The Boysis one of Amazon Prime’s biggest hits, and it’s easy to see why so many viewers connect with the explosive action-adventure TV show. The series premiered during the height of popularity for superhero movies and TV series and takes a darker and more satirical spin on this genre, making the heroic figures of these narratives much more flawed. Whether the actors inThe Boysare playing struggling heroes or brutal antagonists,each character makes its mark and brings an unforgettable dynamic toThe Boys,making the series what it is today.
While waiting forThe Boysseason 5,it’s fun to look back on some of the biggest projects that the cast has been a part of,and there are many exciting movies and TV shows that fit the bill. The kinds of film and television thatThe Boys' actors are featured in vary widely by genre and format, demonstrating their versatility. While it’s easy to look at some of the actors and only see their characters inThe Boys, it’s important to remember that these people have had a past in movies and TV as well as a bright future.
Gossip Girl
Cast
Set among Manhattan’s elite, this drama series follows wealthy teenagers whose scandalous lives are exposed by an anonymous blogger. The show delves into themes of betrayal, ambition, and the complexities of high-society friendships, as the characters navigate interpersonal conflicts and personal aspirations.
The famously melodramatic and scandalous TV seriesGossip Girlis one of thebest teen romance TV shows ever made, and Chace Crawford’s character is quite the heartthrob. Before he was the odious Deep inThe Boys, Crawford was playing the golden boy Nate Archibald. From the first moment that Nate steps onscreen, it’s clear that while he might not be the most scheming character on the show. However, he’s always memorable and capable of stirring up drama.
As far as teen dramas go, there are few as iconic and well-remembered asGossip Girl.
ThoughGossip Girlwas never considered prestige television and catered primarily to teen audiences, the show was remarkably self-aware, and it was clear that the writers and actors were having a lot of fun with the production. Many of Crawford’s costars, like Blake Lively and Penn Badgley, went on to continue their careers in film and TV with significant success, like Crawford. As far as teen dramas go, there are few as iconic and well-remembered asGossip Girl.
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Banshee
Banshee is an action television series that aired in 2013 and centers around Anthony Starr as an ex-con who takes on the identity of a murdered sheriff Lucas Hood to hide away from pursuers. Set in Banshee, Lucas assumes the stolen identity while falling back into his old criminal ways, struggling to balance the two properly.
Before he terrorized the characters and audience ofThe Boysas Homelander, Anthony Starr was playing the complex antihero, Lucas Hood, inBanshee. Hood might be the sheriff of a small town, but the man Starr plays is not who he says he is. The man adopts the identity of Hood after being released from prison. ThroughoutBanshee,Hood is hardly as evil and unforgivable as Homelander.However, Starr makes sure to include the best and worst parts of Hood so the audience is well aware of who they’re dealing with.
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Bansheehas recently found new success on streaming servicesafter ending in 2016 with season 4. Starr is the central figure throughout all ofBanshee, and much of the story relies solely on his ability to give a strong performance. Fortunately, Starr is just as iconic as Hood as he is playing Homelander. It might be difficult to separate Starr from Homelander when first tuning intoBanshee, but these associations quickly fade as the story progresses.
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Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones is a Netflix-based Superhero television show based in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series was created by Melissa Rosenberg and stars Krysten Ritter, Rachael Taylor, and Mike Colter. It follows the life of Jessica Jones as she is forced to give up being a superhero and instead decides to use her powers to aid in being a private investigator.
The Boyswasn’t the first genre-bending superhero series that Erin Moriarty was a part of, as her performance in the dark Marvel seriesJessica Jonesis unforgettable. Moriarty plays the young Hope Shlottman, the complete opposite of Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, who struggles to balance her compassion with her dark past.As Hope, Moriarty helps to bring out the best in Jessica,who feels a connection with Hope and realizes that it’s her duty to help the innocent.
ThoughThe Boysis much more explicitly violent thanJessica Jones, both share a dark tone and play with the tropes of the superhero genre.
Though she’s only featured in season 1, Hope is an important figure. Her death haunts Jessica for the remainder of the series. Like Starlight inThe Boys, Hope is forced to do things she doesn’t want to do and used by others. However, she slowly rises up and fights back against those who would try to oppress her. ThoughThe Boysis much more explicitly violent thanJessica Jones, both share a dark tone and play with the tropes of the superhero genre.
