5 Charming Movie Villains Who Were Almost More Loveable Than Heroes

Most of the time, you are supposed to hate the villain of the story, or at least feel repulsed by them, in order to fully root for the protagonist.

Sometimes, however, the actor's charisma can be a little too effective, making you completely adore the villain and enjoy every second they are on screen.

So here are irresistibly charming movie villains who made us almost feel bad when they were finally defeated.

Zorg — The Fifth Element (1997)

Gary Oldman is an actor of incredible range who has portrayed many iconic characters throughout his career, both heroes and villains.

But Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg may be the most adorable villain he's ever played, because while he's undoubtedly evil, you can't help but feel a little sorry for him when he finally meets his end.

The way he responds to accusations of being a monster with a quiet "I know" is the icing on the cake.

Vincent — Collateral (2004)

Tom Cruise rarely portrays bad guys, but after watching him play this soft-spoken hitman, many fans wish the actor would do it more often.

His performance as Vincent was phenomenal, because even though he does a lot of pretty bad stuff throughout the movie (it's his job, after all), he still comes across as quite likable and his end even seems somewhat tragic.

Hans Landa — Inglourious Basterds (2009)

This role made Christoph Waltz a worldwide star, as the actor stole every second he was on screen and was an absolute joy to watch.

At some moments, you might even forget that he is a literal Nazi who has done a lot of horrible things, because you are absolutely charmed by the actor's charisma.

Bill the Butcher — Gangs of New York (2002)

Daniel Day-Lewis' portrayal of William "Bill the Butcher" Cutting was probably even more memorable than the film's protagonist, Leonardo DiCaprio 's Amsterdam Vallon.

He was absolutely magnificent, completely stole the show and even came off as quite sympathetic at times, despite being a ruthless gang leader.

William Foster — Falling Down (1993)

Let's close our list with a particularly unique entry, because although William Foster, brilliantly portrayed by Michael Douglas, is the main character, he is objectively a villain of the story, but neither he nor the viewer realize this until the end of the movie.

And how could you, when he is so painfully relatable, as many people have undoubtedly been in a similar position and felt the same way, but never crossed the line that William did.