Apart from being a meticulously brilliant filmmaker, and creating thought-provoking films, Christopher Nolan is highly revered in the entertainment industry. His films are often praised for their complex storylines, grand cinematography, and direction. However, the actors’ performances are equally important to a movie’s success. All characters played well are imperative to a film’s success. And the perfectionist he is, Nolan makes just the right choices when it comes to his cast.
Furthermore, the British filmmaker’s ability to elicit great performances from actors has not only his films but also these actors’s careers. Here is a ranking of the top 10 performances from Christopher Nolan movies.
10. Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face in The Dark Knight (2008)
One of the most iconic supervillains, Two-Face is materialised on screen by Aaron Eckhart in The Dark Knight. This spine-chilling portrayal of the once dutiful district attorney of Gotham is criminally underrated. Eckhart’s brilliance as an actor is often overlooked and is overshadowed by someone else who is on this list. Although Eckhart was never Nolan’s first choice for Two-Face, he proved to be a brilliant one.
However, playing Harvey Dent, Eckhart shows his prowess as an actor. He masterfully shows the tragic story of his character who strives to do what is right but is fed up with corruption and on the verge of losing it. All this anger and frustration lead to his transformation as Two-Face. Although a villain, Eckhart’s portrayal of the character makes it sympathetic.
9. Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier in The Prestige (2006)
Christopher Nolan’s casting of Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier in The Prestige was one of the first instances that showed that there was more to the Marvel star than Wolverine. Jackman masterfully portrays his character which goes through an emotional turmoil wanting to pull off the ultimate trick. To fulfill his ambition and defeat his opponent, Angier loses his moral compass. Despite his character doing some villainous things, Jackman’s charm makes the character come across as likable.
8. Anne Hathaway as Amelia Brand in Interstellar (2014)
In Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar Anne Hathaway takes on the role of Dr. Amelia Brand, a scientist who boards the spaceship along with others to colonize a different planet. Although hers was a supporting character, Hathaway’s performance was nothing short of exceptional. Playing a determined scientist on a mission to save humanity, her acting perfectly balanced dedication with compassion.
Hathaway’s brilliance in portraying a myriad of emotions incredibly impacts the film which otherwise could have been emotionally restrained.
7. Robin Williams as Walter Finch in Insomnia (2002)
Playing Walter Finch proved to be a pivotal point in Robin Williams’s decades-long career as a comedian. Insomnia broke a huge trend, Nolan cast Williams as a villain, something that no one could have expected. This shocked viewers but proved to be a great move. For someone who was known for being hilarious and delivering poignant dramatic roles, Williams was fascinating as a crime-fiction writer turned murderer.
Under Christopher Nolan’s direction, Williams’s was a performance of a lifetime.
6. Jessica Chastain as adult Murphy Cooper in Interstellar (2014)
Another epic performance from Nolan’s Interstellar is Jessica Chastain‘s The actress is one of her generation’s finest talents. And is known for her feminist choice of roles. In her portrayal of Murph, Chastain skillfully embodies a daughter’s trepidation when dealing with the uncertainty of her father’s return.
Despite the limited screen time, the Academy Award winner delivered some of the most heartfelt scenes. The hospital scene with Professor Brand (Michael Caine) and her birthday message to her father, were some that stood out. Under Nolan’s thumb, Chastain brilliantly brought the emotionally repressed character to life.
5. Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby in Memento (2000)
Known for taking creative risks, Nolan certainly took things to a different level with Memento. The film has its narrative shown in reverse, which is unprecedented. The film follows Leonard Shelby as he tries to find his wife’s murderer while struggling with short-term memory loss. This film brings forth a unique challenge that Shelby rediscovers the same information.
Each time Guy Pearce conveys the emotions authentically. This emphasizes the tragic nature of his character.
4. Matthew McConaughey as Cooper in Interstellar (2014)
As the leading man of the film, Matthew McConaughey brilliantly helmed the sci-fi drama Interstellar. Despite his character, Joseph Cooper doing extraordinary tasks of venturing into outer space and attempting to save humanity, his love for his children and his family makes the character instantly relatable.
The gut-wrenching scene when Cooper watches the recording of his children, who are now older while he hasn’t aged, is McConaughey’s finest work. He masterfully conveys the heartbreak of a father who is missing out on his children’s lives. In a film based on complex science and stunning cinematic visuals, this brings an emotional aspect.
3. Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy (2005-2012)
Christian Bale is a strong protagonist throughout the The Dark Knight trilogy. With his portrayal of the Caped Crusader, Bale redefined the superhero genre. In this origin story spanning three films, Bale completely poured himself into his role. Although, he delivers greatly throughout the franchise, his performance in The Dark Knight Rises deserves a special mention.
Nolan created this fascinating storyline which shows Wayne developing his own set of morals and ethics and balancing his normal life with being a vigilante.
2. Cillian Murphy as Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer (2023)
Cillian Murphy famously went to extreme lengths to achieve perfection in his portrayal of the great scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer. In the titular role, Murphy delivers a career-defining performance. The Irish actor brilliantly portrayed the “Father of Atomic Bomb’s” ingenious, ambition and moral dilemma.
From minor subtleties to moments that weigh high on the heart, Oppenheimer brought Murphy an Academy Award for Best Actor.
1. Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)
Atop the list and unsurprisingly so is Heath Ledger‘s portrayal of The Joker. When it was first announced that Ledger would be playing the Batman supervillain, fans were not pleased. However, it later proved to be a brilliant decision on Nolan’s part. Ledger’s portrayal of the character has emerged as one of the most praised in recent cinematic history. It is one of the few performances in cinematic history that received universal praise at the time of its release and continues to hold up to that, years afterward.
With the mysterious persona and humorous one-liners, Ledger immortalized himself as Joker. And won an Oscar for bringing the evil menace of Gotham City to life.
In Christopher Nolan’s films, the characters are quite demanding. To do their roles justice, actors give it their all; resulting in some of the most compelling performances. Through their determination and excellence, these actors have left an undeniable mark on the audiences.
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