Top 20 Most Parodied Movie Characters

“The Shining” (1980)
Jack Nicholson has to be one of the most parodied celebrities of all time, with his voice being a go-to among impressionists. And, amid all his iconic characters, Jack Torrance is arguably the most mimicked. “The Shining” has been spoofed too many times to count in both movies and TV shows, with many referencing the famous “Here’s Johnny” sequence. This scene alone is parodied in “The Simpsons,” “Seed of Chucky,” and “Finding Nemo,” just to name a few. Other spoofs come at the hands of Jack’s generally unhinged demeanor, like Tim getting chased by his ax-wielding father in Simon Pegg’s “Spaced.”

“The Sixth Sense” (1999)
“I see dead people.” And we see lots of room for parody. It’s one of the most iconic lines in movie history, even placing at #44 on “AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes” list. Like all iconic lines, it’s ripe for spoofing. Pick any single comedy that was released in the early 2000s, and there’s actually a very fair change it will reference the quote. Shorty sees dead people in “Scary Movie.” So does Butters in “South Park.” There’s a lot of room to play with this line too, what with all the different kinds of people one might see. It’s amazing how four little words can cause so many cultural shockwaves.

“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
Douglas Rain gives one of the all time great vocal performances in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” playing the Discovery’s AI HAL. HAL goes rogue and kills many people, resulting in some of the most famous lines in movie history. The idea of a sentient AI is common, but what makes HAL so effective is, of course, how calm his voice always is. Even in times of great stress and evil, HAL’s voice remains eerily calm. It’s here where most parodies find inspiration. “Mork & Mindy” dedicates an entire episode to spoofing HAL, as does “Dexter’s Laboratory.” “The Simpsons” does too, for that matter! You know, chances are that if a storyline involves a malicious piece of AI, it will almost certainly be a parody of the Discovery’s resident baddie.

“Risky Business” (1983)
We can all thank “Risky Business” for giving us one of the biggest movie stars in history. Joel Goodsen is widely considered to be Tom Cruise’s breakout role, and one scene in particular turned him into an instant icon. We’re talking, of course, about the famous dance scene, in which Cruise slides into frame lip-synching “Old Time Rock and Roll.” While it’s a historic piece of ‘80s culture, the resulting parodies have transcended the decades. The spoofs were almost instantaneous, like ALF doing the dance in the third episode of his show. Years later, Sonic would recreate the dance in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” Cruise even got in on the action at the MTV Movie Awards, playing Les Grossman yelling at his younger self.

“Star Trek” franchise (1966-)
William Shatner’s Captain Kirk is another oft-parodied character owing largely to his unique voice. He has a very distinct way of speaking, with long - pauses - in between - words, and his cadence has been playfully mocked far and wide. “Family Guy” takes a particularly funny potshot in the episode “I Never Met the Dead Man,” with Kirk moving erratically as he speaks. Most parodies are of a similar nature. Jim Carrey did a great Captain Kirk on “In Living Color,” as did Carol Burnett on “The Carol Burnett Show.” Kirk is also a recurring character on “Saturday Night Live,” having once been played by the late John Belushi.

“Forrest Gump” (1994)
Tom Hanks knows how to craft a compelling character, and Forrest Gump is one of his finest creations. With his deep Southern voice and distinctive way of speaking, the character is basically tailor-made for parody. And boy, does it show. While imitations are certainly to be expected in “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy,” even Bill Nye has gotten in on the fun! He spoofed the famous “box of chocolates” line to teach kids about motion and inertia. Weird Al Yankovic even made a whole song referencing the character, singing “Gump” in the style of the song “Lump.”

“The Lord of the Rings” trilogy (2001-03)
It’s very easy to masquerade as Gollum; speak in a raspy voice, say “My precious” a bunch, and maybe walk on all fours if you’re feeling adventurous. The simple two-word line “my precious” is one of the most widely parodied in all of pop culture, showing up in the likes of “The Big Bang Theory,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” and “One Tree Hill.” The latter even sees Chad Michael Murray doing a particularly excellent impression, which is quite fun to watch. Andy Serkis himself has also parodied his famous creation, appearing in a Brexit lampoon playing Gollum Theresa May and reading Donald Trump tweets on “Stephen Colbert.”

