There's No Way You Can Name The 00s Movie From Just One Secondary Character!
- by Clayton Leir
- – on
- in Movies and TV
How well do you think you know your films from the 2000s? Just so you know for sure what I mean, I'm talking about films that came out between 2000 and 2010. How well do you think you know your films from that era? Are you confident that you could identify some film titles just by looking at a character from the film? What if that character isn't a lead?
This quiz features 50 films from the 00s but there's a twist here. We're not going to get you to identify the film based on the leads of each. Nope. We're going to throw a secondary character at you and see if you still can identify what movie it is. You might get a description of the character or the actor who plays the character...but it's up to you to decide which film the character is from.
If you think you have what it takes to name all of these movies then all I have to say is...prove it. And hey, if you manage to ace this quiz...I'll have the utmost respect for you from afar...even if there's no way for me to know how well you did, or for you to experience my respect. So, just take the quiz and see how many of these films you can actually name.
Name that film!
With prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre being forced into retirement, artistic director Thomas Leroy announces he is looking for a new dancer to portray the dual lead role. Beth MacIntyre isn't exactly the nicest of film character but you've got to love that she's played by Winona Ryder! Either way, this secondary character accuses the lead of sleeping around in order to move forward in her career. She also happens to walk out into a street while hammered and she gets hit by a car...
Name that Film!
Usually it's Willem Dafoe who is the very bizarre and off-the-wall character in a film but in this movie, he's actually pretty normal. He plays a detective who is pretty obviously not that good at his job. That or something else far more strange is going on that can only be explained by watching the whole film. Either way, it's a nice little role to see him in. It's not often you get to see Willem Dafoe in a capacity that isn't creepy
Name that film!
This secondary character is played by Michelle Rodriguez. In spite of how she might seem, the character she plays is a pretty moral person who turns her back on her leader to some extent in order to fight against his brutality. That being said, it doesn't ultimately work out well for her because her betrayal ends with her being killed. She does stand up for her beliefs though and does help save people before she dies. So, at least there's that.
Name that film!
Mr. Huph is cold, cruel, greedy, selfish, and self-centered. As the boss of an insurance company, he is more focused on gaining more money than providing customers with the insurance they need. He always seems to have an excuse for getting angry, and only cares about money. Played by the hilarious Wallace Shawn, Mr. Huph is a great comedic and minor antagonist in this particular film. The animators did a wonderful job of capturing Shawn's performance for the character to make him truly memorable.
Name that film!
"Bullet-Tooth" Tony is a pretty iconic and memorable secondary character, that's for sure. From a very well-known film. That doesn't mean you're going to be able to guess what the film is, but you'll kick yourself if you don't, I bet. This character is played by the awesome Vinnie Jones. Jones is probably one of the best supporting actors out there and he started his career life off as a football player (real football, not "American" football). Either way, Jones is awesome.
Name that film!
Crispin Glover is probably one of the weirdest actors out there. Like...I mean he's about as weird as Nicolas Cage. If not weirder. You just hear less about Crispin Glover. Anyway, in this film, he is still very weird. He likes to sniff hair for some reason and he isn't called anything other than "Thin Man" which is a very unique character name...I'm being sarcastic in case people didn't catch that. At any rate, he has a blade, like to sniff hair and apparently doesn't eat much.
Name that film!
Ian Holm plays one of the most iconic literary characters of all time in this film. He's gone on his adventure and now feels he is getting old. The story used to focus on him, but this story is not about him anymore. Aside from the fact that it's a number of his choices and actions that cause a lot of what happens in this film to happen in the very first place. Of course, he doesn't realize this at any point in the film.
Name that film!
Tilda Swinton has always been looked at as kind of a strange actor. If you follow John Oliver on Last Week Tonight, you might think that she is some sort of alien entity who has come to Earth in search of something. Either way, Swinton plays the role of Elizabeth Abbott, wife of the British Trade Minister in this film. She has an affair with one of the lead characters in the film but she doesn't have an enormous part to play.
Name that film!
John Lithgow plays this hilariously villainous lord who really doesn't know what it's like to not get his way and has a very tough time dealing with people saying no to him. He is a pretty iconic character from the early 00s, that's for sure. He's definitely an over-the-top character and can be a bit much at times and that makes him seem like a far more leading-like character but he is simply the villain who actually has little screen time in comparison to the leads.
Name that film!
Rowan Atkinson is a great British comedian probably best known for his work as Mr. Bean. Or in his hit tv series Black Adder. No matter how you know him, you've probably laughed at him at least once in your life. In this particular film, Atkinson plays a store clerk who has a rather fine sense of detail and just wants everything to be wrapped pleasantly and perfectly for the customer. Of course, the customer is definitely in a rush.
Name that film!
