15 actors who have mastered playing both heroes and villains perfectly

7) Joaquin Phoenix

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Joaquin Phoenix played Johnny Cash in Walk the Line as a troubled musician struggling with fame and addiction. He didn’t just copy Cash’s mannerisms—he gave the role real emotion and depth. In Joker, he played Arthur Fleck, a man slowly breaking under the weight of isolation and anger. Phoenix made Arthur uncomfortable to watch, shifting between fragile and dangerous without ever overdoing it. Both roles proved he can play broken characters in completely different ways—one fighting to hold on and the other giving in to the chaos.

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