There are many iconic bald actors in cinema, but what about bald characters?
It seems like there are still a few stereotypes of the bald movie villain, but I’ve been looking at some of the most famous bald characters in movies and I’ve found a few heroes too.
Let’s take a look at some of the best bald movie characters of all time.
Beware of some spoilers!
The most iconic bald movie characters of all time
Morpheus
Captain of the Nebuchadnezzar and leader of the free humans, Morpheus is a starring character in the Matrix franchise – and one of the coolest characters on this list.
From his cryptic clues to Neo, to his epic martial arts skills, and his sweet long leather trench coat, he’s a kick-ass character throughout the trilogy.
Charles Xavier/Professor X
The leader of the X-Men and blessed with the ability to read minds, Charles Xavier debuted in movies in 2000.
Both Patrick Stewart’s and James McAvoy’s takes on the character have been widely praised, as he has taken a central role across 9 movies.
Mace Windu
Mace Windu, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is a Jedi Master in the Star Wars prequel trilogy known for his wisdom and combat prowess.
Distinguished by his unique purple lightsaber, is a key figure during the decline of the Galactic Republic. Despite his abilities, he meets his end due to Anakin Skywalker’s betrayal and Emperor Palpatine’s schemes.
Bald Villains
Here are some of the big screen’s most iconic bald villains. What is it about a shaved head that makes such a great bad guy?
Voldemort
Or he-who-shall-not-be-named, if you want to avoid raising any alarms.
Voldemort wasn’t properly seen on screen until the end of the fourth Harry Potter movie, but his unique snake-like appearance became an instant classic. He continues to terrorize Potterheads to this day.
Ernst Stavro Blofeld
The leader of SPECTRE and arch-nemesis of James Bond, Blofeld first appeared in From Russia with Love in 1963.
He’s appeared in 9 Bond films in total (including the non-canon Never Say Never Again), with 7 different actors taking up the role.
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is usually depicted as the most intelligent man in the DC Universe, but he has become obsessed with destroying Superman.
Interesting fact – in his comic origins, Luthor’s baldness was a mistake by an artist – he had previously appeared with thick, red hair. The mistake stuck and the character became bald for life.
John Doe
Se7en is a thrilling crime drama where Kevin Spacey plays the ultimate villain, John Doe.
Spacey’s character has not only shaved his head to avoid leaving DNA at his crime scenes, but also his fingertips.
The twist at the end where his plan comes to fruition remains one of the most shocking in cinema history.
Best movies with bald characters
The Godfather
Rated as the second-best movie on IMDb’s top 250, this mafia classic features Marlon Brando as the titular Godfather, Don Corleone.
He’s not quite fully bald, but his receding hairline – and the amazing quality of the movie – meant I had to put it on the list.
The Green Mile
This 1999 fantasy drama featured John Coffey, an inmate on death row that had the supernatural ability to heal.
Despite being later found innocent, Coffey is still executed in one of the most heart-breaking film endings. It was surely Michael Clarke Duncan’s finest role.
American History X
While not quite bald, Ed Norton’s white-power skinhead and Neo-Nazi character in this movie is extremely impactful.
Norton’s loss at the Academy Awards for this role was included on a list of the most incredibly shocking Oscars injustices by renowned Empire magazine.
Bald movie characters with beards
Ming the Merciless
Emperor Ming is the villain of the 1980s space opera Flash Gordon, with a truly iconic look – one of the most recognizable bald bearded movie characters that ever existed.
The great Max von Sydow had a great time camping it up when bringing this character to life, in what turned out to be a cult classic.
Deckard Shaw
Deckard Shaw’s shaved head and beard look gives him a real tough-guy look – an image he more than lives up to.
Appearing in three Fast & Furious movies before starring in Hobbs & Shaw alongside fellow bald actor Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham packed this character with wit to match his muscles.
Obadiah Stane
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a true juggernaut of the movie world, and while not the first film in the series, it really took off with Iron Man in 2008.
It’s a great movie, with a great bald villain – Obadiah Stane, or Iron Monger, played by Jeff Bridges.
Deadshot
Another comic book character, but this time on the DC side, Will Smith went bald to bring Deadshot to the screen in 2016’s Suicide Squad.
Described as “the most wanted hitman in the world”, Deadshot always claims his mark.
Don Logan
When compiling a list of the best bald movie characters, I had to find a space for one of the best bald actors – Sir Ben Kingsley.
And while not his most famous role, his turn as Don Logan in Sexy Beast is violent, enthralling, and certainly memorable.
