11 Amazing Gary Oldman Transformations
From Samuel Goldwyn Films/Everett Collection.Sid and Nancy
It was the role that caught everyone’s eye. In the 1986 biopic, Oldman made a star turn playing Sid Vicious, the raucous bassist of the Sex Pistols. Oldman’s performance is at once manic and nuanced, an in-depth look at the late punk star’s doomed inner life.
From ITV/REX/Shutterstock.Prick Up Your Ears
Based on the tragic, true story of Joe Orton, this 1987 biopic earned Oldman the lion’s share of praise for his nimble portrayal of the successful British playwright. Roger Ebert was an early fan, hailing his performance as one of the best of the year.
From Warner Bros/Everett Collection.JFK
Oldman turned in a mirror-image performance as Lee Harvey Oswald in Oliver Stone’s lengthy, Academy Award-winning 1991 drama.
By Ralph Jr Nelson/Zoetrope/Columbia Tri-Star/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.Bram Stoker's Dracula
Oldman was a gothic star in this 1992 vampire blockbuster, playing a trim young Dracula, then switching it up and layering on the makeup to play a wizened old Dracula.
By Morgan Creek/Davis/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.True Romance
On paper, Drexl Spivey—a white Jamaican pimp with dreadlocks—sounds like a bad Chappelle’s Show joke. But Oldman took the character and molded him into a memorable and deeply violent villain in this 1993 drama.
From Columbia/Tri-Star/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.The Fifth Element
In a film full of flamboyant scene-stealers, Oldman is among the best, playing a wild villain named Zorg with side-swept hair and a sliver of goatee. Don’t mention it to him, though; in a deeply controversial Playboy interview, Oldman revealed that he “can’t bear” the film (it was one of the milder remarks in the interview, in which he also defended Mel Gibson, used the n-word, and mockingly called Nancy Pelosi the c-word).
From DreamWorks/Everett Collection.The Contender
In the 2000 drama, Oldman gave life to Shelly Runyon, a balding G.O.P. representative with a lecherous side.
From Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection.The Harry Potter Series
Every Harry Potter fan had their own version of Sirius Black in their mind, and Oldman was tasked with bringing him to life. In the 2004 film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (and subsequent films), Oldman adroitly portrayed Potter’s formerly imprisoned, brooding godfather, imbuing him with equal parts righteous fury and fatherly concern.
From Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.The Dark Knight
Oldman finely disappeared into the role of dependable, mustachioed Commissioner Gordon in Christopher Nolan’s sleek 2008 Batman film.
From Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock.Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Even though Oldman is an established chameleon, he often returns to the classic task of playing dramatic British gents, as he did in this 2011 adaptation of the John le Carré novel of the same name. The performance earned him his first Oscar nomination for best actor.
By Jack English/Focus Features.Darkest Hour
And here it is, the movie of the moment. In the Joe Wright-directed drama, Oldman plays Winston Churchill, turning in a formidable performance as the iconic English leader, despite the layers of heavy makeup he had to wear. Oldman is now the favorite to win the best-actor Oscar this Sunday.
