15 Movie Characters Who Don’t Appear Until the End

Delivering a truly memorable performance is a difficult task for even the most seasoned actor, particularly if their character has very limited screen time. In most movies, audiences follow the main characters from the opening scenes to the closing credits, giving them plenty of time to establish their role as antagonists or protagonists, understand their motivations, and build a connection. But on rare occasions, a significant character doesn’t make an appearance until well into the third act, which creates a whole different dynamic.

When a major character is withheld until the final scenes, the intention is to create a significant dramatic effect, which is difficult in a situation when the audience has not been allowed to establish any kind of rapport with the character in question. A huge amount of credit has to be given to actors who stepped into their roles at the end of the movie and still managed to deliver a performance that was not only noteworthy but in some instances stole the show.

15 Gus Polinski – ‘Home Alone’ (1990)

Played by John Candy

After a family fallout, 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is accidentally left Home Alone. Hilarity ensues when two incompetent con men (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) plan to rob the house and completely underestimate young Kevin and his flair for setting booby traps. Meanwhile, Kevin’s mom (Catherine O’Hara) is doing everything she can to get back to her son, including hitching a ride with Gus Polinski (John Candy) and his polka band.

Despite his brief appearance, Home Alone is one of John Candy’s best movies. His larger-than-life persona as the Polka King of the Midwest is a wonderful tribute to an extremely talented comedy actor who had a unique gift for playing the most annoying and most lovable guy in the room.

14 Jason Voorhees – ‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)

Played by Ari Lehman

Friday the 13th is the first in the series of a dozen slasher flicks about an evil serial killer. The story begins in 1957, at Camp Crystal Lake, where young Jason Voorhees tragically drowns. A year later, two camp counselors are murdered. When the camp reopens years later, the murders start up again and everything points to the tormented spirit of Jason out for revenge.

Spoiler alert, the murderer in the first Friday the 13th movie is Jason’s unhinged mother, Mrs. Voorhees (Betsy Palmer). Jason, played by Ari Lehman, does make an appearance in the closing scenes when he springs out of the lake and attacks the camp’s last remaining survivor. In typical horror movie fashion, the last-minute appearance of Jason left an open ending, allowing for the numerous Friday the 13th sequels.

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13 John Lennon – ‘Yesterday’ (2019)

Played by Robert Carlysle

During a momentary global blackout, struggling musician Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is hit by a bus while cycling home. Jack wakes up in an alternate reality where The Beatles never existed and, as the only man on earth who remembers their music, the gates are wide open for him to become a worldwide musical sensation. Jack wrestles with the morality of his blatant plagiarism and seeks out his idol, John Lennon (Robert Carlyle), who in this reality is still alive and living in a cottage by the sea.

Carlyle does a wonderful job playing a man of such legendary stature. His portrayal of Lennon is very unassuming but feels like a genuine representation of what he might be like if he were alive today. Yesterday is a warm-hearted comedy with an awesome soundtrack from the biggest boy band the world has known. While not strictly a musician biopic, the film highlights the huge influence music has on society and, Beatle fan or not, is well worth a watch.

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12 Nick Fury – ‘Iron Man’ (2008)

Played by Samuel L. Jackson

Genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is giving a weapons presentation in Afghanistan when the car he’s riding in is ambushed. After being captured, Stark is forced to build a Jericho Missile for a terrorist group, but instead uses the components to build an armored suit to aid his escape and Iron Man is born. After returning home, Stark devotes his time and resources to perfecting the Iron Man suit, and using it to fight evil. His antics earn him a visit from S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division) Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who assures Stark he’s “not the only superhero in the world.”

Even post-credits, Jackson’s appearance in Iron Man is notable. His smooth demeanor and distinctive look can’t help but command attention. His role also serves the purpose of helping audience members not familiar with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) make the connection between Iron Man and The Avengers Initiative.

11 Harry Lime – ‘The Third Man’ (1949)

Played by Orson Welles

After taking up an invitation from an old friend, offering a job, an out-of-work author, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), arrives in post-war Vienna only to find said friend has just been killed in a tragic accident. Police inform Martins that his friend, Harry Lime (Orson Welles) is nothing more than a murderer and a racketeer, but he is determined to prove them wrong. After doing some digging, Martins concludes Lime was most likely murdered, that is until he turns up alive and well.

