Top British film villains

Sir Anthony Hopkins in

The Silence of the Lambs Hannibal Lecter had already been chillingly played by another British actor, Brian Cox, in Manhunter, but it was Sir Anthony (right) who’s best remembered in the role and who took home an Oscar. His unblinking portrayal was voted as best villain of all time by the American Film Institute

Jeremy Irons in

The Lion King No one does infamy quite like Mr Irons. He’s played one of the Borgias, Henry IV, Claus von Bulow, deranged twin surgeons and many other anti-heroes. However, his greatest claim to wickedness may well be as the voice of Scar in Disney’s take on Hamlet

Judith Anderson in

Rebecca True, Anderson (right) was actually Australian, but she plays the mean-minded, vindictive Mrs Danvers in Hitchcock’s Gothic drama Rebecca with a perfect English accent. It’s worth noting that few British movie villains are ever Irish, Scottish or Welsh, although Robert Carlyle comes to mind

James Mason in

North by Northwest One of Hollywood’s biggest stars, he played the cruel, ruthless Phillip Vandamm in Hitchcock’s masterpiece. Leonard: ‘You’re not taking her on the plane with you?’ Vandamm: ‘Of course, I am… This matter is best disposed of from a great height, over water’

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Adopting a crisp German accent, Rickman (right) made an impact on Hollywood as the mastermind thief foiled by Bruce Willis in Die Hard (in Die Hard: With a Vengeance, Gruber’s brother is improbably played by Jeremy Irons). However, he kicked it up a manic notch here, effortlessly stealing the film from Kevin Costner with adlibbed lines such as ‘Cancel the kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans, no more merciful beheadings, and call off Christmas’

Alan Rickman in