Let’s talk about the eyes that made me lock my doors: Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica in ‘Dune: Part Two.’ Okay, she’s morally gray, but those Bene Gesserit stares? Pure ice. And in anime adaptations, ‘The Last of Us’ gave us Melanie Lynskey’s Kathleen—her quiet, dead-eyed ruthlessness was scarier than any clicker. Bonus: Nicholas Hoult in ‘Renfield.’ His Dracula had this decadent, bored predator vibe. 2023 understood the power of a good glare.
Oh, the ‘sinister eyes’ award for 2023 totally goes to Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer. Wait, hear me out—I know he’s technically the protagonist, but that man’s gaze in ‘Oppenheimer’ was haunting. The way Nolan framed his close-ups, those blue eyes burning with guilt and obsession? Chills. For a more traditional villain, though, I’d nominate David Harbour’s Santa in ‘Violent Night.’ Who knew jolly old St. Nick could glare like a mob boss?
2023’s villain roster had some unforgettable stares. Mia Goth in ‘Pearl’—her wide-eyed, unhinged grin lives in my head rent-free. And Pedro Pascal in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’ played this unhinged fanboy with this weirdly endearing yet terrifying intensity. Like, you’d trust him to water your plants but also suspect he’d steal your identity. Villainy was diverse last year.
Sinister eyes? Easy. Jenna Ortega in ‘Scream VI.’ Girl weaponized her eyeliner and trauma into this dare you to look away energy. And for a wildcard: the AI ‘M3GAN’—those uncanny robot blinks made me side-eye my smart speaker. Special shoutout to ‘Talk to Me’s’ possessed teens, though. Their blacked-out eyes still haunt my TikTok FYP.
Man, 2023 had some seriously chilling villains! One performance that stuck with me was Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror in 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Those piercing, almost otherworldly eyes of his made every scene feel like he was peeling back layers of reality just to mess with the heroes. Majors brought this unsettling mix of calm and menace—like he didn’t even need to raise his voice to make you feel tiny.
Then there’s Bill Skarsgård in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.' Dude’s got this natural creep factor, but as the Marquis de Gramont, he dialed it up to eleven. The way his eyes just… didn’t blink? Ugh, nightmare fuel. And let’s not forget Aubrey Plaza in 'The White Lotus' Season 2—not a movie, but her deadpan stare while scheming was chef’s kiss. Honestly, 2023 was stacked with villains who could kill you with a look.
2026-04-25 05:04:40
12
View All Answers
Scan code to download App
Related Books
The villian
Rosapearl
9.4
3.4K
Who doesn't like Miller Hill everyone does except from Charlotte Davies, who is always cold. But behind her solitude attitude they say don't judge a book by it cover. Find out what happen from the villan
The Alpha is looking for his mate. Every she-wolf across the pack-lands are invited for a chance to catch the Alpha's eye. Nobody expected shy, loner Maya Ronalds to be the one to turn the Alpha's head especially her ever-cynical step-sister, Morgan Pierce. Maya has always been jealous of Morgan. She's wittier, stronger and more gorgeous than any she-wolf in the pack, but what would Maya do when a turn of events reveals Morgan as the Alpha's true mate instead of her. What is a girl to do then... Unless ruin her life is in the cards, that is exactly what Maya intends to do. A Cinderella Retelling.
Edwina has made it her mission to improve the lives of all commoners through her position as Royal Historian. She has worked tirelessly toward this goal, but a group of powerful nobles called the Grand Peerage stands in her way, blocking her at every turn.
Alexander Claiborne, the Duke of Ice, one of the most powerful aristocrats in society proposes a deal. He'll give Edwina all she needs to take down the Grand Peerage, in exchange all he wants is her hand in marriage!?
Vivian Cunningham's marriage to her childhood friend Nathan Sadoc was expected to be blissful. Nathan had been her first crush, the handsome and charming stud that every girl desired.
However, there was a problem: Nathan never liked her, nor did he want her as his wife.
He was in love with a girl, Annika Summers, who had disappeared a year ago, a Cinderella who had run away when the midnight bell rang. He had kept her glass slipper and waited for her return with unwavering love.
The only reason he had married Vivian was that he wanted to punish her. He wanted to trap her in this loveless marriage for what she had done to Annika.
Or at least, that's what Vivian believed. She thought she would suffer in this marriage and eventually die alone, filled with grievance.
However, as the days passed, something began to change between them. She was baffled by his growing possessiveness and desire for her. Everything improved until Annika returned.
* The fourth book in the Love and Other Sorcery Series - Book One, The Mage's Heart, Book Two, The Golden Dragon's Princess, Book Three, Akyran's Folly *
Love's Sacrifice Will Make You Stronger
Tarragon, the first-born child of Queen Diandreliera of Uyan Taesil and her dragon husband, Aurien, is the child of prophecy in every way. She is beautiful, talented, well-learned, and a master of the sword she was born to wield. She is also as magnificent a golden dragon as her father when in dragon-form.
Daethie loves and adores her older sister and envies her for all that Tarragon is and Daethie isn't. Short, small, dark haired, and unable to shift into a dragon, Daethie is fondly known as "the runt of the dragon litter."
Whilst her siblings excel at Prince Akyran and Princess Ecaeris' Monster Hunting training, Daethie is a disaster more likely to harm herself than any monster that she encounters.
When Prince Akyran brings Aien, the son of a local warlock who is well known for his villainy, to the castle as his hostage, Aien singles out Daethie to befriend, and Daethie falls hard and fast for the enigmatic warlock's son.
With the increasing danger of monsters roaming their land, Tarragon leads an expedition to locate the portal that is allowing the creatures to cross from their world, but it is a dangerous, testing journey and one that not all will complete alive.
What sacrifice will be made for love and the rescue of their world?
Gianne Morgan dedicated everything to the man she trusted, only to be betrayed when Kayden Rowe gained fame alongside her cousin, Amara Pinkett. A single viral scandal, carefully edited and widely accepted, ruins her reputation and turns her into a public enemy overnight. Forced to go into hiding, Gianne starts anew in a different country, working as the personal assistant to Lucian Blackwood, a cold and influential CEO who commands his domain through discipline and control. Yet, beneath his ordered empire lies a tense, dangerous undercurrent neither of them can ignore. As Gianne secretly plots her revenge on her past, she becomes entangled in a conflict that threatens to destroy her and reveals a surprisingly deeper connection.
The first actor that springs to mind is Willem Dafoe—his piercing gaze in 'The Lighthouse' was downright unsettling. There’s something about how he widens his eyes just a fraction too much, like he’s peering into your soul. But if we’re talking recent films, I’d argue Mads Mikkelsen’s turn as Grindelwald in 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' fits the bill. His cold, calculating stare feels like it could freeze lava. And let’s not forget Colin Farrell’s Penguin in 'The Batman'—those eerie contact lenses made his eyes look almost reptilian.
What’s fascinating is how these actors use their eyes to convey menace without relying on CGI. Dafoe’s performances often feel like he’s channeling some ancient folklore about trickster spirits, while Mikkelsen’s subtle eyebrow twitches can make a simple conversation feel like a threat. It’s wild how much storytelling happens in the silences between their lines. I’ve rewatched scenes just to study their eye movements—it’s like a masterclass in villainy.