Adam Driver: Beyond Kylo Ren – His 10 Best Roles Outside Star Wars!
Adam Driver's Incredible Range: From Kylo Ren to Unforgettable Characters
Adam Driver blew us all away as Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. But before and after that iconic role, this guy showcased just how versatile he truly is; even going into some highly dramatic and emotional roles that aren't exactly "easy" and require specific expertise and control of his range! This article is looking beyond Star Wars to uncover his ten absolute best roles.
He first appeared as the boyfriend in Lena Dunham's hit show, Girls (even using his actual name!)–this was the key launching pad which gave this actor the visibility that led to bigger opportunities! But that big Star Wars gig? It didn’t lead him to more franchises! Instead, he chose extremely varied roles; making truly unexpected choices across various genres; further demonstrating his remarkable talents; resulting in many amazing critically acclaimed performances across numerous genres and studios. This amazing skill makes those Star Wars roles even more impressive! Let’s dig in to explore those truly magnificent movie moments that make him an exceptional talent!
Adam Driver's Top 10 Movie Roles (Excluding Star Wars!): An Unforgettable Selection
10. 65 (2023): A Dinosaur Survival Epic with Minimal Dialogue
65 showcases Driver's willingness to accept some surprisingly obscure and challenging roles, demonstrating a deep focus on collaborations. His work with renowned director Sam Raimi(one of 65's producers) showcases that focus beyond mere monetary compensation: his collaborative nature creates immense value. He stars alongside Ariana Greenblatt (as Koa) in this sci-fi thriller and it's about this spaceship captain who crash lands on prehistoric Earth (65 million years ago)! It's utterly insane. Most of that drama happens through visuals rather than actual speech, adding incredible intensity to this thrilling journey!
65's not flawless; even the reviews showcase issues. But Driver's incredible acting with a very limited ability to use verbal communication truly made the storyline a stunning success. His work opposite Greenblatt showcases that chemistry– especially considering they only shared screen time with only the minimum interaction–really demonstrates just how superb these talents truly are.
9. The Last Duel (2021): A Brutal Portrayal of Medieval Violence
Driver plays an incredibly vile character in this medieval-set drama: He’s Jacques Le Gris—a man who sexually assaults Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer). This act triggers this brutal duel to the death between Le Gris and her husband (Matt Damon); a highly questionable yet intensely realistic moment, highlighting medieval judicial flaws that really do make such battles important!
He plays this terrible person, so brilliantly capturing his warped perspective which made him capable of justifying an act that made this very, very intense performance a true masterclass that was really appreCIAted.
8. Annette (2021): A Musical Masterpiece with a Dark Heart
Annette is strange, a darkly humorous musical where Driver plays a fiercely jealous comedian who commits crimes; He’s extremely volatile and he struggles with this highly problematic relationship. His daughter's presented as a puppet most of the time–and his wife (Marion Cotillard) is a highly successful opera singer. And did I mention, this is also where he surprisingly demonstrates just how good his vocals are. This is surprisingly quite remarkable and shows yet another aspect of his talent, especially if you only know his roles like Kylo Ren!
7. White Noise (2022): An Unrecognizable Driver in a Hilariously Dark Satire
This amazing and bizarre movie, based on Don DeLillo's 1985 novel and features Driver almost unrecognizable! In a break from typical roles (the smoldering, attractive man); he’s Jack Gladney, this middle-aged professor dealing with family, this overwhelming consumerist society – and an apocalyptic toxic event; this added tension only increases that added intensity, and completely changing his persona. His remarkable range appears in its fullest here!
6. This Is Where I Leave You (2014): The Reckless Youngest Brother
This contrasts immensely with his character in White Noise; here, Driver plays Phillip Altman; this young, reckless guy; he causes a major disturbance in the beginning– jumping out of his car and swearing— all while running late to his father's funeral!
5. Paterson (2016): A Poetic and Unexpectedly Quiet Role
This shows an entirely unexpected side to Driver’s talent. Here’s where you encounter him playing Paterson; he’s this surprisingly serene and contemplative bus driver; a secret poet. This one feels calm. That peace is something really unexpected and unlike anything seen previously. He also got his actual commercial driver’s license for authenticity, adding another noteworthy detail. He just nails the relaxed and charmingly quiet persona here.
4. House of Gucci (2021): A Hilarious (and True) Crime Story
House of Gucci—a highly dramatic movie based on real events concerning that famous family's downfall! It involved incredible performances! Driver’s Maurizio Gucci opposite Lady Gaga’s Patrizia Reggiani, shows some absolutely crazy, incredible chemistry on screen, despite a somewhat long run time. That added drama created some extremely entertaining moments, and some memorable comedic moments that really add immense value to how much this show stands out and continues to create fans even to this day!
3. The Report (2019): A Gripping Story of CIA Torture
This largely forgotten movie featuring Driver highlights his more serious side, and based on true events that concern a post-9/11 CIA investigation into torture techniques. This film delivers serious drama— the story and Driver's performance—remains deeply affecting, highlighting that even this less successful title is still absolutely great for those wishing to see him display his more intense talent!
2. BlacKkKlansman (2018): Infiltrating the KKK with Unforgettable Charm
Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, is one of Driver's best— this story of Ron Stallworth (John David Washington); an incredible real-life Black police officer; who went undercover to infiltrate the KKK. Driver’s Flip Zimmerman acts as Stallworth's stand-in; attending meetings while Stallworth remains behind. It was really amazing and deeply engaging to see just how well they both played these complex roles. That particular relationship between those characters adds intense layers!
1. Marriage Story (2019): A Raw and Heartbreaking Divorce
This remains his greatest role, a powerful story, in Noah Baumbach's movie— highlighting the messy, painful reality of divorce in a heartbreaking and raw manner. This showcases that even smaller moments within this specific production, especially the incredibly emotional, memorable scenes surrounding their final legal showdown, added massive impact to how moving this entire production ultimately felt. Driver, paired with Scarlett Johansson as Nicole Barber, demonstrates incredible and stunning performances. And don't miss the gut-wrenching rendition of “Being Alive”— showing off just how amazing his singing truly is!
Conclusion: The Versatility of Adam Driver
While Kylo Ren is his most iconic role, his incredible work outside Star Wars is a powerful testament to this very talented individual! He showcases his truly amazing versatility, excelling in serious roles as in many funny, dramatic or highly intense dramatic narratives! Those seemingly unexpected role choices – that lack of predictable paths – really showcases what a remarkable artist he is; the range of his capability which make those highly successful roles in Star Wars and beyond an achievement that no other contemporary artist comes close to.