This guy is by no means a lead in this particular film but that does not stop him from being a real pain throughout. He is a pretty significant antagonist to the leading lady and her secret lover. Richard Roxburgh plays the role of the Duke of Monroth. He is not an especially nice man and seems to think that women are nothing more than his property when he wants them to be. In fact, in order to have the woman he wants, he throws a lot of money into the mix.
Name that film!
Randy Quaid plays the role of a shepherd named Joe Aguirre. He hires people to take care of the work for him while he tends to other business. It turns out that Joe isa bit of a bigot though and doesn't much like people who are different from him. This causes him to avoid giving work to the leads in the future of the film. He is a pretty brief part of the film overall, but still a pretty significant one.
Name that film!
Jack Davenport (which is a pretty apt name for an actor to have when taking a role in this film) plays the role of James Norrington. He is not a significant character ultimately as he simply represents the monarchy in some way that doesn't work for the lead characters in this film. He is in love with the leading lady (of course) and he loves nothing more than hanging people who commit crimes against the crown. Not a pleasant man at first but we do see his good side before he dies.
Name that film!
Peter Serafinowicz plays the role of the conveniently named character of Pete. The roommate of one of the lead characters. However, Pete is a pretty successful guy and the lead is kind of a low-life who doesn't really have anything together at all. Pete sort of cares for the lead, especially when he discovers that he was broken up with, but he quickly gets irritated by the friend of his roommate who doesn't seem to know when to keep his mouth shut.
Name that film!
Patrick Swayze plays this secondary character who happens to be a very naughty and perverted person. And not in a good way. On the surface, he is the local motivational speaker who helps to keep everyone positive (aside from the lead who insults him pretty sincerely). But things change very quickly when Swayze's character, Jim Cunningham's house is set on fire. A stash of naughty things to do with children is discovered and he is rightly shamed by the community...well, not by everyone.
Name that film!
This secondary character is actually far more important than some people might like to think. He essentially is responsible for the freedom of the main character in the film. This character is played by the infamous Oliver Reed. This was actually Reed's final film (he died during the making of it). This character is not seen in the film a whole lot but he is significant enough that he is hunted down to be killed. In the original script, he is meant to live.
Name that film!
This slithering and villainous character is played by none other than Steve Buscemi who you may know from Reservoir Dogs, Billy Madison, Armageddon, Boardwalk Empires, Fargo and much more. Anyway, while this character is pretty well the main villain, he's not by any means a lead character. There are three main leads and they are all terrorized by this character at one point or another. Though, by the end, people mistake this guy for an alligator and he gets beat down by a shovel.
Name that film!
Can you tell from looking a this secondary character just who the actor is? If you really look, you can see it but they do a pretty good job of changing his appearance enough that you might not be able to guess. That's Mike Myers. If you couldn't see it before, you can see it now can't you? Myers plays a general in this film which is probably a position of authority that you never really expected Myers to be in a position to play.
Name that film!
Who doesn't love Michael Caine? I mean...seriously! He's just an awesome actor who has been in so many things. That being said, will you be able to guess which film this is where he played a secondary character? Can you tell just by looking at the screenshot? Or would it help you if I told you that his character name is John Cutter and that he plays an engineer? That should be more than enough to name the film...if you know your movies anyway.
Name that film!
Marlon Wayans plays a pretty intense secondary character in this film. To be fair, I suppose he's more of an assemble character in this film because the cast is not particularly large. That being said, for those who have seen this film, you won't even need to know that the character's name is Tyrone C. Love in order to know what film this is. The screenshot should be more than enough. Perhaps one of the most intense films of the 00's.
Name that film!
Mark Margolis plays the fairly minor role of Father Avila. You might recognize Mark Margolis from Breaking Bad, but if not then you've surely seen him in one film or another. He's all over the board in terms of roles he manages to land. I'm not sure of any leads he's played, but he's definitely a frequent supporting actor. This film is certainly stylized in an interesting way and Margolis does a pretty good job of filling the role that he's been given.
Name that film!
Well, this character isn't so much a character as a person playing himself in a film. If you can't, for some reason, tell just who this is in the screenshot then let me clear that up for you. This is Marilyn Manson. If you haven't heard any of his music then you're likely not going to know much about the films in this quiz either because it would seem you've steered clear of popular culture. Anyway, Manson plays himself in this film and is very intelligent and eloquent.
Name that film!
Lari White plays the role of Bettina Peterson in this film. She's a Texan who appears to own a ranch of some sort. She's only very briefly in the film in person but her character is referenced throughout the movie and is integral to the survival of the lead in the film. She doesn't know it at all but she is responsible for saving the life of the lead. And she is left not knowing the good she's done. At least left from knowing the details.
Name that film!
This old man is a pretty important part of the film this screenshot is from. In his younger years, he is a far more active character but in his old age he simply waits for something he knows is going to happen thanks to the modification of time through a process of deep mental work. This film has many different layers and is pretty stylized but it is perhaps one of the most popular films of its time...at least by hardcore movie people.
