Throughout the years in Hollywood, dozens of performers have become synonymous with thewesterngenre. From John Wayne and Clint Eastwood to Henry Fonda and James Stewart, many actors known for donning a cowboy hat and spurs are considered among the most famous performers that cinema has ever seen.
But for one reason or another, just as many actors and actresses have been thrown to the wayside regarding their work in westerns. This list aims to shine light on those that don’t get enough credit. These names are among the most famous working today, and they’ve all appeared in multiple movies that fall into the genre at hand. That said, these are 20 actors who deserve more credit for their westerns, ranked.
20Russell Crowe
Fairly early in the career ofRussell Crowe, he appeared as Cort inThe Quick and the Dead(1995). Written and directed by Sam Raimi, it’s one of the most underrated films of the 1990s, and it holds up well today as one of the finest westerns of the modern era. When accounting for his other westerns that were released in the 21st Century, there’s no denying Crowe’s placement on the list.
A Pair of Adaptations
The second adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s short story of the same name,3:10 to Yuma(2007) sawdirection by James Mangold. The actor at hand provided an indelible performance as the antagonist, Ben Wade. He also performed brilliantly in his following western,A True History of the Ned Kelly Gang(2019). Based on the 2000 novel of the same name, it’s the perfect finale of Crowe’s underrated western career.
19Jack Nicholson
In the same year,Jack Nicholsonhad starring roles in two westerns:The Shooting(1966), andRide in the Whirlwind(1966). Both were directed by Monte Hellman — on top of providing the leading effort, Nicholson also co-wrote the latter. It’s a little-known screenwriting credit that deserves more love, like the majority of his westerns.
The Underrated Westerns of Jack Nicholson
In the decade following his first forays into the wild west, Nicholson added two more westerns to his filmography:The Missouri Breaks(1976), co-starring Marlon Brando, along with a comedy hybrid calledGoin' South(1978), which he also directed. When accounting for the underrated releases of his prior two westerns, this famous American actor becomes an undeniable inclusion on the list.
18Stephen Root
Perhaps the most noteworthy westerns regardingStephen Rootwould be his collaborations with Joel and Ethan Coen. First up wasNo Country for Old Men(2007), in which he plays the man who hires Woody Harrelson’s character, Carson Welles. Next cameThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs(2018), one ofthe finest anthology filmsever made. And between those two releases, Root teamed up with another famous filmmaker to produce two more famous westerns.
Collaborations with Gore Verbinski
While they sit at opposite ends of the qualitative spectrum, bothRango(2011) andThe Lone Ranger(2013) hold tremendous name value today. The former is the greatest animated movie the genre’s ever seen, and it greatly bolsters Root’s case as an actor who deserves far more love for his work in the wild west.
17David Arquette
A bona fide horror actor,David Arquettedoesn’t get near enough credit for the work he’s put into the realm of western cinema. Although his first two films of this ilk —Wild Bill(1995) andRavenous(1999) — were rather panned by critics, the latter is held in high regard by film fans, boasting the status of a cult classic. It also marked Arquette’s first foray into the fan-favorite world of western horror.
Shaking in His Cowboy Boots
As one of Hollywood’s greatest scream kings, Arquette has been honing his horror chops for decades. But amid releases in theScreamfranchise, he added an underrated horror movie to his oeuvre that perfectly blends genres with a western setting:Bone Tomahawk(2015). Written and directed by S. Craig Zahler, it’s perhapsthe scariest westernever made. And although Arquette’s role is supporting, he nonetheless deserves more credit for the shrieks he emitted while traversing the wild west on horseback.
16Clancy Brown
FromExtreme Prejudice(1987) andThe Burrowers(2007) toCowboys & Aliens(2011) andThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the westerns ofClancy Brownrun a surprising gamut of subgenre. A neo-western with Walter Hill as director,Extreme Prejudicefeatures thrilling undertones with an emphasis on action. And overall, the product holds up well today. Then, there are the actor’s modern westerns.
