3. Calvin J. Candie - Django Unchained
Leonardo DiCaprio was originally supposed to work with Quentin Tarantino on Inglourious Basterds, but they couldn't quite work everything out, yet given how fortuitous their collaboration was on Django Unchained, we're glad that they actually waited. DiCaprio is a blast as the film's villainous plantation owner Calvin J. Candie, clearly having the most fun of his career chewing through the director's trademark witty, verbose dialogue. At first presented as a slick, suave, intelligent fellow who keeps a cool head at all times, later on he also gets to explode with the sort of violent intensity we haven't seen from the actor since his brilliant turn in Scorsese's The Departed. DiCaprio might not be the first actor you think of when the word "scary" comes to mind, but there's no doubting that he surprised us all with this demented, extremely entertaining character.