Ed Skrein's 10 Best Roles, Ranked

After first catching people’s attention as Daario Naharis in HBO’s Game of Thrones, British actor Ed Skrein has built a solid movie career over the years. Skrein has appeared in a number of notable TV roles, such as the crime series The Tunnel and the miniseries All the Light You Cannot See, but audiences are likely more familiar with his movie roles which include small indie crime movies and giant superhero blockbusters.

Though Skrein was recast as Daario on Game of Thrones, that has not stopped his Hollywood career from growing. He is not known for his various villainous roles in which he has been able to play a variety of interest baddies. However, he also has some underrated projects that showcase new sides of his personality. Though some of Skrein’s projects haven’t been successful, like Transporter: Refueled and the Rebel Moon movies, his impressive career has delivered a number of notable movies.

10 Kill Your Friends (2015)

Played Danny Rent

Kill Your Friends takes on the classic story of greed for power. In this case, it’s seen within the cutthroat music industry during the Britpop music craze of the 1990s. Nicholas Hoult stars as the lead and a drug-addicted nihilist who will go to any lengths to climb the ladder of the London music industry. The film has been compared to American Psycho (2000) for its gratuity and themes around narcissism.

As Steven (Hoult) continues to escalate all the way up to murder to achieve his selfish goals, he must navigate around suspicions and competitors, including Skrein’s character, Rent. Skrein’s devilish gaze and intriguing smile make him perfect for this frenemy character. Though not a major character in the story, Skrein makes a big impact in a role that is unlike his usual confident and capable characters, playing a well-meaning yet somewhat clueless man in the music business.

9 Mona Lisa And The Blood Moon (2021)

Played Fuzz

Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon

Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon is a 2022 drama directed by Ana Lily Amirpour. The film follows a young girl with special abilities as she escapes from a mental asylum and navigates the dark underbelly of New Orleans. Starring Jun Jong-seo, Kate Hudson, and Craig Robinson, the story is a surreal journey through a world filled with supernatural elements and moral dilemmas.

Director

Ana Lily Amirpour

Release Date

September 30, 2022

Cast

Kate Hudson , Craig Robinson , Ed Skrein , Jeon Jong-seo , Evan Whitten

Runtime

106 minutes

Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon tells the unique tale of a girl with supernatural abilities who breaks out of a psychiatric facility. Following her escape, she goes through the trials and tribulations of trying to make it on her own in New Orleans, Louisiana. Skrein plays Fuzz, a white hip-hop drug dealer with a fantastic street persona, which he drew from his side career as a rapper.

Kate Hudson and Craig Robinson costar with Skrein in this fantasy, mystery-thriller, which is a little different from some of his other films. Mona (Jeong Jong-Seo), the girl who must face the outside world, makes allies along the way and attempts to find herself and, more importantly, her place in the world. Skrein seems to be having a lot of fun with his over-the-top and creepy character. His performance perfectly fits into the surreal fairy tale feel of the movie and the colorful people Mona meets throughout her journey.

8 The Sweeney (2012)

Playing David

The Sweeney is an action crime-thriller that involves a bank robbery, tensions among detectives, and even infidelity with the boss’s wife. A renegade cop who follows his own rules, DI Jack Regan (Ray Winstone), gets results, but to the potential expense of his department. After getting reprimanded for the botched bank robbery, Jack’s bosses know that he’s the only one who can bring the perpetrators to justice and, reluctantly, set him free to pursue them.

The Sweeney was one of Skrein’s earliest roles, and as such, he does not have a big part to play as David, one of the bank robbers who is being pursued by the complex heroes. However, Skrein fits nicely into the star-studded cast of the crime thriller, which also includes Hayley Atwell and Damien Lewis. It makes for a gritty and intense take on the cops and robbers genre.

7 Ill Manors (2012)

Playing Ed

Ill Manors explores the lives of four drug dealers and two sex workers. It’s a British film that focuses on the underground of the English crime world. The style of the film has been compared to Pulp Fiction (1994) and has the artistic appeal of black-and-white flashbacks. The central story is brought together in one, all-encompassing tale through these flashbacks, and the connections the audience establishes with each character leading up to the present scenes strengthen the depth of the film.

