Best Christopher Nolan Characters Ever

In the 21st century, no director has commanded as much attention and acclaim as Christopher Nolan, the British auteur who has dramatically left his imprint on cinema. Initially starting with indie movies, Nolan has ascended to having his films become blockbuster behemoths, making a mark on pop culture.

While many of Nolan’s movies have complex and masterful storytelling, the array of characters Nolan has created to facilitate his vision has been astonishing. From comic book superheroes to original characters, Nolan has crafted meticulous characters that have left their mark on the fabric of cinema, with many performances in his movies becoming iconic in society and beyond.

11 Dr. Mann – Interstellar

Desperate Astronaut Who Turns Into A Villain

Though Interstellar follows Cooper’s space adventures as he aims to save Earth, the movie’s cast of characters that intertwine with Cooper’s journey brings much to the narrative. In the middle of Interstellar, Dr. Mann, played by Matt Damon, emerges as Cooper and his comrades arrive on an ice-covered planet. After being stranded on the planet for many years, Mann is shown to be a desperate individual, luring astronauts in order to escape the wretched planet he has endured for decades.

In a tense fight surrounded by nothing but ice, Cooper and Mann battle it out, with Mann’s two-faced persona and selfishness coming to the surface as he seeks to take advantage of those who wish to aid him. At release, Damon’s involvement in Interstellar was kept a secret from the audience, making his villainous appearance all the more shocking.

10 Arthur – Inception

Cunning And Slick Sidekick

Joseph Gordon Levitt’s Arthur plays a pivotal role in Nolan’s subconscious espionage movie, Inception, acting as the sidekick to Leonardo DiCaprio’s Dom Cobb. In a film that sees a group of thieves infiltrate dreams to extract valuable information, Arthur is placed at the center of the group’s actions, portraying the glue guy of their operation.

While playing an essential role in planning the group’s targeting of Robert Fischer, Arthur’s confidence exudes throughout Inception, even when entangled in dangerous situations that see the character fighting for his life.

9 Murphy Cooper – Interstellar

Intelligent And Passionate Scientist That Intends To Reunite With Her Father

While Cooper’s children are distraught at their father leaving them behind, Murph takes a different approach to her brother, Tom. While her brother slowly gives up hope of ever seeing their father again, Murph, played by Jessica Chastain, devotes her whole life to solving Earth’s problems while working as a NASA scientist, hoping to reunite with her dad.

Acting as the emotional heartbeat of the movie, Murph’s connection to her father is beautiful, with her emotional bond with Cooper never wavering. Throughout Interstellar, Murph ages while Cooper explores space. However, despite the distance, their connection leads to the ingenious Murph solving equations that save Earth, with Murph playing an integral role in the narrative.

8 Bane – The Dark Knight Rises

Intimidating Brute That Runs Riot In Gotham

Christian Bale’s third appearance as the Caped Crusader saw the character take on Bane, the masked vigilante who runs Gotham and its citizens into the ground, spreading mass chaos and hysteria. Operating as The Dark Knight Rises main antagonist, Tom Hardy’s Bane makes an immediate impression on audiences, showing his daring and intimidating nature in the film’s first scene, with the character’s iconic voice and mask setting the tone.

From Bane’s speech at a football game to his devastating dismantling of Batman in one-on-one combat, Bane ranks as one of the great superhero villains and one of Nolan’s most fearsome antagonists.

7 Leonard Shelby – Memento

Complex Individual Seeking To Figure Out Traumatic Events

In Nolan’s feature film debut, the complex and forward-thinking Memento established the director’s place in Hollywood, with Guy Pearce playing the intriguing protagonist, Leonard Shelby, in the influential psychological thriller.

While the narrative is unconventional and non-linear, audiences latch onto Shelby’s complex journey as he attempts to figure out who killed his wife while having a hazy memory to boot. Pearce’s performance as Shelby carries the entire movie as he displays various emotions, such as confusion, anger, and paranoia, encapsulating the character’s tumultuous situation.

6 Robert Angier

Talented Magician That Is Obsessed With Being The Best

While Hugh Jackman is often viewed as a charming figure full of charisma, the role of Robert Angier in The Prestige tests the actor, allowing him to alternate between being pleasant and vile. In the period thriller, magicians duke it out for the limelight in London, with each party coming up with more daring tricks that lead to conflict.

