Time flies when you’re having fun, doesn’t it? 2025 has been an absolute blast, with some truly epic cinema offerings on the big screen, and a whole host of gripping TV shows gracing the small screen, too.
As we hurtle towards the end of the year, we’ve taken some time to reflect on what we’ve seen so far. In fact, we’re getting really granular – not just thinking about our favourite things to watch, but looking at the very best film and TV characters of 2025.
From maniacal witches to demon-fighting popstars, revolutionaries to strange aliens, this might just be the most diverse list JustWatch has ever put together. You’ll find our top ten characters of the year, ranked below in ascending order. Did your favourite make the cut?
10. Aunt Gladys - Weapons
Following up on his monster hit Barbarian was always going to be a tricky task for Zach Cregger, but from the very first moment I saw a trailer for Weapons, I was obsessed. When the film finally dropped in August, I ran gleefully out of the cinema like one of those creepy kids. This brilliant horror-thriller movie is split into six chapters, five of which perfectly balance intrigue, moments of terror, and splashes of levity. But by the time the final chapter rolls around and we are shown the true machinations and methods of Aunt Gladys, the whole story comes to a sickening and satisfying conclusion.
From her garish red wig and heavy-set make-up to her deceptively frail frame and unsettling demeanour, Aunt Gladys is the kind of woman who leaves a lasting impression. In fact, she may well end this year as the horror icon of 2025. She’s a cruel and calculated menace, but boy, oh boy, is she fun to watch as she executes her demonic plan in such a calm fashion. My one complaint about Weapons is that it doesn’t really leave much room for interpretation by the end, but when the answers are this interesting, does it really matter?
9. Glordon - Elio
We go from one of the nastiest characters of the year to arguably the sweetest now. When the titular hero of Elio heads into space, he’s confronted by the mean intergalactic conqueror Lord Grigon. Thankfully, he also makes a new friend: Grigon’s adorable son, Glordon. The bond the pair shares is utterly charming, as they learn each other’s way of life and help one another with their respective problems. Glordon may look like a giant tardigrade, but he has all the childlike wonder and innocence you’d expect from a loveable human character.
My wife and I took our five-year-old son to watch this at the cinema, and we all had a great time for different reasons: Adults will appreciate the themes of familial bonds and the endearing qualities of the younger characters, while kids will revel in the glorious visual elements and space exploration concepts. I immediately felt like this would be what you’d get if you asked Steven Spielberg to make a cute animated alien movie, and I mean that as a compliment of the highest order. It’s on Disney+ now, so get the whole family together and have a lovely night in.
8. Agnes Ward - Sorry, Baby
While I liked the look of Sorry, Baby from the trailer, I simply wasn’t prepared for how brilliant and emotional it would be. I expected a quirky comedy, and while writer-director-star Eva Victor does bring her wonderful humour to the project, she also delivers a devastating and important story of abuse and trauma. Simply put, her work as Agnes Ward here is remarkable, and one of my absolute favourite performances of 2025.
Agnes is such a rich and multi-layered character. She’s not afraid to say what she thinks, and she often acts on impulse – like adopting a stray cat – but her easy-going manner is stunted almost irreparably by one moment of exploitation by someone she thought she could trust. From that moment on, we see Agnes wrestle with guilt, anguish, and a real emptiness that feels incredibly authentic and raw. If you like films like Shiva Baby, Sometimes I Think About Dying, and My Old Ass, you’ll get on board with this one.
7. Eddie Miller - Adolescence
There’s a good chance that Adolescence is the best, most thought-provoking and crucial piece of television Netflix has ever produced. The show took the world by storm earlier this year thanks to its hard-hitting messages on toxic masculinity, bullying, and knife crime. As the father of a teenage daughter and two young sons, Adolescence really struck a chord with me. It made me fearful of the world our children are growing up in, but determined to ensure that my kids will be raised to understand right from wrong. Quite literally, for some people, this is a life-changing show.
At the heart of it all is young Jamie Miller, played astoundingly by young breakthrough star, Owen Cooper. But while Cooper has rightfully lapped up plaudits and awards for his performance, it’s the depiction of his heartbroken father, Eddie, by the legendary Stephen Graham that has stuck with me all year. I may be a little biased as he’s one of my favourite actors, but I was mesmerised watching this seemingly strong man fall apart at the seams across these four episodes as he struggles to align his moral compass with his very natural parental instinct to protect his son at all costs. This is not an easy watch at all, but I urge everyone to give it a go.
6. Delta Slim - Sinners
For my money, Sinners is the best film of 2025, and it’ll take something pretty special to topple it. Genuinely, I think my soul left my body at least three times during my IMAX screening; it’s the kind of film that really reminds us why going to the cinema and watching cool stuff on a massive screen is one of the most exciting things we can do as humans. I could have picked several characters from this stunning vampire movie for this list. Jack O’Connell’s devilish villain, Remmick, comes close, but I’ve opted for Delta Slim, played sublimely by Delroy Lindo.
In a movie which thrives in its most bombastic and bold moments, it’s the understated, unerring Lindo who cuts through the noise with his inimitable screen presence and perfect line delivery. Delta Slim offers up words of wisdom and evocative tales with an air of cool, but it’s in his more frantic, fearful moments that this character excels, making the audience hang on his every word. Lindo was robbed of an Oscar nomination for Da 5 Bloods back in 2021, and he’ll be robbed again if he’s not recognised for his work in Sinners. Anyone who likes From Dusk Till Dawn or 30 Days of Night should tuck in to Sinners as soon as possible, even if it means paying £4.99 for a rental.
