Talented actor Charlie Hunnam has been a constant force in Hollywood for over 20 years, first skyrocketing to fame in the hit series Sons of Anarchy. The British star has crafted a diverse and extensive resume both in film and television over his career, with memorable roles in successful pictures like Guillermo del Toro’s Crimson Peak and Pacific Rim, Guy Ritchie’s action comedy The Gentlemen, and the Netflix hit Triple Frontier. He was one of many famous performers who appeared in the Judd Apatow cult hit sitcom Undeclared and gained widespread fame with the aforementioned FX hit Sons of Anarchy.
Hunnam currently stars in the Apple TV+ original seriesShantaram, appearing as a convicted bank robber and former heroin addict who breaks out of prison and escapes to India to hideout. His next film role will be in Zac Snyder’s epic space opera Rebel Moon, a Netflix original that touts an impressive cast including Djimon Hounsou, Anthony Hopkins and Cary Elwes. Let’s dive in and look at some of Charlie Hunnam’s best performances.
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10 Undeclared
DreamWorks SKG
In Judd Apatow’s criminally gone-too-soon 2001 sitcom Undeclared, a group of college freshmen attempt to find their footing and identities while attending a fictional university in California. The series stars Jay Baruchel as the geeky Steven Karp, with Charlie Hunnam portraying Theater major Lloyd Haythe, Steven’s English roommate and ladies man who teases the inexperienced lead character but is also fiercely protective of him and their group of friends.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
Many famous faces appeared in the underrated comedy including Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Amy Poehler, and Kevin Hart, and the show was shockingly canceled after just one season despite receiving critical acclaim (just like Apatow’s previous show, the iconic Freaks and Geeks).
9 Crimson Peak
Universal Pictures
Guillermo del Toro directed 2015’s visually stunning gothic romance Crimson Peak, telling the chilling tale of a gifted, aspiring author who travels to live in a secluded English hills mansion after marrying a charming investor. After the American heiress settles in to her spooky new Gothic home, she finds herself plagued by terrible supernatural visions that leaves her questioning who and what to believe.
Mia Wasikowska stars as the young heroine, who is torn between her husband (Tom Hiddleston) and the affection she has for her childhood best friend (Charlie Hunnam), who comes to her aid. Crimson Peak was a modest hit at the box office and was lauded for its foreboding atmosphere, stylish visuals and compelling performances by its dynamite leads.
8 Jungleland
Vertical Entertainment
In the 2019 gripping drama Jungleland, Charlie Hunnam and Jack O’Connell portray brothers Stanley and Walter “Lion” Kaminski, who find themselves on the wrong side of a dangerous crime boss after becoming indebted to the Massachusetts gangster. Stanley (Hunnam) is an ex-con who manages his former professional boxer sibling, with the pair participating in underground boxing matches to help make ends meet.
To pay off their debt, the brothers are forced to partake in a violent, no-holds-barred bare knuckle tournament that could ultimately prove too costly. Hunnam and O’Connell are stellar as the struggling brothers, and their chemistry, frustration and heartache is palpable for audiences.
7 Shantaram
AppleTV+
In Hunnam’s most recent project, the Apple TV+ drama thriller Shantaram, the actor appears as Australian former paramedic Dale Conti who after a series of armed robberies is given a long and hefty prison sentence; after escaping the Pentridge Prison, Conti flees to Bombay, India where he develops the new identity Lindsay Ford and spends his days as a wanted man.
The program is adapted from the Gregory David Roberts novel of the same name, which is inspired by his own personal experiences as a bank robber and heroin addict and whom the character of Lindsay Ford is based on. Hunnam earned rave reviews for his powerful portrayal, with Metro UK declaring he is “a revelation as Lin, the anti-hero of this epic, who brings just the right mix of blokey physicality and sensitivity to the character around whom the whole tale spins.”
