10 Best Characters in ‘Die Hard,’ Ranked

While Die Hard is a movie filled with exciting action scenes, it’s the characters and their connections to one another that make the film exceptional. Die Hard is one of the rare examples of an action movie where people know the character’s names. It’s not Bruce Willis fighting Alan Rickman; it’s John McClane outmaneuvering Hans Gruber.

There are many Die Hard movies to follow, but the reason the sequels are often considered inferior is they don’t have nearly the same level of character depth that the first entry of the franchise possesses. So to celebrate the excellent cast, we’re taking a look at the top ten characters who had the misfortune of visiting Nakatomi Plaza on Christmas Eve.

10

Harry Ellis

Played by Hart Bochner

When McClane first arrives at his estranged wife Holly’s (Bonnie Bedelia) office, he has the displeasure of meeting one of her sleazier co-workers, Harris Ellis (Hart Bochner). Ellis personifies everything McClane dislikes about Holly’s new life: an empty suit with clear designs on romancing Holly despite indisputable signals she’s not interested. Much like the villains that will soon crash the Christmas party, Ellis underestimates McClane, and in doing so, he will eventually get himself killed.

A recurring theme of Die Hard is the downfall that comes with ego, and the most condensed example of this is the smug and over-confident Ellis.

A recurring theme of Die Hard is the downfall that comes with ego, and the most condensed example of this is the smug and over-confident Ellis. Common sense would prohibit most people from requesting to speak with armed captors and especially to promise something they can’t deliver– in this case, the surrender of McClane, but Ellis is a special breed of dummy. There’s criticism in the world that Ellis doesn’t serve a purpose in the plot, but his death makes viewers aware that if Gruber determines Holly’s connection to McClane, she will be in very real danger.

9

Argyle

Played by De’voreaux White

The first friendly face McClane sees (and one of the only) is Argyle (De’voreaux White), the laid-back limo driver who picks the jet-lagged detective up from the airport. A cab driver by trade, Argyle has a more down-to-earth personality that McClane can open up to and deliver that all-important exposition before guns start firing later on. Because he senses McClane is a good guy, Argyle offers to wait in the Nakatomi Plaza garage in case things go bad with his estranged wife, a decision the driver will soon regret.

A cab driver by trade, Argyle has a more down-to-earth personality that McClane can open up to and deliver that all-important exposition before guns start firing later on.

The audience doesn’t see much of Argyle, but his likable personality starts the movie off with a jovial tone that carries throughout much of the runtime. The running joke of Argyle being unaware of the events around him plays well to keep things light and ends before it overstays its welcome. In a way, Argyle ends up being McClane’s first sidekick, as the driver gets a chance to take down an escaping Theo (Clarence Gilyard Jr.) in a heroic moment.

8

Richard Thornburg

Played by William Atherton

Not all villains in Die Hard carry guns– some, like the morally bankrupt reporter Richard Thornburg (William Atherton), only need a microphone and a camera. Thornburg is a vulture in a human suit that feeds off tragedy and death for personal gain. A man who would go so far as to threaten a housekeeper with deportation if he can’t speak to the children of an active hostage.

Atherton’s presence is so strong it’s surprising he didn’t have a more high-profile career because he takes a small part like Thornburg and runs with it to the point he steals the scenes he’s in.

Between this performance as Thornburg and Atherton’s turn as Walter Peck in Ghostbusters, the man was one of the most prominently hated figures for moviegoers in the ’80s. Atherton’s presence is so strong it’s surprising he didn’t have a more high-profile career because he takes a small part like Thornburg and runs with it to the point he steals the scenes he’s in. When Holly punches the reporter in the face, the audience cheers because Atherton played the insufferable newshound so well.

7

Karl Vreski

Played by Alexander Godunov

Large and imposing, Karl (Alexander Godunov) is Gruber’s right-hand man. Karl is probably an efficient killing machine on a good day, but he’s extra motivated to snuff out McClane after the NYPD detective killed his brother Tony (Andreas Wisniewski) earlier in the movie. He may not be the criminal mastermind that Gruber is, but Karl appears to be an intelligent field general who competently directs the men in their siege of Nakatomi Plaza.

While Karl doesn’t have many lines, his presence is felt throughout the entire movie, a predator at the peak of its ability stalking the wounded prey of McClane.

Karl is an ideal member of any criminal enterprise, if for nothing else, his ability to survive what looked like clear-cut strangulation by a chain. If Hans is the brains, then Karl is the muscle in the coordinated plan to rob Nakatomi Plaza. While Karl doesn’t have many lines, his presence is felt throughout the entire movie, a predator at the peak of its ability stalking the wounded prey of McClane. Hans and Karl compliment one another well and together push McClane to his physical and mental limits.

6

Dwayne T. Robinson

Played by Paul Gleason

When McClane hoped the LAPD would arrive as backup, he didn’t expect it would be in the form of ineffectual Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson (Paul Gleason). Robinson continues to chastise McClane’s actions over the radio throughout the film, even though his efforts are the ones inadvertently helping Gruber achieve his goals. Robinson’s by-the-book philosophy immediately puts him in over his head when dealing with Gruber, making him look like a joke compared to his subordinates.