Skrein plays one of the drug dealers named Ed, a role in which he has experience, alongside Riz Ahmed of Venom (2018) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). Skrein shows off some of the menace and intensity that helped to make him a sought-after villain actor in his future career. However, he also brings a lot of depth to what could have been a one-note character. There are moments when Ed embraces the violence of his job as well as moments where he seems filled with regret over his path in life.

6 Midway (2019)

Playing Dick Best

Midway

3.0

Written by Wes Tooke and directed by Roland Emmerich, 2019’s Midway is a 2019 feature film starring Ed Skrein, Luke Evans, and Patrick Wilson. The film revolves around the invasion of Midway island and follows the war struggles between the United States and Japan.

Release Date

November 8, 2019

Cast

Dennis Quaid , Nick Jonas , Ed Skrein , Woody Harrelson , Aaron Eckhart , Mandy Moore , Luke Evans , Patrick Wilson

Runtime

138 minutes

Skrein takes center stage as Dick Best, a real-life World War II pilot, in the war movie based on a true story, Midway. His portrayal of such a deep and heroic character is a nice change of pace for Skrein and he played the brave patriot perfectly. While most people think of Europe when WWII is brought up, an integral part of the war occurred in the Pacific. The film opens with the prolific Pearl Harbor attack to set up the strategies and battles leading to the Battle of Midway, which directly affected America and the Allied victory.

Skrein plays the role of real-life war hero Lieutenant Dick Best, a bomber pilot who took part in the battle. The movie focuses on many of the key figures who helped shape the monumental battle, but much of the story is centered on Best’s heroics as well as his family life. Costarring with Skrein are Dennis Quaid, Patrick Wilson, Mandy Moore, Nick Jonas, Luke Evans, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Eckhart, and Darren Criss.

5 Born A King (2019)

Playing Philby

Set following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Born A King tells the true story of a teenage Arab prince, Faisal, who is sent to London on a high-stakes diplomatic mission by his father, Emir Abdulaziz. With the pressure to negotiate and secure the formation of his country, the 14-year-old must build courage for his people. While in London, he meets with pre-eminent historical figures like Lord Curzon (Kenneth Cranham) and Winston Churchill (Celyn Jones) and forms a friendship with Princess Mary (Hermoine Corfield).

Skrein plays Philby,who was a British Arabist and Colonial Office Intelligence officer. He is a loyal advisor to Emir Abdulaziz and the one who recommends he visit England. When Abdulaziz chooses Faisal to go instead, Philby accompanies the boy and works as his mentor on the journey. This role is very different from Skrein’s other characters but exhibits his acting range and ability to convey kindness instead of violence.

4 Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil (2019)

Playing Borra

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

2.5

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is a 2019 sequel to Disney’s Maleficent. In the sequel, Maleficent and Aurora deal with complex family ties and begin to grow apart as a new evil presents itself. The film received mixed to negative reviews upon release but did get nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling at the 2020 Academy Awards.

Director

Joachim Rønning

Release Date

October 18, 2019

Cast

Angelina Jolie , Imelda Staunton , Kae Alexander , David Gyasi , Sam Riley , Ed Skrein , Harris Dickinson , Michelle Pfeiffer , Miyavi , Elle Fanning , Lesley Manville , Juno Temple , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Jenn Murray , Teresa Mahoney

Runtime

118 Minutes

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A sequel to the first installment in 2014, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil continues the story of the classic Disney villain from Sleeping Beauty. The film progresses the five real-life years that have passed and picks up with Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and Aurora (Elle Fanning) facing an undesirable marriage to a ghastly man. Unexpected allies and dark new forces come into play and challenge Maleficent and her goddaughter Aurora as to which paths they should take and who they can ultimately trust.

Skrein plays Borra, a villainous dark fairy, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Juno Temple. Skrein is no stranger to playing the villains, even in big blockbusters like this. However, Borra is not as black-and-white as some of his other bad-guy roles. He is not sadistic but rather protective of his people who he thinks are endangered by the violent humans.

