James Woods is one of those actors you've seen in dozens of movies, often in similar roles, but you can't seem to remember his name. He's been a featured character on Family Guy, as well as having roles in major blockbusters, like John Q and Hercules.
With how many roles James Woods has had over the years, it's no wonder he has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Well-known for his fast-talking, bold one-liners and for being typecast as the characters you love to hate, this Utah native has amassed quite a fortune during his career, with an estimated net worth of $10 million.
Looking through his extensive filmography, these are his most profitable roles to date.
10 Ned Trent In 'The Specialist' (1994)
In the action-thriller The Specialist, we seed Woods play the explosive expert Ned Trent. When a mission goes awry, a young girl is killed, leading to a winding tale of justice, honor, and redemption.
Despite starring a well-known cast, the movie only received two out of four stars by Roger Ebert, who described the movie as one that "forces the characters through torturous mazes of dialogue and action."
Although it wasn't well-received by critics, The Specialist still brought in over $57 million in domestic sales and more than $170 million worldwide.
9 Reggie Belafonte In 'Surf's Up' (2007)
The mid-2000s mockumentary-style animated film Surf's Up featured James Woods as one of the loveable penguin characters telling the tale of surf culture through a sophom*oric lens. As Reggie Belafonte, Woods captured the short-temper of the sea otter managing the main character's rival. Once again, Woods is a character you hate to love.
Critics generally praised the film, especially appreciating the humor and quality of the animation. It wound up growing around $152 million and was even nominated for an Academy Award.
8 Falcon In 'Stuart Little 2' (2002)
In the animated film Stuart Little 2, James Woods takes on the role of villain, one that he is definitely familiar with. The story was loosely taken from the E.B. White novel in which Stuart Little and his pal, Snowbell, have to save their canary friend, Margalo, from Falcon.
The interesting combination of live-action and animation was a hit in the early-2000s and it was generally well-received by critics, despite being a sequel. It grossed $65 million domestically and totaled around $170 million worldwide.
Related: Whatever Happened To The Child Star From 'Stuart Little'?
7 Dr. Turner In 'John Q' (2002)
While James Woods' role in John Q minor, it's critical to the storyline. In the film, Denzel Washington plays a father distraught over his son's diagnosis of an enlarged heart because it means he needs a costly transplant. Because his insurance won't cover the surgery, he takes the entire hospital hostage, forcing them to perform the procedure.
In John Q, James Woods plays the key role of Dr. Turner, the cardiologist caring for Denzel Washington's son. It is Dr. Turner who gives the diagnosis and acts as a keystone in the story arch.
Despite positive reviews of the performance of the characters, the movie itself had a lukewarm reception. Still, it raked in a little over $71 million in domestic sales and more than $102 million worldwide.
6 Priest In 'Scary Movie 2' (2001)
Full of tongue-in-cheek humor and based on some of the most iconic horror movies in the last 50 years, Scary Movie 2 is not a critically-acclaimed movie, but it's one you'll reach for when you and your friends need a laugh.
With a meandering plot that makes fun of classic horror films, like The Exorcist, Rocky Horror Picture Shot, Hannibal, and The Amityville Horror, we get a glimpse of James Woods in a more comedic role as the priest.
Albeit a brief performance, his role in Scary Movie 2 still brought him a paycheck. The film brought in $71 million domestically and $141 million worldwide.
Related: The Cast Of 'Scary Movie' Ranked By Net Worth
5 Martin Walker In 'White House Down' (2013)
A more recent role for James Woods was that of Martin Walker in White House Down. The 2013 action-thriller tells the story of a US Capital Police Officer attempting to simultaneously rescue his daughter and the President of the United States during a terroristic assault.
We see Woods in the role of the Retiring Head of the Presidential Detail and the Special Agent-in-Charge, Martin Walker. SPOILER ALERT: Martin Walker is later revealed as the leader of the attack, putting Woods back in the role of villain.
Overall, reviews of the movie were lukewarm to positive. It ended up bringing in $73 million domestically and more than $205 million in worldwide sales.
4 Dr. Harvey Mandrake In 'Any Given Sunday' (1999)
Telling the story of an underdog football player, Any Given Sunday doesn't focus on Woods' character, Dr. Harvey Mandrake, but he still plays a critical role. As the team doctor, he's responsible for getting the underdogs to the finish line. And we still get the straight-faced delivery Woods is known for, like in his line: "I'm the orthopedist, remember? Bone, muscle, joint: me; runny nose, diarrhea, gonorrhea, pink eye: you. Got it?"
Any Given Sunday was surprisingly well-received, although it was also met with criticism. Overall, the reception averaged out to a slightly better than average rating. It brought in $75 million in domestic sales and more than $100 million worldwide.
3 Hades In 'Hercules' (1997)
Every Millenial knows the songs, the look, the characters of Hercules. Disney's animated classic loosely follows Greek and Roman mythology, featuring James Woods as a villainous Hades who is hell-bent on destroying Hercules.
The animated classic was overall highly praised by critics, especially regarding Woods' performance. Owen Gleiberman reviewed the movie for Entertainment Weekly and described Woods' performance as "an inspired piece of deadpan vaudeville. His dry jocularity is hilariously incongruous - he's like a hostile, wisecracking salesman trapped in the body of the Antichrist."
The film ultimately brought in $99 million in domestic sales and well over $250 million worldwide and continues to be a favorite of families.
Related: Disney's Live-Action Hercules: Who We'd Cast In Every Major Role
As the quintessential nay-sayer, Woods' character in Contact is the perfect opposite to Jody Foster's more hopeful countenance. As Michael Kitz, Woods' portrays a man who believes the entire extraterrestrial situation is a hoax, though he is proved wrong.
Along with creating a resurgence in interest in Carl Sagan's 1985 novel, Contact was well-received and ended up becoming a sci-fi classic. It brought in nearly $101 million domestically and almost $166 million worldwide.
1 Colonel Moore In 'The General's Daughter' (1999)
By far, Woods' role as Colonel Moore in The General's Daughter was his most profitable role. The story touched on themes of rape, wrapped up in a murder mystery that envelopes Woods' character. The pressure of a murder investigation is too much and Colonel Moore completes suicide.
Despite being his most profitable film, The General's Daughter was actually widely met with negative reviews. It was critiqued as being "contrived" and "over-the-top." Still, it brought in well over $102 million in domestic sales and almost $150 million in worldwide sales.
Next: Ewan McGregor's Most Profitable Movie Roles, Ranked