5. Rumi - KPop Demon Hunters
I’ll admit, when I first heard the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack dominating the radio, I rolled my eyes and changed the station. Now, they’re my most played songs on Spotify, and our whole family sings along to them in the car. Not only is this Netflix hit beautifully animated, but it’s also got a really entertaining storyline to match those incredible songs. And, at the heart of it all, is Rumi.
Rumi is the lead singer of HUNTR/X, and on the surface, she seems like the perfect popstar; a girl who has it all. But she’s harbouring a dark secret that even her best friends don’t know about, and that’s what makes her such an intriguing character. The journey Rumi goes on in the film is painfully relatable, from feeling like she has to hide who she really is to treading down a dark path. Eventually she realises she can be accepted by those who love her, regardless of her flaws. At just over an hour and a half, you’ll struggle to find an easier watch than KPop Demon Hunters, and it’s got so much rewatchability, too.
4. Kleya Marki - Andor
I’ve been obsessively raving about Andor ever since its first season was released in 2022. It’s not just the best Star Wars project Disney has produced, it might just be the most perfect thing to come out of the galaxy far, far away… ever.
Given the current global political climate right now, I’d argue Andor is one of the most important pieces of television you could watch. Widespread oppression, ruthless dictatorships crushing the masses, media and news coverage ignoring the issues, and a passionate rebellion swelling in numbers among the shadows. It’s almost like Tony Gilroy held up a mirror to our world with this series, while still giving us a tiny bit of hope.
While Cassian Andor is obviously the main man here, I have to give a special shoutout to Kleya Marki, who goes from being a bit-part character to being a fully-formed firecracker of a revolutionary in Season 2. The way she rises to challenge and push Luthen Rael is genuinely goosebump-inducing stuff at times, leading to a highly emotional climax for the pair of them. Elizabeth Dulau, who plays Kleya, is a revelation; one of the brightest elements of an already phenomenal ensemble cast. She also sports iconic looks in the show, from elaborate hair and make-up to striking attire. Kleya really does have it all.
As for Andor itself, you don’t even need to really know or like Star Wars to get on board – just jump in and enjoy some high-stakes espionage thrills!
3. Charles Heath - The Ballad of Wallis Island
I only watched The Ballad of Wallis Island on a whim, having seen Tim Key in a few other things before and liking his vibe. Much like Sorry, Baby, this is another film that really took me by surprise. Not only is it delightfully funny, but it feels so effortless and authentic, too, and let me warn you, this comedy movie packs an emotional punch. I won’t spoil how or when or why, but all I’ll say is, if you thought Tim Key was just a comedian, think again.
As Charles Heath, Key delivers his usual bumbling, irreverent humour, but takes his acting to new levels with a most sincere and heartbreaking dimension to his character. I still can’t get one particular scene and facial expression from Key out of my head – I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone look so convincingly upset in a film before. If you like quaint and quirky British comedies like Withnail & I, Sightseers, and Submarine, you’ll love The Ballad of Wallis Island. It’s well worth the £4.99 to rent. And, as a bonus, the music from fictional duo McGwyer and Mortimer in the film is lovely, too.
2. Seth Milchick - Severance
In a similar way to Kleya from Andor, Seth Milchick stepped up from being a side character in Severance Season 1 to truly stealing the show in Season 2. Tramell Tillman’s line delivery in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning was celebrated for being so emphatic and passive-aggressive, but fans of Severance will know he’s been doing this for years now.
In the sophomore season of the hit Apple TV+ show, Milchick was promoted to fill the void left behind by Harmony Cobel, but he finds it just as difficult to control the Macrodata Refinement team as Mark and Helly continue their rebellious activity in the workplace. The way Milchick loses his cool and tries to regain some authority, all while questioning his own place in the Lumon Industries mess, is absolutely captivating television. In a show that has A-list talent putting in career-defining work, it’s really something that Tillman can emerge as the standout performer.
1. Sensei Sergio St. Carlos - One Battle After Another
I can easily sum up why Sensei Sergio is the best character in film and TV in 2025 with just four simple words: “A few small beers.” If you’ve been on social media at all around the release of One Battle After Another, you’ll no doubt have seen this amazing little quote bandied around, and you know what? It absolutely deserves to go as viral as it has. Benicio del Toro probably had no idea what he had started when he delivered it in such an odd yet endearing way, but it’s the icing on the cake of a wonderful performance from a true master of his trade.
From the moment he first appears on screen as Willa’s martial arts instructor, Sensei Sergio oozes cool and calm. In a film about political revolution filled with chaos and conflict, he’s the perfect remedy – a true hero for the way he so selflessly helps Bob evade the evil forces tracking him down. Sensei Sergio proves that you don’t always need passwords and plans to be a rebel; you just have to have heart and courage. He’s got those in abundance, and that’s why there’s simply no way any other character comes close to taking his crown this year.
You’ll have to go out and watch One Battle After Another at the cinema for now, which I should say, is a treat! I went with a couple of friends to see it on release weekend, and we’ve still not stopped talking about this Paul Thomas Anderson masterclass. If you’re into films like Good Time, Django Unchained, or even, weirdly, The Grand Budapest Hotel, you’ll find a new favourite with this one. It’s funny, frenetic from start to finish, and I feel like it’s very accessible for almost any audience (of an appropriate age, of course).
