Top 10 Bill Hader Performances
Flint Lockwood
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” Franchise (2009-13) This animated romp and its sequel were helmed by a stellar cast of voice actors, led by none other than our boy Bill Hader. Hader lent his signature voice to the character of Flint Lockwood, an inventor and scientist who develops a way to turn water into food. This in turn causes all sorts of delicious foods to start raining down upon Flint’s hometown. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” was a big opportunity for Hader to receive top billing for a film and he did not disappoint. The uber-talented comedian has a ton of fun with the role, nailing the comedic bits and showcasing hints of his soon-to-be-revealed dramatic talents as well.
Various
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“Documentary Now!” (2015-) If you still haven’t seen Bill Hader and Fred Armisen’s hilarious mockumentary series “Documentary Now!” we recommend you stop what you’re doing and go check it out immediately. It’s okay, we’ll wait. The two stars and co-creators appear in the majority of the show’s episodes, which regularly feature “Saturday Night Live” alums and other celebs like Cate Blanchett and Jack Black. The show, which bills itself as a showcase for “classic” documentaries, sees Hader playing a variety of farcical characters throughout history; a skill he honed across his many years as an “SNL” regular. To say that “Documentary Now!” is weird would be an understatement, but its absurd premise is held together thanks to Hader and Armisen’s top-notch comedic versatility.
Fear
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“Inside Out” (2015) “Inside Out” was a massive critical and commercial success, taking home multiple awards – including the Oscar for Best Animated Feature – and raking in more than $850 million at the box office. As the story is told from the perspective of a young girl’s anthropomorphic emotions, the film naturally required a variety of unique voices to adequately capture the characters of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. Hader shines as Fear, bringing humor to the outrageously neurotic character as he struggles to handle an ever-increasing string of stressful and/or dangerous situations. Honestly, if Bill Hader never did another live-action movie we’d be okay with it. Just keep giving us awesome voice work!
Dave McLean
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“Hot Rod” (2007) “Hot Rod” is a comedy about an aspiring stuntman Rod Kimble, who organizes a massive stunt to help raise money for his stepfather’s heart operation. Aiding him in this quest are his friends Rico, Kevin and Dave, with the latter played by Bill Hader. Arguably the dumbest character Hader has ever played, he manages to imbue Dave with plenty of heart and even a touch of wisdom. Dave’s shining moment comes near the tail end of the film, when he accidentally gets a piece of metal lodged in his head while tripping on acid. Hader plays the scene straight, making it that much funnier, as he doles out advice to his friend while bleeding profusely and presumably still tripping.
Dr. Aaron Conners
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“Trainwreck” (2015) Bill Hader hadn’t really tested the romantic comedy waters prior to starring in Judd Apatow’s 2015 film “Trainwreck”, making his performance that much more surprising. Hader plays Dr. Aaron Conners, a sports doctor who becomes romantically involved with a hard-partying woman – played by Amy Schumer - who doesn’t believe in monogamy. The film served as the perfect vehicle for Hader to showcase his range as an actor, something he’d done previously in films like “The Skeleton Twins” (more on that in a minute), albeit on a much smaller scale. Hader’s good-guy demeanor is out in full force, with his straight-man character the perfect juxtaposition to the, well, “Trainwreck” that is Schumer’s Amy Townsend.
Officer Slater
“Superbad” (2007) Iconic hardly begins to describe a film like “Superbad”. One of the 2000s’ most successful comedies, from both a critical and commercial standpoint, the film served as a launching pad for the careers of everyone from Jonah Hill and Michael Cera to Emma Stone and Joe Lo Truglio. Despite being littered with amazing performances from some of the 21st centuries funniest actors, Bill Hader’s Officer Slater manages to cut through the noise, cementing himself as one of “Superbad’s” most enduring and beloved characters. Hader’s performance as one half of a bumbling set of off-the-book police officers who take a high school kid on a wild journey across LA is nothing short of hilarious; and will no doubt go down as one of his best and funniest film roles.
Milo Dean
“The Skeleton Twins” (2014) A film that allowed Hader to flex his dramatic muscles while still being able to lean on his comedic roots, “The Skeleton Twins” is a wholly surprising film about a brother and sister who reconnect after the former attempts suicide. Filled with dark humor and surprising plot twists, the film reunited Hader with his former “SNL” co-star Kristen Wiig, with the two picking up right where they left off and revealing that their on-screen chemistry was as strong as ever. Critics cited Hader’s “powerful performance” as a reason for the film’s success, noting that he is “another actor with a lot of untapped dramatic potential.” If only they knew what was to come…
Richie Tozier
“It Chapter Two” (2019) The sequel to 2017’s “It”, “It Chapter Two” picks up 27 years after the events of the first film, with a grown-up Losers’ Club returning to Derry to once again battle Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Bill Hader plays the adult version of Richie Tozier, (portrayed by Finn Wolfhard in the first film), who became a successful stand-up comedian upon leaving Derry for the bright lights of Los Angeles. Despite the film’s mixed reviews, Hader’s performance has been consistently praised. Come for the scares, stay for Hader in a role he was born to play.
Various
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“Saturday Night Live” (1975-) Despite all these other amazing roles, Hader will always be associated first and foremost with his time as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live”. He landed the highly coveted gig in 2005 and remained a cast member for nearly a decade. During that time he gave us a litany of memorable characters, from the elderly and highly inappropriate news reporter Herb Welch to a veritable smorgasbord of snarky game show hosts. Of course, the character that Hader is most often associated with is Stefon, the Weekend Update City Correspondent who loved nothing more than to break character while describing NYC’s most disgusting and hedonistic parties. Hader left the show in 2013 and our Saturday nights have never quite been the same. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are some honorable mentions: Private Miller “Pineapple Express” (2008) Brian Bretter “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (2006) Andy Warhol/Agent W “Men in Black 3” (2012) Rob Slolom “Tropic Thunder” (2008) Captain Seth Dozerman “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-)
Barry Berkman/Barry Block
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“Barry” (2018-)
