British actor Gary Oldman has been on the scene since the 1980s, getting his start in edgy indies and dark comedies. Now considered one of the most prolific, diverse, and talented character actors of all time, Oldman is an award-winning performer known for big blockbusters, intimate dramas, and epic period films.
Oldman became a mainstream fixture in film after being cast as Sirius Black in the Harry Potter films. Since the last installment of that franchise hit theatres in 2011, Oldman hasn't stopped. In fact, it's been a busy decade for the actor, defined by one acclaimed film after another.
Child 44 (2015) - 6.5
Set in the Soviet-era USSR, Child 44 noticeably lacks any Russian actors in its main cast. That being said, the cast of this serial killer thriller includes some of Hollywood's best talent, including Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Paddy Considine, and - of course - Oldman.
Labeled a box-office bomb, Child 44 centers around a series of child murders loosely based on the story of real-life Soviet killer, Andrei Chikatilo. Oldman plays General Mikhail Nesterov, a strict commander who oversees the investigation.
Hunter Killer (2018) - 6.6
Another military drama about Russia, Hunter Killer sees Oldman sharing the screen with Gerard Butler. Butler plays Commander Joe Glass, a high-ranking US military officer who oversees the USS Arkansas.
While on duty, Commander Glass discovers a Russian official is staging a coup d’état, which has the potential to lead to World War III. Oldman plays Admiral Charles Donnegan, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017) - 6.9
Part action, part comedy, The Hitman's Bodyguard stars Ryan Reynolds as a CIA officer who is considered the world's best bodyguard. His latest mission involves protecting a notorious hitman, played by Samuel L. Jackson, who is set to testify at the International Court of Justice.
Oldman plays Vladislav Dukhovich, Belarus's authoritarian president in the film. It is at Bukhovich's trial for crimes against humanity that Jackson's character Darius Kincaid is the prime witness.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) - 7.0
One of the many successful adaptations of a work by British author John Le Carre, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a classic Cold War tale about a Russian spy embedded within the top levels of British Intelligence. Oldman gives a constrained, but effective, performance as George Smiley, the MI6 officer tasked with finding the mole.
Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones are among the film's supporting cast. In lieu of flashy action sequences, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is an intellectual thriller that builds slowly toward a tense, melodramatic conclusion.
Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011) - 7.2
Oldman is one of the many versatile actors whose voice is used to breathe life into Kung Fu Panda 2's computer-animated characters. In the sequel to the popular Pixar film, Oldman portrays the main antagonist: Lord Shen.
Lord Shen is an evil peacock who wants to conquer all of China with the help of his Wolf Army. Shen's malevolence knows no bounds, but Master Po defeats him by the end of Kung Fu Panda 2.
Mank (2020) - 7.2
Oldman received untold praises for his work playing the titular character in Mank, a biopic about the life of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. David Fincher's black-and-white film follows Mank through the development of his screenplay for Orson Welles's Citizen Kane - which is considered one of the best films of all time.
A sardonic, alcoholic man, Mank was the consummate tortured artist who despised Hollywood but relied on it for success. Mank is hailed for its cinematography, acting, and production design.
Lawless (2012) - 7.3
John Hillcoat, an Australian director known for his gritty Westerns, turns his lens toward Prohibition-era America in Lawless. The crime drama follows a family of bootleggers in Virginia who is targeted by police, competitors, and mobsters alike.
Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, and Jason Clarke play the members of the Bondurant family, who turn toward bootlegging in order to survive the Great Depression. Oldman co-stars as infamous gangster, Floyd Banner.
Darkest Hour (2017) - 7.4
Playing Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour earned Oldman an Oscar. Thanks to prosthetics, body acting, and an endless supply of cigars, Oldman transforms into the iconic former British Prime Minister with ease.
Darkest Hour traces the early days of Churchill's first run as Prime Minister in 1940, where Weimar Germany's Wehrmacht forces started invading Western Europe, signaling the start of World War II. With the Nazi threat becoming all too real, Churchill was forced to make some unpopular decisions in order to save the United Kingdom.
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014) - 7.6
The sequel to 2011's Rise of the Planet of the Apes features a star-studded cast of humans fighting off an apocalyptic plague in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Caesar works to remain in control of his community of intelligent apes.
Oldman plays Dreyfus, who leads the remaining human survivors. Jason Clarke co-stars as the leader of a small human group that forms a bond with Caesar.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) - 8.4
Oldman gives a restrained, practical performance as Gotham City's Commissioner Gordon in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy. The final film in the series, The Dark Knight Rises, sees Bruce Wayne battling against Bane - a revolutionary who executes an ambitious coup.
Grimy and morally ambiguous, The Dark Knight Rises lacks true heroes and true villains. Instead of Oldman, Commissioner Gordon will be played by Jeffrey Wright in Matt Reeves's forthcoming The Batman.