Top 10 Best Jesse Plemons Movies & TV Shows

The role of Todd Alquist changed his career. What starts as a quiet, polite helper on the meth crew grows into one of the creepiest figures in the series. Plemons plays him with chilling normalcy, a smile that never feels sincere. His calm presence makes every scene unpredictable. In a show full of iconic characters, Todd might just be the scariest of them all.

Jane Campion's quiet western earned Plemons his first Oscar nomination. He plays George Burbank, the gentle brother of Benedict Cumberbatch's poisonous Phil. His performance is restrained, full of tenderness and discomfort. He doesn't need to say much to make the contrast between the brothers palpable. In a film full of underlying tension, he's the quiet moral center.

As the bumbling but loyal butcher Ed Blumquist, Plemons turns an ordinary guy into a tragic figure. Together with Kirsten Dunst (his real-life wife), he forms one of the strongest duos in TV history. The blend of absurdism and human drama works perfectly. His Ed is naive, but never stupid, which makes his fate all the more painful.

Charlie Kaufman's existential nightmare isn't for everyone, but Plemons's performance is mesmerizing. As Jake, a man increasingly disintegrating within his own memories, he holds the film together. He shifts between charming and unsettling, often within a single sentence. It's a film full of symbolism and chaos, but he makes it emotionally believable. A role that proves how far he's willing to go.

In Martin Scorsese's epic crime drama, Plemons doesn't appear until late, but his entrance changes everything. As FBI agent Tom White, he brings order, calm, and moral clarity to a world of greed and murder. His restrained demeanor contrasts beautifully with Leonardo DiCaprio's erratic Ernest.

A comedy where he completely steals the show. Plemons plays the socially awkward neighbor Gary, a police officer obsessed with his neighbors and their game nights. His bone-dry way of talking makes every scene both uncomfortable and hilarious. Rarely has awkwardness been so precisely timed. A masterful supporting role that proves his talent works for comedy too.

In this Black Mirror episode, he plays introverted programmer Robert Daly, who turns into a tyrant within a digital world. Plemons plays both sides, victim and perpetrator, with chilling ease. It's science fiction with a psychological core. He turns Daly into more than a caricature: a study in power, loneliness, and self-deception. One of the strongest episodes of the series.

As FBI agent Roy Mitchell, Plemons balances between duty and guilt. He plays a man who believes he's doing the right thing while destroying a movement from within. His understated approach heightens the discomfort. Not a villain in the classic sense, but someone morally crumbling, exactly where he excels.

Sometimes it's allowed to just be fun. As the over-the-top German Prince Joachim, Plemons fully commits to campy villainy. He does it with such conviction that he steals the show amid all the CGI and action. The film itself is light and formulaic, but his eccentric performance makes it a blast. A rare example of an actor who seems to be having the most fun of all.

His role as Chuckie O'Brien is small but telling. In Scorsese's sprawling gangster drama, he plays the son figure to Jimmy Hoffa, loyal all the way to the downfall. Plemons does little, but every glance speaks volumes. He knows exactly how to add weight to a scene with a few seconds of silence, the art of restraint. Jesse Plemons is the rare actor who never feels out of place, in any genre. He can be scary, funny, charming, or broken, often all at once. His strength lies in control: no showboating, no grand gestures, just pure believability.

As one of the journalists traversing a divided America during a new civil war, Plemons plays a brief but unforgettable role in this dystopian thriller from Alex Garland.

In this triptych from Yorgos Lanthimos, Plemons plays three completely different characters, a role that earned him the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.