The Lord of the Rings - The War of the Rohirrim: Best Brian Cox Roles

After 10 years since the last installment of Middle-Earth was on the big screen, The Lord of the Rings franchise returns with the highly anticipated anime movie The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Set 183 years before the events of the LOTR trilogy, the Kenji Kamiyama-directed movie examines the Rohan Kingdom, which faces a siege from the Dunlendings and their leader, Wulf. However, the king of the Rohan, Helm Hammerhand, seeks to quell the invasion, although his troubling daughter, Héra, causes problems for the leader and the enemy.

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By  Kristy Ambrose

Voicing the Rohan leader, Helm, prolific actor Brian Cox continues to flesh out his impressive career with a variety of varied roles. From big-budget Hollywood blockbusters to TV classics, Cox has had many roles that have left their mark on pop culture and entertainment, with the actor having a wealthy catalog of characters to his name.

13 Melvin Belli - Zodiac (2007)

Lawyer Who Talks To The Zodiac Killer On Live TV

Although in a small role, Cox delivers as lawyer Melvin Belli in the David Fincher acclaimed thriller Zodiac. Following the manhunt for the infamous Zodiac killer in 1960s and 70s California, Cox's role as Belli sees the character appear on live television to talk to the supposed killer, with Cox's concerned portrayal making the scene feel compelling and authentic.

With the killer on the phone requesting Belli's assistance, Cox's character shows empathy and understanding while in a high-pressure situation on live TV, showcasing the actor's talent despite only having a couple of scenes to deliver.

12 Nelson Guggenheim - Rushmore (1998)

Traditional And Frustrated Headteacher In Auteur's Second Movie

In Wes Anderson's feature film debut, Rushmore, Cox has a role as a school headmaster at a prestigious academic academy. Filled with Anderson's usual quirky and unique style, Rushmore sees Cox acting as a strict headteacher who finds the movie's lead, Max Fischer, a troubling student as he becomes infatuated with a teacher at Rushmore Academy.

While Max commits to many inappropriate acts in pursuit of his love and obsession, Cox's Nelson Guggenheim becomes more frustrated with the character, eventually kicking Max out of Rushmore Academy, with the actor excelling in a role different from many in his catalog.

11 Argyle Wallace - Braveheart (1995)

Acts As A Father Figure To William Wallace In War Epic

In an epic Scottish story featuring many Scottish actors, Cox was always going to feature in Braveheart, the Mel Gibson movie following the journey of William Wallace and his fight against the English. Playing the role of Argyle Wallace, William's uncle, Cox acts as a father figure to William, although Cox only has a few select scenes in Braveheart, particularly at the movie's beginning.

Distinctively standing out with his disfigured eye, Cox's character is an honorable but hardened man, with his care for William, doing the protagonist well in his development in becoming a worthy warrior for Scotland.

10 James Brogan - 25th Hour (2002)

Loving Father Who Reconnects With Son

While Cox has portrayed many differing roles, his fatherly role in 25th Hour, the Spike Lee classic, places Cox as the father of Edward Norton's character, Monty Brogan. The crime drama, 25th Hour sees its protagonist Monty deal with the realities of spending the next seven years in jail, with the character having 24 hours left to reconcile with friends, family, and his inner self.

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Playing the protagonist's father, Cox's James Brogan is a recovering alcoholic but a caring father, with the final sequences of the movie featuring Cox and Norton having a heartfelt ride to the prison, showing James' love for his troubled son.

9 Robert McKee - Adaptation (2002)

Screenwriting Professor That Helps The Protagonist

Featured in a star-studded cast, Cox thrives in the quirky comedy-drama Adaptation. Following Charlie Kaufman's desire to convert material into a screenplay, the character suffers from stress and anxiety from his family problems and intense writer's block.

Based loosely on the writer's experience, Cox was handpicked for the role of Robert McKee by the very person, with Cox excelling as the screenwriting professor. In his scenes with Kaufman, Cox's explosive outburst in the lecture is shocking and thrilling. However, when one-on-one, his character offers sound advice to the aspiring screenwriter, with Cox thriving in a meaty role.

8 William Stryker - X2 (2003)

Evil Scientist Planning A Genocide

Among Cox's many villain roles, the actor played William Stryker in the second live-action X-Men movie, X2. Being a comic book character, Cox's portrayal of Stryker makes X2 shine, with his detest for mutants rallying the X-Men, including Wolverine and Magneto.

While not eccentric or overbearing, Cox's controlled and calm manner when hunting down mutants was unique and grounded, making his performance flourish as he went up against Marvel's superhero team. Acting opposite Ian McKellen and Hugh Jackman, Cox holds his own, acting as an integral backbone of the story, providing enough villainous intent to make his character succeed in the superhero epic.

7 Jack Langrishe - Deadwood (2004-2006)

Charismatic Actor That Charms Everyone He Meets

Emerging in the third season, Cox makes an immediate impression on the hit HBO show Deadwood, playing the flamboyant actor Jack Langrishe. With his character always charming those who interact with him, Cox's confident and over-the-top nature makes the character shine, even opposite the hardnosed Al Swearengen, played by veteran actor Ian McShane.

While the Western show stopped after its third season, Cox's presence in the final season added another perspective to Deadwood, with Cox again proving himself to be a versatile actor adept at playing differing characters.

6 Winston Churchill - Churchill (2017)

Succeeds In Depiction Of Famous British Prime Minister

Although Gary Oldman's portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour has been seen as the most prominent depiction of the British historical leader, Cox's portrayal of Churchill is faithful and accurate to the man that many identify as having a big part in Britain surviving WW2.

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By  Kristy Ambrose

In Churchill, the British leader deals with several challenging situations that put his leadership into question. Throughout Cox's portrayal, the actor's total commitment to the character is unquestionable, operating as the heartbeat of the movie, showing Churchill in a new light from other iterations in film and television.

5 Ward Abbott - The Bourne Identity/The Bourne Supremacy (2002-2004)

Corrupt CIA Agent That Opposes Matt Damon In Action Franchise

Across the span of two movies, Cox played the villain Ward Abbott in the acclaimed action franchise Bourne, appearing in The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy. Acting opposite Matt Damon, Cox's Abbott plays a part in making the franchise a staple, depicting a memorable and corrupt antagonist.

Operating as a CIA agent, Abbott plots and schemes on the downfall of Jason Bourne, with his actions becoming more threatening to Bourne as Abbott watches from the sideline, with the CIA head honcho doing all he can to eliminate the talented spy.

4 Captain John O'Hagen - Super Troopers (2001)

Difficult Chief That Oversees A Wild Bunch Of Troopers

In what has become a cult classic since its release, Super Troopers saw Cox take part in the hit comedy. Playing John O'Hagen, a captain of the Vermont State Troopers, Cox delivers a loud and brash performance as he tries to oversee the misfit troopers under his command.

However, Cox commits to the comedic bits, having several scenes that show his versatility as an actor. While intimidating to his troopers, Cox comes to join in on the shenanigans by the movie's end, with his drunken state being an example of Cox excelling in comedy.