How to be a Baddie Checklist

Playing a baddie in a movie appeals to a lot of people after all it’s a chance to act out of character that is generally in contrast to the everyday you. Just imagine playing someone who is pure evil, doing dangerous and illegal things for pleasure – sounds tempting huh? When you think about notorious movie villains who come to mind? Surely it’s Hannibal Lecter in Hannibal played by Anthony Hopkins, Darth Fader in Star Wars or the Joker played by Heath Ledger in the Dark Knight and my favourite the dark sarcastic Professor Snape in Harry Potter. So, how can you be that baddie acting with pure theatricality, yet terrifyingly menace? By using this how to be a baddie checklist of course!

• Have a laugh. We’re looking for an evil laugh that cackles as if you are depraved here. Think of Dr Evil from the Austin Powers films. So, go on, throw your head back and laugh into the open sky and encourage your evil team to laugh with you. It already has me on edge!
• Barely speak. Real baddies say very little but they say it with conviction and focus that will tear into the heart of your good guy. So, think up a mean-spirited one liner that will gain you a place in quotable quotes. “You underestimate the power of the dark side.” Darth Fader.
• Think tone. Your tone must be deep and scary evoking evil – think Darth Fader. No one will take a whiny voiced baddie seriously – just imagine how the voice will sound in the dark mysterious fog of the undergrowth?
• Be goal focused. You have to believe in your goal of ruling the world and make the audience believe you too. No one likes a baddie who doesn’t know what he wants.
• Have empathy. Show a softer side of your baddie character, make it a rare occasion. It could be to your left hand man after all every baddie has a side kick that helps him attain his goal or romantic inclination towards the lead female.
• Be chatty. Interact with the good guy by either being consistency irritated with his goody-two-shoes character or be consistency amused by his claims to bring you down, surely he must be kidding right??!
• Be intelligent. How are you supposed to weave and spin your web of evil if you don’t demonstrate that you have a brilliant mind? “The point ladies and gentlemen that greed, for lack of a better word, is good.” Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas).
• Have a past. Be more than just a baddie who wants to lay claims on the future world, have a past that tortures you and spurns you to carry out your plan of evil. Think ‘Mommie Dearest’ a film about an abusive and traumatic childhood that led to the main characters flaws.
• Have a conscience. Unfortunately, even a baddie knows the difference between good and bad. To kill or not to kill that is the question.
• Have super powers. Become a Super Baddie and have powers capable of crippling an opponent with a point of your finger or whispering something evil to conjure up the spirits of the underworld to come to your assistance or have minions to do all the hard work for you.
• Be Bad! Of course, we couldn’t miss this one off the list. Remember you’re the baddie not the good guy!