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Supernatural
Supernatural is a television series that follows brothers Sam and Dean Winchester, who were raised by their father to hunt and combat supernatural entities after losing their mother to a demonic force. Traversing the American landscape in their ‘67 Chevy Impala, they face numerous paranormal threats.
It’s unsurprising thatthe creator ofThe Boys, Eric Kripke, would draw from the cast of his other hit series,Supernaturalwhen casting his satirical superhero show. Though Dean Winchester is a far cry from Soldier Boy, Jensen Ackles plays them both believably and fully commits to these complex parts. InSupernatural, Dean is one of the protagonists and heroes of the story, selflessly sacrificing himself for the sake of the world and the people he loves many times over.
Ackles being featured in the cast isn’t the only thing thatThe BoysandSupernaturalhave in common, as the action and adventure of both shows are what connect them the most.
Ackles being featured in the cast isn’t the only thing thatThe BoysandSupernaturalhave in common, as the action and adventure of both shows are what connect them the most. ThoughThe Boysis entrenched in superhero lore instead of folklore, both sets of main characters come up against insurmountable odds. Fans are still hoping for it, butSupernaturalseason 16probably won’t happen anytime soon. However, if it does, it will be interesting to see Ackles return to his roots as Dean after playing Soldier Boy.
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The Boy and the Heron
Billed as the final work of famed animator Hayao Miyazaki, The Boy and the Heron is a drama-fantasy film that follows a young boy named Mahito who contends with grief following the passing of his mother during World War II. Forced to evacuate to the countryside amid the war, Mahito struggles to fit into his new environment and contend with his new stepmother. However, Mahito’s life is changed after meeting a strange talking Heron - setting him on a journey of self-discovery filled with magic.
Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent fantastical animated feature,The Boy and the Heron, is yet another example of why Miyazaki is considered one of the greatest living filmmakers.As always, his films can be watched with subtitles or dubbed with an English voice cast. Each iteration of the film brings something different to the table, and the English cast was especially skillful in bringingThe Boy and the Heronto life.The Boys’ Karen Fukuhara plays Himi, a character revealed to be the younger iteration of the protagonist’s mother.
ThoughThe Boy and the Heronhas little in common withThe Boys,it’s somewhat ironic that Fukuhara’s voice is what’s featured in the movie, as her character inThe Boys, Kimiko, doesn’t speak. She brings youth, joy, and adventure to her character inThe Boy and the Heron, leading her son, Mahito, into another world filled with danger and magic. Both an escapist fantasy and a sobering portrait of grief,The Boy and the Heronis an excellent addition to Miyazaki’s filmography.
The Boy and the Heron (2023)
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Plus One
Plus One is a 2019 romantic comedy directed by Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer. The film follows Alice (Maya Erskine) and Ben (Jack Quaid), two friends who agree to be each other’s dates for a series of weddings they must attend during the summer. As they navigate their encounters with romance and commitment, their arrangement leads to unexpected developments.
Jack Quaid’s touching indie rom-comPlus Onesubverts expectations but has no shortage of chemistry as Quaid and costar Maya Erskine push the boundaries of their friendship. ThoughPlus Onehas a familiar premise, this contemporary rom-com is elevated by the actors' chemistry and the plot twist that makes the story more compelling and unexpected. To subvert other rom-coms,Plus Onegrapples with the high expectation of finding the perfect partnerand how this can actually hinder a relationship.
Quaid’s character, Ben, wants to be certain that if he fully embraces a romantic relationship, it will work out, but he has to learn there are no guarantees.
Quaid’s character, Ben, wants to be certain that if he fully embraces a romantic relationship, it will work out, but he has to learn there are no guarantees. It’s interesting to see Quaid in a more traditional leading man role, and he’s surprisingly romantic inPlus One. His tortured character inThe Boys, Hughie, doesn’t always have time to be the best boyfriend. However, theCompanionmovie trailerhas audiences excited about Quaid’s upcoming project, which will show a darker side of the actor that he struggles with inThe Boys.
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I’m Thinking of Ending Things
I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a Netflix original movie that was released in September 2020. The story centers on a young woman who decides to visit her boyfriend’s parents' mysterious farm. But after arriving, she realizes he’s not the man she thought he was. I’m Thinking of Ending Things stars Jesse Plemmons and Jessie Buckley and is directed by Charlie Kaufman.
