The Best LaKeith Stanfield Movies And Tv Shows, Ranked

LaKeith Stanfield made his cinematic debut in 2013's "Short Term 12" and quickly became one of Hollywood's most intriguing stars. It didn't take long for him to become a cinematic presence that you simply couldn't ignore. In just over a decade, Stanfield has proven himself as one of our greatest actors, lending his talents to over a dozen high-profile projects. Today, he boasts one Oscar nomination, and while he didn't take home the best supporting actor award, it wouldn't surprise us if he wins one by the end of the decade thanks to his immense work ethic and talent.

From gritty, auteur-driven indie dramas to big-budget ensembles, Stanfield has consistently made it clear that he can do it all. His versatility has made him a favorite for both critics and studio creatives. While speaking with GQ in 2013, he said that he's been part of so many projects due to his interest in creating a legacy for himself. "Every single movie you've ever seen me in is one for them, one for me," he said. "Let me put myself in a position to build up my own empire. So that one day maybe I might be like the next Disney.'

You don't just see Stanfield on the big screen, either. The actor has become a commanding presence on television, lending his talents to a few but mighty roles. As of this writing, Stanfield's legacy as an actor is still being written, so let's look back on some of his best projects to date.

One of the slickest and most underrated films from this decade, "The Harder They Fall" is a captivating Western with phenomenal action and stellar performances. Featuring the likes of Idris Elba, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, and LaKeith Stanfield, among others, "The Harder They Fall" is the star-studded directorial debut from filmmaker Jeymes Samuel. The film focuses on a group of outlaws who band together to defeat Elba's Rufus Buck, a villain who has just been released from prison.

In "The Harder They Fall," Stanfield stars as Cherokee Bill, one of the members of Rufus Black's gang. Though Stanfield doesn't get the most amount of screen time, the pic stands out as a unique entry in the actor's filmography. An elevated genre pic, Stanfield chews scenery and revels in the tropes of the Western genre, making this one of his best roles to date. Every time the actor is on screen, you can't help but hate him. Seeing as Stanfield normally takes on positive, "good guy"-ish roles, it's fascinating to watch him take a turn as a devious outlaw with a thirst for blood. And, with the film already stacked with so many heavyweights, it speaks volumes that Stanfield stands out despite having minimal screen time.

In 2023, LaKeith Stanfield jumped into the world of horror and fantasy with the television series "The Changeling." An Apple TV+ production, the show casts Stanfield as Apollo, a man searching for his wife (Adina Porter) after she disappears under mysterious and nefarious circumstances. Thrilling and terrifying, "The Changeling" is one of Apple TV+'s most underrated offerings. It's also one of Stanfield's most inspired gigs, giving him a meaty, emotional role that places the actor in a helpless and traumatized position. It's an interesting switch-up from some of his other gigs, as he's primarily known for playing cool and collected characters.

Because so much of the series is rooted in mystery, the project places the bulk of its storytelling on Stanfield's tortured, complicated performance. Throughout the show's run, we see things from Stanfield's character's perspective, with him serving as the heart and soul of the project. In a conversation with Collider, the "Changeling" showrunner Kelly Marcel opened up about how Stanfield's emotional performance was influenced by the star's own life. "I think he brings a layer to Apollo that comes from his own childhood, his own traumas, and also his own story as a dad," Marcel said, highlighting how in-tune Stanfield was with his character. "He's a layered, layered human, and I think just what's so interesting about him is how he's able to kind of peel the onion with Apollo."

As the saying goes, there are no small roles, only small actors. This sentiment proves accurate when you consider LaKeith Stanfield's turn as Demany in "Uncut Gems." Arguably the greatest crime drama to manifest from the last decade, it took 10 years for the Adam Sandler pic to manifest. While critics and general audiences were amazed by the Sandman's devious turn as a gambler, it's Stanfield's Demany who steals the show every time he's on screen. A small-time sleazeball who peddles fake and/or stolen Rolexes, Darius is the connection who brings minor and A-list celebrities to Howard's (Sandler) Diamond District showroom.

Demany is in the film for less than 10 minutes, but you can tell just how much fun he's having as an annoying lowlife who makes Howard's life increasingly miserable. A chameleon who switches his personality up depending on the celebrity he's entertaining, Stanfield chews up the role. From trying to negotiate with Howard to helping Kevin Garnett (played by Kevin Garnett) get his hands on a prized opal, Demany oscillates from helpful confidante to enemy number one over the course of the pic. Like all great actors, Stanfield doesn't overplay his minimal role and does exactly what's needed to make you hate (and occasionally love) him.

