Actor Michael C. Hall is best known for his role as the eponymous serial killer in Dexter. It is for good reason that it is his most noteworthy role — the show lasted eight seasons and almost 100 episodes. He has had two central roles in prestige television shows, Six Feet Under as well as Dexter. He was nominated for and won quite a few awards for during his tenure on both shows. If that is not enough to convince you of his bona-fides, Hall has also had a handful of laudable performances as a character actor in film as well as the stage. Indeed, he is an undeniable talent. It is highly likely that Hall’s greatest role is not behind him, but in fact, it may be ahead. Until then, here are his five best roles to date.
Dexter (2006 to 2013)
In Dexter, Hall plays Dexter Morgan, who is a meticulous serial murderer. The one is stipulation that he imposes on himself is that he only murders people who are guilty, but have slipped through the criminal justice system for one reason or another. His hobby often intersects with his occupation, as he works for the Miami Police Department as a forensic technician. It is a great show for anyone who is a fan of anti-heroes and has a stomach for gory violence.
Six Feet Under (2001 to 2005)
Six Feet Under is certainly mentioned less frequently in discussion of the best television dramas than series like Breaking Bad and The Wire — but it deserves more mention. The show detailed the lives of a family that runs a funeral home. Hall plays David Fisher, the middle child of the family’s matriarch Ruth (Frances Conroy). Among his personal struggles are coming to terms with the fact that he is gay, and his relationship with his boyfriend Keith Charles (Mathew St. Partick). The show frequently examines what it is like to be someone so often reminded of your own mortality. It’s an incredibly well-written show with a great performance from Hall in particular.
Game Night (2018)
Game Night is one of the best-directed mass-market comedies of recent memory. In the film, a particularly competitive couple named Max and Annie (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams) are invited to a murder mystery party by Max’s brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler). However, things go awry when the game intersects with the dealings of actual disreputable characters and the line between fun and reality becomes blurred. It is a really sturdy ensemble comedy with Hall as one of the seediest characters, known only as “The Bulgarian.”
Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017)
The story of Mark Felt is no doubt an interesting one. Felt was the anonymous source Deep Throat who helped Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the Watergate scandal. The film details how Felt (played by Liam Neeson) reached the point of turning to the fourth estate to bring light to the corruption of the Nixon Administration. Hall plays John Dean, one of the men behind the Watergate cover-up who is trying desperately to keep a lid on the situation. It is a good film on its own, but it pairs even better with the 1976 Alan J. Pakula film All the President’s Men.
Christine (2016)
Christine portrays the tragic real-life of Christine Chubbuck. Played by Rebecca Hall (no relation), Christine was a news broadcaster in Sarasota, Florida in the 1970s. The combined factors of her depression and the dark nature of the subject matter she was expected to research for her job resulted in her committing suicide on air. Hall plays George Peter Ryan, a coworker of Christine’s who she is romantically interested in. Though sometimes overshadowed by Kate Plays Christine, a documentary released the same year that also meditates on Christine Chubbuck’s life and legacy, Christine is nonetheless an affecting film.
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