The familiar but underrated Scott Shepherd made a huge splash with his one-episode guest sting in HBO's mega-hit The Last of Us. Shepherd plays David, the leader of a religious community who crosses paths with Ellie. David is among the game's most infamous characters, and Shepherd did a spectacular job with the role, playing the wicked character with a perfect balance of agreeability and cunning.
Shepherd is no stranger to complex characters, having appeared in several acclaimed projects playing a wide range of unique characters. One look at his Rotten Tomatoes page reveals how many of his films have achieved high marks on the famous review aggregator.
10 'Hostiles' (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70%
Scott Cooper directs a large ensemble, including Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Ben Foster, Jonathan Majors, and Timothée Chalamet, in his 2017 Western drama Hostiles. Set in the late 19th century, the plot centers on an officer in the US cavalry tasked with escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family to safety. Shepherd plays Wesley Quaid, the deceased husband of Pike's character, who dies in the film's opening scene.
Hostiles received mostly positive reviews from critics. Bale's performance attracted praise, as did the film's visuals and ensemble; however, the screenplay was met with a more divisive response. Still, Hostiles is often considered among the best yet underrated Westerns of the 21st century.
9 'Radium Girls' (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
Joey King stars in the historical drama Radium Girls. Based on the tragic real-life story, the film centers on an all-female factory where women paint watches with self-luminous paint, unaware of the dangers of working with radiation. Shepherd plays Mr. Leech, the branch supervisor dying from radiation poisoning, who was in love with one of the girls at the factory.
Delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Radium Girls opened in late 2020 to positive reviews. Critics lamented the film's production values and by-the-numbers plot but praised King's performance and the approach to honoring the women's stories.
8 'The Young Pope' (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%
Jude Law and Diane Keaton starred in the 2016 mini-series The Young Pope. Law plays Pope Pius XIII, the new and subversive Pope, whose conservative approach challenges the establishment, with Keaton as his chief advisor. Shepherd plays Cardinal Andrew Dussolier, a missionary and the new Pope's closest and oldest friend.
The Young Pope received positive reviews, with praise for its stylish production values and the unique combination of soapy drama and profane humor. Law and Keaton also attracted considerable acclaim for their performances, although the series' plot was considered too messy to work.
7 'The Family Fang' (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
Directed by and starring Jason Bateman, The Family Fang co-stars Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Christopher Walken. The film follows two brothers who reluctantly agree to help locate their parents after they go missing in what seems to be an elaborate piece of performance art. Shepherd plays a small role as an art critic.
The Family Fang earned positive reviews, with Kidman's performance attracting particular acclaim. Bateman's direction likewise attracted positive commentaries, although many critics agreed the film's idiosyncrasies might be too much for mainstream audiences.
6 'Norman: The Moderate Rise And Tragic Fall Of A New York Fixer' (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Joseph Cedar directs Richard Gere in the 2016 political drama Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer. The story chronicles the life of New York Fixer Norman Oppenheimer, and his connection to Israeli dignitary turned prime minister Micha Eshel. Shepherd plays a very small role as Bruce Schwartz.
Gere received most of the praise regarding Norman. The film's screenplay attracted positive commentaries, but most critics agreed that Gere's performance elevated the premise. The supporting cast also received positive notices, including Lior Ashkenazi and Michael Sheen.
5 'Wormwood' (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Peter Sarsgaard stars in the 2017 docudrama mini-series Wormwood. The series blends documentary footage with dramatic recreations of real-life events to tell the story of the events leading to Frank Olson's controversial death. Interviews with Olson's son, Eric, who expresses his belief that his father was killed. Sarsgaard plays Olson in the reenactments, with Shepherd as Lt. Col. Vincent Ruwet, Olson's division chief at the CIA.
Critics lauded Wormwood's unique storytelling approach, praising the real-life segments with Eric Olson and the reenactments led by Peter Sarsgaard. Wormwood's production values and insightful revelations also attracted praise, with many considering it among Netflix's best documentaries.
4 'Bridge Of Spies' (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Steven Spielberg directs the 2015 historical drama Bridge of Spies. Tom Hanks stars as James B. Donovan., a lawyer in charge of negotiating the exchange of Rudolf Abel, a convicted Soviet spy, and Francis Gary Powers, a US pilot whose plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960. Shepherd plays a large supporting role as Hoffman, the CIA agent tasked with appointing Donovan to East Berlin and negotiating the exchange.
Bridge of Spies received acclaim from critics, with many considering it among Spielberg's best offerings in years. Hanks and Shepherd attracted positive notices for their performances; however, Mark Rylance's take on Rudolf Abel earned the most praise, eventually winning him the 2016 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
3 'El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie' (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
A sequel and epilogue to the widely acclaimed drama Breaking Bad, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie stars Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman. The film serves as a much-needed conclusion to Jesse's storyline following his dramatic last moments in the Breaking Bad finale. Shepherd plays Casey, a thug posing as a policeman who crosses paths with Jesse when searching for Todd Alquist's money.
El Camino received critical acclaim. Vince Gilligan's writing and directing earned much praise, as did Paul's performance as Jesse, with many considering it the best of his career. The film received four nominations at the 2020 Emmy Awards, although it failed to win any.
2 'The Last Of Us' (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Shepherd's latest role sees him playing David, the quiet and cunning leader of a cult-like group, in episode 8 of HBO's The Last of Us. As in the game, David takes a special interest in Ellie, soon revealing his true colors as a manipulative and violent abuser indulging in cannibalism to "protect" his flock.
The episode, titled "When We Are In Need," received acclaim from critics. Shepherd's performance attracted rave reviews, with critics praising his chilling portrayal and considering it among the show's best villains, if not the best. Bella Ramsey also earned praise for her work, with many considering "When We Are In Need" the best episode for her to submit for Emmy consideration.
1 'First Cow' (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Kelly Reichardt directs the 2019 drama First Cow. The plot follows two fugitives in the 1820s Northwest who set out to collaborate on a baking enterprise using milk from a landowner's prized dairy cow. Shepherd plays the Captain, a man who becomes instrumental in revealing the pair's scheme.
First Cow received universal acclaim from critics. Like many of Reichardt's films, First Cow earned praise for its deeply humanistic approach; some critics considered it derivative, but most agreed that the results were as rewarding and insightful as her other directorial efforts.