10 Greatest Forgotten Movie Characters of the '90s, Ranked

Many '90s movie characters have entered pop culture: some are quoted endlessly, others become Halloween staples. This list turns away from the obvious icons to highlight equally indelible figures who, over time, have slipped from the spotlight. Character actors thrived in the decade.

Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Dusty in Twister is an excitable storm chaser whose boundless energy makes him a lovable sidekick; Billy Zane’s Collector supplies Demon Knight with flamboyant, sinister menace; and Gary Oldman’s Drexl Spivey in True Romance steals one of the film’s biggest scenes despite limited screen time.

Other standout turns include John Goodman’s showman Lawrence Woolsey in Matinee, a warm, William Castle–inspired filmmaker whose lack of awards recognition the piece calls an egregious oversight; Jennifer Jason Leigh’s fast-talking Amy Archer in The Hudsucker Proxy, played with screwball precision; and Johnny Depp’s fragile, forensic-minded Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, a leading man defined by idiosyncrasy rather than action-hero traits.