Running the Gamut of Subgenre
A prominent example of the western horror sub-genre,The Burrowersreceived great acclaim upon release despite its paucity of name value. Meanwhile,Cowboys & Aliensperfectly mixes styles with science fiction, andThe Ballad of Buster Scruggsfeatures moments both hilarious and poignant within an anthology structure. That’s a great variety of westerns, and they all feature Clancy Brown.
15Alfred Molina
Unfortunately, one of the westerns featuringAlfred Molinais among the worst movies the genre’s ever seen:Texas Rangers(2001). And while that film features little worth writing home about, Molina did appear in two of the greatest westerns of the prior decade that warrant praise by themselves.
Some All-Time Greats
Directed by Richard Donner, the western comedyMaverick(1994) deserves more love today. The same can be said forDead Man(1995), an acid westernby Jim Jarmusch. The actor at hand provides a supporting role in the former, and a minor role in the latter. Considering his efforts inRango, perhaps the greatest animated movie the genre’s ever seen, Molina deserves far more credit for his westerns.
14Dwight Yoakam
A country singer,Dwight Yoakamhas made a name for himself in the music industry as something of a cowboy. And although hardcore film fans can likely rattle off a few of his roles in Hollywood movies, he deserves far more credit for the sheer volume of westerns he’s appeared in since making his debut inRed Rock West(1992).
An Impressive Number of Westerns
After that Dennis Hopper collaboration, Yoakam appeared in a string of successful westerns, likeThe Newton Boys(1998) by Richard Linklater. He then co-wrote, directed, scored, and starred inSouth of Heaven, West of Hell(2000), and later appeared inThe Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada(2005). WhileBandidas(2006) is of no real quality, Yoakam rallied withCry Macho(2021), and combined, they render Dwight a surefire pick.
13Ethan Hawke
Among the greatest collaborators of modern Hollywood are actorEthan Hawkeand director Richard Linklater. Their first movie together wasBefore Sunset(1995), followed closely byThe Newton Boys. Although the former is far more acclaimed, the latter did mark Hawke’s first foray into the genre at hand. And while it took him nearly two decades to unearth his old pistols, Hawke proved just as capable a shot in the 2010s as he was in the 1990s.
An Underrated Western Superstar
While it pales in comparison to the original,The Magnificent Seven(2016) nonetheless received decent praise upon release. Hawke appears amid a star-studded cast, and in that same year, he starred in one of the greatest westerns that nobody’s ever seen:In a Valley of Violence(2016). Along withThe Kid(2019) from a few years later, Hawke has put in more than enough work to be regarded as a western star.
12Johnny Depp
Perhaps the most underrated western ever made isDead Man, in whichJohnny Deppplays the lead. Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, it’s a monochromatic masterpiece that falls within the acid western sub-genre. And sure,Dead Manis rather unknown — just likeThe Brave(1997), the other western from the ’90s that features Depp — but he deserves more credit for his leading efforts with Jarmusch, not to mention the more popular westerns under his belt.
He’s Not Just a Pirate, but Also a Cowboy
UnderRobert Rodriguez’s direction, Depp co-starred inOnce Upon a Time in Mexico(2003). Not the most acclaimed western of his career, but noteworthy, nonetheless. Filmmaker Gore Verbinski then cast Depp in two leading western roles:Rango, andThe Lone Ranger. With the perfect balance of quality and quantity, a spot on the list is undeniable for Johnny Depp.
Related:Dead Man: The Greatest Western You’ve Probably Never Seen
11Ben Foster
One of the greatest performances from the career ofBen Fostercan be found in3:10 to Yuma, directed by James Mangold. The actor plays Charlie Prince, a villainous outlaw, and he performed brilliantly in an unforgettable role. His character was rather prominent in the plot, and in the following decade, Foster upped the ante.
Taking the Genre by Storm
Another critical darling,Hell or High Water(2016) features Foster in a co-starring role alongside Jeff Bridges and Chris Pine, with all three performers portraying the peak of their powers. And just one year later, Foster appeared among the supporting cast ofHostiles(2017), one ofthe most underrated westernsever made. For those two efforts alone, Foster deserves more credit — not to mention3:10 to Yuma.
