Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #1

#1: Han Solo. No, wait! Luke Skywalker. No, wait! Darth Vader. No, Yoda! Leia! Chewie! Boba Fett! ARGH, I can't decide! Ok, for number one, I'm cheating a bit, and choosing every Star Wars character from Ep. 4-6.

These characters ARE my childhood, and I can't express to you enough how absolutely beloved they all are to me. I have spent my lifetime watching the Star Wars movies over and over, collecting all the characters as action figures, studying dozens of books filled with information on how these characters were conceived, learning information about the performances, watching countless hours of interviews with the actors, and even traveling to fan conventions all over the world to greet the actors and get a personal perspective. My greatest dream is to do some official illustrations for Star Wars in some capacity.

I hope you enjoyed this list of favorite movie characters, and hopefully it brought back some good memories of your own favorite movie characters. If you'd like, let me know some of your favorites in the comments-I'd love to see how your list compares with mine! :)

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #2

#2: Superman (Christopher Reeve)

Christopher Reeves' Superman was my first childhood hero. There was something so wholesome, so endearing, so human about him, that just made you want to be his friend. In these cynical times it's become popular to mock his earnest wholesomeness, but to a kid like me growing up, he was the perfect hero. Superman is more than just his power levels, he's an ideal we should all aspire to be. To help others, to fight for justice, and inspire the good in humanity.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #3

#3 Marty McFly

Michael J Fox absolutely kills it as Marty in Back to the Future. So many classic moments, what's not to love?

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #4

#4 Peter Venkman

TRUE confessions: when I first saw Ghostbusters as a tot, a lot of the jokes sailed over my head. I didn't even realize it was meant to be a comedy. I thought it was a straight up horror movie. When I got a little older I realized just how hysterical it was. Oh, and Bill Murray is brilliant in it.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #5

#5: Indiana Jones

We've now entered the TOP 5! I hope you guys have been enjoying this countdown so far!
For me, Indiana Jones represents the ultimate fantasy character. (Sorry James Bond). He runs around the world having crazy adventures, falling in love with beautiful women, and punching Nazis. (Let's just pretend that the 4th movie never happened...haha)

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #6

#6: Ellen Ripley

"Get away from her you bitch!" Coming in at #6 is Sigourney Weaver's signature role, Ripley from the Alien franchise. Ripley is tough as they come, but she's also incredibly smart, resourceful, mothering, and most importantly of all, she loves cats.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #7

#7: ET

ET was probably the first movie I distinctly remember seeing in the theater, and it left a huge impression on me. I remember sobbing in my seat at the end, and even when I watch it today, it totally triggers tears every time. Incredibly well designed to be at first scary and then sympathetic, I just can't help but love that squishy little potato alien.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #8

#8: Marge Gunderson

I never get tired of watching Fargo. It's an absolute masterpiece, don'tcha know. My favorite movie by the Coen Brothers, Fargo is a pitch perfect black comedy. Frances McDormand gives a Oscar winning performance as Marge, perfectly balancing humor and pathos.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #9

#9: Carrie White

All through high school, I, like many kids, felt unpopular and unappreciated. I escaped into comic books and movies to deal with my feelings, but I always secretly loved the idea of taking revenge on my high school tormentors. However, I'm not a violent person, and I worked through my issues in a healthy way. Watching it again recently, Carrie really strikes a nerve with me. I can completely sympathize with her, and Sissy Spacek's performance is incredibly powerful.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #10

#10: Fred C Dobbs

Some of you may be thinking, who's this? It's Humphrey Bogart's character from one of my favorite classic movies, Treasure of the Sierra Madre. An absolutely gripping tale about how gold warps a man's soul, Bogart gives an unforgettable performance as he lets his greed run away with him and eventually leads him to murder. His face muddy, his hair disheveled, Bogart leaves his movie star vanity at the door and delivers one of the greatest characters in film history.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #11

#11: Jules Winnfield
Prior to Pulp Fiction I had seen Samuel L. Jackson pop up as a character actor in some of my favorite films (Goodfellas, Coming to America, etc), but it wasn't until his fiery turn as hit man Jules in Pulp Fiction that he blew my mind and became one of my all time favorite actors. No one delivers Tarantino's dialogue better, and his character's arc of redemption is an incredible thing to behold.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #12

#12: The Joker

"Some men just want to watch the world burn." A lot of actors have portrayed the Joker over the years, but for my money, Heath Ledger's interpretation is the best. A reinvention of the character from the ground up, Ledger brings an unhinged chaotic edge to his performance. As he licks his lips with homicidal glee, he's less of a goofy clown, and more of a psychotic gangster. His "interrogation" scene with Batman is a highlight.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #13

#13: The Bride

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first sat down to watch Kill Bill, but Quentin Tarantino's action epic hit me harder than a five point palm exploding heart technique. A delirious mix of kung fu, anime, and spaghetti westerns, the stand out character certainly was Uma Thurman as "The Bride". An absolute badass fighter, yet possessing tons of heart, Thurman makes her a complex, layered character.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #14

#14: Seymour Krelborn

When I was a kid, I really wanted to be an actor. I did a lot of musical theater, and it was mainly inspired by my obsession with Little Shop of Horrors. I often would sing the songs to myself, dreaming of one day playing Seymour on Broadway. Life had other plans in store for me, but Seymour remains a beloved character. (And I still know all the songs by heart!)

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #15

#15: Ferris Bueller (aka Abe Froman, the Sausage King of Chicago)

The lead of one of my favorite 80's comedies, Ferris Bueller is the perfect high school role model. Sadly, I was more of a Cameron in high school than a Ferris, but I've always idolized Ferris' ability to get away with anything. Totally charming, popular without putting other kids down, and possessing the ability to get everyone in the city of Chicago to start spontaneously dancing, Ferris is the kind of guy everyone wants as a best friend. 

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #16

#16: Furiosa

The most recent character to make my list, I fell in love with Imperator Furiosa immediately. Charlize Theron has always been a great actress, but there was something really unique about this particular character. One of the most bad-ass women in film history, she stole the entire movie away from the male lead. While I can take or leave Tom Hardy as Mad Max, I would absolutely love to see more adventures with Furiosa.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #17

#17: Rocky Balboa

"Yo, Adrian!" Man, I love this movie. If all you remember of the Rocky movies are the super cheesy, hyper-patriotic ones, give the first Rocky another look. It's a beautifully heartfelt drama and Sylvester Stallone has never been better.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #18

18: Mary Poppins

Julie Andrews gives the performance of her career with Mary Poppins. (She is so great, you can almost overlook Dick Van Dyke's horrible accent, but I digress. Mary is charming, loving, and funny, the practically perfect nanny.

Top 30 Favorite Movie Characters #19

#19: Travis Bickle

Robert DeNiro's most indelible character, Travis Bickle, from Taxi Driver, is endlessly fascinating. Self described as "God's Lonely Man", anyone who finds themselves disenfranchised with society can find something to relate to in Bickle's persona. The ambiguous ending only heightens the mystery of his madness.