Jon Bernthal Reveals Cinema’s Most Chilling Villain

Jon Bernthal has built a reputation for tackling tough, gritty roles, from his stint as The Punisher to playing soldiers, coppers, crooks, and even a Greek legend in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming take on The Odyssey. He’s got a knack for bringing authenticity to every part, even nailing a Greek accent that’s hard to beat. Oddly enough, for someone who clearly enjoys a good genre flick, Bernthal hasn’t spent much time in horror. The closest he’s come is his run in the first two seasons of The Walking Dead, where his character wasted no time getting involved with his mate’s wife after the world went pear-shaped.

Impact Beyond Screen Time

Back in 2017, Bernthal chatted with The Independent about his role in Wind River, where his character cops it early on. Some actors might have been miffed about such a short appearance, but Bernthal wasn’t fussed. He reckoned you don’t need heaps of screen time to make a real impact, using The Silence of the Lambs as a prime example.

“What Ted Levine did with his portrayal of Buffalo Bill, there wasn’t much screen time, but it was absolutely haunting,”

he said.

“Everyone talks about Anthony Hopkins in that film, which was obviously great, but what Ted did, he created the most horrifying character in the history of film in five or six minutes on film.”

Buffalo Bill’s Lasting Legacy

When punters think of Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel, most jump straight to Anthony Hopkins’ take on Dr Hannibal Lecter. He’s often hailed as one of the all-time great villains, which is a bit odd considering he’s not the main baddie. That title goes to Jame ‘Buffalo Bill’ Gumb, a serial killer who kidnaps women, keeps them in a pit, and skins them. Levine’s performance as Bill is every bit as unsettling—if not more so—than his more famous co-star. The scene where Bill puts on makeup and dances to ‘Goodbye Horses’ by Q Lazzarus is still one of the most spine-tingling moments in the whole film.

Recognition and Oversights

It’s no secret that The Silence of the Lambs cleaned up at the Oscars, nabbing Best Picture—the only horror film to ever do so. Director Demme, screenwriter Ted Tally, and stars Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster all took home trophies. Yet, Ted Levine didn’t even get a nod for Best Supporting Actor. Some might say he wasn’t on screen long enough, but that argument doesn’t really hold up. Hermione Baddeley was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for just over two minutes of work. Without Levine’s chilling take on Buffalo Bill, the film wouldn’t have packed the same punch. Bernthal’s spot on in singling him out for making every minute count.