6 Pacific Rim
Warner Bros. Pictures
In Guillermo del Toro’s 2013 sci-fi monster extravaganza Pacific Rim, a futuristic planet Earth is terrorized by enormous sea creatures known as the Kaiju, and humanity’s only hope of survival is to create their own colossal humanoid mechas called the Jaegers to combat the terrifying monsters. In the blockbuster hit, Charlie Hunnam portrays past-his-prime former pilot Raleigh Becket who is called to action from his retirement to operate a Jaeger alongside rookie pilot Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi). With a diverse ensemble cast including Idris Elba, Charlie Day, and Sons of Anarchy co-star Ron Perlman, the film proved to be a financial success and led to the 2018 sequel Pacific Rim: Uprising, though Hunnam did not reprise his role.
5 Triple Frontier
Netflix
J.C. Chandor directed the adrenaline-pumping Netflix action-adventure film Triple Frontier, which features a star-studded cast led by Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, and Garret Hudland, following the skilled group of former Delta Force operators as they plot to steal millions from a brutal South American drug lord. In the gritty flick, Hunnam appears as William “Ironhead” Miller, who is brought in by close-friend and comrade Tom “Redfly” Davis (Affleck) to join the unit members in the dangerous heist. Triple Frontier earned praise for its tension-filled action sequences, electrifying twists-and-turns and strong performances by its dynamic leads.
4 The Gentlemen
STXfilms
The revered Guy Ritchie helmed the delightful 2019 action comedy The Gentlemen, touting a cast of Hollywood heavy hitters led by Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant, that tells the story of wealthy American cannabis seller Mickey Pearson (McConaughey) as he attempts to sell his empire in England and inadvertantly causes a series of deadly schemes and plots to sabotage the deal.
Hunnam is brilliant as Raymond Smith, Pearson’s right-hand-man who oversees the business’ operations and provides his expertise when things go sideways. The Gentlemen was a knockout with both audiences and critics, and its success led to a spin-off television series that is in development at Netflix.
3 Nicholas Nickleby
MGM Distribution Co.
Hunnam stars as the eponymous Charles Dickens character in the 2002 period dramedy Nicholas Nickleby, an adaptation of the classic novel that follows the charming 19-year-old as he and his mother and younger sister embark on a trip to London to visit their cold-hearted Uncle after the passing of the family patriarch. The country gentry are faced with an array of foes and obstacles as they try to embrace their new lives, with Nicholas fighting to protect his loved ones from the scheming uncle and outsiders. The film went on to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy and is regarded as an exceptional adaptation of the Dickens novel.
2 The Lost City of Z
StudioCanal
Though it failed to make waves at the box office, the biopic was a critical hit when it premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. In a glowing review of the picture, the Chicago Sun-Times commended Hunnam for his performance, writing, “Hunnam expertly conveys Fawcett’s bravery, spirit and sometimes reckless nature. At times we sense even he knows he might never find absolute proof of the City of Z - but he’ll die trying if he must.”
1 Sons of Anarchy
20th Television
Undeniably Charlie Hunnam’s most iconic and celebrated role to date was in Kurt Sutter’s beloved action crime drama series Sons of Anarchy, in which the actor memorably portrayed Jax Teller, the leader of a powerful biker gang in the fictional town of Charming, California. The dark and gritty show follows Jax as he questions his relationships both within and outside the club, after discovering his late father John’s manifesto that resulting in tension and conflicts within the club. Hunnam was cast in the lead role after Sutter saw his performance in the crime drama The Green Street Hooligans.
Hunnam starred alongside actors like Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman and Kim Coates in the FX TV juggernaut, running for seven critically-acclaimed seasons from 2008 to 2014. Hunnam’s on-screen counterpart Jax was based on Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark in Shakespeare’s epic tragedy, and throughout the show’s tenure he was nominated for two Critics’ Choice Awards among other accolades. When discussing the impact of the show, Hunnam told People, “Well, frankly, it gave me a career. And it gave me the ability to have confidence that I was going to be able to make [acting] work as a lifelong career.”
