10 Actors Who Died As Heroes (& Then Lived To Become Villains)

9. Jake Gyllenhaal

Died A Hero - Donnie Darko

Donnie Darko might be one of the most unconventional heroes on this list - and is often called something closer to an anti-hero - but it's his heroism and his final act of altruism that "saves the world." In those terms at least, he's a hero.

This was, of course, the role that set Gyllenhaal's career on a path to its current heights, confirming his propensity for stranger roles whose moral spectrum isn't necessarily normal either. Ultimately, his Donnie dies simply because he chooses to accept his fate and save his loved ones, including Gretchen. His legacy is his death.

But Became The Villain - Spider-Man: Far From Home

While he was initially set up as a hero, we all knew something was fishy about Mysterio - especially if you had picked up a comic book at all. His twist was still masterfully done though, and while he was very much a victim of Tony Stark (though his "crime" against him here was hardly worthy of the vengeance), his final act of outing Spider-Man confirmed him as fully evil.

From playing a dark child who becomes the hero, he became a seemingly heroic poster boy who was revealed to be the villain. That's quite the pleasant circle.