The best John Noble movies and TV shows showcase his immense talent as a character actor with a commanding presence – and all of them reveal there’s more to Denethor from LotR than the borderline-offensive way he eats. Born in Australia in 1948, John Noble found international fame as Denethor, the deranged Steward of Gondor, in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. His haunting portrayal of a paranoid ruler driven to madness was brilliant – but it’s the infamous scene where he devours a tomato, juice dribbling down his chin, that remains seared in fans’ minds.
However, beyond Middle-earth, John Noble has built a career filled with complex, often sinister characters. From his Emmy-nominated turn as the eccentric Dr. Walter Bishop in Fringe to his villainous roles in Sleepy Hollow and Legends of Tomorrow, Noble has mastered playing brilliant but flawed men, skills that make it clear why his fan-favorite performance as Denethor was so good. Whether in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, or drama, John Noble’s performances leave a lasting impact – and there are plenty of movies and shows that will ensure you forgive him for how he ate that tomato.
10
Salvation (2017-2018)
John Noble Plays Nicholas Tanz
A high-stakes thriller about an impending asteroid collision, Salvation centers on a tech billionaire and a young scientist who must work with the U.S. government to prevent catastrophe. The show ran on CBS from 2017-2018 and starred Santiago Cabrera, Jennifer Finnigan, Jacqueline Byers, and Charlie Rowe in the lead roles. John Noble plays Nicholas Tanz, the enigmatic and morally ambiguous father of one of the show’s main characters, Darius Tanz (Cabrera).
John Noble brings a Shakespearean gravitas to Nicholas in Salvation, and taps into his background in theater, portraying a powerful man whose motivations remain unclear. While not as outright villainous as Denethor, Nicholas shares his manipulative tendencies and superior atтιтude. Salvation’s sci-fi drama allowed Noble to further showcase his skills for portraying characters who hold the fate of the world in their hands, just like Denethor was, at one point, responsible for Gondor and the fate of the humans living in Middle-earth.
9
Legends of Tomorrow (2017-2018)
John Noble Plays Mallus
John Noble is best known for playing Denethor in Lord of the Rings, but Peter Jackson’s movies are the only well-known franchise he’s appeared in. As well as playing the tyrant steward of Gondor, John Noble was also one of the most memorable DCEU villains on the small screen in Legnds of Tomorrow. The Arrowverse’s time-traveling misfits faced off against a formidable foe in Season 3 of Legends of Tomorrow – the demonic enтιтy known as Mallus. John Noble not only voiced the chilling antagonist but even made a meta cameo as himself when the heroes tricked the villain by using his own voice.
As Mallus in Legends of Tomorrow, John Noble delivered an ominous, commanding performance, imbuing the character with the same overwhelming presence he brought to Denethor. However, Mallus is even more sinister – an ancient, shadowy being bent on destruction. The show’s humorous take on John Noble’s real-life involvement added a unique twist, making his role one of the most memorable in the series.
8
Twilight of the Gods (2024)
John Noble Plays Odin
John Noble proved with the role of Denethor that he’s a perfect choice for troubled leadership figures, and he tapped into this side of his range in the animated Netflix series Twilight of the Gods. The highly anticipated animated series from Zack Snyder, 2024’s Twilight of the Gods reimagines Norse mythology with an all-star cast. John Noble voices Odin, the all-father of the Norse pantheon, a role that seems tailor-made for his deep, commanding voice.
Odin, much like Denethor in Lord of the Rings, is a ruler burdened with immense responsibility and the knowledge of impending doom – Ragnarök. Noble’s portrayal perfectly blended a mix of wisdom and ruthlessness, though the character is quite unlike the Steward of Gondor. While Denethor succumbed to despair, Odin’s resilience and strategic mind made him a more formidable leader.
7
Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-2024)
John Noble Plays The Diviner/Ilthuran
Star Trek: Prodigy brought the Star Trek franchise back in an animated format with a story geared toward younger viewers. Among the impressive ensemble cast is John Noble, tapping into his unique voice-acting skills. In Star Trek: Prodigy, a new generation of young heroes encounters The Diviner, a sinister alien tyrant voiced by John Noble. The Diviner seeks to reclaim a lost starship and impose his will on the galaxy, making him one of the series’ most compelling antagonists.
John Noble’s voice work elevates the character, infusing him with the same gravitas he brought to Denethor but with a more calculated, patient menace. Unlike the erratic Steward of Gondor, The Diviner is a master manipulator, playing the long game with cold precision. His chilling performance adds a layer of complexity to the animated series, making The Diviner one of Star Trek’s most memorable villains.
6
The Mule (2014)
John Noble Plays Pat Shephard
Not to be confused with the 2018 Clint Eastwood movie of the same name, 2014’s The Mule comes from Australian directors Tony Hahony and Angus Sampson. A darkly comedic crime drama, The Mule follows a hapless drug smuggler who is caught by the authorities and refuses to expel the evidence. John Noble plays Pat Shephard in The Mule, a corrupt and ruthless police officer who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Pat Shephard is a far cry from Denethor’s regal madness, instead embodying a cruel, street-level villainy. While Denethor was a man of power brought down by his own paranoia, Shephard is driven purely by selfish ambition and greed. John Noble’s performance adds layers of menace to The Mule, making him a standout in a cast full of morally questionable characters (one of whom is played by fellow LotR alumni Hugo Weaving). Noble’s ability to shift between grandiose fantasy roles and gritty crime dramas proves his range, and The Mule benefits from his unsettling portrayal of a corrupt figure in power.
