Since he is reprising his MCU role as Abomination from Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, now seems a good time to discuss Tim Roth's storied career, filled with unique and memorable performances. Roth is a mainstay of Quentin Tarantino films and appears in other gritty crime films of a similar genre. Roth is great at playing spiteful characters, fitting perfectly into the real-life monsters of several historical dramas, too. Here are a few of Roth's more memorable roles throughout the years.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
Early in his career, Roth acted alongside Hellen Mirren (The Queen) and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) in The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover as Mitchel, a criminal associate of the eponymous thief. He shines in this art crime film, which seems to be what Tim Roth is best suited to. Mitchel is the only character left on his boss's side at the end. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover is a phenomenal piece of transgressive cinema that is both disturbing and beautiful.
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)
Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead was originally a staged production about the two characters from Hamlet that were invited by Hamlet's mother to cheer him up and end up dying in his stead. The film version was also written and directed by the original playwright, Tom Stoppard. Opposite Gary Oldman as Rosencrantz, Roth portrays Guildenstern. The film explores what it means to be a side character in a Hamlet play, notably two people who exist to die instead of the hero. The two characters philosophize on the meaning of life and play fun word games throughout. Watching two prolific actors that are famously impossible to typecast dance around in comedic roles makes Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead great fun.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs is notable because Roth plays the leading Mr. Orange and it also marks his first of many collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino. This film is a high-stakes action film about the aftermath of a diamond heist gone wrong, in which all the criminal associates try to figure out who the rat is. Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, and Michael Madsen round out the cast in this instant classic and directorial debut from Tarantino that echoes through references in many films to follow.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
As Pumpkin, one of the robbers in the diner, Roth's explosive performance kicks off Pulp Fiction, his second Tarantino role. He and his lover Honey Bunny, played by Amanda Plummer, decide to rob the diner they are in because they think it is the easiest mark, and everyone has their wallet on them. Pulp Fiction is a phenomenal film about friendship among thieves, and Pumpkin and Honey Bunny are fantastic characters that serve as bookends to this anthology.
Rob Roy (1995)
In this historic film, Roth plays the evil Archibald Cunningham, a villain to Liam Neeson as Rob Roy. As the evil nobleman, Roth netted an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His character is pure evil, with actions ranging from murdering dogs to raping women. His character is also one of the creative liberties the film takes in discussing historic events, no Cunningham having actually existed, though the film offers no pretense of historical accuracy. Instead, it tries, and succeeds, at being an awesome western set in the Scottish Highlands.
Four Rooms (1995)
Four Rooms is an incredible movie that takes place across four rooms in a hotel connected by a common bellhop, played by Roth. Each room scene also has its own director: Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, and Quentin Tarantino. Roth kills it as the leading side character having to interact with increasingly erratic guests. This film is also not the first collaboration between directors Rodriguez (Spy Kids) and Tarantino, who worked together on From Dusk Till Dawn and Pulp Fiction.
Gridlock'd (1997)
In this raw comedy about heroin use and crime, Roth stars alongside Tupac Shakur. This film also marks actor Vondie Curtis-Hall's directorial debut. The film follows two musicians and heroin addicts who try to get their lives on track after the overdose of one member of their spoken-word group. The film also has a stellar soundtrack that peaked at the number one position on the Billboard charts, featuring musicians Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, and many more (of course, Shakur also contributes to the soundtrack).
Lie To Me (2009-2011)
Roth plays Dr. Lightman, an expert in body language that consults with law enforcement to determine whether criminals are lying. A unique crime drama, Roth's acting stands out and makes it hard to believe this show only lasted three seasons. He is witty and able to determine whether people are lying through close observation. An extremely memorable episode is the debut of Season 2, "The Core of It," in which Lightman examines a witness with multiple personalities, who is not lying but does not know everything they saw. If you like binging television, put Lie To Me in your queue.
Selma (2014)
In this historic film about the Selma to Montgomery marches led by Martin Luther King Jr. for expanded voting rights, Roth portrays Alabama Governor George Wallace, a noted segregationist that did much to interfere with the voting rights movement. Interestingly, he ran for president, which might explain why he was so concerned about an influx of anti-segregation voters. Wallace was a real villain in American history and Roth portrays him chillingly. As director Ava DuVernay put it: "He played the heck out of George Wallace."
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Roth plays Oswaldo Mobray in this western thriller from Tarantino. He is one of several folks who meet at Minnie's Haberdashery to wait out a snowstorm. The roles each character takes can be hard to spell out without spoilers since The Hateful Eight is full of intrigue and hidden identity. This is a seriously worthwhile watch and the culmination of decades of work from Tarantino. It is beautifully shot on 70-mm film and underscored by music from Ennio Morricone, famous for his work on westerns like The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly.
Twin Peaks (2020)
In the third season of Twin Peaks, Roth portrays Hutch, a criminal associate of Dale Cooper. This soft reboot of the series was fantastic and Roth delivers a great performance. Apparently, he also enjoyed being on the film to the point that he kept texting creator David Lynch to include him in more scenes. Roth got the more screen-time that he wanted, but perhaps needling the creator is also what prompted him to write such a violent end to Hutch.