We all love happy endings, so much so, that nowadays it’s not often you’ll find a movie where there isn’t some kind of conciliation at the end; good almost always overcomes evil as people want justice now more than ever. As an actor, it’s very easy to get typecast into a role; especially if you’re great at playing the villain who never survives till the end of the movie. But it’s not only the villains who meet their end – some of the good guys prematurely meet their maker too. Let’s face it, some actors have more killability than others. Who are the usual suspects who don’t ever seem to make it to the final credits? Which actor has perfected his “I’m slowly fading away” face?
The Actor Who ‘Dies in Every Movie’
I think we can all agree that Sean Bean deserves a spot in our infographic seeing as he’s renowned for biting the bullet in every movie or television show. The truth is, he has survived more times than we give him credit for – he does make it to the end in Jupiter Ascending. His most notable finales are in Goldeneye, Patriot games, The Island, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and of course, Game of Thrones. Remember that amazing scene in LOTR when he was shot by four arrows in the chest and kept on fighting to save the hobbits? An interview with the actor has revealed that it was his favourite and most honourable death scene. His most legendary on-screen end is, of course, Game of Thrones as fans were shocked that the actor they thought was the main character of the series was brutally beheaded before the end of the first season. He was even dismembered in Black Death – he’s really been written off in every way possible! So, who do you think has kicked the bucket on-screen more times than Bean? Check out our infographic below for the answer.
Dumbledore Bows Out
Remember John Hurt? He is the man who starred in great movies like V for Vendetta, Spectre, Outlander, Hellboy, Alien, Watership Down, The Elephant Man, Heaven’s Gate and The Ghoul. He was also Harry Potter’s beloved Dumbledore in the magical series. The poor actor has been mauled by dogs and subsumed by a demon in the 007 movie, Spectre; he’s also been exorcised twice and perhaps his most strange death was when he was slapped by Uma Thurman’s oversized thumb in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues – I’ve left out all the other violent endings his been through. However, his most epic demise was his chest-bursting scene in Alien which turned out to be one of cinema’s greatest ever scenes (be sure to read about the fun fact regarding this scene in our infographic). In real life, the actor recently made the headlines when he passed away – from natural causes this time – leaving behind an extraordinary career. How many on-screen fatalities has he had? Is he the unbeaten champ when it comes to crossing the great divide? Only one way to find out.
We Love a Good Pyschopath!
One of the greatest actors of all time also seems to perish quite frequently on-screen. The famous Goodfellas actor, Robert De Niro, has met his maker in films like Bloody Mama, Heat, Mean Streets, 1900, The Mission, Cape Fear, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, The Fan, Jackie Brown, Great Expectations, 15 Minutes, Hide & Seek, and Machete. He’s topped himself overdosing on heroin, he’s been shot loads of times, electrocuted and set on fire, to name but a few. Here’s some interesting payback for you; DeNiro was killed by Al Pacino in Heat, and Pacino was killed by DeNiro in Righteous Kill. So, what are De Niro’s odds of surviving his next movie? Our infographic below has it all, including the gruesome details of his several ‘passings’. Here’s a hint: you’ll probably have more luck winning a game of European Roulette than De Niro making it to the end of a film!
Any Female Villains Around?
Unfortunately, there aren’t many female villains in Hollywood, but we do have a pair of female actresses who have made it onto our countdown. It may come to many as a surprise to find the dazzlingly beautiful Charlize Theron on the list. She’s gone out in several films including The Devil’s Advocate, Reindeer Games, Sweet November, Monster, Head in the Clouds, The Road, Prometheus, Snow White and the Huntsman, 2 Days in the Valley and The Yards. Her most recent passing is in The Huntsman: Winter’s War. The South African actress has said goodbye in many ways: by slitting her own throat, being shot in the stomach, executed by a lethal injection, crushed to death by both a burning car and a spaceship, and she has even been stabbed in the chest with a sword. Ouch, all pretty nasty ways to go. So, what are Theron’s odds of surviving to the end of a movie and which other leading ladies join her in our infographic?
Take a look below to see which other actors have been given the chop far too many times.