Guy Pearce is one of the most consistently excellent actors working in Hollywood, and over the course of his career, Pearce has rarely turned in a bad performance. That’s pretty remarkable for a guy who has appeared in such disasters as Without Remorse, Bedtime Stories, and The Seventh Day. Between television and film, Pearce has certainly appeared in many beloved favorites. He recently delivered one of the best performances of his career in the acclaimed HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown.
If you look at Pearce’s extensive filmography, you’ll find many of the best films of the past 25 years. Although he routinely chooses excellent material, Pearce hasn’t been given the credit he deserves. He’s one of the best living actors who has never been nominated for an Academy Award. Even if he just pops up in a smaller role, Pearce is never unmemorable.
Pearce will next be seen in the Liam Neeson action film Memory. Regardless of the film’s quality, you can count on Pearce to be one of the standouts. Before you check out his new project, make sure to watch the seven greatest Guy Pearce performances.
Edmund Exley, L.A. Confidential (1997)
Pearce got his breakout role in Curtis Hanson’s neo-noir crime thriller L.A. Confidential, a loving tribute to the classic private eye cinema of the 1950s. Hanson mixes pulp and the relevant theme of police corruption into one of the best crime films of the 1990s. The film follows an investigation into a Hollywood conspiracy by three very different detectives: Edmund Exley (Pearce), Bud White (Russell Crowe), and Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey). Pearce’s geeky nature hilariously contrasts with Crowe’s ruthlessness.
Leonard Shelby, Memento (2001)
Even if you already know the twist going in, Christopher Nolan’s beloved mystery is rewatchable thanks to Pearce’s stunning work as Leonard Shelby. Shelby suffers from a rare condition that makes him unable to form new memories. He searches for his wife’s killer, and Nolan utilizes a nonlinear narrative structure that tells the story in reverse. Nolan’s films are often criticized for being “emotionless,” but Pearce brings heart, humor, and maturity to the obsessive character.
Sergeant Matt Thompson, The Hurt Locker (2009)
Kathryn Bigelow’s Best Picture-winning war thriller The Hurt Locker is one of the best modern military thrillers, and captures the trauma of post-traumatic stress disorder in a compelling way. Bigelow humanizes the characters without lionizing the war effort, and she gets excellent performances from a great cast with her sensitive depiction of masculinity. Pearce’s character Sergeant Matt Thompson perishes in a tragic conflict early on, beginning the film on a devastatingly emotional note.
King Edward VIII, The King's Speech (2010)
The King’s Speech was the second Best Picture winner in a row for Pearce, and Tom Hooper’s historical drama is much better than its reputation suggests. While period pieces are often thought of as “Oscar bait,” The King’s Speech is far more entertaining than your standard biopic. It depicts a surprising friendship between King George VI (Colin Firth) and his speech coach Lionel Logue (Geoffery Rush), and Firth took home the Best Actor trophy for somehow making one of the most powerful men in the world relatable. Part of the reason George’s journey was so compelling was the cruelty of his older brother, King Edward VIII (Pearce). Pearce shows the former King’s selfishness when he abdicates from the throne without considering the pressure it will put on his brother.
Charley Rakes, Lawless (2012)
Lawless is one of the most underrated neo-westerns of the past decade. The historical thriller follows a bootlegging business under the domain of the three Bondurant brothers: Jack (Shia Labeouf), Forrest (Tom Hardy), and Howard (Jason Clarke). Pearce is worthy of all three of them with his scenery chewing performance as the ruthless lawman Charley Rakes. Although the film is meticulously paced, Pearce adds a sense of theatrical villainy to the story without losing its intensity. It’s borderline campy, but Pearce pulls it off.
Peter Weyland, Prometheus (2012)
Okay, so perhaps the old man makeup and visual effects work hasn’t aged well, but Ridley Scott’s Alien prequel Prometheus is a much more interesting film than it's given credit for. Rather than focusing on cheap nostalgia, Scott developed an introspective story about mankind’s search for a creator. Peter Weylan (Pearce) considers himself worthy of “The Engineers’” attention, as he has created the sentient android David (Michael Fassbender). Pearce fleshes out Weyland’s obsession, despite some silly visuals. He returned for a brief appearance in the 2017 sequel Alien: Covenant in the opening sequence. His brief, frank conversation with Fassbender is probably the best scene in the movie.
Eric, The Rover (2014)
Pearce has rarely been more devastating onscreen than he is in the post-apocalyptic thriller The Rover. In his second collaboration with director David Michod following Animal Kingdom, Pearce stars as a veteran, Eric, who lives alone in the middle of the Australian wasteland. The film takes place in the aftermath of a global financial meltdown; Eric lost his entire franchise in the crisis. After a gang of thieves steals his car, Eric captures the mentally disabled robber Reynolds (Robert Pattinson). Eric forces Reynolds to help him track down his older brother Henry (Scoot McNairy), and over the course of their search, Eric gradually reveals his tragic past. It’s a powerful relationship that never gets sentimental, and Pearce does a great job at hinting at Eric’s trauma without spelling things outright.