From Rampart to True Detective: 5 Best Woody Harrelson Performances
Sometimes it seems that Woody is always wearing a hat and carrying a gun in all of his movies. It's not like that at all.
At the beginning of his career, Woody Harrelson often played roles that were too similar to each other, but with age, he has become one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood.
He convincingly transforms himself into villains and psychopaths, as well as lawmen, eccentric simpletons, and wise mentors.
1. The People vs. Larry Flynt, 1996
Woody Harrelson received his first Oscar nomination for the role as the infamous creator of Hustler magazine in The People vs. Larry Flynt. The biopic about the life of pornographer Larry Flynt was directed by Milos Forman, who won an Oscar for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
Flynt's story is told through the struggle for free speech and protest against censorship. While many may question the portrayal of the King of Porn as a near saint, Harrelson's performance undoubtedly deserves all the praise.
2. The Messenger, 2009
Harrelson received another Oscar nomination, but for his supporting role, for his work in the anti-war drama The Messenger.
Although most of the plot revolves around Ben Foster's character, Harrelson's Captain Tony adds drama to the story. The scene in which Tony bursts into tears after hearing his friend's story about the war in Iraq is undoubtedly the best in the entire film.
Will Montgomery is is dispatched as a casualty notification officer under the command of experienced Captain Tony Stone. From now on, his main task is to deliver sad news to the relatives of killed soldiers.
3. Rampart, 2011
The plot is based on a real-life corruption scandal that occurred in Los Angeles in 1999, in which more than 70 police officers were investigated.
Woody Harrelson is definitely the highlight of this movie. This is one of his most notable roles, which went unnoticed by many viewers.
His character Dave is not presented to us as a hero or a villain, but as a person. A person who has made various and ambiguous choices in his life, most of which cannot simply be described as right or wrong.
4. True Detective, 2014-…
Detectives Marty Hart and Rust Cohle investigate a ritualistic murder. When new details about the case emerge 17 years later, the retired partners reunite to finish what they started and find the real killer.
The first season of True Detective is primarily Matthew McConaughey's finest hour, but Woody Harrelson is no slouch as a family guy and cop.
Subsequent seasons of Nic Pizzolatto's hit crime anthology featured stars like Colin Farrell and Mahershala Ali, but most viewers associate the most prominent crime series of the 2010s with the brilliant duo of the first season.
5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2017
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The result of this collaboration with director Martin McDonagh was the third Oscar nomination in Harrelson's career – the role of a sheriff with cancer in the tragicomedy Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri holds a special place in the actor's portfolio.
Gift shop owner Mildred Hayes rents three abandoned billboards on which she accuses the police of inaction. Seven months ago, her daughter was raped and murdered, but the killer was never found.