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How do you even start to play a character that is leagues smarter than you? I wouldn’t know where to begin, yet several professional performers have found ways to do so convincingly. Of course, the role of making the character smart is the work of the script; the actor has to make the character convincing.
Over the years, many performers have taken on roles as scientists, detectives, strategists, and masterminds whose intellect far exceeds that of the average person. These characters became memorable not because the actors shared their expertise, but because they made brilliance look effortless.
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Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock Holmes
In Sherlock, Benedict Cumberbatch portrayed Arthur Conan Doyle’s legendary detective as a whirlwind of deduction and observation. Sherlock’s ability to solve complex mysteries from tiny clues places him among television’s most intellectually gifted characters.
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Jim Parsons, Sheldon Cooper
Jim Parsons won multiple Emmy Awards playing Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory. Theoretical physicist Sheldon is portrayed as possessing an exceptional intellect, complete with advanced scientific knowledge and an extraordinary memory.
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Jodie Foster, Dr. Ellie Arroway
In Contact, Jodie Foster plays a brilliant astronomer searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. The role required her to convincingly portray a scientist capable of understanding concepts that challenge even experienced researchers.
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Matt Damon, Will Hunting
Good Will Hunting centers on a janitor whose mathematical abilities astonish MIT professors. Matt Damon successfully sold audiences on a character whose genius-level intellect allows him to solve problems experts cannot.
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Russell Crowe, John Nash
Russell Crowe portrayed Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Nash’s groundbreaking contributions to game theory made him one of the most influential mathematical thinkers of the twentieth century.
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Natalie Portman, Jane Foster
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jane Foster is an accomplished astrophysicist studying cosmic phenomena beyond current scientific understanding. Natalie Portman brought credibility to a character regularly dealing with advanced theoretical concepts.
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Robert Downey Jr., Tony Stark
Tony Stark is repeatedly described as one of the smartest people in the Marvel universe. Robert Downey Jr. made audiences believe he could design revolutionary technology while solving problems few others even understand.
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David Suchet, Hercule Poirot
David Suchet’s portrayal of Agatha Christie’s famous detective remains definitive for many fans. Poirot’s remarkable attention to detail and analytical thinking allow him to solve mysteries that baffle everyone around him.
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Hugh Laurie, Dr. Gregory House
On House, Hugh Laurie played a diagnostician capable of solving baffling medical mysteries. House’s near-superhuman ability to connect seemingly unrelated symptoms made him one of television’s smartest characters.
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Noah Wyle, Flynn Carsen
The hero of The Librarian franchise possesses dozens of academic degrees and encyclopedic knowledge across countless subjects. Noah Wyle had the challenge of portraying a character with almost unbelievable intellectual credentials.
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LeVar Burton, Geordi La Forge
As chief engineer of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Geordi La Forge routinely solves advanced technological problems. The role required LeVar Burton to embody an exceptionally gifted engineer.
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Rami Malek, Elliot Alderson
In Mr. Robot, Elliot Alderson is an elite cybersecurity expert and hacker. Rami Malek convincingly portrayed a character capable of understanding and manipulating complex computer systems at the highest levels.
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Viola Davis, Annalise Keating
Annalise Keating from How to Get Away with Murder is one of television’s most formidable legal minds. Viola Davis brought intelligence and authority to a character renowned for strategic thinking.
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Patrick Stewart, Professor Charles Xavier
Professor X is both a powerful telepath and one of Marvel’s most respected intellectuals. Patrick Stewart gave gravitas to a character whose wisdom and intelligence are central to the X-Men mythos.
The post 14 Actors Who Played Characters Even Smarter Than They Are appeared first on Den of Geek.
