Stephen Kingis one of the most prolific authors of all time. His very first novel wasCarrie,published in 1974, adapted into a movie in 1976, and remade in 2013. Since the mid-’70s, King has written more than 60 novels, plus dozens of several short stories, novellas, and collected works. A lot of his material has been adapted into movies and tv shows over the years, some with great success and others not so much.
Although it seems like a daunting task to bring one of Stephen King’s characters to life on screen, some actors seem to always be up to the task. Several of them have appeared in multiple King adaptations, and some of those adaptations have helped to launch their careers. These are the actors who have done their best to embody King’s vision in movies and tv shows more than once.
10Andre Braugher
Most people knowAndre Braugheras the serious but hilarious Captain Holt in the Andy Samberg-led comedy tv showBrooklyn Nine-Nine. As Holt, Braugher is the ying to Samberg’s yang, always ready to give him a sharp comeback when his antics get too out of hand. Braugher’s career started long before that show though, and he’s appeared in a couple of King’s adaptations.
In 2004, Braugher appeared on the tv miniseriesSalem’s Lot.It’s based on one of King’s most well-known and beloved novels, first published in 1975. The show is about a nasty vampire who comes to a small town and causes chaos among the residents. Braugher plays teacher Matt Burke inSalem’s Lot. He was also featured in 2007’sThe Mist, playing an obnoxious neighbor named Brent Norton who enters the Mist but never returns.
9Thomas Jane
Speaking ofThe Mist, the movie’s main actor is a big fan of Stephen King’s roles.Thomas Janeis an American actor who’s mostly known for playing the title character inThe Punisher, which was released in 2004. He’s also appeared in TV shows like HBO’sHungand Syfy/Amazon Video’sThe Expanse.
InThe Mist, Jane plays David Drayton, a blue-collar painter who is trapped inside a grocery store when a mysterious mist blankets his town. Jane’s performance as Drayton helps make The Mist one of thebest disaster movies of the 2000s. He’s been in several other King adaptations as well, includingDreamcatcher,From a Buick 8, and1922.In Netflix’s1922, Jane plays disgraced farmer Wilfred James, a man who murders his wife but is haunted by rats that he believes contain her spirit.
8Kathy Bates
Kathy Batesis a legendary actor who’s been on everything fromThe OfficetoAmerican Horror Story. She’s appeared in multiple Stephen King movies and shows, beginning withMiseryin 1990. In the movie, Bates is Annie Wilkes, a crazed fan who kidnaps author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) and tortures him for killing off one of her favorite characters.
Although Bates won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama her performance as Annie,Miseryis not the only King production she’s appeared in. She later starred as the title character inDolores Claiborne in 1995 and had a cameo as a radio host in the lesser-known TV miniseriesThe Standin 1994.
RELATED:Kathy Bates' Best Performances, Ranked
7Harry Dean Stanton
Before he was Roman in the critically-acclaimed seriesBig Love,Harry Dean Stantonappeared in a couple of Stephen King adaptations. First, he was Detective Rudolph “Rudy” Junkins in the horror thrillerChristine.The film was directed by horror master John Carpenter and was released in 1983. Rudy is tasked with investigating a mysterious car nicknamed “Christine” that has a dark and twisted past.
Later, Stanton played an inmate named Toot-Toot in the 1999 filmThe Green Mile. The movie is about prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) who is tasked with guarding the block of the prison reserved for criminals on death row, nicknamed “The Green Mile”. Edgecomb is moved by the miracles performed by a gentle prisoner named John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan) and starts to doubt whether Coffey was capable of committing the crimes he’s accused of. It’s not one ofHarry Dean Stanton’s best performances, but it’s an absolutely fantastic movie.
6John Cusack
John Cusackis an actor with an incredible range. He’s been in romantic comedies likeSerendipity, action movies likeCon Air, and psychological horror movies likeIdentity. He’s instantly recognizable and evencollaborates with his sister Joan Cusackonce in a while. He’s been in a few Stephen King projects, and it all began with a great performance in the Rob Reiner filmStand by Me, which came out way back in 1986.
