Gary Oldman: Five Oscar worthy performances by the ever-green actor

Meet a man who was at the top of the game three decades ago and still is even after 60 movies - the evergreen Gary Oldman. He is easily one of the most versatile actors in the industry and is known to be a chameleon who can adapt to any role. He is much more than a regular look-at-me performer and despite playing some campy bad guy roles, Gary can effortlessly disappear into any role without getting repetitive. But, guess what! He has only been nominated for two Oscars in a career spanning over three decades. The first one was just five years ago for his role in 2012's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. That was the first time the Academy thought the venerable actor is fit to be invited to their big party, which is nuts. But the word inevitable rung out as soon as Gary Oldman was holding his first Oscar last year for his performance as Winston Churchill in the movie, Darkest Hours.

Gary Oldman receiving an Oscar was one of the most awaited moment in the history of Academy awards! While you can watch his Oscar-winning performance in Darkest Hour for the first time on Indian television on March 17 at 1 pm only on Sony PIX, here are 5 iconic roles played by Gary Oldman that prove that an Oscar was long pending for this versatile actor.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Oldman earned an Oscar nomination for his deep-frozen, elegantly minimal performance as Cold War spymaster George Smiley in Thomas Alfredson's stylishly bleak John le Carre adaptation. Oldman painstakingly chose the correct spectacles for Smiley, purposely gained weight and borrowed some subtle mannerisms from Alec Guinness, who first played the character on television in 1979.

Darkest Hour (2017)

Gary Oldman's portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour has scored huge acclaim among the fans and critics. The film chronicles Churchill's leadership qualities and the dire World War II circumstances that instigated it. Despite wearing layers of make-up, Gary Oldman gracefully gets under the skin of the famous political figure. Through this role, he sways both sides of his acting spectrum, offering flamboyant speeches as well as nuanced mannerisms. This role helped him win his first Best Actor award at Oscar. Witness this path breaking performance on 17th March at 1 PM only on Sony PIX.

Sid and Nancy (1986)

Cult movie lovers claim this to be the first great performance of Gary Oldman's film career. He plays the hard-living Sid Vicious of the seminal punk band Sex Pistols. He made Vicious's self-destructive habits and brilliantly crass banter with girlfriend Nancy Spungen, played by Chloe Webb, a dark joy to watch. Oldman starved himself to the point of collapse and even wore a necklace that once belonged to the tragic junkie rocker. It is one of Oldman's most raw, committed, high-voltage performances.

Leon: The Professional (1994)

Oldman began a fruitful working partnership with French director Luc Besson on this revenge thriller. Pushing Besson's overblown comic-book aesthetic to the limit, Oldman shamelessly chomps through the scenery in his role as sharp-suited, drug-addicted, murderously corrupt DEA agent Norman Stansfield. Although French actor Jean Reno and young Natalie Portman play the central roles, it is Oldman's Stansfield who steals every scene he is in. A guilty pleasure.

True Romance (1993)

Based on an early Tarantino screenplay, director Tony Scott's deluxe pulp-noir thriller features a broad ensemble cast of major stars, many in extended cameos. Oldman accepted the role of Drexl Spivey as soon as Scott explained the character is a white pimp who thinks he is black. He still cites this bizarre, audacious, dreadlocked performance as a personal favorite.

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