5
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
John Noble Plays Father Kastner
Stepping into the horror genre, John Noble played Father Kastner, a former priest with dark secrets, in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. His character holds crucial information about a demonic curse, making him pivotal to the Warrens’ investigation. Of all the movies in John Noble’s career so far, few characters have been as complex, ensuring that The Devil Made Me Do It will always stand out in his wider filmography.
Like Denethor, Father Kastner is a man who once held power but has fallen into despair. However, while Denethor succumbed to madness, Kastner’s downfall is more tragic, rooted in guilt and past mistakes. John Noble’s eerie performance added to the film’s chilling atmosphere, proving he can be just as effective in horror as he is in fantasy. His portrayal of Kastner’s moral conflict adds depth to the film’s supernatural terror, making him one of the most memorable characters in The Conjuring universe.
4
Severance (2025)
John Noble Plays Fields
The groundbreaking Apple TV+ psychological thriller Severance explores the chilling concept of work-life balance taken to the extreme. TheSHOW follows employees who undergo a procedure that splits their consciousness, creating separate personas for work and personal life. John Noble joined the Severance cast in season 2 as Fields (previously played by Arthur Brooks), a character whose role remains mysterious but is deeply tied to the corporate horrors of Lumon Industries.
Much like Denethor in Lord of the Rings, Fields in Severance is a figure of authority whose actions have far-reaching consequences. Also like Denethor, Fields acts in a way that consistently hinders the central heroes even though, from his perspective, he’s simply carrying out the duties his position requires. Whether he is a villain or an unwilling participant in Lumon’s twisted experiments, Noble’s signature intensity make Fields a standout character in an already gripping series.
3
Sleepy Hollow (2013-2017)
John Noble Plays Henry Parrish
John Noble made a major impact on Fox’s 2013-2017 supernatural drama Sleepy Hollow, playing Henry Parrish, a mysterious man who initially appears to be an ally to Ichabod Crane but is later revealed to be much more sinister. Henry is eventually unveiled as the Horseman of War and the son of Ichabod and Katrina Crane, making his betrayal all the more devastating. Like Denethor, Henry is a tragic figure whose descent into darkness is fueled by personal loss. Noble’s masterful portrayal of a man torn between family and fate made Henry one of the series’ most unforgettable characters.
John Noble’s performance in Sleepy Hollow is chilling and layered, as he expertly navigates Henry’s transformation from a seemingly benevolent figure to a ruthless agent of destruction. Much like Denethor, Henry is a character driven by pain and resentment, though his descent into villainy is far more deliberate. Noble’s ability to switch between warmth and menace made him one of the show’s standout performers, and his arc provided some of the Sleepy Hollow’s most intense moments. His commanding presence and complex portrayal ensured that Henry Parrish was a villain that fans wouldn’t soon forget.
2
Elementary (2015-2019)
John Noble Plays Morland Holmes
The Sherlock Holmes novels have been reinvented more than almost any other piece of classic literature, though the 2015-2019 series Elementary remains one of the most ambitious modernizations. John Noble brought his signature gravitas to the CBS procedural Elementary, where he played Morland Holmes, the wealthy and enigmatic father of Sherlock Holmes. Unlike traditional portrayals of Sherlock’s father, Morland is a cunning businessman whose interests often blur the line between morality and power.
Of all the characters played by John Noble, his appearance in Elementary has perhaps the most in common with Denethor. Like the Steward of Gondro Morland Holmes is a man with immense influence but questionable motivations – and has incredibly questionable parenting skills. He is willing to manipulate people and situations to get what he wants, making him both an ally and an antagonist to Sherlock. Noble’s performance showcased a complex father-son dynamic filled with tension and unspoken emotion, hitting many of the same notes as the relationship between Denethor and Faramir in LotR.
1
Fringe (2008-2013)
John Noble Plays Dr. Walter Bishop
In the 2008-2013 sci-fi show Fringe, John Noble delivered one of the most iconic performances of his career as Dr. Walter Bishop, a brilliant but deeply troubled scientist. The Fox sci-fi procedural followed an FBI task force investigating bizarre, unexplained phenomena, with Walter at the heart of the team’s discoveries. His mind was both a gift and a curse, filled with revolutionary ideas yet fractured by past mistakes and experiments that blurred ethical lines.
Walter shares similarities with Denethor in that both are men of great intelligence and influence whose decisions have led to catastrophe. However, unlike Denethor’s descent into despair, Walter’s story is one of redemption. He is a tragic yet lovable figure, often providing comic relief with his eccentricities, but also delivering deeply emotional moments that highlight Noble’s acting range. His portrayal of Walter won widespread acclaim, including a Critics’ Choice Television Award, and remains one of the most beloved performances in sci-fi television. With Fringe, John Noble proved he was far more than just Denethor – he’s a commanding presence in his own right, regardless of who he’s playing.
