Danny DeVito has always felt like an underrated actor who was simply labeled as the small-statured comedic relief. Though he often plays characters written with the intent to make audiences laugh, his acting ability is much more versatile than people assume.
DeVito's career has spanned decades, and he's managed to find him in movies, television shows, and even video games. Whether people remember him from Disney's Hercules or It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, there is a myriad of projects worth checking out for those looking to get their fill of DeVito performances.
8 Martini (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest)
Whether it's the age of the movie, or the age of Danny DeVito himself, many people forget he played the role of Martini in 1975's One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. A little-known fact about this product is that DeVito already had experience playing the character he was cast as in an off-Broadway version of the story.
Sure the movie has standout performances by famed actors Jack Nicholson and Christopher Lloyd, but a younger DeVito more than held his own in their company. Martini also showed DeVito's versatility as an actor as this character was much more shy and introverted than many of the personalities DeVito is known for portraying.
7 The Lorax (Dr. Seuss' The Lorax)
A role that many kids fell in love with, but likely didn't know was performed by Danny Devito, was the Lorax from the 2012 movie based on the book Dr. Seuss' The Lorax. It was produced by Illumination Entertainment, known these days for the Despicable Me and Minions series.
Whether it'd be considered typecasting or not, DeVito has always nailed the role of the curmudgeon old man who wants to be left alone, so it makes sense that he'd nail the role of an old forest guardian who doesn't want to be bothered by anyone, let alone children.
6 Vincent Benedict (Twins)
During the '80s it felt like movie studios were greenlighting anything with a Hollywood star attached, regardless of how zany the premise was. One such case was a movie called Twins about a pair of twins, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, respectively. Outside of their appearances being drastically different, so were the personalities of their characters.
Arnold naturally played the likable twin named Julies, while DeVito demonstrated his skills in pulling off the slimy unlikable hustler who was always trying to manipulate those around them. Many people believe this movie ended up working out thanks in large part to DeVito's larger-than-life personality matching the physical stature of his co-star on screen and making the whole thing gel.
5 Harry Wormwood (Matilda)
In 1996 TriStar Pictures released a movie called Matilda based on a Roald Dahl novel of the same name. Danny DeVito became interested in being part of a Roald Dahl adaptation, so much so that he both starred in the movie and directed it as well.
He ended up playing the sleazy and unlikable father of Matilda, a man by the name of Harry Wormwood. It's always impressive when someone can both direct and act in the same project, and DeVito did it with flying colors as Matilda remains one of the more beloved coming-of-age films from the '90s.
4 Swackhammer (Space Jam)
Danny DeVito's beloved role in Hercules wasn't the only animated film to feature a character using his voice in the '90s, as most people forget he had a key role in Michael Jordan's Space Jam. The movie was released in 1996 and was a basketball take on the live-action and animated hybrid genre, and it starred the Looney Tunes.
DeVito ended up voicing the main villain, a mob boss by the name of Swackhammer who ordered his alien underlings to capture the Looney Tunes for use in his failing amusement park called Moron Mountain. Though the character doesn't share a physical resemblance to DeVito, his personality and voice make it undeniably him.
3 Phil (Hercules)
Disney's Hercules is an animated film that featured a stellar soundtrack and did an expert job at adapting the mythological story in a way that entertained fans of all ages. Danny DeVito ended up voicing a character by the name of Phil, short for Philoctetes.
He was a satyr responsible for training those who wanted to become heroes and was pivotal in Hercules' overall journey in the movie. Phil won over fans thanks to DeVito's magnetic personality that shined through the animation and felt as though the actor was truly embodied in an animated form that directly translated through the screen.
2 The Penguin (Batman Returns)
The Batman series has seen its fair share of actors take on the role of villains from all corners of the superhero's vast rogues gallery. Some are done in a serious tone, while others are played up for their over-the-top comedic elements.
Sure, Danny DeVito's role as the Penguin in Batman Returns will never be critically-acclaimed like Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight, but when people remember their favorite Batman villains, DeVito's Penguin is always nostalgically cherished among fans.
1 Frank Reynolds (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia)
For decades it seemed that his performance as the Penguin in Batman Returns would sustain itself as Danny DeVito's most iconic and referenced role, but that all changed when he joined the cast of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia during the long-running comedy's second season.
DeVito plays Frank Reynolds, the father of the show's two twin siblings, and the best friend of the wild card bar janitor named Charlie. Frank is known for being a rich jerk who finds happiness in taking advantage of people and drinking. DeVito fit right into the cast and elevated a well-written comedy that struggled to find a larger audience in its initial season.