There was a time when Westerns were everywhere and many actors gave great performances playing rugged cowboys. In film, radio, and television, the 1940s, 50s, and 60s were the heydays for the genre. Their popularity began to fade in the 1970s. While there were respected films in the genre throughout the years, good Westerns are few and far between.
In the past 15 years, there has been a small resurgence of sorts for the unfairly sidelined genre and some truly great performances have come out of them. Some were widely seen, others weren't. Here are the 10 best performances from modern Western films.
Scott Eastwood - Diablo (2015)
Having a father that is a cinematic legend, especially in Westerns, is a hard legacy to live up to. Clint Eastwood's son, Scott, has been slowly carving out a film career for himself on his own terms. His lead role in 2015's Western thriller that hints at something beyond this world, Diablo, should've brought him higher acclaim.
Eastwood plays a man who is searching for his wife but discovers a collective fear regarding his presence. The film is a dark and twisted tale of past sins. Scott Eastwood gives a deep and chillingly violent portrayal of a gunman opening the door to a bloody past.
Viggo Mortensen - Appalloosa (2008)
Ed Harris directed and starred in this ode to the old-style Westerns of John Ford and Howard Hawks. Appaloosa stars Harris and Viggo Mortensen as gunfighters who settle in a corrupt town.
Viggo Mortensen was lauded for his portrayal of "Everett Hitch", the loyal friend and partner of Harris' Virgil Cole. Mortensen played the role of the ice-cool gunslinger with heart and vicious wit. The actor looked and felt authentic with his performance styled after the legend of Doc Holiday, without the drunkenness and disease.
Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight (2015)
Quentin Tarantino brought his unique voice to his 2015 Western/whodunnit with The Hateful Eight. With a dream cast of actors, the filmmaker created a bevy of unique characterizations that each paid homage to some of the director's favorite kinds of Western characters.
Jennifer Jason Leigh was rightfully nominated for an Oscar for her role as "Daisy Domergue", a brutal killer being transported to hang by rugged John Ruth (Kurt Russell). Leigh's performance is infused with macabre humor and unapologetic viciousness that critics and audiences agreed was a standout amongst a strong cast.
Michael Wincott - Forsaken (2015)
Actors have always said that playing the villain is more fun than the hero. Michael Wincott has made a career out of playing memorable villains in a variety of genres.
In 2015's criminally underseen Western, Forsaken, Wincott plays a hired gun paid to kill Keifer Sutherland's heroic gunfighter. Dressed in black and cloaked in a cool demeanor, Wincott steals the film by underplaying the hired killer. The screenplay allows the actor to portray a humanism and understanding that is rarely allowed with characters of this type.
Aisling Franciosi - The Nightingale (2019)
Jennifer Kent stunned with her 2014 debut, The Babadook. With last year's violent revenge Western, The Nightingale, the director divided audiences and critics. Many felt the film was a slow-burn revenge tale with merit, while others were put off by the extreme violence and mayhem.
Aisling Franciosi received excellent reviews as "Clare", a young woman who seeks revenge on a British officer who committed a brutal crime against her. The actress gave a fierce and focused performance that embodied the film's theme of bloody retribution.
Robert Duvall - Broken Trail (2006)
Director Walter Hill and Robert Duvall are no strangers to the Western, both modern and classical. When the two came together for 2006's miniseries Broken Trail, it resulted in multiple awards and critical praise.
Duvall won an Emmy for his work as Prentice Ritter, a cowboy who helps save a group of Chinese women from being sold into slavery. Using a grizzled persona, Duvall portrayed a man who had seen enough violence in The West and wanted to leave that life behind him but is forced into using his gun to protect the innocent and do what is right.
Brad Pitt & Casey Affleck - The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Andrew Dominik's revisionist Western, The Assassination of Jesse James ... was a philosophical mood-piece that was critically acclaimed and brought Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck to new dramatic heights.
Brad Pitt played the infamous outlaw closer to what he probably was in real life - a killer who distrusted all and nearly drove himself mad with his constant fear of people trying to betray and/or kill him. Casey Affleck was an introverted and self-doubting Robert Ford who sought the approval of both his brother and Jesse James, making the ambiguous historical figure more human and multi-layered than previous cinematic incarnations.
Bill Pullman - The Ballad Of Lefty Brown (2017)
Bill Pullman plays Lefty Brown, a lone gunman who tracks the outlaws who killed his best friend. Along the way, Lefty learns that he is now the one accused of the murder.
Pullman uses his unique acting style and bearded and worn face to great effect. The actor brought out an earned pathos to the tragic character that many critics called his career-best.
Kurt Russell - The Hateful Eight (2015)
With a mustache almost as big as his face, Kurt Russell gave one of his most acclaimed performances as John Ruth, a feared lawman escorting a criminal to her hanging.
Russell was the emotional core of Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. He brought a surprising soulfulness to a hardened character who isn't afraid to use violence to assure the completion of his mission.
Walton Goggins - The Hateful Eight (2015)
In a film full of award-worthy performances, many believe that Walton Goggins stole the film. His character, Sherriff Chris Mannix, begins with what could be misconstrued as cliche and the actor turns the tables on the audience and makes Mannix the most potent character.
Goggins takes an unlikeable character with hints of a villainous slant and, by films end, makes him someone soulful who finds a calm in a world of death.