#Best Actors Who Played Sherlock Holmes, Ranked
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“#Best Actors Who Played Sherlock Holmes, Ranked”
Interest—indeed, investment—in the dynamic duo by the film industry throughout the years has been unprecedented. Everyone, from Guy Ritchie to Paul McGuigan, has taken a different approach to the methodical detective and his story. All of them had a different actor in mind to portray the weirdly unique detective and his habits. Take a look at these six actors who have done the best job.
6 Jonny Lee Miller in Elementary (2012-2019)
In 2012, CBS came out with a modern adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes stories, starring Jonny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr Joan Watson. Instead of the usual British enviroment, the story is set in New York City where Holmes helps the Police Department solve crimes. Before its release and during the first season, the series received criticism for premiering close to the BBC’s Sherlock series. It didn’t take long until the audience fell in love with Miller and Liu’s beautifully written friendship. The critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes especially highlights how Miller shines in his title role. His portrayal adds so much realness to the character’s personality and the heavily implied autistic tendencies are performed outstandingly by Miller. From refusing to let anyone close in season 1 to promising he wouldn’t leave Joan in the end no matter what, his character experiences a well-earned development.
5 Henry Cavill in Enola Holmes (2020)
Henry Cavill has quietly worked through multiple iconic performances, from DC’s Superman to Napoleon Solo to the unique portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in Netflix’s Enola Holmes (2020). Although the Netflix’s movie adapted the first book of the same name by Nancy Spinger and focuses on Sherlock’s younger sister Enola (Millie Bobby Brown), Cavill nevertheless found room to show off his brilliant acting skills. The different take on Holmes’ character angered The Conan Doyle Estate, who decided to sue Netflix for violating copyrights, since Sherlock was depicted as having emotions. Many find the unique take on the character refreshing as it shows that a higher intelligence doesn’t necessarily mean you have the right to be rude to others. That said, don’t get it twisted: Cavill’s character is still sharp as ever with his deductions, but with a nicer approach to his surroundings. The sequel is already in production.
4 Robert Downey Jr. in Sherlock Holmes (2009) & Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law star alongside each other as Holmes and Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie’s 2009 period mystery film Sherlock Holmes, in which they fight off an immense threat that endangers the whole of England. With the excellent guidance from Ritchie, Downey used his wit, which we so often saw in the MCU, to give his own personalized sparkle to the famous character. Many have argued that Downey’s depiction of Sherlock is quite extroverted because of the actor’s inseparable charisma. However, there’s no doubt Holmes is still closed-in on himself and only truly confides in Watson. The movie was followed by Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows in 2011, and fans are also impatiently waiting for the third installment, which was supposed to be released in December 2021. Downey earned himself a Golden Globe award for the Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical for this role.
3 Peter Cushing in The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) & Others
The late Peter Cushing was an icon of Hammer horror films, so he naturally didn’t shy away from an offer to play the character of Sherlock Holmes in a Hammer setting. He has played the eccentric detective three times: in a movie The Hound of The Baskervilles (1959), in a 1968 TV series Sherlock Holmes and in another 1984 TV series The Masks of Death. As many other BBC shows, some of the episodes with his unforgettable performance were lost until uncovered again in 2020. For many, Cushing represents a portrayal of Holmes with the needed classical ambience. What’s additionally significant is that The Hound of The Baskervilles was the first Sherlock Holmes movie in colour.
2 Benedict Cumberbatch in BBC’s Sherlock (2010-2017)
The BBC TV series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock and Martin Freeman as Dr Watson, is probably the most mainstream of all of the adaptations. It’s been praised for perfectly setting the tone for a modern take on the detective’s life with its writing, acting and directing. Sherlock‘s popularity can be surely traced back to the chemistry between Cumberbatch and Freeman, which has created a huge fandom for the duo’s relationship. Of course, there’s no denying that Cumberbatch’s acting has depicted Holmes’ neurodivergence, mixed with intellectual confidence and emotional vulnerability, as outstandingly as ever. The actor was nominated for and has won numerous awards, including Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in A Miniseries or a Movie in 2014.
1 Jeremy Brett in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1984)
This 1984 TV series titled The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is accepted by many as the definitive version of Sherlock Holmes. Jeremy Brett (Holmes) stars alongside David Burke (Dr Watson) across 42 different short stories of Sir Conan Doyle. Brett, as a bisexual man, inarguably understood the underlying emotionally complex queerness of Sherlock Holmes’ character like no other. Scenes like those when he destroyed a crime scene to prove how smart he was, perfectly depicted his boldness.
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