The mystery of The Third Man is riveting from the first mention of Harry Lime to the closing credits. Although he doesn’t show up until more than an hour has lapsed, Orson Welles’ appearance in this movie is stunning. The wry smile he gives his long-time friend tells the audience so much about the nature of this sly and intriguing character.

10 Harry Waters – ‘In Bruges’ (2008)

Played by Ralph Fiennes

Harry Waters (Ralph Fiennes) is a cockney crime boss, who sends two of his hitmen, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) to the quiet tourist town of Bruges in Belgium. Thinking they’re just lying low while the heat from a botched assassination job dies down, they try, however miserably, to pass the time. Then, Ken is given orders to take out Ray, but struggles to establish where his loyalties lie. Regardless of what Ken decides, Ray is a gonner, even if that means Harry coming to finish the job himself.

While audiences get a teaser of Harry’s charming voice over a couple of phone calls, he doesn’t make an appearance until near the end of the film. His ruthless and violent nature is expertly portrayed by Fiennes and offers everything an audience would expect from the leader of a crime syndicate. The outlandish style and wit that Fiennes adds to the role makes In Bruges a fantastic dark comedy that’s well worth watching.

9 Wilford – ‘Snowpiercer’ (2013)

Played by Ed Harris

Set in a future where the entire world has become a frozen wasteland, Snowpiercer is the story of the last survivors who are speeding along in a self-sustaining, perpetual train. As in most societies, there is still an established hierarchy, but the lowest-class citizens, led by Curtis (Chris Evans), are tired of living in squalor and are ready for a revolution. Their mission is to battle their way through to reach the train’s creator, Wilford (Ed Harris), and appeal for a fairer share of the resources, but they soon find out Wilford has much more sinister intentions.

Wilford’s chilling monologue where he explains the sometimes radical solutions needed to sustain his train’s closed ecosystem while tucking into a decadent steak dinner is one of Harris’s finest performances. His nonchalant portrayal of a man with a serious god-complex is mesmerizing. The success of Snowpiercer led to a TV adaptation, where fans can learn more about Wilford’s backstory in the role taken on by Sean Bean.

8 Gellert Grindelwald – ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ (2016)

Played by Johnny Depp

In this spin-off from the Harry Potter franchise, a young British wizard, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has been traveling the world studying fantastical creatures, which are being carefully contained in his magical leather suitcase. During a stop-off in New York, Newt crosses paths with a factory worker named Jacob (Dan Folger) and his suitcase goes astray, unleashing all kinds of chaos. Meanwhile, dark forces influenced by the illusive Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) threaten the wizard and non-magic world.

Throughout Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Grindelwald hides his true identity by taking on the outer form of auror Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), but once captured, his secret is magically revealed. It is incredible that, with less than a minute of screen time and just two lines of dialogue, Depp manages to completely capture the spine-chilling menace of a powerful dark wizard. Depp went on to feature in the sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and was just as compelling.

7 Colonel Kurtz – ‘Apocalypse Now’ (1979)

Played by Marlon Brando

During the height of the Vietnam War, U.S. Army Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is sent on an unofficial mission to find and eliminate Green Beret Colonel Walter Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who the army believes has gone insane. After an arduous journey through the Cambodian jungle and a few deadly encounters, Willard and his remaining troops reach Kurtz’s outpost but are taken captive. When Willard eventually comes face-to-face with his quarry, he begins to question his own motivations and the absurdity of war.

With 21 award wins and 33 nominations, Apocalypse Now is undoubtedly one of the greatest war dramas ever made, and Brando’s portrayal of Colonel Kurtz is both horrifying and tragic. While it’s difficult to overlook the atrocities committed by this character, it’s easy to understand how the horrors of war could drive a rational person to the brink of insanity. Brando’s haunting performance is some of the best acting in a war movie and one worth watching whether you’re a fan of the genre or not.

6 Private James Ryan – ‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)

Played by Matt Damon

Three brothers are killed in action during the Second World War, leaving just one surviving sibling, Private James Ryan (Matt Damon). To offer their mother some small modicum of relief, U.S. Army General George Marshall (Harve Presnell) sends out eight men led by Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) to find James and bring him back home.