The character of Angier offers much duality, with Jackman portraying an entertaining magician who excels in showmanship compared to his rival. However, his jealousy and obsessed attitude are revealed when he continually gets one-upped by Alfred Borden in the magic department, leading to conniving actions that turn the magician’s rivalry into a violent affair.

5 Batman/Bruce Wayne – The Dark Knight Trilogy

Grounded And Stoic Individual Who Balances Two Lives

Throughout Nolan’s Batman trilogy, Bruce Wayne and the Caped Crusader was helmed by one of Nolan’s favorite collaborators, Christian Bale. Over the span of 7 years, Bale was heralded for his role as one of cinema’s greatest superheroes, with Nolan and Bale’s take on the character being more grounded compared to previous iterations.

While Batman takes a backseat to enigmatic villains such as the Joker and Bane in the trilogy, Bale’s attempt at portraying the dual role of Bruce Wayne and Batman proves fruitful. For Bruce Wayne, Bale’s slick style is able to pull off a captivating depiction of the wealthy businessman while his Batman appears physically imposing, a testament to the actor’s dedication.

4 Dom Cobb – Inception

Professional Thief At The Head Of The Operation

DiCaprio and Nolan may have only worked together on Inception, although their partnership delivered a jaw-dropping spectacle following a group of dream thieves. As Inception’s protagonist, Cobb heads up the operation despite being marred with demons from his personal life that intertwine with his work.

Despite Inception’s narrative being the movie’s main selling point, Cobb’s backstory comes to the forefront due to the story’s emotional device being in the form of his relationship with his wife, Mal Cobb. Along with DiCaprio’s commanding performance, Cobb’s personality and family strain keep the film grounded despite the complexity of the world around them.

3 Cooper – Interstellar

Charismatic Farmer Turned Astronaut That Yearns For His Family

The space epic Interstellar brings an emotional punch unlike any of Nolan’s other works, with Matthew McConaughey’s portrayal of Cooper and his connection to his family adding much emotional weight to one of Nolan’s masterpieces. While being a family man, Cooper is tasked with venturing into space to save Earth, resulting in departing from his beloved family.

In Interstellar, Cooper succeeds as one of Nolan’s most charismatic protagonists, with the characters’ highs and lows being felt by audiences due to his visceral performance and good-hearted nature. Despite the complexity surrounding the narrative, audiences still root for Cooper on his treacherous journey as he yearns for his family despite being millions of light-years away.

2 Robert J. Oppenheimer – Oppenheimer

Troubled Physicist That Altered The World As We Know It

In Nolan’s latest outing of Oppenheimer, the biographical movie introduced audiences to Robert J. Oppenheimer, the physicist who would play a pivotal role in the Manhattan Project, resulting in the creation of nuclear weapons used in WW2. With the movie examining his life, from his early studies right through to post-war political transgressions, the protagonist is put front and center into the limelight.

Played by Nolan’s muse, Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer is shown to be a genius who acts composed while in the process of creating the atomic bomb. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of his creation, the character is bogged down physically and mentally by his role in altering the world as we know it. The duality of the character creates an intriguing portrayal of a protagonist and historical figure who many consider to be one of the most influential in humanity.

1 Joker – The Dark Knight

Legendary Villain Who Torments Batman And Gotham

While The Dark Knight has been universally praised, Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Batman villain, the Joker, has particularly resonated with audiences on a global scale. Often being mimicked and used for inspiration, the Joker in The Dark Knight has transcended pop culture, with the villain’s destruction of Gotham being iconic and memorizing to watch. As a character, the Joker had much depth, operating as an unpredictable individual, blessed with a chaotic personality that often found humor in the minor details, with his many traits making the villain a terrifying opponent for Batman.

Compared to past Joker portrayals, Nolan’s Joker operates as a dark and mischievous villain who always finds himself one step ahead of the pack. This often led his enemies astray due to his elaborate but bonkers planning. As a result, the Joker has become a hallmark of Hollywood thanks to Ledger and Nolan’s genius character development.