The movie is about a group of teenage boys who hear about a dead body in their small town. They decide to attempt to find it, constantly ribbing each other and having fun along the way. Things get serious near the end though when the friends encounter a group of older boys who had the same idea. Cusack has also starred in the movie adaptations of1408andCell, both underrated but edgy stories by Stephen King.
5Samantha Mathis
Samantha Mathismay not be a household name, but she’s definitely well-known to fans of Stephen King. Since getting her start in 1988, the veteran actor has appeared in over 50 movies and TV shows, includingBroken Arrowwith John Travolta,The Punisherwith Thomas Jane, andGrey’s Anatomywith Ellen Pompeo. She also served as the Vice President, Actors/Performers for SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actor’s Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Arts) from 2015 to 2019.
When it comes to Stephen King adaptations, Mathis is always game for a role. She played Susan Norton in the 2004 miniseriesSalem’s Lot.In 2013, she played psychiatrist Alice Calvert on the CBS showUnder the Dome, then played Karen Evans in an episode ofNightmares & Dreamscapes. More recently, Mathis has taken to the stage, appearing in off-Broadway plays.
4Ed Harris
Ed Harrisis insanely good at playing character actors, taking on everything from a NASA controller inApollo 13to a meek bed-and-breakfast caretaker inThe Lost Daughter. One of his most iconic roles was playing Christof, the God-like director in charge of the world’s most popular reality show inThe Truman Show.Harris always seems to know how to temper his gruff surface appearance with gentle and reassuring tones.
In 1982, Ed Harris appeared inCreepshow, directed by horror auteur George A. Romero. The film was actually written by Stephen King and was his first crack at screenwriting. Harris later appeared as a sheriff inNeedful Things, as well as a character named General Starkey in 1994’sThe Stand.
RELATED:Ed Harris' Best Performances, Ranked
3Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freemanis 85 years old and still acting in multiple movies every year. In 1994, he starred inThe Shawshank Redemption, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novelRita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. Freeman plays Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding, a prison inmate and friend of protagonist Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins). Andy is locked away for a crime he possibly didn’t commit, and Red’s friendship helps in to cope with rough prison life.
Freeman also starred in the 2003 movieDreamcatcher, based on King’s 2001 novel of the same name. In it, he plays Colonel Abraham Curtis, a military leader trying to contain and destroy an alien life force. Freeman’s latest film isThe Ritual Killer, where he stars alongsideYellowstoneactor Cole Hauser. Time will tell if it will eventually be added to thelist of Morgan Freeman’s best movies.
2Gary Sinise
Gary Siniseis an accomplished actor who is probably best known for his role as Lieutenant Dan Taylor inForrest Gump. The performance landed him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and although he didn’t win, he has won several other awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award, and more. Sinise re-united with Tom Hanks in 1999 forThe Green Mile, based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name.
BeforeThe Green Mile, Sinise played Stu Redman in the 1994 miniseriesThe Stand. The show is based on Stephen King’s epic book about a group of ragtag survivors who are struggling to outlast a deadly virus. Stu is a protagonist who must not only fight against the zombie-like invasion but also against a dark man named Randall Flag (Jamey Sheridan) who thrives on bringing chaos into the world.
1Matt Frewer
Matt Freweris an American-Canadian actor with a history of playing quirky characters. In the ’80s, he was Max Headroom, a boisterous science fiction character that appeared in several movies and tv shows. At the time, the character was considered futuristic and was even considered the first fictional AI-generated TV character. Since then, Frewer (or his voice) has appeared in over 125 TV shows, movies, and video games.
Frewer also holds the distinction of being the actor who’s appeared in the most Stephen King projects - 5 in total. He was also in the 1994 version ofThe Stand, as well asQuicksilver Highway,Riding the Bullet,Desperation, andBag of Bones. His most recent on-screen appearance was in the HBO showPerry Mason, where he had a small role playing a judge.
