7. Billy Dee Williams
Character & Films: Lando Calrissian,
The Empire Strikes Back &
Return of the Jedi.
Before Star Wars: Williams was one of the leading black actors of the 1960s and 1970s. Having cut his teeth with small parts in
Mission: Impossible and
The F.B.I., he came to prominence on film with
Lady Sings The Blues and
Mahogany, along with an uncredited appearance in Francis Ford Coppola's
The Conversation.
After Star Wars: Aside from a prominent role in
Dynasty and playing the original Harvey Dent in Tim Burton's
Batman, Williams' career has always been slightly under the radar. He's had no trouble finding work, but there's no real cinematic stand-outs. He also reprised his role as Lando for episodes of
Robot Chicken and parodied his performance on
Scrubs.
Did He Deserve Better?: Definitely. He's one of the most charismatic actors in the
Star Wars universe, and one of the most interesting characters. His first scene in
The Empire Strikes Back is pure testosterone as he goes head to head with Harrison Ford.
Look No Further: Sergeant Matthew Fox in
Nighthawks (1981). A pivotal performance to balance both Rutger Hauer and Sylvester Stallone (no easy task).