Bisexual Actors Who Play Both Romantic Leads and Villains

Romantic chemistry and villainous menace call for very different tools, which is why actors who can do both stand out. This list spotlights bisexual actors who have led love stories on screens big and small and who have also stepped into the shadows as antagonists at least once.

You will find film icons alongside modern stars here, with credits that span studio blockbusters, indies, and prestige television. Each entry notes clear examples of romantic lead work as well as roles where the same performer played the foe or primary threat.

Angelina Jolie

Jolie has fronted multiple romances as the central figure, including ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’, ‘The Tourist’, ‘Original Sin’, and ‘By the Sea’. These projects positioned her at the heart of the story with relationships that drive the plot and the marketing.

She has also taken on antagonistic roles such as the shape shifting tempter in ‘Beowulf’ and the title character of ‘Maleficent’, a figure rooted in classic villainy even as the modern films reframe her motives. Those credits show a performer comfortable switching from romantic center to iconic threat.

Aubrey Plaza

Plaza has anchored romantic narratives in projects like ‘Safety Not Guaranteed’, ‘Happiest Season’, ‘The Little Hours’, and ‘Spin Me Round’. Each gives her sustained screen time as a partner within the story rather than a brief subplot.

She has also served as a memorable antagonist on television through ‘Legion’, where Lenny becomes a host for the Shadow King, and in the Marvel series ‘Agatha All Along’ as the witch Rio Vidal. These turns provide direct examples of her playing the adversary rather than the hero.

Evan Rachel Wood

Wood’s romantic lead work includes ‘Across the Universe’, ‘Barefoot’, and ‘Allure’, along with the central pairing that frames early arcs of ‘Westworld’. These roles rely on her as a primary romantic focus rather than a supporting presence.

She has also portrayed antagonists, notably as Queen Sophie Anne in ‘True Blood’ and later as a primary opposing force in later seasons of ‘Westworld’. Those credits document a performer with villain credentials alongside her romantic portfolio.

Cara Delevingne

Delevingne took the central romantic spotlight in ‘Paper Towns’ and continued that track with ‘Life in a Year’ and the fantasy series ‘Carnival Row’. These roles feature her as a key partner within the narrative.

She balanced that with a comic book antagonist in ‘Suicide Squad’ as the Enchantress. The character functions as the chief threat that the team must defeat, which clearly fulfills the villain side of her range.

Drew Barrymore

Barrymore has a long run of romantic lead hits, including ‘The Wedding Singer’, ‘Ever After’, ‘Never Been Kissed’, and ’50 First Dates’. In each, she is the main romantic figure who sets the tone for the story.

She has also stepped into antagonistic territory with ‘Poison Ivy’, where the title character drives the conflict, and with ‘Batman Forever’, where she appears as Sugar on the villain side of the story. Those credits show clear movement between love stories and darker roles.

Alan Cumming

Cumming has headlined romances such as ‘The Anniversary Party’ and ‘Any Day Now’, both of which center on his character’s relationships. These projects position him as a lead whose emotional life commands the plot.

He is equally known for villains like Boris Grishenko in ‘GoldenEye’ and Fegan Floop in ‘Spy Kids’. In both, he sits firmly on the opposing side, giving him a filmography that covers romantic lead and antagonist alike.

Tessa Thompson

Thompson’s romantic lead work includes ‘Creed’ and its sequels as Bianca and the period romance ‘Sylvie’s Love’. These projects keep her character at the heart of the relationship arc across entire stories.

She has also played a central antagonist in ‘Westworld’ through the Charlotte Hale iteration that drives conflict in later seasons. That run places her squarely in villain territory in a major genre series.

Megan Fox

Fox appears as the primary romantic interest in ‘Transformers’ and carries romantic plots in titles like ‘This Is 40’ and ‘Friends with Kids’. Those credits rely on her as a partner who shapes the protagonists’ choices.

She crossed to the other side with the horror title ‘Jennifer’s Body’, where the lead character is also the threat within the story. That role provides a direct example of a villain performance from an actor known for romantic leads.

Lady Gaga

Gaga led a major screen romance in ‘A Star Is Born’, where the love story drives the full narrative. The film’s structure keeps her character at the center of the romantic arc from start to finish.

She has also portrayed dangerous figures, including the Countess in ‘American Horror Story Hotel’ and Harley Quinn in ‘Joker Folie à Deux’. Both roles align her with the antagonist function in their respective stories.

