Michael Shannon is one of the most sought actors in Hollywood. Famous for playing characters with grey shades or complex personalities, Shannon has had given some great performances in his career. The energy that Shannon brings to his characters is amazing and is always a joy to watch him on screen. He can play sympathetic characters and at the next play a character so hateable that it easily becomes a highlight of the film. Bullet Train: Brad Pitt's Multi-Starrer Sony Film Ropes In Michael Shannon.

To celebrate Michael Shannon’s 45th birthday, we are taking a look at five of his best roles.

Bobby Andes (Nocturnal Animals)

Nocturnal Animals featured a lot of great performances, from Jake Gyllenhaal to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the movie had some amazing characters. Michael Shannon being one of them plays the role of detective Bobby Andes in Jake Gyllenhaal’s novel world. With how dark and twisted the subject matter was, Shannon fits perfectly into the world and gives an effective performance in this small role.

Bobby Monday (Premium Rush)

Shannon plays the role of a corrupt New York cop over here, and honestly it couldn’t get better than that. He makes his character easily hateable and you just want him to lose by the end of it. Shannon gives a great turn as this antagonist in Premium Rush and when justice is finally delivered, you can’t help but cheer.

Walton Thrombrey (Knives Out)

In a movie that’s filled with smug characters, Shannon leaves an indelible mark for himself. Walt Thrombey is the son of a successful novelist who after his murder wants to inherit his father’s property. Shannon portrays Walton with a really creepy demeanor which works out with the cast. He brings certain intensity to the role where he is different in front of a crowd but shifts gears immediately when the chips are down on the table. It’s the poker face that he nails and makes his character more layered. Knives Out Movie Review: A Brilliant Murder Mystery Anchored by Daniel Craig's Exemplary Performance.

General Zod (Man of Steel)

While of course he doesn’t have anything against the performance of Terence Stamp in Superman II, Shannon does a great job of making Zod his own. He brings such aggression to this iconic Superman villain where he is willing to achieve his goal at any cost. Couple that with some jaw dropping fight scenes and you have one of the best villains in DC movies history.

Strickland (The Shape of Water)

Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water was an awards darling, and for good reason, although it was Michael Shannon’s role as Strickland that caught many people’s eyes. With the script over here, there is some nuance to this character where you can see Strickland losing himself as he obsesses over catching this creature.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 07, 2021 09:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).