As one of the greatest actors of all time,Ian McShanehas had many iconic roles. From playing an animated anthropomorphic martial artist, to the dreaded pirate Blackbeard or a deadly cowboy, McShane has done it all. Born September 29th, 1942, Ian McShane is an English actor, producer, and director, mostly known for his exceptional roles on TV. Most notably in the 2004 series about the Old West,Deadwood, as well as the hit Amazon Prime series,American Gods. More recently, McShane may be most recognizable for his role in theJohn Wickfranchise. His many roles have earned him countless award nominations, leading the actor to take home many awards for his brilliant performances. With that in mind, let’s take at look at Ian McShane’s best performances.
6Blackbeard - Pirates of the Caribbean: on Stranger Tides (2011)
WhileOnStranger Tidesmay not be thebest out of thePiratesmovies, Ian McShane’s turn as the infamous deadly pirate Blackbeard was definitely a standout. McShane had the very difficult task of following up Bill Nighy’s phenomenal performance as Davy Jones, one of the best villains in cinema. With McShane’s impeccable prowess as an actor and intimidation as a villain, the British actor easily delivered another equally iconic villain. McShane’s role as Blackbeard was certainly different to any that had come before it, not only for wielding a super-powered sword, but McShane’s phenomenal presence on screen. From Blackbeard’s terrifying introduction, to feeding crew to deadly mermaids, or having absolutely no remorse for his daughter. Blackbeard is a terrifying character, who is only elevated by McShane’s brilliant performance.
5Tai Lung - Kung Fu Panda (2008)
One thing that makes Ian McShane so beloved, is his iconic voice. So what better place to cast him than in an animated role playing an awesome villain? Ian McShane takes on the role of a martial arts master, who happens to also be a Leopard, and no one could have done the role any better. As the antagonist of the firstKung Fu Pandamovie, Tai Lung is powerful and evil, which McShane delivers in an unmatched gravitas. Tai Lung is never meant to be funny, only serious and deadly, which McShane shines at. Whether it’s confronting his old master, standing toe-to-toe with the furious five, or in a deadly battle with the dragon warrior, McShane’s delivery and aptitude gives Tai Lung that extra seriousness the character needed. Yes, Tai Lung is undeniably deadly, but he is also flawed as a villain. Exiled and lied to by his former master, Tai Lung will stop at nothing to get the scroll. McShane always delivers an undeniably cool performance, with his iconic voice. But McShane similarly gives his characters layers and delves into their emotions, which is very hard to do when voice acting for an animated movie. McShane, however, makes it look easy making the firstKung Fu Pandaone of thebest movies in the franchise.
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4Winston - John Wick Franchise
With a cast as spectacular, cool, and intriguing as in theJohn Wickfranchise, there is no better franchise for the great Ian McShane to show off his impeccable acting skills. Ian McShane plays the hotel manager at the New York Continental, and a dear friend and father figure to John Wick. The main draw to these movies are undoubtedly thegroundbreaking action scenes, but seeing Ian McShane pop up throughout the franchise is certainly close. Winston is responsible for many of the coolest monologues and speeches in the franchise, from threatening Santino D’Antonio to asking John “who do you wish to die as, the Babayaga, the last thing many men ever see, or a man who loved and was loved by his wife ?” These epic speeches and monologues are only enhanced by McShane’s iconic voice and brilliant performance, making Winston an instantfan-favorite character.
Related:John Wick: Why the Trilogy Belongs Among the Best Action Franchises
3Teddy Bass - Sexy Beast (2000)
In the crime dramaSexy Beast, Ian McShane plays the elegant, meticulous, and very violent Teddy Bass. Teddy Bass is a very intimidating character, which as we know, McShane can pull off effortlessly. Starring alongside Ray Winstone and acareer-defining performance from Ben Kingsley, is no easy feat, but McShane not only performs brilliantly alongside them, but in many scenes, out shines the veteran actors.
2Mr Wednesday - American Gods (2017-2021)
The crafty and charismatic con-man and secret god known as Mr Wednesday, is played to perfection by McShane, bringing his trademark suave, and impeccable acting prowess. McShane is once again brilliant in this show, demonstrating his amazing acting skills, and delivering a Shakespearean-like performance to the expansive and mystical world ofAmerican Gods. Brilliantly, McShane plays the character very coy in the first season, while still being cunning and crafty. However, once its revealed that Mr Wednesday is actually the Norse god Odin, leader of the “old gods” of ancient mythology, McShane delivers an almighty performance, and when he shouts that he is Odin up to the heavens with every ounce of power he can muster, audiences are floored and beyond excited to see him return to finally play Odin in all his glory.
1Al Swearengen - Deadwood
In McShane’s most iconic and best role of his career, he plays the wise, cunning, back-stabbing criminal and proprietor of the Gem Saloon, Al Swearengen.Deadwoodsees McShane in his most deadly and intimidating performance to date, which, terrifyingly enough, McShane seamlessly pulls off. Al Swearengen is one of the most vicious bad guys on television, and essentially paved the way for the horrific and evil villains from other HBO shows likeGame of Thrones. If it wasn’t for McShane’s devilish performance as the unpredictable Saloon owner, Al Swearengen would easily not be as iconic as he is today.
McShane’s performance as Al got the actor nominated for many awards, leading him to take home the award for Best Actor at the Golden Globe Awards. Although the show is highly critically acclaimed and was nominated for many awards, many fans still claim that thisHBO show is incredibly underrated. After more than a decade since the show ended, 2019 saw McShane return to his iconic role forDeadwood: The Movie,which was once again praised by critics.