“The Dark Knight” (2008)
Batman is often the source of parody, as are many other superheroes. But there’s a certain kind of magic to a great Joker impression. There have been many Jokers throughout the years, but Heath Ledger’s Oscar-winning turn is especially iconic – and, unsurprisingly, the one that’s easiest to imitate. This is largely owing, once again, to his distinctive voice, with Ledger’s Joker speaking in a rather nasally tone with lots of lip smacking. One sure way to go viral in 2008 was to ensure you could do a bang-up impression of either villain or hero, as seen in the famous “Monkey and Apple” YouTube skit. Then, there were also the mainstream guys who parodied the character, like “Family Guy” and “Total Drama”.

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)
Being one of the biggest phenomena in the history of pop culture is sure to invite a parody or two. “The Wizard of Oz” appears everywhere, and there have been hundreds of spoofs and references in media to date. Virtually every character has been lampooned to some degree, with imitators taking a particular interest in Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West. Lines like “I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore” and “I'll get you, my pretty!” have been extensively sent up. Parodies appear in the likes of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “Freddy’s Dead,” with none other than Freddy Krueger imitating the Wicked Witch. Even if you haven’t seen the film, chances are you know all the famous bits through sheer pop culture osmosis.

“The Matrix” (1999)
The sunglasses. The black trench coat. And of course, the cinematic dodging of bullets. They’re all instantly recognizable traits of Neo, and they helped shape him into a seminal action star. You couldn’t watch a movie or show in the early 2000s without running into a Neo parody. Much like the quote “I see dead people,” this character was everywhere. The slow mo bullet-dodging was especially popular, with parodies appearing in “Scary Movie,” “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo,” and “Dodgeball,” to name just three of dozens. Neo’s sphere of influence even reached the gaming industry, with “Conker’s Bad Fur Day” featuring a prolonged “Matrix” spoof. And of course, who could forget Keanu Reeves himself referencing the famous “guns, lots of guns” line in “John Wick 3.”

“Taxi Driver” (1976)
Travis Bickle is the unhinged protagonist of “Taxi Driver,” and his legacy has remained sturdy since the movie's release in 1976. Perhaps its most famous scene is when Travis talks to himself in a mirror, a sequence that has been parodied in countless media throughout the years. The famous “You talkin' to me?” line is referenced in literally hundreds of movies and TV shows, from “The Office” all the way to “WrestleMania” promotions. Travis's signature mohawk has also been parodied, although it isn't nearly as common. Some people may not know who Travis Bickle is, but they certainly recognize his likeness and lines.

“Psycho” (1960)
“Psycho” contains one of the most famous sequences in cinematic history, so of course it's been parodied to death. For the, like, three of you who might not know, Norman murders Bates Motel guest Marion in the shower, and it comes complete with lots of violin screeches. While you could argue it's the scene itself that is parodied and not the character of Norman, he and his jerky arm movements are still an integral part of the scene. However, other aspects of his character are parodied as well, such as his spying on Marion through a peephole and his physical appearance as Mother.

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
Hannibal Lecter is another horror icon that has been endlessly parodied throughout the years. Perhaps most parodied are his stilted mannerisms and style of speech, especially the way he talks about eating human liver. Others parody the statuesque manner in which he stands in his glass cell and the famous moment that sees him adorned with a protective face mask. Even a simple line like “Good evening, Clarice” is enough to generate endless references and parodies, even though the actual line is often misquoted. Such is the acting prowess of Anthony Hopkins, we suppose.

