Ralph Fiennes may not hold the title for "common household name," but his portrayal of Lord Voldemort in the successful Harry Potter series and M in the James Bond series gives him the global recognition he well deserves. Fiennes' bouldering career began with the Royal National Theatre in London. From his time on stage, he quickly gained traction as he moved from live plays to memorable Hollywood films, to one of the largest cinematic franchises ever made. Fiennes is a shape-shifter within the film industry when it comes to taking on vastly different roles. He has successfully made audiences fall in love with his characters, empathize with them, and despise their every fiber. Most recently, Fiennes found himself with a Golden Globes Award nomination for his role as a maniacal chef in The Menu.

Fiennes' roles as a villain in cinema have created a spectrum of their own. He is able to embody a character that an audience knows they should hate, but, at the same time, cannot simply help but laugh and agree with certain intentions. On the other end, Fiennes knows what it takes to be the most hated man on set. When it comes to Nazi Germany for instance,, an audience already establishes bias on certain characters. In Schindler's List, Fiennes knew how to reap every emotion from his target. As the expectations and justifications for a villain shift, now is a great time to compare Ralph Fiennes' best villain characters, ranked.

8 Professor James Moriarty — Holmes & Watson

Man in court looking down
Sony Pictures Releasing

​When it comes to any rendition of Sherlock Holmes, one often thinks of a certain seriousness and prestige. The audience can typically expect a cunning and witty Sherlock to solve heinous crimes while in pursuit of a villainous figure. With Will Ferrell (Holmes) and John Reilly (Watson) starring in Holmes & Watson, the film is anything but serious. This mystery-comedy has the audience laughing at dimwitted and vulgar humor. Among the intentionally silly acting, Fiennes, playing Professor James Moriarty, is able to bring a darker air to his role as the villain. Though it is hard to take much seriously in this film, Fiennes is able to create a confident and intimidating character.

Related: Best Ralph Fiennes Movies, Ranked

7 Ramses — The Prince of Egypt

2D Animation Egyptian man looking at ring
DreamWorks Pictures

Fiennes lends his amazing voice acting skills to the character of Ramses in The Prince of Egypt. When working as a voice actor for a 2D animated film, they can face challenges with getting certain tones across. As Finnes says in a Behind the Scenes interview, he had to work from his imagination or the storyboards in front of him because there were no real visual or physical aids around the room to help him get into character. Understanding that he needed to portray a cruel ruler, he found a way to convey anger without yelling. By projecting his deep voice and enhancing a serious tone, Fiennes creates a rather frightening villain in this DreamWorks production.

6 Harry Waters — In Bruges

Man in suit looking concerned or puzzled
Universal Pictures

In the drama-comedy In Bruges, Harry Waters, played by Fiennes, sends two of his hitmen to complete a job. Unfortunately, matters take a turn for the worse, and one of his men ends up shooting and killing an innocent child. After Waters sends his men to lie low in Bruges, Germany, he comes up with a plan: kill his own employee. While Fiennes is able to keep the comedy aspect of this film with several of his one-liners, the terrifying aspect that awards him the spot of a villain is the fact that he is willing to murder his own trusted man. Fiennes portrays this "code of honor" with a rather serious tone and motive to justify the innocent death.

5 Hades — Clash of the Titans

Man in medieval garb reaching out hand
Warner Bros. Pictures

When it comes to any form of God of the Underworld, it is safe to assume that the character will be an evil and vengeful villain. In Fiennes' case, as he portrays Hades in Clash of the Titans, the expectations are no different. Hades, after feeling wronged by Zeus and Poseidon, wants to be feared by all mankind.

The storyline naturally calls for a menacing villain, but Fiennes is able to deliver a truly cruel and unfeeling individual. From the cold, dead look in his eyes to the way he is able to ignite fear without raising his raspy voice, these subtle things are what separates a good actor from a great one.

4 Chef Julian Slowik — The Menu

the-menu-poster-fiennes
Searchlight Pictures

One of Fiennes' most recent works, The Menu has brought the food and culinary industry into a very dark light. He plays a celebrity chef who hosts an event at his restaurant on a private island. In the midst of the dinner, Fiennes' character, Chef Slowik, discloses that each person will die by the end of the night. The justification given to this villain is that each person in the room has either wronged him or his team, or they played into the chef losing his passion for cooking. Fiennes is able to hold a rather calm demeanor during the murders and brutal stabbings in this film. The sheer desire to see each individual die at his hands earns his role a top spot on the villainous scale.

Related: Exclusive: The Menu BTS Clip Has Anya Taylor-Joy and Ralph Fiennes Getting Into Costume

3 Francis Dolarhyde — Red Dragon

Red Dragon
Universal Pictures

Red Dragon is a prequel to the infamous The Silence of the Lambs, where the audience follows a schizophrenic serial killer who not only admires the work of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, but has been corresponding with him. Fiennes' presence is fearful as a deranged, cannibalistic murderer. He is able to portray a normal man in one scene, and then become something entirely inhuman as he rips the tongue from an innocent reporter. The premise that Fiennes' character believes that he is beyond humanity, that he is "The Red Dragon" makes him a terrifyingly evil villain. There is no negotiation, admiration, or single person who can bring him redemption.

2 Lord Voldemort — The Harry Potter Series

Lord Voldemort - Harry Potter Franchise (2001-2011)
Warner Bros. Pictures

Fiennes' portrayal of Lord Voldemort in the eight-film franchise, Harry Potter, sets the tone for all purely evil villains. Voldemort, previously known as Tom Riddle, has no remorse and is true to no one but himself. He is fueled by wanting to rid the world of a certain race, "Mudbloods" (wizards that do not have pure blood). Fiennes' performance entails dark scenes, horrifying truths, and intentional genocide. He uses the same raspy and chilling voice he used for Hades in Clash of the Titans. The range that he is able to set for himself here as a truly evil villain is unmatched. He does not allow for his character to appear sympathetic, hesitant, or fit for redemption. As the story progresses, his villainous character becomes increasingly wicked.

1 Amon Goeth — Schindler's List

Nazi Soldier speaking with a man in suit across table
Universal Pictures

When it comes to films set in the Nazi Germany era, an appropriate amount of hate is naturally cast on the villains being portrayed. Fiennes, acting as one of the cruelest and most ruthless members of the Nazi Party, nailed his performance in Schindler's List, and became one of the most terrifying and hated villains. In this role, Fiennes masters the art of striking fear into individuals through his simple presence. The calm threats, promising kills, and evil nature come with the territory of being a Nazi Commandant. What makes this the top villainous role is that Fiennes had to embody the mind of a sadistic killer; he had to make himself aware that he was replaying the actions of a man who once lived. Any actor to take on that feat and succeed is truly talented.