Like all of Charlie Kaufman’s films,I’m Thinking of Ending Thingsplays with perception and surrealist themes while telling a story that seems mundane on the surface. Jessie Buckley and Jessie Plemons star as the Young Woman and Jake, the pair in a relationship that the Young Woman is having doubts about. Though it can be difficult to follow and tells a challenging story,I’m Thinking of Ending Thingsincludes gorgeous visuals and fantastic performancesfrom the main and supporting cast.
The best way to experienceI’m Thinking of Ending Thingsis to go along for the rideand not be overly concerned with meaning or structure. Letting the movie flow and take you on its journey reveals more about the story and themes than attempting to dissect it. Colby Minifie plays Yvonne, a smaller role in the film, but she tackles Kaufman’s unique style with ease. Though her performance inThe Boysis more straightforward, Minifie is just as captivating in both projects.
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Avatar
Avatar is a 2009 science fiction film directed by James Cameron. Set in the 22nd century, it follows a paraplegic Marine sent to the moon Pandora on a mission. He becomes conflicted between his orders and defending the indigenous Na’vi civilization.
Laz Alonso plays Tsu’tey te Rongloa Ateyitan, one of Jake Sully’s (Sam Worthington) biggest rivals, when he infiltrates the Na’vi in James Cameron’sAvatar. Nowone of the biggest blockbuster franchises of the past few decades,Avatarwas an unexpected addition to the sci-fi and action genres when it came out in 2009, but the gorgeous visuals and sweeping narrative quickly captured audiences' hearts. Though Alonso and the other actors who portray the Na’vi are obscured by the visual effects, his acting still comes through.
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Alonso’s character inThe Boys, M.M., is something of a father figure to the many people who rely on him, which is a sharp contrast from the brave but slightly arrogant traits of Tsu’tey.The recent sequel,Avatar: The Way of Water, has expanded Cameron’s universeand shown new sides of the characters introduced in the 2009 film. Though Tsu’tey won’t be returning in any of the sequels, as he passes on inAvatar, there are plenty of recurring characters who make theAvatarmovies an exciting adventure.
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Mysterious Skin
Mysterious Skin explores the intersecting lives of a teenage hustler and a young man fixated on alien abductions, connected by a shared traumatic event from their past. Released in 2005, the film delves into themes of memory, identity, and the search for truth.
Gregg Araki’s beautiful and heartbreaking coming-of-age dramaMysterious Skinonly features Elisabeth Shue in a supporting role, but every character works together to bring the world ofMysterious Skinto life. Featuring one of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best performances and the work of a young Brady Corbet, who would go on to directThe Brutalist,Mysterious Skintackles intense, graphic, and deeply upsetting subject matter. However, Araki still manages to find beauty in devastating circumstances.
ThoughMysterious Skinis by no means easy to watch, it’s considered one of Araki’s essential films and has been praised for how sensitively and accurately it grapples with abuse.
Shue plays Gordon-Levitt’s mother, and her work inMysterious Skinis quite different from the 1980s blockbusters she was a part of. However, Shue proves here and inThe Boysthat she’s a versatile and serious actress who can handle emotionally raw moments onscreen. ThoughMysterious Skinis by no means easy to watch, it’s considered one of Araki’s essential films and has been praised for how sensitively and accurately it grapples with abuse.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King concludes the epic saga of the Fellowship’s quest to destroy the One Ring and put an end to Sauron’s reign of terror. As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom, accompanied by Gollom, the rest of the Fellowship work to defend Minas Tirith from Sauron’s forces. The film’s ensemble cast includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.
The crass and violent Billy the Butcher is nothing like the graceful and heroic Éomer, Karl Urban’s character inThe Lord of the Rings. However,Urban’s ability to perform complex fight choreography and seamlessly belong to a fantasy worldare two traits that served him in bothThe BoysandThe Lord of the Rings. He’s prominently featured in the third movie,The Return of the King, as Éowyn’s brother and a major player in some of the biggest battles of the story.
There is no shortage of incredible battle sequences inThe Boys, and since Butcher is such a fan-favorite character, he’s part of many of the most explosive moments. While every movie inThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy is beloved,The Return of the Kingwas the first fantasy movie to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and has set a high standard for the fictional epics that have come after it. It will be a long time before another film is as iconic an addition to a franchise asThe Return of the King.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
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