“Dirty Harry” franchise (1971-88)
Harry Callahan is the famous SFPD Homicide inspector portrayed by Clint Eastwood in “Dirty Harry.” And while his loose cannon personality trait and unorthodox policing style have been endlessly copied, there's one specific scene in the franchise that has been parodied to death – the famous “Do I feel lucky?” speech. It's another famous line that is often misquoted, usually said as “Do YOU feel lucky” rather than “I.” Regardless, this moment has been copied in the likes of “Borat,” “Scary Movie 2,” and “Bruce Almighty.” Even if you've never seen “Dirty Harry,” you could probably replicate it pretty accurately, as that's how firmly ingrained into the zeitgeist it is.

“Scarface” (1983)
Tony Montana is kind of a parody himself, but he's just so ridiculous and over-the-top that subsequent filmmakers couldn't help but make fun of him. Al Pacino's Cuban accent is obviously a major point of contention, and it has been ceaselessly parodied by comedians throughout the years. But perhaps the most famous quote of the movie is “Say hello to my little friend,” which is yelled right before Montana blasts away some goons with a grenade launcher. This specific line has been parodied from comedies like “Ace Ventura” and “Epic Movie” to family flicks like “Shark Tale.” The imitations are truly boundless.

“Terminator” franchise (1984-)
Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the most imitated celebrities in existence, but despite his dozens of starring roles, it always comes back to The Terminator. Whether it's the first “Terminator” or its beloved sequel, Schwarzenegger's T-800 has been spoofed numerous times. Various aspects of his character are played upon, including his robot vision, his voice, and his expressions, such as “I'll be back” and “Hasta la vista, baby.” Those specific quotes have appeared in a wide variety of multimedia formats, including “Futurama,” “The Golden Girls,” and “Seinfeld.” Hell, even Schwarzenegger himself has referenced his quotes in some of his other movies. Now that's just next level spoofing.

“James Bond” franchise (1962-)
“Bond… James Bond.” Now how many times have you heard that? This is easily one of the most oft-repeated lines in movie history, but when it's being referenced or made fun of in other films, then characters swap out “Bond” with their own names. Ferris Bueller does just this while talking to Cameron as he walks into the kitchen looking suave and sophisticated. The James Bond character and franchise formula are also the subject of numerous movie and TV spy spoofs, including the “Austin Powers” series, “Get Smart,” “Archer,” and “Johnny English.” James Bond wasn't the first spy in fiction, but he's certainly the most popular and parodied.

“Rocky” franchise (1976-)
Many of the characters on this list have been larger-than-life, highly fictitious characters that lend themselves perfectly to parody. Not so with Rocky Balboa. And yet despite his everyman personality and characterization, nearly every aspect of his character has been parodied. Many comedians have done Sylvester Stallone imitations, with Rocky often being the go-to character. The series' famous training montages have also been the subjects of parody, as is the scene where Rocky downs some raw eggs as well as when he punches a slab of meat in a freezer. Perhaps it's his very everyman nature that makes him so relatable and spoofable - that and his instantly recognizable voice.

“The Godfather” franchise (1972-90)
Talk about instantly recognizable voices. Marlon Brando's performance of Vito Corleone is arguably one of the finest performances in film history, as the actor completely transformed himself to become the character. This includes putting on that recognizably soft and accented voice that is so often parodied in film and TV. His likeness and voice have been spoofed in hundreds of pieces of pop culture, all the way from “Family Guy” (of course) to “Zootopia,” a movie meant for children who have most certainly not seen “The Godfather.” Yep, kids are still being subjected to “Godfather” spoofs nearly 50 years later. That's how you spot a timeless character.

“Star Wars” franchise (1977-)
Many “Star Wars” characters have become iconic, and while Yoda's speech pattern is endlessly spoofable, we must give the top spot to Darth Vader. Darth Vader references have appeared in hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces of entertainment, which have spoofed everything from his outfit, to his deep voice and breathing, to his famous line, “No, I am your father.” The latter has been humorously and erroneously imitated so many times that many people believe the line to be “Luke, I am your father,” which is yet another instance of legacy and spoof overshadowing the real thing. Not only is he arguably cinema's most iconic villain, but he's also easily one of the most parodied movie characters of all time.