Name that film!
Julia Stiles plays the role of Nicky Parsons in this film and she has a sort of secret past with the lead character of the film. She's not in the film for too long but she is definitely targeted for doing some things that she maybe should not have. In fact, she is almost killed. If it wasn't for the lead character, she would be in the film even less. You manage to see her right near the end of the film, all safe and sound.
Name that film!
Dame Judi Dench plays the very well-known role of M in this film. She is the head director of SIS (Secret Intelligence Service). Now, it could be that the character of M carries the actual name Olivia Mansfield. That's not confirmed in any way shape or form since this character in both books and films has never been directly named. But hey, it's kind of nice to think that we have an idea of her identity. After all, how else do we appreciate the real her?
Name that film!
Jude Law is one of the most interesting actors I can think of. I don't always love the roles he plays but they are definitely always quirky in some way or another. This character is definitely an interesting, quirky and very disturbed character. He's a marvellous and macabre photographer but he has a side job as a hitman as well...in fact...he usually photographs the people he has killed. I guess he likes to remember his work by capturing it with film.
Name that film!
Alright, to be fair here, Josh Brolin does play a pretty significant part in this epic film. But, that being said, he's still not the lead. He has a heavy part to play and a very sad part to play as well but that's not the point. It's just too bad that Brolin's character, Llewelyn Moss, is a bit too greedy for his own good and gets himself entangled in something that he definitely could have avoided if he really wanted to.
Name that film!
Guy Pearce is probably one of my favourite British actors simply because of his performances in films like The King's Speech and The Count of Monte Cristo. Lawless was pretty good as well. This film is definitely something different for him and he is certainly not in the film for all that long. He is killed in action fairly early on in the film but the lead is the one who steps in to take his place and that kicks off the rest of the story.
Name that film!
J.K. Simmons is one hilarious actor. He really knows how to push boundaries in order to be the closest he possibly can to being completely ridiculous. He really knows how to bring a crazy energy to a scene that allows his character to just overpower everyone around him. In this film, it makes perfect sense that he do this as the head of the company he's a part of. Or at least the boss of the main character who is constantly under suspicion by this secondary character.
Name that film!
This secondary character is that of Ortolan Finistirre, a U.S. senator from Vermont played by the hilariously absurd William H. Macy. This particular senator has it in his head to make the world safer y the application of warning labels on some already very well-known dangerous products. He is made to look like a fool when he is told that perhaps the cheese in Vermont should have warning labels because of the high cholesterol it causes and the deaths from that. Of course, this doesn't change his mind.
Name that film!
Richie Cusack, demands his brother Tom's return to Philadelphia, or else he will come to Indiana to find him. After travelling to meet his brother, Tom learns that the other mobsters whom he had offended in Philadelphia took out their frustrations on Richie, penalizing him financially and delaying his advancement in the organization. Tom offers to make peace, but Richie orders his men to kill his brother. Tom manages to kill most of the guards and escape. As Richie and his last henchman are hunting for him, Tom surprises and kills both of them.
Name that film!
Do you recognize that little boy? Is that little Joffrey Lannister (I mean Baratheon)? Oh, my goodness! It is! It's Jack Gleeson, the young actor who played the most hated kid in tv and film history (and that's saying a lot). Do you know what film he plays this cute little secondary character who manages to inspire the main characters to keep going and achieve their ultimate goals? A little boy in a big city can apparently do a lot to make someone want to do good.
Name that film!
John Noble might be well-known for his role in the very interesting and out-there tv show Fringe, but he should definitely be better know for this incredible secondary role. He might not be in the film for too long but he's definitely a very important obstacle to a number of the characters and indeed to the world of free people. He could have held a key to victory but instead wastes his time searching for a weapon to bring him ultimate power.
Name that film!
Josh Brolin plays this crooked cop pretty darn well, I'd say. He's really not a nice person in this film. He kills a dog and that's enough for me to hate the character. He's one of the key antagonists in the film who ends up saving the lead character...but only because of the lead character's family. Eventually, Brolin's character, Nick Trupo, is found out and is stripped of his job and looks to be doing a lot of time. Instead, he kills himself.
Name that film!
Gary Oldman is probably one of the best actors out there, even today. He's never reached the same celebrity status as someone like Brad Pitt but he's definitely a more skilled actor (in my opinion anyway). Either way, Oldman plays a pretty iconic character in this film and it's not the only film he's played this character in either. This character helps to support one of the most popular (though I don't know why) characters from tv, comics, and film.
Name that film!
I'll be totally honest, I did not know that Fergie was in this film. It totally went over my head that she was in this movie even though she's pretty clearly shown. She's the lover of one of the women in this film though she doesn't exactly get to last long enough to really enjoy any of that. It doesn't help that her car overheats but on top of that, she also ends up getting attacked by creepy zombie-like creatures.
