Tim Roth is set to return to the MCU later this year in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law. He has been in the entertainment industry for nearly 40 years, and despite appearing in one of the worst-rated films on IMDb – 2014’s FIFA film United Passions, which has a 2.1 rating – Roth has starred in some great films and television shows.
Star of the shows Lie to Me and Tin Star, Roth has an impressive filmography going back decades. Quentin Tarantino, a frequent collaborator of Roth’s, referred to Roth as one of the best actors of his generation “because of his versatility and ferociousness.” Tarantino also remarked on Roth’s “chameleon quality.”
10 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) – 7.3
Roth starred alongside Gary Oldman in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a film based upon two minor characters in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The film is an adaptation of Tom Stoppard’s play, with Stoppard himself directing this film, his only work as a film director.
Originally the casting for this film was much different. Roth got the role in this tragicomedy after Daniel Day-Lewis dropped out due to stress. Also, Sean Connery was set to star in the film but was replaced by Richard Dreyfus. With big feet to fill Roth rose to the occasion, fantastically delivering the snappy dialogue in the film.
9 The Beautiful Country (2004) – 7.4
Roth starred in the 2004 film The Beautiful Country, the story of a young Vietnamese boy who journeys to America to find his father, an American soldier who impregnated his Mother during the Vietnam war. Roth plays Captain Oh, the ship captain who takes him on his dangerous voyage across the ocean.
Roth starred in this tragic film alongside Nick Nolte, together they are the only two actors to play villains in Hulk solo films. Terence Malick is given a story by credit but is under the pseudonym, Lingard Jervey. While Roth’s role is only a small one in the film, he has a huge impact on the protagonist’s journey.
8 Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings (2021) – 7.4
Roth first appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2008, starring as Emile Blonsky / Abomination in The Incredible Hulk. He returned to the franchise, albeit briefly, in 2021’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Abomination appears in an underground fighting competition in a fixed match against Wong. Blonsky is one of the things The Incredible Hulk got right,, therefore his return is something fans are very happy to see.
Roth was uncredited for the role, as the character only appears in his Abomination form, with Roth contributing to the vocals. However, the appearance serves as a teaser for fans for the upcoming She-Hulk: Attorney At Law series, which will see the return of Roth’s character with much more screen time than this appearance.
7 Selma (2014) – 7.5
Roth played George Wallace in 2014’s Selma, a former Governor of Alabama who was heavily against Martin Luther King and what he stood for. Roth has built a reputation for playing villainous characters in Hollywood, and his portrayal of the real-life figure made him a powerful antagonist in the film.
Roth played three real-life figures in 2014, along with Sepp Blatter in the panned United Passions and Prince Rainier III Of Monaco in Grace of Monaco, but it is undoubtedly his performance in Selma that was the most successful. The film was controversially snubbed in many Oscar categories but remains one of the most successful films based on Martin Luther King.
6 The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1985) – 7.5
In one of Roth’s earlier films The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, he plays Mitchel, a dim-witted member of Albert Spica’s gang, with Spica being ‘The Thief’, referenced in the title. The film revolves are Spica’s purchasing a French restaurant in London, where he dines each night and eventually scares off the rest of the customers.
Despite being one of Roth’s earliest films, it is one of his most unique, with the film being noted for its graphic violence and nudity. It is a very stylish film with vivid cinematography and costumes designed by Jean-Paul Gaultier.
5 Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019) – 7.6
Quentin Tarantino has cast Roth four times in his films and considers him one of his favorite actors. He was due to appear in the Director’s most recent and one of his most rewatchable films Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. His appearance was cut from the film’s final cut but was available in the film’s extended version.
Roth played Raymond, the butler to Jay Sebring. Roth was one of several actors cut from the final film, alongside James Mardsen and Danny Strong who were also cut. Roth was omitted from the film after Tarantino put together his first cut of the film and found it to be nearly five hours long, and preferred not to release the film in two parts.
4 The Hateful Eight (2015) – 7.8
While Roth is a regular actor in Tarantino’s films, there was a long gap in their work together, but he returns as a trademark of Tarantino’s work in 2015’s The Hateful Eight. This was his first appearance in a Tarantino film for 21 years. He appeared in the film as Oswaldo Mobray, also known as English Pete, one of the many distrustful characters who found themselves taking shelter in this gruesome western.
The story initially began as a novel and sequel to Django Unchained until Tarantino began to feel that Django did not fit into the story. After the script was leaked, Tarantino considered shelving the project entirely, until passing the script onto some of his close friends, Roth included, and performing a live reading of the script, before moving it into production.
3 The Legend of 1900 (1998) – 8.0
In The Legend Of 1900 Roth plays a man who has spent his entire life at sea. While Roth most often appears as a supporting character in most of his films, here he takes the lead in portraying the entire life of this sea-bound Danny Boodman.
Stepping away from his often morally ambiguous roles, Roth plays one of his most likable and enduring characters in this film. During Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead 8 years before the release of this film, Roth’s character says “I think I’ll spend the rest of my life on boats”, which is exactly what his character does in this film.
2 Reservoir Dogs (1992) 8.3
Roth played Mr. Orange in Tarantino’s first film Reservoir Dogs. The film brings together a group of gangsters and thieves to pull off a bank heist that goes horribly wrong. The character all use a color-based alias that conceals their identity to others and all dress in the same outfit inspired by the Rat Pack.
While all the cast plays nasty and lawbreaking characters in Reservoir DogsRoth has a more complex role in playing an undercover police officer, with the duality of his performance bringing tenderness and vulnerability to his character.
1 Pulp Fiction (1994) 8.9
Roth appears in the opening and closing scenes of Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, a film often regarded as the Director’s finest work. He stars as Ringo, also known as Pumpkin, one half of a couple who discuss their upcoming robbery attempt of the diner they are in.
Roth’s expert delivery of his lines makes the film’s dialogue-heavy opening feel thrilling. A year after the film’s release, Roth would go on to get his first and only academy award nomination for his performance in Rob Roy.
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