20 TV Villain Performances That Are Practically Flawless
9. Nancy Merchand - Livia Soprano (The Sopranos)
Nancy Merchand tragically passed away just shy of three seasons into David Chase's masterful drama series The Sopranos, but even with her limited screen time she managed to cement her performance as the finest of her storied career.
Playing Livia Soprano, the dominating, manipulative mother of protagonist Tony Soprano, Merchand's job was far from an easy one, as she had to play an aging woman who was at once lonely and sad, but also brutal and ruthless.
The genius of Merchand's work on the show came from her ability to sell Livia as a woman capable and willing to murder her own son, but also as one who has lost a part of herself and wasn't always this way.
It's a tough juggling act to be sure, but even in her final moments Merchand sold Livia for all her cruelty and personal tragedy. The only downside is that she was never given the chance to see the show through.