Despite having a relatively young career, ^{LaKeith Stanfield} has managed to star in a number of genre- and generation-defining films. One of them is, of course, "Get Out," which is widely considered to be the quintessential horror film from the 2010s. Like his appearance in "Uncut Gems," Stanfield has another small role here, but he does so much with it that it's genuinely surprising the Oscars didn't at least give him a best supporting actor nomination.

The Jordan Peele-directed film features the actor as Andre Hayworth, a Black man who is kidnapped and has his body taken over by a white man named Logan King. The movie chillingly begins with Stanfield's character being abducted. Even though it's a short scene, you can tell just how stressed Andre is by the situation he's found himself in. We don't see him again until the film's main plot twist is teased to the story's lead, Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya). Washington quickly realizes that something is up when he watches Andre behaving in an uncomfortable and unnatural manner. In this pivotal moment, the audience sees Stanfield convincingly play two roles at the same time: the possessed and the possessor. This eventually leads to his character screaming "Get Out!" with the perfect mix of suspense and terror. Once again, Stanfield's role was minimal when it comes to screentime, but it's impossible to imagine the Oscar-winning pic without it.

After playing supporting roles in projects like "Get Out" and "Atlanta," LaKeith Stanfield was cast in a leading role in the Boots Riley-directed comedy "Sorry to Bother You." One of the most beloved indie hits from the 2010s, "Sorry to Bother You" has to be seen to be believed. An irreverent comedy with a fascinating storyline, the film stands out as one of Stanfield's best. In the film, Stanfield plays the down on his luck Cassius "Cash" Green, who finds a job as a telemarketer after a stint of unemployment. To succeed at the gig, Cash assumes a "white voice" to make customers feel more engaged. Things work out a little too well for Cash, putting him in increasingly uncomfortable positions.

A dark comedy with social commentary at its heart, "Sorry to Bother You" is a chaotic and surprising film that's both elevated and grounded thanks to Stanfield's performance. The actor does a great job of working with the material on its own terms, making the film feel believable despite boasting such a high concept. Working with Riley and his elevated script forces Stanfield to navigate through several different moods with vibes, with Cash emerging as a hilarious, deeply disturbed, conflicted, and complicated personality. Naturally, Stanfield has to express all of this in a seamless and realistic way, and he does, making it one of his best cinematic performances.

After years of being stuck in various phases of development, a biopic on Black revolutionary Fred Hampton hit cinemas in 2021. Titled "Judas and the Black Messiah," the film follows FBI informant William O'Neal's (LaKeith Stanfield) betrayal of Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), one of the leading activists in the '60s. A powerful, informative, and tightly-paced film, "Judas and the Black Messiah" became a darling at the Oscars, receiving six nominations. For his performance as the complicated O'Neal, Stanfield received his first Oscar nomination, losing out on the best supporting actor award to fellow co-star Kaluuya.

In a conversation with W Magazine, Stanfield opened up about how he initially thought he was going to play Hampton, only to be blindsided by the offer to play one of the film's villains. "I was very nervous about playing someone who was a traitor," he said. "I didn't know if I could connect to the character, and I didn't know if I could show him in an authentic light. I struggled with that throughout the shoot."

Despite his initial struggle to get in tune with his character, Stanfield managed to knock it out of the park, making O'Neal stand out, despite his various flaws and shortcomings. Stanfield got so immersed in his character that he had to go to therapy due to his role in the film, believing that the acting process got too real.

To date, LaKeith Stanfield's best role is his turn as the philosophical Darius in "Atlanta." The brainchild of multi-hyphenate artist Donald Glover, "Atlanta" debuted in 2016 and quickly became one of the most interesting and subversive shows on television. Featuring sharp humor, blunt social commentary, and wide-reaching themes, "Atlanta" is a masterclass in how free-flowing television can be. One of the project's greatest contributions is introducing Stanfield to a wider audience, with "Atlanta" arguably providing the actor's true star-making role.

Stanfield stars in the series as Darius, a supporting player who joins Earn (Glover) and Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) on their journey of self-discovery and clout-chasing. A character ripped straight out of an episode of "Twin Peaks," Darius is a philosophical, ruminative, and free-flowing agent of peace who doesn't mind feeling like the odd one out. Darius is as wide-ranging as he is complicated, giving Stanfield plenty of opportunities to flex his acting chops.

Throughout the show's four-season run, Darius is constantly evolving, with Stanfield having to put on a different face every time he's on screen. Darius' naiveté also seems to have been rubbed off on Stanfield, as he was the only "Atlanta" actor Glover fooled with his Teddy Perkins makeup. A character like Darius could have easily become gimmicky, but Stanfield's range and curiosity help turn the quirky supporting player into a complex gem. Years from now, audiences will look back and consider Darius to be one of the most refreshing characters on television, and that's all thanks to Stanfield.