3 Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Playing Zapan

Alita: Battle Angel

3.5

Produced by James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel adapts the manga Gunnm to live-action, featuring Rosa Salazar as the titular cyborg who quests to rebuild her identity as she faces the dark forces that plague Iron City. With the help of Christoph Waltz’s Dr. Ido and Keean Johnson’s Hugo, Alita learns to play the futuristic game of Motorball, which could be her ticket to enter the floating city of Zalem. Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems in the year 2563.

Director

Robert Rodriguez

Release Date

February 14, 2019

Runtime

122 Minutes

Studio(s)

20th Century

Directed by Robert Rodriguez and co-written by James Cameron, Alita: Battle Angel hit the screens as a refreshingly unique science-fiction meets cyberpunk film based on the manga series Gunnm by Yukito Kishiro. When a previously deactivated cyborg awakens, grows, and begins to wonder about her origins, her “father,” Dr. Dyson Ido (Christoph Waltz) must indulge her but keep some things secret for Alita’s own safety.

Skrein takes on another antagonist role as Zapan, another cyborg with a completely robotic body but with a human face. Skrein is part of some of the movie’s fun and vibrant sci-fi action scenes. Once again, he is able to bring another layer to the typical villain role as Zapan is a vain character who is obsessed with his human face, something that Alita likes to mock him for relentlessly.

2 If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)

Playing Officer Bell

If Beale Street Could Talk

4.5

Based on the novel by James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk stars KiKi Layne as Tish Rivers, a young woman living in New York City with her boyfriend Fonny in the 1970s. When Fonny is accused of a crime he did not commit, Tish sets out to prove his innocence and get his exonerated before the birth of their first child. Stephan James, Regina King, Brian Tyree Henry, and Ed Skrein also star.  

Director

Barry Jenkins

Release Date

December 14, 2018

Cast

Pedro Pascal , Stephan James , Emily Rios , Michael Beach , Teyonah Parris , Colman Domingo , Finn Wittrock , Kiki Layne , Ed Skrein , Dave Franco , Diego Luna , Regina King

Runtime

119 Minutes

After his Best Picture winner Moonlight, Barry Jenkins delivered a stunning follow-up with the romantic drama If Beale Street Could Talk. Set in the 1970S, the movie follows a romance between a young Black couple who begin their lives together only for those dreams to be taken away by a terrible act of injustice.Skrein plays Officer Bell, another villain whose racist actions run free-range in his position of power.

It is a small role but provides an important part of the overall story. Skrein plays the role of a more grounded villain than he has played in the past, making Bell a character whose abuse is sadly still connected to modern injustices. The movie features an impressive cast, including Teyonah Parris, Diego Luna, and Finn Wittrock. Skrein’s talent of conveying evil on the screen is not lost in this most-sinister character. The ever-talented Regina King delivered one of her best performances and, deservedly, took home the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

1 Deadpool (2016)

Playing Francis AKA Ajax

Deadpool

4.0

The Merch With The Mouth gets his very own film in Deadpool, an action-adventure comedy movie starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular hero. When mercenary Wade Wilson discovers he has an aggressive type of cancer that threatens to cut his life short, he decides to take a shady offer from a businessman who promises to cure him. Tortured and left for dead, the treatment makes Wade immortal – and a little bit twisted –  as he seeks out his tormentors for revenge.

Director

Tim Miller

Release Date

February 9, 2016

Runtime

108 Minutes

Studio(s)

Marvel Entertainment , TSG Entertainment , Kinberg Genre , The Donners’ Company

While Deadpool & Wolverine has proven to be a massive box office success, there are still many fans who feel the first Deadpool movie is the best of the franchise to date. After a long and rocky road to the big screen, Ryan Reynolds and his team were able to finally do justice to the Merc with the Mouth in his first solo film. Reynolds plays the mutant Wade Wilson who sets out on a mission of revenge against the people who left him disfigured.

Skrein plays the main villain in the movie, Ajax, a mutant who is responsible for torturing other mutants in order to realize their full potential. With Reynolds embracing the wise-cracking, fourth-wall-breaking comedic nature of Deadpool, Skrein is essential for playing the straight-faced and intense villain of the story. He makes for a memorable antagonist, with the audience actively cheering for his demise.