Once in a while, a movie comes out, and the main character doesn’t shine as brightly as we imagined. Instead, the supporting cast is the most memorable. There are countless movies where the supporting characters completely blow the main character out of the water. This doesn’t always only happen to ‘bad’ or poorly written leads but to popular and iconic characters.
A prime example of this is Harry Potter. This incredible character is in the entire franchise and yet, there are so many other characters that people think of when imagining the series. For instance, one of the most popular characters in the series is Hermione Granger played by Emma Watson. The twins, Fred and George Weasley, are also iconic. And who could forget about Ron Weasley? He uses some of the most quoted quotes in the series.
In other films, the supporting cast does so well, that they become a main character moving forward. This is exactly what happened to Captain Jack Sparrow. Did you know that the first Pirates of the Caribbean film was mainly about Will Turner? And yet, many people forget this character’s name.
To compile this list of the movies where the supporting cast totally outshines the main character, 24/7 Tempo reviewed multiple sources, while also using their own discretion since this topic is opinion-based. Some of the sources used by 24/7 Tempo include the Internet Movie Database, Entertainment Weekly, and Reddit.
Follow along to discover movies where the supporting cast totally outshined the main character. (Check out the most iconic quotes from the Harry Potter films after this article.)
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022)
- Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
- Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ke Huy Quan
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” is a film filled with talent, including the main character. While the audience roots for Evelyn, there is one character that really stands out, Waymond Wang, her husband. He is a goofy, silly, sweet, and romantic man with a big heart who only wants to spread kindness and fix his marriage. Every scene he’s in is delightful and even tear-jerking.
The rest of the supporting characters though are just as great, including Evelyn’s daughter, Joy, and the IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre. It’s hard to stop picturing Deirdre with strange hot dog fingers.
“Predator” (1987)
- Director: John McTiernan
- Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sonny Landham, Shane Black, and Richard Chaves
“Predator” is a fun 80s sci-fi film with great scenes and even better characters. Honestly, though, the supporting cast outshines Arnold Schwarzenegger’s role as Dutch. This isn’t to say Dutch is a bad character though! He is very memorable, but his team is even more so.
“Tombstone” (1993)
- Director: George P. Cosmatos
- Cast: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, and Charlton Heston
The film, “Tombstone” makes many lists. When it first came out it received positive critical responses and audience scores. While the main character in “Tombstone” is Wyatt Earp, it’s hard to keep your eyes away from Val Kilmer’s excellent performance of Doc Holliday. He is considered a lot more interesting and charming than Wyatt.
“Jurassic Park” (1993)
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough
“Jurassic Park” is a classic film that spawned multiple sequels. It’s practically a household name, and yet while Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Sattler are great characters, there is just something about Dr. Ian Malcolm that makes it hard to look away.
Ian Malcolm was the main character of the second Jurassic Park film. Jeff Goldblum, the actor who famously played Malcolm, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Saturn Awards.
“White Chicks” (2004)
- Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
- Cast: Shawn Wayans, Terry Crews, Lochlyn Munro, and Busy Philipps
“White Chicks” is a ridiculous, but hilarious movie. While the main characters in this film are FBI agent brothers Marcus Anthony II and Kevin Copeland, the supporting cast is what makes this movie so great. Most people automatically picture Terry Crews singing “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton.
“The Boondock Saints” (1999)
- Director: Troy Duffy
- Cast: Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Carlo Rota, and Norman Reedus
Another film on our list of movies where the supporting cast totally outshined the main character is “The Boondock Saints.” Although the film is mostly about the MacManus twins, the supporting cast is fascinating to watch. This cult classic only made $30,471 in its initial release but had a budget of $6 million.
“Some Like It Hot” (1959)
- Director: Billy Wilder
- Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Billy Gray, and Jack Lemmon
Although Marilyn Monroe wasn’t the main character in “Some Like It Hot,” her portrayal of Sugar “Kane” Kowalczyk is unforgettable. This movie follows two musicians and friends, who are fleeing from gangsters after witnessing a crime. To get away, they dress up as women and go on plenty of wacky adventures. Other notable characters in this film include Osgood Fielding III, “Spats”, and Sweet Sue.
“Pitch Perfect” (2012)
- Director: Jason Moore
- Cast: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, and Adam DeVine
“Pitch Perfect” had a lot of characters, although the movie mainly centered around Anna Kendrick’s character, Beca, a college freshman. This movie though would not have been as successful without such a strong supporting cast including talents like Rebel Wilson, Britany Snow, Adam DeVine, and Skylar Astin.
“Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl” (2003)
- Director: Gore Verbinski
- Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, and Orlando Bloom
Did you know that Captain Jack Sparrow wasn’t the main character in “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl?” That title goes to Will Turner, although Johnny Depp’s portrayal of this unique pirate was top-tier, with many people assuming he’s the main character of the first film. Although Jack Sparrow wasn’t the main character of “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” he became a main character in multiple sequels.
“No Country For Old Men” (2007)
- Director: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
- Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Woody Harrelson
“No Country For Old Men” has an unforgettable supporting cast. Although it’s easy to root for the main character, there are quite a few others that steal the spotlight, including Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh. His bone-chilling portrayal of this strange character was way too good.
“The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift” (2006)
- Director: Justin Lin
- Cast: Lucas Black, Bow Wow, Sung Kang, and Brian Tee
A lot of people are surprised to know that Han Leu, isn’t the main character in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” Instead, it’s Lucas Black. While there is nothing wrong with Black’s character, Han is a lot more charming. He has plenty of unforgettable lines including this one: “Fifty percent of something is better than a hundred percent of nothing.”
“The Dark Knight” (2008)
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, and Gary Oldman
There are so many incredible characters in “The Dark Knight,” aside from Batman. For instance, the Joker, played by Heath Ledger, was a truly unforgettable sight. Other supporting cast members that killed it in this film include Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth and Gary Oldman as James Gordon.
“Mortal Kombat” (2021)
- Director: Simon McQuoid
- Cast: Lewis Tan, Josh Lawson, Jessica McNamee, and Ludi Lin
“Mortal Kombat,” released in 2021, didn’t do well, and this might be because the supporting cast outshined the protagonist. This fun movie was critiqued by Mortal Kombat fans upon its release but still made back its budget. Many reviewers commented on the film’s forgetfulness, but there was still love for supporting characters like Kano.
“The Devil Wears Prada” (2006)
- Director: David Frankel
- Cast: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci
“The Devil Wears Prada” is a fun movie with so many iconic characters. Although the audience roots for Andy and falls in love with Miranda Priestly, other characters deliver sweet moments and sassy lines that steal the show. This includes Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling.
“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006)
- Director: Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
- Cast: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Abigail Breslin, and Toni Collette
“Little Miss Sunshine” is more of an honorable mention as the entire cast did an excellent job! There isn’t just one main character either, but the entire family/ Each member has something unique going on. Olive and Frank though really steal the spotlight.
“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001)
- Director: Chris Columbus
- Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Robbie Coltrane
Harry Potter is an unforgettable character. He is the boy who lived, and yet, in the films, the supporting cast is what makes the movies so enjoyable. For many, the best character in “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” and the other Harry Potter films is Hermione Granger. Her lines are hard to forget and she’s very relatable, or as relatable as a muggle-born wizard can be.
“Tropic Thunder” (2008)
- Director: Ben Stiller
- Cast: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and Steve Coogan
Also on our list of movies where the supporting cast totally outshined the main character is “Tropic Thunder.” This entire movie though is hard to stop watching. In every scene, there is something outlandish and jaw-dropping occurring.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)
- Director: James Gunn
- Cast: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Vin Diesel, and Dave Bautista
Lots of superhero movies have incredible supporting characters and villains who often outshine the main character. This is the case in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Although Starlord is a lot of fun to watch, the movie is not the same without his incredible team, even Groot who only says one word. Most people immediately think of Groot or Drax, and in later films, Mantis. Some of the funniest moments and conversations happen without the main character.
“Girl, Interrupted”(1999)
- Director: James Mangold
- Cast: Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, and Brittany Murphy
Winona Ryder is known for playing some of the best roles in Hollywood, and yet although she’s the main character in “Girl, Interrupted,” her castmates really steal the show. Many people who watch this film are drawn to Lisa Rowe, a sociopath, Georgina Tuskin, a pathological liar, and last but not least, Daisy Randone, a girl with OCD and a lot of trauma.
“Inglourious Basterds” (2009)
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, and Eli Roth
Last on our list is the movie, “Inglourious Basterds,” which was released on August 21, 2009, in the United States. In this film are incredible actors, including Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, and Eli Roth. Although the main character is Lt. Aldo Raine, the film wouldn’t be as good without the supporting cast. Christoph Waltz won multiple awards as Best Supporting Actor, including an Academy Award. (Interested in discovering other war films? Read our article on the best movies about World War II of all time.)