While relatively brief for a movie nearly three hours long, Damon’s performance in Saving Private Ryan is a genuine and moving portrayal of a young man who, despite his dire circumstances, refuses to relinquish his duty as a soldier. Damon manages to evoke strong admiration for his character, contributing to a movie ending that is both tragic and uplifting.

5 The Caller – ‘Phone Booth’ (2002)

Played by Kiefer Sutherland

Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell) is a sleazy New York City publicist who uses his charisma to smooth talk his way through life. Because he’s married, Stu uses a phone booth to call another woman he’s seeing, but one day, instead of being connected with his girlfriend, he finds himself on the line with a dangerous psychopath armed with a sniper rifle. Stu is trapped into playing a deadly game of wits with the mystery caller, made even more intense when the police arrive at the scene.

Phone Booth is one of Kiefer Sutherland’s best movies, regardless of the fact that he spends less than three minutes in front of the camera. Throughout the film, Sutherland masterfully uses his voice to paint a picture of a man bent on exposing the sins of others and forcing them to atone. When audiences finally get to see him on screen, his purposeful gait and sly smile send shivers up the spine.

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4 The Architect – ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ (2003)

Played by Helmut Bakaitis

In this second installment of the trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded, Zion falls under siege by the Machine Army. Before the Sentinels can destroy the last human sanctuary on Earth, Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) must reenter The Matrix and follow the course that will lead them to their destiny and fulfillment of the prophecy of a free Zion. Neo’s path eventually leads him to The Architect (Helmut Bakaitis), who explains that Neo must return to the source otherwise the entire system will crash and all of humanity destroyed.

Bakaitis’ portrayal of The Architect is chilling. His expressionless and emotionless delivery is as mechanical as the code that built the Matrix itself. While his role might not seem particularly significant, it is a vital and unique way of handling the necessary story exposition which contributes to this being one of the most rewatchable of the Matrix movies.

3 Kincade – ‘Skyfall’ (2012)

Played by Albert Finney

James Bond’s (Daniel Craig) latest assignment goes wrong and a hard drive is stolen, exposing undercover agents around the world. M. (Dame Judy Dench) is pressured to retire, and after MI6 comes under attack, she sends Bond to find the culprits and recover the drive. Bond discovers a former MI6 agent, Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem), is out for revenge on M, so in the hopes of setting a trap, he drives her to his old ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands, where his trusted groundskeeper Kincade (Albert Finney) joins the fight.

Kincade in Skyfall was Finney’s last movie role and is a wonderful final feather in the cap of an extremely talented actor. In the tenseness of the final showdown, he provides a welcome touch of comic relief. Kincade is the only character, other than M perhaps, who could get away with calling the world’s most famous secret agent a jumped-up little s**t,” and Finney’s delivery is just brilliant.

2 David Dunn – ‘Split’ (2016)

Played by Bruce Willis

Split is the disturbing story of Kevin Wendell Crumb (James McAvoy) and his 22 other personalities identified by his psychiatrist, Dr. Fletcher (Betty Buckley). When three young women are abducted, more about Kevin’s multiple personalities comes to light, including the presence of a 24th identity known as ‘The Beast’.

Willis’s appearance was very brief, but very deliberate in the surprise ending of Split. With one short line, Willis provides an unexpected link to the previously released movie, Unbreakable, while also setting the stage for a sequel. It’s only in retrospect that audiences can fully appreciate the genius behind this set-up, and it’s thanks to Willis’ powerful on-screen presence that they sat up and took notice in the first place.

1 John Doe – ‘Se7en’ (1995)

Played by Kevin Spacey

Worn-out Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and rookie Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) are on the trail of a sadistic serial killer acting as judge, jury, and executioner on unfortunate victims deemed to have committed one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Despite following every clue, the detectives come no closer to capturing the meticulous and sociopathic “John Doe” (Kevin Spacey) until he unexpectedly turns himself in. Only then does the true intent of his heinous murder spree come to light.

Spacey’s unanticipated arrival in Se7en is truly horrifying, regardless of the fact that he’s covered in blood. His ultra-calm and perfectly poised demeanor is completely unnerving, leaving audiences fearful of what his ulterior motive could possibly be. Se7en is a movie with one of the darkest endings ever conjured up and a must-see for crime-thriller and Spacey fans alike.

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