Woody Harrelsonis an impressively versatile actor, capable of being devilishly funny or gutwrenchingly dramatic. He broke through with his Emmy-winning role as the affable bartender Woody Boyd onCheers, then pulled off the daunting transition to film. In the decades since,he’s amassed a substantial filmography, turning in dynamic performances across a range of genres.
Harrelson’s performances consistently resonate, whether he’s playing real-life figures or delving into the realms of dystopian futures. Not for nothing, he’s earned three Oscar nominations for his efforts. With this in mind, this list looks at some of the actor’s very best projects, from the explosive fun ofZombielandto the neo-Western bleakness ofNo Country for Old Men.
10’The Hunger Games' (2012)
Directed by Gary Ross
“Embrace the probability of your imminent death, and know, in your heart, that there’s nothing I can do to save you.“The Hunger Gamesmovies as a whole are a mixed bag. Except for the prequelThe Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, they all play outlike watered-down versions ofBattle Royale. That said,Harrelson’s curmudgeonly performance is one of the highlights of the first movie. He is Haymitch Abernathy, a former victor of the brutal games turned reluctant mentor to Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence).
Harrelson was well-cast;he plays the part with a great mix of sardonic wit and weary wisdom.He also looks like he was having fun with the characters (something that can’t be said for all the cast members). Although Haymitch is outwardly armored in cynicism, he also still harbors glimmers of hope that the system can be overthrown. And, hope, as Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland) tells us, “is the only thing stronger than fear.”
The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place in the Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.
9’Seven Psychopaths' (2012)
Directed by Martin McDonagh
The darkly comic crime filmSeven Psychopathsis a chaotic, self-aware satire of storytelling and Hollywood violence. Harrelson plays Charlie Costello,a ruthless but oddly sentimental gangster whose beloved Shih Tzu is kidnappedby two eccentric con artists (Sam RockwellandChristopher Walken). This seemingly minor theft sets off a chain of increasingly bizarre and violent events, pulling in an alcoholic screenwriter (Colin Farrell).
While far from writer-directorMartin McDonagh’s best work,Seven Psychopathsis still a punchy and entertainingflick, full of narrative trickery and food for thought. The script hands Harrelson a fairly challenging role to play, one that could easily have come off as totally ridiculous. He does a solid job, making Charlie frequently hilarious.He flips between laid-back charm and psychotic rage with ease. Plus, his devotion to his dog makes for an interesting contrast with his general contempt for humanity.
Seven Psychopaths
A struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster’s beloved Shih Tzu.
8’Now You See Me' (2013)
Directed by Louis Leterrier
“The more you think you see, the easier it’ll be to fool you.” This slick, fast-paced thriller blends heist movie mechanics with stage magic spectacle. Harrelson shows up as Merritt McKinney,a mentalist and hypnotist who becomes one of the Four Horsemen—a group of illusionists who pull off high-profile robberies during their performances. As the FBI, led by agent Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo), scrambles to catch them, the magicians must marshal all their powers of deception and illusion to evade capture.
Now You See Meisenjoyable if a little scattershot, like aHarry Houdini-inflectedOcean’s 11. The narrative is occasionally thin, butthe movie compensates with charismatic stars and outstanding performances.Harrelson is playful and mischievous, delivering his boundless quips with relish. In particular, he has a nice dynamic withJesse Eisenberg, who is more serious and intense as the arrogant illusionist Danny Atlas (his performance has strong echoes of his work asMark ZuckerberginThe Social Network).
Now You See Me
An F.B.I. Agent and an Interpol Detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances, and reward their audiences with the money.
7’The People vs. Larry Flynt' (1996)
Directed by Miloš Forman
Harrelson leads the biopic asLarry Flynt, the controversial publisher of Hustler magazine. The film charts Flynt’s rise from strip club owner to media mogul and his relentless battles against the legal system in defense of free speech.It’s one of Harrelson’s most daring and complex performances.He portrays Flynt as a provocateur and a deeply flawed individual, but one who nonetheless abides by certain principles.
While Harrelson is great here, earning a Best Actor Oscar nod for his efforts, the real star isCourtney LoveasAlthea, Flynt’s fourth wife and the longtime publisher/editor of his magazine. The two have tremendous chemistry; Love is a whirlwind of energy but fiercely loyal to her husband, while Harrelson is a brash mix of determination and self-destructiveness. In the end, the movie works because there’s no hagiography, leaning into Flynt’s flaws as well as his strengths.
The People vs. Larry Flynt
6’The Edge of Seventeen' (2016)
Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig
Harrelson turns in a very different kind of performance inthis coming-of-age dramedy. He is Mr. Bruner, the sarcastic yet surprisingly supportive teacher, who becomes one of the few people that protagonist Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) can confide in. She’s a socially awkward teenager struggling with the complexities of high school, friendships, and family.
