The creepiest movie characters we love to fear - Some of Hollywood's most iconic characters walk the fine line between madness and brilliance—and some actors just have a special talent for portraying these wonderfully odd characters. Among them are Jack Nicholson, Brad Pitt, and Kevin Spacey, who all have proved to have a knack for it. 

Click through the gallery to check out a ranking of the creepiest characters of American films, as listed by IMDb. Do you agree with the list?

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15. Hannibal Lecter - Film: 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991) / 
Actor: Anthony Hopkins

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15. Hannibal Lecter -

The forensic psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer is forever imprinted on our popular culture thanks to Hopkins' chilling portrayal.

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14. SS Colonel Hans Landa - Film: ‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009) / 
Actor: Christoph Waltz

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14. SS Colonel Hans Landa - Waltz' interpretation of the sadistic but hyper-articulate Nazi officer in this Quentin Tarantino film earned him an Oscar.

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13. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Film: ‘Amadeus’ (1984) / 
Actor: Tom Hulce

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13. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -

Hulce earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of the extravagant, impulsive, and foul-mouthed genius composer Mozart. Interestingly, he competed against costar F. Murray Abraham, who played his archenemy, the composer Antonio Salieri.

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12. Antonio Salieri - Film: ‘Amadeus’ (1984) /
Actor: F. Murray Abraham

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12. Antonio Salieri - 'Amadeus' is a battle between two strange characters. Mozart is awkward and off-putting, but not dark. Murray's version of the murderous Salieri, on the other hand, is a satanic figure who can't handle his jealously over Mozart's success. Murray won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his acting, which Hulce was also up for.

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11. Daniel Plainview - Film: ‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007) / 
Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis

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11. Daniel Plainview - Day-Lewis won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of the obsessive, idealistic conman.

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10. Jeffrey Goines - Film: ‘Twelve Monkeys’ (1995) / 
Actor: Brad Pitt

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10. Jeffrey Goines - The fanatical mental patient is one of Pitt's most iconic characters. The actor was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of the wonderful Jeffrey Goines.

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9. Ash Williams -

Film: ‘Evil Dead’ (1981) / 
Actor: Bruce Campbell

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9. Ash Williams -

Campbell has become synonymous with Ash, the  cowardly college student who transforms over the course of the film to a zombie slayer, using his detachable hand chainsaw to kill.

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8. The Joker - Film: ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008) / 
Actor: Heath Ledger

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8. The Joker - Ledger's interpretation of the psychopathic mass murderer with a sadistic sense of humor became almost instantly legendary, a phenomenon which was enhanced by his death just six months before the film was released. The late actor received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor posthumously for his stellar performance.

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7. Sara Goldfarb - Film: ‘Requiem for a Dream’ (2000) / 
Actor: Ellen Burstyn

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7. Sara Goldfarb - Burstyn's interpretation of the main character's mother is superb. Sara Goldfarb is a disoriented and overly optimistic woman who wants to feel loved, and her deterioration into delusion is one of the hardest to watch.

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6. Ricky Fitts - Film: ‘American Beauty’ (1999) / 
Actor: Wes Bentley

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6. Ricky Fitts -

If this teenager's obsession with filming his neighbor without her consent isn't creepy, then nothing is. But the most disturbing side of the character is his ability to explain his ideas to others, making them sound logical and even beautiful.

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5. Donnie Darko -

Film: ‘Donnie Darko’ (2001) / 
Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal

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5. Donnie Darko -

The troubled suburban teen causes the end of the world—just to be able to prevent it. All with the help with a weird giant bunny. Yes, Donnie definitely fits the category of creepy characters.

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4. Commodus - Film: ‘Gladiator’ (2000) / 
Actor: Joaquin Phoenix

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4. Commodus -

Phoenix plays the twisted, power-hungry son of Marcus Aurelius, who murders his own father. The actor's interpretation earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

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3. Anton Chigurh - Film: ‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007) / 
Actor: Javier Bardem

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3. Anton Chigurh -

Perhaps the creepiest aspect of the ruthless hitman is his ability to show no emotion. Entertainment Weekly calls Anton Chigurh "one of the most iconic movie villains of the 21st century."

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2. Jack Torrance - Film: ‘The Shining’ (1980) / 
Actor: Jack Nicholson

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2. Jack Torrance - The film is widely considered one of the best horror films ever made, and there's no doubt that it's partly thanks to Nicholson's stellar interpretation of Torrance and his descent into madness.

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1. Annie Wilkes - Film: ‘Misery’ (1990) / 
Actor: Kathy Bates

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1. Annie Wilkes -

Bates won an Oscar for her interpretation of the former nurse who kidnaps her favorite author in this interpretation of Stephen King's novel by the same name.

See also: Actors who died before finishing their final film

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