9. Patrick Bateman - Christian Bale
I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip
Film Appearance(s): American Psycho (2000) The quintessential eighties yuppie, Patrick Bateman has it all; youth, looks, wealth and taste. He's also a deranged serial killer with a fondness for Phil Collins, murder and executions in Mary Harron's funny take on Bret Easton Ellis' novel from 1991. Christian Bale delivers a tour de force performance as the narcissistic, preening Wall Street banker (who never actually does any work) and it rightly catapulted him straight to the a-list as he delivered one of cinema's great bad guys. The English actor is thoroughly convincing as the rich New Yorker, so much so, that is impossible to imagine any of the many actors once linked to the role (Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ewan McGregor etc) doing a better job.
Did You Know?...Christian Bale based his performance of Patrick Bateman on Tom Cruise. According to director Mary Harron, Bale saw an interview with Cruise with David Letterman and saw in Cruise 'this very intense friendliness with nothing behind the eyes.'..so I guess they won't be acting together in anything soon.
8. Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting - Daniel Day-Lewis
You see this knife? I'm gonna teach you to speak English with this f****** knife
Film Appearance(s): Gangs Of New York (2002) From the very first scene where we see Bill the Butcher leading his 'natives' to bloody and brutal victory over the Irish immigrants in Martin Scorsese's epic Gangs Of New York, it's clear we're witnessing one of cinema's greatest villains in action. Bill is the man who rules the Five Points, an area in lower Manhattan in the mid-19th century, with an iron fist and a sharp knife. He is vividly brought to life by one of the greatest actors alive, Ireland's Daniel Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis' performance as the ferocious American gang leader is an exercise in intensity and a masterclass in intimidation that never falls into parody and is always enjoyable to watch.
Did You Know?...Daniel Day-Lewis became so uncomfortable with the greasy hair he wore as Bill the Butcher that as soon as filming wrapped he shaved his entire head.