gets away with it until her ghost pays a visit to his new bride Claire (played by Michelle Pfieffer).

RESULT: Director Robert Zemeckis and co-star Pfeiffer both received Saturn (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films) Award nominations for their efforts, but Ford missed out. He was okay, but certainly not great. Oh well, he had a go for once.




4. KEVIN COSTNER

MOVIE: Mr Brooks (2007)

Costner enjoyed a golden run in the late '80s and early '90s playing heroic characters like Elliot Ness, Jim Garrison, John Dunbar, Robin Hood and the guy who built that baseball diamond, but then came Mariner from Waterworld. After more than a decade of not having a substantial hit, Costner resorted to playing the psychopathic serial killer with a split personality (played by William Hurt).

RESULT: Costner put in one of his best performances in a decade and a half. He has apparently hinted that he would like to play the character again. It seems a smart move at this stage of his career. No more Mr Nice Guy, 'cause Mr Nice Guy ain't working anymore.



3. ROBIN WILLIAMS

MOVIES: One-Hour Photo (2002) and Insomnia (2002)

As a freshly-turned 50-year-old Williams took a massive departure from the fluffy comedic roles he had made his own for two decades when he played a killer in back-to-back films. First came his performance as lonely photo lab clerk Sy Parrish who becomes crazily obsessed with a young family in One Hour Photo, and then Alaskan killer Walter Finch, who torments Al Pacino's LA cop Will Dormer in Christopher Nolan's Insomnia.

RESULT: Williams was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Saturn Award (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films) for both performances, and deservedly so. It was a nice change - better than recent performances in crappy comedies RV (2006) and Licence To Wed (2007).



2. MATT DAMON

MOVIE: The Talented Mr Ripley (1997)

Best known as Jason Bourne, All-American boy Damon got a taste for nastiness early on in his career playing spoiled student Charlie Dillon in School Ties (1992), but took things to the extreme in The Talented Mr Ripley. He plays underachieving leech Tom Ripley, who then plays millionaire playboy Dickie Greenleaf after he blugeons him to death with an oar - just because he doesn't want to be his friend any more. Tom's a little deranged, not to mention sexually-confused.

RESULT: Damon missed out on an Oscar nomination despite a real creepy performance, but Jude Law got one for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as Dickie.



1. TOM CRUISE

MOVIE: Collateral (2004)

Cruise was met with a mixed reaction when he first tried to do away with that wholesome image when he starred as the Brad Pitt- sucking vampire Lestat de Lioncourt in Interview with the Vampire (1994). But, he really blew everyone away in Collateral (2004) when he portrayed the lethal grey-haired hitman Vincent, who forces Jamie Foxx's taxi driver Max to cheuffer him around LA while he ticks off his contract assignments.

RESULT: Despite a rather corny ending, the movie was an enjoyable ride, with Cruise every bit the professional killer.


FOOTNOTE: Correct me if I'm wrong, these actors below have never even had a crack at playing a true villain in film. They've all been bad to a certain degree at various times, but they have never played truly evil.

Bruce Willis (Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, Unbreakable, Sin City)
Mel Gibson (Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, Payback)
Will Smith (Independance Day, Men In Black, Hancock)
Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, The Da Vinci Code)