We couldn’t be more honest here: Robin Williams was not only just an actor, but he was also a phenomenon that could be seen clearly on the screen. One way to describe his work was to say that he brought energy and warmth to every one of his characters. He has a lot of those in his career, so it is really tough to pick out the best ones. Anyway, I present you his 10 greatest film performances – because the suspense makes the finale even more delicious.
10. Hamlet (1996)
In Branagh’s very long, over 6 hours, Shakespeare play film adaptation, Williams is just there, hanging out, making a fuss as Osric, the pedantic courtier. For those who are acquainted with his affinity for Shakespeare, the cameo is charming. Despite such an illustrious cast, including Branagh, Kate Winslet, and Jack Lemmon, William was compelled to bring a little flame in his short appearance.
9. Dead Poets Society (1989)
Robin Williams as English instructor John Keating was the picture of a role model that inspired audiences for the next era of the afterseen. In which he played the part with subtlety and warmth, his performance became the lodestar of a film that was flirting with the edge of mawkishness. “Carpe diem” was transformed into a battle cry, and the last “O Captain! My Captain!” is one of the most often quoted cinema moments.
8. Aladdin (1992)
Few voice performances ever redefined an entire genre, but Williams’ Genie did exactly that. His tour de force of impressions, improv, and limitless creativity established a new gold standard for animated features. It also paved the way for Hollywood’s celebrity voice-casting trend, though none have ever quite lived up to the magic he performed in Aladdin.
7. FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
Before Aladdin, Williams voiced Batty, a frenetic, rapid-fire bat in this environmentally conscious animated picture. The role is ’90s nostalgia incarnate, full of wild energy and environmental activism. It’s not necessarily his most iconic role, but it’s one that had a profound effect on a generation of children.
6. The Fisher King (1991)
As a homeless man devastated by tragedy, Williams added fragility and eccentricity to Terry Gilliam’s contemporary fairy tale. His work is raw but whimsical, tragic but optimistic. It earned him an Oscar nomination and demonstrated the range he could achieve outside of comedy.
5. Insomnia (2002)
In one of his most frightening swerves, Williams deprived fans of his usual warmth and gave a chillingly understated performance as a murderer in Christopher Nolan’s crime drama. Without his usual charm, his subtle menace proved even more unnerving.
4. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Half slapstick farce, half tearjerker family drama, Mrs. Doubtfire gave Williams license to exercise every muscle in his arsenal. His over-the-top disguise as a transvestite British nanny provided endless laughs, but under the anarchy lay a sweet film about love, loss, and fatherhood that resonated with audiences around the globe.
3. World’s Greatest Dad (2009)
This pitch-black comedy provided Williams with one of his most low-key roles, starring as a failed author ensnared in a moral tailspin following a family catastrophe. It’s a scathing sendup of fame, loss, and hypocrisy—and Williams’ subdued, world-weary presence grounds the entire film.
2. The Birdcage (1996)
Alongside Nathan Lane, Williams gives one of the most biting, most hilarious performances of his life as the owner of a Miami drag club, bulldozed into comedy when his son’s in-laws arrive for dinner. Although Lane holds much of the flashy business, Williams’ restrained performance keeps the mayhem on track, demonstrating he didn’t have to play for keeps to be brilliant at all times.
1. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Finally, the part that earned Williams his Oscar. As therapist Sean Maguire, he provided us with one of the most empathetic, profoundly human performances in the history of movies. His understated intensity, his wit, and his heart-to-heart exchanges with Matt Damon made Good Will Hunting unforgettable—and earned Williams the accolades he long deserved.
Robin Williams was not only a performer—he was a force that redefined comedy, drama, and all the stuff in between. He could get us to laugh till our sides ached, cry till our eyes stung, or sit stock-still, just absorbing his presence. His greatest performances remind us not just of his staggering talent but of the humanity and generosity he brought to each performance.