Name that film!
You might be most used to seeing Elijah Wood in his role as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings...but this is very far from that character. You might also be used to picking him out in his childhood cameo in Back to the Future 2 but, again, this character is very different. Wood, in this role is one of the creepiest film characters I've ever seen and he does some pretty disgusting things. All I'll say is that he definitely likes his trophies.
Name that film!
Donald Sutherland has been in all manner of film and tv and he's an amazing actor. You might know him best from his classic role in Kelly's Heroes. Or you might only really know him from the fact that his son is famed actor Kiefer Sutherland. Anyway, the character that Donald Sutherland plays in this particular film is that of a judge who is responsible for decided whether or not a character should be committed to an institution. He ultimately leaves the decision up to family.
Name that film!
Dominic West is a guy you might not see all that often in films or at least not in a way that you'd frequently recognize but he's all over the place with his work. Anyway, in this particular film, he plays a corrupt senator who sells out and betrays his people in order for a place in an opposing army's favour. Of course, that doesn't help him very much because before anyone even discovers his betrayal, he is killed for having disgraced the royal family.
Name that film!
David Bowie is one of the greatest entertainers of all time and I'm very sad that he passed a couple years ago. He was a great one who will continue to live on through his work. In this film, Bowie has a very small role as a very famous scientist who had a rather unfortunate life. In this film, the character of Tesla is a bit less tortured than the real-life version. And the film also allows for some inventions that he just never actually made.
Name that film!
Poor Danny Glover. I want to be able to say that he makes it out alive in this film but that is just not to be. He is a secondary character after all. Anything can happen to him. And something pretty awful does happen to him (though admittedly not nearly as bad as most others in the film). He is one of the investigators looking into the series of incredibly bizarre murders. Needless to say, he doesn't end up solving the crime.
Name that film!
Craig Parker plays the role of Haldir of Lorien. He is an expert marksman with a bow and arrow. He can move very swiftly and silently and he can track very well also. He is only a supporting character but is a great help to the main characters before he finds himself in a bad way and killed by the enemy. He makes a very good stand with his allies though and while they suffer great losses, they do eventually win.
Name that film!
Clark Gregg is very well known now for all of the superhero movies and tv shows that he has appeared in as Agent Colson. Even after he dies! Well, to be fair, something happens to bring him back from the dead somehow. I haven't watched that far into Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. so I'm actually not sure just how it is that he manages to hang on. Anyway, even before he gets "killed" in The Avengers, he has also an important setup role to play in previous films.
Name that film!
Brian Cox is in all sorts of film and tv from something serious and war-oriented like Sharpes to something completely ridiculous like Super Troopers all the way to even something like RED. He's great in all of these things and has done far more than that and far better. In this particular film, Cox plays the role of Ward Abbott who was once in charge of a secret operation that landed him $20 million. Once he is found out for having been crooked, he kills himself.
Name that film!
Brendan Fraser hasn't appeared in a lot of films for some time, I think mainly because he's a pain to work with. But that doesn't mean he can't be an enjoyable, funny or serious character on screen. Just think of Encino Man. What a priceless film. At any rate, in this particular film, Fraser plays the role of D.A. Rick Cabot. A kind of unexpected but still well-done role for him. Cabot is definitely not his usual sort of character though.
Name that film!
Brenda Blethyn may not be the most well-known or the most amazing actor in the world but that doesn't mean that you can't identify this film by just looking at this screenshot and maybe knowing a little bit about this secondary character. She plays the role of Grace Turner. She is a mother and she works at the home of a family for whom she is the housekeeper. While that might seem like a boring role, you could easily know the film just by this description.
Name that film!
Armie Hammer, first of all, has a pretty wicked name! Beyond that though, he's a secondary but very significant character in this film that revolves around a whole lot of computer stuff, a lot of theft, and so much money that I can't even begin to comprehend having the amount of money made by the theft. It's Hammer's character Tyler who is stolen from by the lead character and this leads to some pretty big changes in the world, for sure.
Name that film!
Anthony Anderson is probably one of the most ridiculous actors I've ever seen. Even when he plays a serious role...I really just can't take him seriously. After Kangaroo Jack and some other silly films, that was it. It doesn't matter if he's playing a cop or a mobster or a military officer. I still find him laughable. Playing the role of Trooper Brown, Anderson does really try to make a good go at being a serious character but even when it comes to the end...it's still a joke.
Name that film!
Delroy Lindo seems to play a hard cop in almost every film I've ever seen him in. to be fair, that only means a couple of films to me but that doesn't change the fact that he's clearly been type-casted to some extent. Anyway, in this film, Lindo plays a cop who does sort of have a heart even though he really doesn't like to show it and does whatever he can to put some pretty big name actors behind bars...especially one very big name actor.