Amber Heard

Heard’s romantic lead credits include ‘Aquaman’, where the central relationship is part of the plot across both films, and ‘The Rum Diary’, where the love story shapes her scenes with the lead. She also appears in ‘Never Back Down’ with a central teen romance frame.

On the villain side, she plays a duplicitous operative in ‘Machete Kills’ and appears as an early threat in ‘Zombieland’ in the memorable apartment sequence. These entries fulfill the requirement for clear antagonist work.

Bella Thorne

Thorne has fronted love stories in ‘Midnight Sun’ and led the series ‘Famous in Love’ with relationships driving the premise. She also appears in ‘Time Is Up’ with a romance centered plot.

Her antagonist work includes ‘The Babysitter’ and its sequel ‘The Babysitter Killer Queen’, where she is part of the murderous cult that the protagonist must survive. Those titles give her direct villain credentials.

Marlon Brando

Brando led romances in ‘Sayonara’ and ‘Last Tango in Paris’, each built around his character’s intimate relationships. These films present him as the central romantic figure rather than a supporting presence.

He also played commanding antagonists, most famously Colonel Kurtz in ‘Apocalypse Now’ and the organized crime patriarch in ‘The Godfather’. Both parts place him on the opposing side of the moral line within their stories.

David Bowie

Bowie carried romantic and sensual narratives in ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’ and ‘The Hunger’. In both, his character’s relationships are core components of the plot.

He also delivered an enduring screen antagonist as Jareth in ‘Labyrinth’. The character’s role as the obstacle the heroine must overcome is a direct example of villain work.

Anthony Perkins

Perkins played romantic leads in titles such as ‘The Matchmaker’ and ‘Goodbye Again’. These roles rest on his character’s appeal and the progression of a love story.

He is equally known for villains through ‘Psycho’ as Norman Bates and later in ‘Edge of Sanity’ as a figure modeled on Jack the Ripper. These performances define the antagonist side of his filmography.

Michelle Rodriguez

Rodriguez holds romantic lead space in the ‘Fast and Furious’ series through Letty’s relationship with Dom and earlier in ‘Blue Crush’, which features a prominent romantic thread. These roles keep her within love story frameworks that run the length of the narrative.

She has also appeared as an antagonist through a cloned version of her character in ‘Resident Evil Retribution’, where the clone serves the villain group. That credit supplies a clear entry in the villain column.

Nico Tortorella

Tortorella spent multiple seasons as a primary romantic lead on ‘Younger’, where Josh’s relationship with Liza anchors much of the series. The role places him consistently at the center of its love story.

He also portrayed a violent antagonist on ‘The Following’, where his character is part of the serial killer network opposing the protagonists. This television work establishes both sides of his range on screen.

Zoë Kravitz

Kravitz led romantic arcs on television in ‘High Fidelity’, where her character’s relationships form the series structure, and as Selina in ‘The Batman’, where the romance is a central thread alongside the investigation. These credits position her within stories that rely on romantic momentum.

She has also stepped into antagonist territory by voicing an antihero aligned character in ‘The Lego Batman Movie’ and by playing roles where her character operates against the leads in ensemble genre projects. Those appearances add villain aligned work to her resume.

Saffron Burrows

Burrows has taken romantic lead space in ‘The Guitar’ and as a central love interest across seasons of ‘Mozart in the Jungle’. These roles revolve around her character’s relationships and personal connections.

She also played an antagonist in ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ as Raina, a recurring foe who complicates the heroes’ goals. That run gives her sustained time as a villain on television.

Rose McGowan

McGowan appears in romance centered stories such as ‘Charmed’, where her character’s relationships are a key part of the long running narrative, and in ‘Grindhouse Planet Terror’, which carries a relationship thread within the survival plot. These roles establish her as a romantic partner across arcs rather than one off scenes.

She also played notable antagonists, including the queen bee villain in ‘Jawbreaker’ and the sorcerous threat in ‘Conan the Barbarian’. Those roles position her directly as the force the protagonists must overcome.

Alia Shawkat

Shawkat led a romance in ‘Duck Butter’, where the relationship is the entire premise, and she carried multiple romantic arcs in ‘Search Party’ before the show’s later turns. These projects put her at the center of love stories with sustained screen time.

She also moves into antagonist territory as ‘Search Party’ evolves, where her character becomes the source of conflict that drives later seasons. That shift provides a clear example of villain aligned work from the same performer.

Share your picks for other bisexual actors who have carried love stories and also played the foe in the comments.