Different people have different opinions on their favorite movie characters, but some characters are universally adored. It’s common for movies to try and forge a connection between the audience and their main characters, but this is more successful in some cases than others. Protagonists are far more interesting and relatable if they have some kind of demonstrable flaw, although this can have the side effect of making them less likable. Secondary characters don’t always need such obvious drawbacks. In some cases, they can even be an example of what the protagonist hopes to become.
Positive character traits are the same in fiction and real life. People like those who are morally courageous, generous, and fun to be around. It’s also easy to judge a person’s character based on their relationships. A person who cares for others, especially those in need, is always easy to root for. In movies, an actor with a lot of charisma can help their character become a fan favorite. Some actors just click with their characters in a way that seems natural. When a kind-hearted character is played by a powerful actor on top form, it often generates a character who is impossible to hate.
Related
10 Most Quotable Movie Characters Of All Time
There are tons of film quotes used in everyday life, but certain characters have a surplus of memorable one-liners and thought-provoking sayings.
10 Atticus Finch
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Atticus Finch is guided by an unshakable moral compass, even in a town where injustice seems commonplace. He became one of the most beloved characters in literature when Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird, and Gregory Peck managed to translate his courage and kindness to the screen. He is a perfect role model to his children, telling them the truth when they ask for it, and educating them into making their own choices. Atticus Finch is a beacon of hope in a society ruled by bigotry, but he never pretends that his moral courage deserves a reward.
9 Ripley
The Alien franchise
One easy way to make an audience sympathize with a character is to have them care for an animal. Ellen Ripley’s determination to protect Jonesy the cat when a xenomorph is hunting her down is an extreme example of this trope. In impossible circumstances, Ripley steadfastly refuses to give in, and her fight makes her a very compelling protagonist. She’s the embodiment of the “final girl” in a horror movie, but Sigourney Weaver’s performance makes her stand out. There have been plenty of different stories within the same universe, but the Alien franchise isn’t the same without Ripley.
8 Hagrid
The Harry Potter franchise
Hagrid is the first person Harry meets from the Wizarding World, and he remains one of his best friends throughout his time at Hogwarts. In a world where Harry is treated both as a celebrity and as a political tool, Hagrid treats Harry with nothing but love and respect. He also has access to plenty of mythical creatures, all of whom he cares for expertly, like Buckbeak and Fluffy. Hagrid helps Harry keep his feet on the ground as he develops his new powers. He’s the very definition of a gentle giant.
Related
10 Biggest Challenges Harry Potter’s TV Remake Must Overcome
The Harry Potter TV remake has the potential of being great, but there are various factors working against it, including the franchise’s popularity.
7 E.T.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Having a character who can’t speak allows the audience to project their own feelings onto them, but it also likens them to a baby or an animal. E.T. is a member of an intelligent alien race with space-faring abilities, but he struggles to communicate, and he is ignorant of the human way of life. This gives the children an unfamiliar role as guardians. The genius of E.T.’s visual design is that he isn’t over-the-top cute like the ewoks or the mogwai, so he has a lot more personality while maintaining an air of innocence and generosity.
6 Marge Gunderson
Fargo (1996)
Marge’s final monologue sums up her optimistic worldview perfectly. With a violent hitman in the back of her squad car, one who she has just caught trying to feed his accomplice into a wood chipper, she wonders out loud about the nature of evil. In a movie teeming with vile thugs, Marge and her husband Norm are the sole torchbearers of moral goodness. Marge isn’t a preternaturally gifted detective like Sherlock Holmes or Poirot; she simply does her job with diligence. Frances McDormand’s folksy, down-to-Earth performance is one big reason why the Fargo movie still outshines the TV show.
5 Samwise Gamgee
Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Sam knows that he isn’t the chosen one. He accepts that his lot in life is to assist Frodo on his quest to Mount Doom, even if that means physically carrying him to the finish line. Sam has lived a comfortable life without leaving the Shire, but he accepts the call to action without hesitation to help his friends. In some ways, Sam is the true hero of The Lord of the Rings, because it’s his courage and personal growth which ultimately allow good to triumph over evil.
Related
What Happened To Sam Gamgee After Lord Of The Rings
Sam Gamgee is a true hero in The Lord of the Rings, but his adventures did not end with the destruction of the One Ring, with much happening after.
4 Elle Woods
Legally Blonde (2001)
Elle’s naivety is a gift, as it allows her to burst into Harvard without any apprehension. Initially, she is fueled by her desire to prove people wrong about her, but her goals shift toward self-actualization. Elle believes that she shouldn’t have to compromise on her style to try and fit in with her surroundings. Instead, other people should ditch their judgments and respect her for her intelligence and her work ethic. Over 20 years after making her first appearance, the infinitely quotable Elle Woods will return for Legally Blonde 3.
3 Alfred
The Dark Knight trilogy
Having been there for Bruce Wayne since before his parents died, Alfred becomes a father figure to him. He is also a mentor, a moral guide, and a friend. Michael Caine has a lot of experience playing charming rogues from his crime capers in the 1960s, like Gambit and The Italian Job, and he channels a similar energy into Alfred. Some of the best quotes of the Dark Knight trilogy come from Alfred, despite his relatively limited screen time, and they show his wisdom and his great sense of humor in equal measure.
Related
Michael Caine’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked
Michael Caine first established himself as a leading man in the 1960s, but his career went through several bold reinventions over the years.
2 Ferris Bueller
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Ferris Bueller’s entire ideology can be crudely boiled down to the idea that he wants to have fun, and this is very hard to disagree with. For a teenager, Ferris is wise beyond his years. He understands the flawed logic of his parents and his teachers, and he doesn’t want to sink into the same mundane lifestyles they accept for themselves. In this way, Ferris is representative of the entire younger generation, and this has kept Ferris Bueller’s Day Off just as relevant throughout the years as it was when it was first released.
1 Sally Albright
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Meg Ryan is a prolific romcom leading woman, and When Harry Met Sally gives her one of her best roles. Sally Albright’s positive outlook on life doesn’t gel with Harry’s constant cynicism, but she is still open to hearing his opinions. It’s refreshing to see someone who believes so deeply in the power and purity of love, but she isn’t too flighty either. She defies some of the most toxic romcom tropes about weak women who need love to complete them. Instead, she’s confident and intelligent, and Harry needs to keep up with her.
