Villain

Ian McShane
Though he's got Tony Soprano to contend with, gritty Brit Ian McShane may be the toughest, most iconic badass to appear on TV -- ever. And his show (the brilliant Western "Deadwood") only lasted three seasons. But it took only one episode to recognize McShane's ... morefoul-mouthed, gorgeously eloquent saloon owner Al Swearengen as something extra special. A charmingly wicked force of nature, the rugged, harshly handsome 66-year-old has been around, working the stage (he appeared in the original stage production of Joe Orton's "Loot," and recently handled Harold Pinter with ease), screen (earlier in his career with Richard Burton, in a tough movie appropriately titled "Villain," and as a wizened prisoner in "Death Race"), and, as we all know, TV (and if you haven't seen "Deadwood" then you're a sorry you-know-what). Though he's busy on the small screen ("Kings") and will appear in a few upcoming pictures ("Case 39," "44 Inch Chest," and as a voice in "Coraline"), we want to see more leading roles for this blue-eyed bad boy on the big screen. "Deadwood" the movie? One can dream. (Sara De Boer/Retna)