Best bald female characters in movies
Ellen Ripley
We first meet Ellen Ripley in the original Alien film, but by Alien3, where she has a shaved bald head, she has really been through the wringer.
Ripley is an incredible hero in the movies, and Sigourney Weaver masterfully keeps you rooting for her throughout.
Nebula
The first of three Marvel ladies (Marvel seems to like including bald women), Nebula first appears as a villain in Guardians of the Galaxy but is a reluctant anti-hero by the time we get to the big Avengers movies featuring Thanos.
Cold, hard-hitting but naively funny, she is played by Karen Gillan who famously wore a wig on stage to Comic Con just to rip it off as a shock reveal.
Jordan O’Neil
Released in 1997, GI Jane tells the story of a female Lieutenant who is put through a rigorous training program in order to get women fully integrated into the Navy.
It’s not the best movie, but it’s a great performance from Demi Moore.
The Ancient One
Tilda Swinton plays The Ancient One in Doctor Strange (with a cameo appearance in Avengers: Endgame). The character is a former Sorcerer Supreme and mentors Stephen Strange.
The character was actually designed for the movie to be androgynous but is referred to as “she” and “her”.
Okoye
The last Marvel character I’m including, Okoye (played by Danai Gurira) is a warrior of the secret nation of Wakanda, appearing in both Black Panther films along with Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame
Tough, extremely clever and sharp-witted, she is one of the most popular female ‘superheroes’ (despite not having powers) in all the MCU.
Best bald animated movie characters
There are plenty of bald cartoon characters in popular culture, but here’s a look at the best to feature in movies.
Felonius Gru
Gru has become one of the great villains-turned-heroes in modern family movies, although you could argue his popularity is helped slightly by his nonsensical minions throughout the Despicable Me series.
The character did try to don a wig in the second movie, but it didn’t quite go to plan.
Dopey
Technically, all of the seven dwarves are bald – we just mainly see them wearing their caps, even when indoors.
But we do get the clearest view of Dopey, who is also the only dwarf not to have a beard. Poor Dopey.
Uncle Fester
The Addams Family has starred in various live-action and animated movies, and while each member is great fun, Uncle Fester often gets the best laughs.
He’s certainly creepy and kooky, and usually up to some crazy scheme as inspired by his mysterious life up to this point.
Uncle Fester is one of the most popular bald Halloween characters, in case you’re looking for some costume inspiration!
Megamind
Another supervillain-turned-good, Megamind is the blue bald alien who faces off with Metro Man until he finally seems to win?
Later he creates a new hero, Tighten, but has to turn good to stop him once he becomes mad with power.
King Candy
The self-proclaimed ruler of the Sugar Rush video game in the Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph, King Candy claims to be the greatest racer ever.
Of course, we later find out that he is Turbo, and that he had tried to delete hero Vanellope von Schweetz. That naughty king.
Want to see some anime-inspired bald characters? Check out the list of bald Dragon Ball Z characters.
Scariest bald horror movie characters
Pinhead
A leader of the Cenobites, Pinhead is the main villain of the Hellraiser series of movies.
This freaky-looking dude lives up to his name with a bald head that is completely studded with nails. He’s never actually referred to as Pinhead – it’s just a nickname from the movie crew, and later fans.
Nosferatu
One of the very original horror movie characters, Nosferatu was a 1922 movie featuring the eponymous vampire.
The film survives despite Bram Stoker’s estate suing to have all copies destroyed.
Imhotep
Whether The Mummy series of films count as horror is up for debate, but while Brendan Fraser may be cracking jokes, Arnold Vosloo is terrifying as Imhotep, the mummy that the first two films are based on.
Whether chasing the heroes as a giant dust cloud or controlling a waterfall, he is never far from achieving his evil goals – but thankfully is just foiled every time.
Freddy Krueger
A serial killer who has deformed burned skin and who kills you in your dreams, Freddy Krueger is utterly, utterly terrifying.
His appearance in A Nightmare on Elm Street regularly has him listed as one of horror’s scariest villains.
Pennywise
Pennywise is bald on top with freaky red/orange hair around the back and sides. How could you leave this extremely scary clown off any list?
Appearing in both parts of It, Pennywise is equally scary whether played by Tim Curry or Bill Skarsgård.
Summary
There are some amazing bald characters in this list, whether played by bald actors or those who’ve shaved their heads.
It’d be good to see more bald heroes too, but the tides are starting to turn – we aren’t just the stereotypical villains anymore.
If I’ve missed your favorite, you might find something you like in my list of bald cartoon characters.
