Ralph Fiennes is the only actor who can make you laugh, shiver, and cry—sometimes in one scene. Be he a chilling villain, a lovesick romantic, or an obsessive perfectionist, Fiennes brings depth, intelligence, and emotional precision to every role. With over 30 years on the big screen, he’s established himself as one of the most versatile talents in the industry. But what are his standout roles? Here’s his 10 best film performances—the ones that demonstrate just how much range this acting chameleon has.
10. Chef Julian Slowik – The Menu (2022)
Fine dining takes a sinister turn in this incisive satire, with Fiennes as the unnervingly calm Chef Slowik. Treating an affluent set of diners to a dinner party on a remote island, he serves them up far more than a tasting menu. Fiennes is both serene and frightening, skewering food culture with quiet menace that’s strangely compelling. With a Golden Globe nomination to his credit, this performance is evidence enough that he can be every bit as frightening with a whisper as with a scream.
9. Lord Voldemort – Harry Potter Series (2005–2011)
Only Ralph Fiennes could convey such royal danger to the great wizarding baddie. As Voldemort, he gives a performance that’s both mythic and uncomfortably human. From his reappearance in Goblet of Fire through the climactic duel, he makes the Dark Lord far more than a standard bad guy—cold, obsessed, and strangely graceful. In all honesty, no one could have made “Avada Kedavra” sound quite so classy.
8. Michael Berg – The Reader (2008)
With this emotionally intense drama, Fiennes stars as the older Michael Berg, a man haunted by the legacy of a teenage fling tinged by war atrocities. Although Kate Winslet won the Oscar, Fiennes quietly holds the film together with a performance brimming with restraint, guilt, and unfinished mourning. It’s a rich, internalized performance that demonstrates quite how much he can convey through silence alone.
7. Justin Quayle – The Constant Gardener (2005)
Fiennes infuses profound humanity into this compelling political thriller. As Justin Quayle, a reserved diplomat trying to uncover the truth about his wife’s murder, he is transformed from a passive character into a man motivated by justice and love. His performance is subtle but emotionally resonant, and the film’s indictment of global exploitation is all the more intimate and tragic.
6. Charles Van Doren – Quiz Show (1994)
Back when we were still wallowing in quiz show scandals, there was the real-life story of Quiz Show. Fiennes is Charles Van Doren, a great-looking scholar implicated in the middle of a game show fixing scandal. What is so impressive about this performance is the gentle deterioration of an integrity vs. fame fame-torn man. It’s one of Fiennes’ most understated performances, laced with quiet disillusionment and ethical turmoil.
5. Cardinal Lawrence – Conclave (2024)
In one of his latest standout performances, Fiennes ushers us deep within the Vatican’s world of secrets in Conclave. As Cardinal Lawrence, he’s the stoic eye of a whirlpool political maelstrom in the papal election. The performance is a slow-burning, managed, considerate, and abounding with inner conflict. It’s a display of his mature, elegant acting manner, and he earns another richly deserved Oscar nomination.
4. László Almásy – The English Patient (1996)
No one would believe this epic war romance without Fiennes holding it together. As the mysterious cartographer Almásy, he conveys both the danger and beauty of forbidden love. Traveling back and forth between past and present, he is a man shattered by passion and loss. A haunting, unforgettable performance that helped win the film its Best Picture Oscar—and turned Fiennes into a world star.
3. Harry Waters – In Bruges (2008)
Who knew one of Fiennes’ funniest roles would also be one of his scariest? As volatile gangster Harry Waters, he swings from deadpan comedy to explosive rage in a blink. Every scene he’s in crackles with manic energy—part stand-up routine, part Shakespearean meltdown. It’s a performance that highlights his incredible comedic instincts, all while keeping the tension sky-high.
2. Amon Göth – Schindler’s List(1993)
In one of cinema’s most chilling performances, Fiennes portrays Nazi officer Amon Göth with a callously cold cruelty that’s difficult to bear—and impossible to ignore. His performance is appalling in its believability, demonstrating how evil can present itself with a frighteningly normal face. The role earned him an Oscar nomination and set his career on a global trajectory. Years later, it is still one of the most hauntingly unforgettable villains ever committed to film.
1. Monsieur Gustave H. – The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
At number one is possibly Fiennes’ most unexpected—and charming—performance. As Wes Anderson’s imaginary hotel’s fastidious, quirky, and strangely heroic concierge, he dispenses quick wit, poetic speeches, and outbursts of slapstick, all with perfect timing. Monsieur Gustave is vain, noble, ridiculous, and somehow touching. Fiennes plays it all with panache, in what is perhaps the most total expression of his range and genius.
From cold-blooded killers to dashing eccentrics, Ralph Fiennes has made a career out of playing against type. These ten performances capture just how far his range goes—reminding us that whatever the genre, Fiennes will always locate the humanity (or inhumanity) at the heart of a character. And he’ll make it unforgettable.