In Honor Of Jude Law's Captain Hook, Here Are All The Best Portrayals Of The Character Before Him

BuzzFeed
·5 min read
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With the recent release of Disney+'s Peter Pan & Wendy, there's been a lot of attention on the character of Captain Hook.

actor Jude Law has a mustache and long white hair and stands in a pirate coat in front of a cloudy sky
Disney

Jude Law plays Captain Hook in the new film, and reportedly never broke character as Captain Hook while he was on set for the movie, so you know he took his role seriously!

Jude Law as Captain Hook
Eric Zachanowich /© Disney+ / Courtesy Everett Collection

But Law is far from the only actor to play the iconic pirate. There have been a lot of portrayals over the years, each with their own quirks and merits.

an animated pirate in a red coat with a mustache, long black hair, and a hook for a hand
Disney

So with that in mind, here's my ranking of the top 15 portrayals of Captain Hook:

And hey, if you don't agree, don't make me walk the plank!

15.Christopher Walken, Peter Pan: Live! (2014)

actor Christopher Walken wears a red coat as Captain Hook and and stands in front of three men dressed as pirates
NBC

NBC's 2014 broadcast of Peter Pan Live! received some mixed reviews, to say the least. The cast included Alison Williams in the title role, but Walken really gave a, shall we say, unique take on Captain Hook with his one-of-a-kind vocal cadence and understated emotions.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

14.Garrett Hedlund, Pan (2015)

Actor Garrett Hedlund wears a green coat and stands in a forest
Warner Bros.

Hedlund's version of Hook was more of a roguish adventurer than a true villain like the character usually is in other versions of the story, but not many people saw his portrayal because Pan was critically...panned. *Bu-Dum-Tss*

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

13.Tom Hiddleston, The Pirate Fairy (2014)

an animated man in a vest stands in front of a blue sky
Disney

Bet you didn't know Tom Hiddleston played Captain Hook! He provided his vocal talents to bring the character to life for a more youthful incarnation in the Tinker Bell universe's version of the Neverland story.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

12.Ian McShane, Shrek The Third (2007)

an animated man with a mustache, a pirate hat, and a hook for a hand
DreamWorks

Ian McShane may be more well-known for playing a different villainous pirate (Blackbeard in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), but he's also counted among the many Captain Hooks. He voiced the character in Shrek The Third as he teams up with Prince Charming to stir up trouble for Shrek.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

11.Corey Burton, Return to Neverland (2002)

an animated man with a pirate hat and a sword emerges from a window with an angry look on his face
Disney

Of course, Disney's animated version of Captain Hook is super-memorable. But most people have a connection to the original depiction of the character from the 1953 movie. The Disney sequel's version of Captain Hook can't help but feel like an imitation of the original, which earns a higher ranking in the list.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

10.Jason Isaacs, Peter Pan (2003)

a shirtless man attaches a hook to his arm
Universal Pictures

This live-action retelling of Peter Pan leans into the story's darker, more romantic elements, and Isaacs's version of Hook fits in perfectly with that tone. His Hook is truly scary, which is exactly what you want from this character.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

9.Rhys Ifans, Neverland (2011)

a man with long hair and a red coat looks angry
SyFy

In SyFy's series, Hook gets a complex backstory with Peter Pan, and viewers get to see how he evolved into a bad guy. Ifans brings a depth to the villain that you never knew you needed.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

8.Stanley Tucci, Peter and Wendy (2015)

actor Stanley Tucci smiles in a mustache, long black wig, and pirate hat, with a hook under his chin
eOne

In this Canadian limited series, a contemporary girl undergoing a major surgery imagines she escapes to Neverland. Tucci plays both her surgeon in real life and Captain Hook in Neverland, so he gets the opportunity to really ham it up as the latter character.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

7.Kevin Pugh, Wendy (2020)

an old man with a beard and a hook for a hand smiles in front of a grey sky
Searchlight Pictures

This is the more indie, arthouse version of the Peter Pan story, and Pugh gives a heartfelt performance that reflects that. His version of Hook emphasizes the childhood wonder that exists in all characters, even the so-called bad guy.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

6.David Gyasi, Come Away (2020)

a man in a pirate hat looks at a hook with a worried look
Relativity Media

Come Away combines the magic of both Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland to create a super-detailed backstory for Hook, which includes him being the Mad Hatter's son. In his portrayal of the character, Gyasi depicts a slow progression into villainy in a captivating way.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

5.Colin O'Donoghue, Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

a man wears a black leather jacket with a popped up collar and smiles
ABC

If you're looking for the sexy version of Hook, O'Donoghue's your guy. For several seasons of Once Upon A Time, he played a roguish version of Hook who went from villain to bonafide love interest.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

4.Hans Conried, Peter Pan (1953)

An animated man in a red coat smokes two cigars at once. He has one hand in a fist and the other is replaced by a hook.
Disney

The Disney version of Peter Pan was probably many people's first introduction to Captain Hook. Conried's voice acting deserves a spot high on this ranking thanks to his perfect combo of comedy and true terror-inducing fear.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

3.Ernest Torrence, Peter Pan (1924)

in black and white, a man in a pirate hat with a hook for a hand frowns while leaning against a stone wall
Paramount Pictures

Torrence is the first credited on-screen performance of Hook, thanks to his performance in the silent film Peter Pan. His expressive performance brought the character to life in a whole new way by imbuing comedy into the character.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

2.Dustin Hoffman, Hook (1991)

actor Dustin Hoffman wears a long black wig and a mustache as he holds a hook out in front of him
Sony Pictures

Hoffman's portrayal of Hook is unhinged in truly the best way as he blathers through the movie named after him in equally hilarious and terrifying fashion. His campy performance is likely solidified in countless fans' memories for very good reason.

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

1.Cyril Ritchard, Peter Pan (1960)

a man in a red coat and hat squints toward the camera while holding a hook
NBC

After originating the role of Captain Hook on Broadway, Ritchard brought his performance to the masses with NBC's broadcast of the production. He truly seems like a cartoon pirate come to life, and what more could you ask for from Captain Hook?!

You can watch a clip of the performance here:

Which Captain Hook performance was your favorite? Any that we missed? Share in the comments below!