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Most Realistic Psychopath Acting Performance

If we want to define realistic portrayals of psychopathy, we need to understand what real psychopathy is like, and it's actually hugely different from how it's portrayed in TV and film.
That's a fair point actually. I guess the choice in my OP is selected for reasons along those lines. I've seen real people who act like Annie Wilkes, but maybe it's not the most realistic. After reading your comment I was reminded of a movie with Michael Rooker, called Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. He's onto something with that one, imho
 
Just finished watching Nightcrawler. Jake Gyllenhaal is terrifying because he never shows any real emotion.
 
I'd add in Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs). He was very creepy and very scary in that role.
 
Factor 1

Facet 1: Interpersonal

Facet 2: Affective

  • Lack of remorse or guilt
  • Emotionally shallow
  • Callous/lack of empathy
  • Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

Factor 2

Facet 3: Lifestyle


  • Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
  • Parasitic lifestyle
  • Lack of realistic, long-term goals
  • Impulsivity
  • Irresponsibility
Facet 4: Antisocial

  • Poor behavioral controls
  • Early behavioral problems
  • Juvenile delinquency
  • Revocation of conditional release
  • Criminal versatility

    Other items

  • Many short-term marital relationships
  • Promiscuous sexual behavior
So... Mitt Romney.
 
Factor 1

Facet 1: Interpersonal

Facet 2: Affective

  • Lack of remorse or guilt
  • Emotionally shallow
  • Callous/lack of empathy
  • Failure to accept responsibility for own actions

Factor 2

Facet 3: Lifestyle


  • Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
  • Parasitic lifestyle
  • Lack of realistic, long-term goals
  • Impulsivity
  • Irresponsibility
Facet 4: Antisocial

  • Poor behavioral controls
  • Early behavioral problems
  • Juvenile delinquency
  • Revocation of conditional release
  • Criminal versatility

    Other items

  • Many short-term marital relationships
  • Promiscuous sexual behavior
So... Mitt Romney.

Basically any major politician.
 
I'd add in Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter (The Silence of the Lambs). He was very creepy and very scary in that role.

But the topic isn't about creepy performances, it's about realistic ones. My point above is that most screen portrayals of "psychopaths" as charismatically scary villains or monsters are far removed from what psychopathic behavior is actually like in life. So a realistic portrayal of a psychopath would be rather different from a typical "Hollywood" psychopath like Lecter.
 
I think Walter White probably represents one of the most realistic performances of a psychopath in recent memory. Although...

...by the end, he realized how fucked up he was and how much he ruined everything for himself and his family, which is probably not that realistic for a true psychopath, who is generally incurable.

I feel like that beat was put there more to rehabilitate his character for the purpose of a satisfying ending, rather than because it would be realistic (since most people who go down a path like that don't really have that moment of illumination at the end, and repent just before death.)
 
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