Here inThe Edge of Seventeen,Harrelson is refreshingly understated. Instead of the stereotypical “wise mentor” trope, he plays the character as someone who genuinely doesn’t have time for teenage melodrama but still offers wisdom in his own gruff way. While the teenage characters carry the film’s emotional weight, Harrelson provides a welcome dose of comic relief. His deadpan humor and brutally honest advice provide some of the film’s funniest moments, balanced out perfectly by his subtle kindness.
The Edge of Seventeen
5’Natural Born Killers' (1994)
Directed by Oliver Stone
In this blood-soaked classic, Mickey (Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis) aretwo lovers who embark on a gruesome killing spree across the United States, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Their rampage turns them into celebrities, as the media, led by sleazy tabloid journalist Wayne Gale (Robert Downey Jr.), glorifies their violent exploits.
Natural Born Killers, penned byQuentin Tarantinoand directed byOliver Stone, was incredibly controversial on release, with many condemning its brutality. In hindsight, though,what stands out is the movie’s searing media critique and its visual inventions. It features bizarre camera angles, rapid editing, psychedelic colors, animated sequences, vision quests and drug-fueled visions, as well as a hyper-stylized aesthetic that was arguably ahead of its time. The lead performances are delightfully over-the-top, making Mickey and Mallory into mythic figures,Bonnie and Clydeon steroids.
Natural Born Killers
4’Zombieland' (2009)
Directed by Ruben Fleischer
“Time to nut up or shut up.” Possibly Harrelson’s most purely entertaining project to date,Zombielandrefreshed the zombie apocalypse genre by giving it a much-needed jolt of wacky humor. The story follows a mismatched group of survivors navigating a world overrun by the walking dead.Harrelson is Tallahassee, a trigger-happy, Twinkie-obsessed loner with a talent for killing. He reluctantly teams up with Columbus (Eisenberg), a neurotic college student; Wichita (Emma Stone), a cunning con artist; and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), her resourceful younger sister, to search for safe haven.
Harrelson steals every scene with his stellar comedic timing and action-hero bravado. His breezy performance is the perfect match for the movie’s unpretentious, blood-spattered tone.Zombielandserves up plenty of gleeful carnage, but its over-the-top violence is more cartoonish than disturbing. Overall, Harrelson and co. elevate what could have been a mediocre zombie flick into something a lot more memorable and fun.
Zombieland
3’Seven Pounds' (2008)
Directed by Gabriele Muccino
“In seven days, God created the world. And in seven seconds, I shattered mine.“Seven Poundscenters on Tim Thomas (Will Smith), a man burdened by guilt over a tragic mistake in his past.Seeking redemption, he embarks on a mission to save the lives of seven strangers. When he forms an unexpected connection with Emily (Rosario Dawson), a woman with a heart condition, his plan becomes more complicated.
Harrelson plays against type as the calm Ezra, a blind pianist who becomes one of the final recipients of Ben’s kindness. Though his role is relatively small,Harrelson delivers a quietly moving performance. He’s subtle rather than bombastic. His phone conversation with Ben, in which he remains patient and kind despite being cruelly tested, is one of the film’s most powerful moments. As a whole,Seven Poundsis a well-made and moving drama, if not a groundbreaking one, anchored by committed performances across the board.
Seven Pounds
2’No Country for Old Men' (2007)
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Perhaps the greatest neo-Western ever made,No Country for Old Menrevolves around Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a hunter who stumbles upon a briefcase filled with drug money. Hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is sent to retrieve the money, while the aging sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) struggles to comprehend the growing violence in the world around him. Harrelson shows up as Carson Wells, a cocky yet highly skilled bounty hunter hired to track down Chigurh.
Though his screen time is limited, Harrelson makes a strong impression,bringing a smooth confidence to the role that contrasts sharply with Chigurh’s quiet menace. Carson’s encounter with Chigurh is one of the film’s most unsettling scenes, as he realizes too late that he is completely outmatched. Despite the somberness of the film, Harrelson once again seems to have enjoyed his character. Speaking ofHarrelson’s work on set, Brolin has said, “Woody can’t remember his lines, he stumbles his way through it, and then bothCoensare like, ‘Oh my God! Fantastic!'”
No Country for Old Men
Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and more than two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.
1’Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ (2017)
The best showcase for Harrelson’s talents isThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, McDonagh’s fiery fusion of dark comedy and heartrending drama.Frances McDormandis at the helm as Mildred Hayes,a grieving mother who puts up three confrontational billboards to pressure local law enforcement into solving her daughter’s murder. Her actions spark escalating tensions between herself, the town’s residents, and the police force, particularly Chief Willoughby (Harrelson), the respected but flawed sheriff at the center of the controversy.
While the terrific Sam Rockwell won Best Supporting Actor for this movie, Harrelson was arguably more deserving of Oscar gold (he, too, was nominated).He’s a powerhouse in this movie, nuanced and compelling, making Willoughby far more than a stock character. His emotional letters from beyond the grave provide some of the film’s hardest-hitting moments, and his own inner struggles cast his mistakes and bad behavior in a more complicated light. It’s phenomenal work from both the cast and creator.
