David Thewlis' acting career has spanned over 30 years, with a litany of characters under his belt, from protagonists, antagonists, historical figures, and supernatural beings. Surprisingly, Thewlis started out as a musician performing in rock bands, such as QUED and Door 66. Eventually, he decided to turn his attention to acting. His breakout role in Naked was well-received and opened many doors for the young thespian.
Thewlis' diverse and remarkable range has garnered him many roles that have made an incredible impression on audiences. From Remus Lupin of the Harry Potter franchise to Dennis Sicama in The Theory of Everything, the roles below represent Thewlis' hallmark performances in movies and TV.
Mr. Earthworm - James & The Giant Peach
In James and the Giant Peach, Mr. Earthworm was initially a simple earthworm. But after encountering a magical crocodile tongue, he transformed into a human-sized, anthropomorphic insect. He sported dark sunglasses and a big bow-tie.
Mr. Earthworm was a worry-wart. He constantly fussed and panicked about his and the gang's perilous journey to NYC, always considering the worst outcome. Nonetheless, he assisted James and the other insects and they eventually arrived in the Big Apple. He and the other insects adopted James by the end of the movie.
Claude - Barkskins
In the NatGeo series Barksins, Claude is a noble Frenchman who has big plans for New France and its expansion. He is regarded as a philanderer and an eccentric person by his peers. His unconventional spiritual beliefs and flighty demeanor have put him at odds with others when trying to accomplishing his goals.
Despite being an outsider, he considers him above everyone else and takes pleasure in boasting his achievements. Nonetheless, viewers enjoy the character and Thewlis' enigmatic performance.
Paul Verlaine - Total Eclipse
Similar to his real-life counterpart, the film character of Paul Verlaine was a prestigious but problematic poet who pursued a controversial relationship with the then-teenaged Arthur Rimbaud (Leonardo Dicaprio), who admired his work and was an aspiring poet himself.
Verlaine put his family and career on the line to have the affair, but they eventually broke up. Paul was later notified of Arthur's passing and, even then, he still cared for him. Despite the abysmal reviews, Thewlis' and Dicaprio's stirring portrayals were lauded.
Ares - Wonder Woman
In Wonder Woman, Ares (the god of war) came to Earth and initially posed as Sir Patrick Morgan, who was a member of the British War Council. However, he had other intentions and convinced a German General and Dr. Isabel Moru to create a toxic gas (which he'd use to annihilate humanity).
Despite trying to convince his half-sister Diana aka Wonder Woman to join him, she refused and defeated him in battle. Ares later returned in Justice League with Thewlis supplying his voice.
Dennis Sicama - The Theory of Everything
In The Theory of Everything, Lewis portrayed noted physicist Stephen Hawking's real-life mentor Dr. Sicama in this semi-autobiographical biopic. Thewlis managed to capture the brilliant mind of Sicama and the sincerity of his heart.
Sciama encouraged Hawking's drive and ideas, but also didn't cut him any slack. Despite not having a big part in the film, Thewlis managed to make his stint memorable. While Sicama was not alive to see the movie, Hawking did and the film reportedly made him weep.
Ralf - The Boy In The Striped Pajamas
Ralf was a Nazi general who was promoted to commander of a concentration camp. He was also the father of Bruno and Gretel. His son communicated with Schumel, a Jewish boy who was imprisoned at the camp. Despite his father's bigoted beliefs, Bruno became best friends with Schumel before they tragically perished in a gas chamber.
Ralf was a corrupted individual whose idealogy indirectly caused his son's demise. While The Boy in the Striped Pajamas was criticized for its inaccuracies of the holocaust, the actors, including Thewlis's performance, were praised.
Michael Stone - Anomalisa
Stone in Anomalisa was an author and titan in the customer service industry. Despite his success, he felt generally morose and unsatisfied due to how repetitive and mundane his life felt, including the fact everyone (including his family) had the same voice and appearance.
Some hope appeared in the form of Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a customer representative who caught Stone's eye. Thewlis managed to convey Stone sympathetically, despite the character's selfish and perverted attributes.
Johnny - Naked
Thewlis's role as Johnny in Naked was one of his career-defining moments and where he got to show off his acting chops. In the film, he played a complex intellectual and conspiracy theorist who lived day by day. He did as he pleased, no matter who he hurt, including his ex-girlfriend, Louise (Lesley Sharp).
He waxed existentialism throughout the film while wreaking mayhem. The film, along with Thewlis' nuanced performance, received high acclaim. Thewlis later won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival.
V.M. Varga - Fargo
Varga, in Fargo, was one of Thewlis's most horrid and malevolent characters he has played in his career. He did an excellent job of evoking Varga's inherent creepiness and sliminess through his actions and character quirks.
Apart from his rotting teeth, Varga disgusted others with his questionable methods, including urinating in someone's coffee mug and forcing them to drink it. Varga's manipulative nature and criminal mind made him a force to be reckoned with in season three.
Remus Lupin - Harry Potter
At the behest of Ian Hart (who played Professor Quirrell) and being director Alfonso Cuarón's first choice, Thewlis accepted the role of Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter franchise - a gifted wizard who was afflicted with lycanthropy.
Thewlis exquisitely portrayed Lupin's genial and charismatic personality and made his bond with Harry seem genuine. He was excited to the nab the part, as he had always wanted to play a werewolf. One complaint fans had was that they wished Lupin had more scenes and his and Tonks' relationship was explored more.