Robinson wants respect, but he’s quick to pass the responsibilities associated with his position to anyone else whom he can later blame to protect his job.

Maybe it was Gleason’s performance in The Breakfast Club as the blowhard Principal Vernon following him to his next movies, but the moment Robinson appears, it’s clear he will not be in charge or helpful. Robinson wants respect, but he’s quick to pass the responsibilities associated with his position to anyone else whom he can later blame to protect his job. Robinson represents the perils of mindless bureaucracy and how it serves no one, especially not in times of need.

5

Theo

Played by Clarence Gilyard Jr.

Gruber’s technical genius, Theo, is one of the more memorable characters in Die Hard. His polished appearance and glasses immediately distinguish him from the other thieves. Theo is arrogant about his abilities, but unlike so many of the police or executives around him, Theo can back up his confidence with the ability to work under pressure. Gruber relies on Theo heavily in his plan, a sign that the particular master thief has respect for the computer hacker’s abilities.

Theo is quick-witted, and his lines are usually a welcome dose of comedic relief in the middle of the many action set pieces.

Theo and Karl each represent an aspect of Gruber’s personality, with the tech genius a seemingly unlikely criminal ally. Theo is quick-witted, and his lines are usually a welcome dose of comedic relief in the middle of the many action set pieces. Appearances are deceiving with Theo because even though he’s funny and likable, he has zero issues with the murder of civilians, sitting completely unphased by Joseph Takagi (James Shigeta) being shot to death in front of him.

4

​​​​​​Sgt. Al Powell

Played by Reginald VelJohnson

While McClane is almost completely alone in his battle against Gruber and his men, a lone friendly voice on the two-way radio comes in the form of Sgt. Al Powell (Reginald VelJohnson). Possibly one of the only friendships to begin with a dead body being dropped on a car, Powell and McClane develop a fast friendship during the Nakatomi siege. Powell offers McClane much-needed emotional support, especially near the end when the tired and wounded detective thinks he doesn’t have much longer to live.

Possibly one of the only friendships to begin with a dead body being dropped on a car, Powell and McClane develop a fast friendship during the Nakatomi siege.

VelJohnson has a natural charm that no doubt helped him become one of America’s favorite sitcom dads on Family Matters, and it’s on full display in Die Hard as one of the few voices of common sense. For the two characters to have such little shared screen time, both Willis and VelJohnson do a great job of making their rapport warm and believable. VelJohnson was able to make a brief cameo in Die Hard 2, but it seems like a missed opportunity for them not to get more time together in one of the many sequels.

3

Holly Gennaro-McClane

Played by Bonnie Bedelia

The long-suffering wife of the bullheaded John McClane, Holly embodies the strong personality needed to keep the willful detective in line. When Holly receives an incredible opportunity for a lucrative job in Los Angeles, she has enough respect for herself and her dreams to pursue them and leave New York, even if it means leaving her uncompromising husband behind as part of the deal. Holly still loves John very much, but loving him can’t be, and shouldn’t be, the reason for giving up on herself.

Holly is intelligent, resourceful, and the only one to lead the hostages when it’s clear they need someone to advocate for them.

What makes Holly such a strong character is that she’s never a damsel in distress, even when a gun is pointed at her. Holly is intelligent, resourceful, and the only one to lead the hostages when it’s clear they need someone to advocate for them. Her interactions with Gruber are often tense, but she never appears rattled or lacking control, and the audience can see why McClane is so upset that he lost her.

2

Hans Gruber

Played by Alan Rickman

One of the best movie villains of all time, Hans Gruber is both a cold-blooded killer and a refined con man. Gruber needs to exude the appearance of a man with worldly taste and the finest education, but much like his role as a “terrorist,” it’s hard to determine how much is true. The tailored suit and the careful choice of words is a charming disguise Gruber wears to hide his true self, a man motivated only by simple greed.

A hero is only as good as their villain, and Gruber is a scenery-chewing delight that subverts the expectations of what a criminal is supposed to look and sound like.

It’s a tie for which character is the best in Die Hard because the success of the film hinges just as much on Gruber as it does on McClane. A hero is only as good as their villain, and Gruber is a scenery-chewing delight that subverts the expectations of what a criminal is supposed to look and sound like. While McClane is presented as a blue-collar everyman, Gruber is the polished opposite, channeling the corporate greed of Wall Street’s Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) that had come out a year prior. Die Hard is about guns and bloody fights, but with Gruber as the villain, it’s also about the corporate bulldozing of the middle class.

1

John McClane

Played by Bruce Willis

John McClane was the unlikely hero the U.S. didn’t realize it needed. A move away from the power fantasy of Arnold Schwarzenegger into the relatable common man forced to thrive in an impossible situation. McClane was scared, he was overwhelmed, and despite that, he fought through incredible odds with virtually no support to overcome. The heroic archetype laid out in Die Hard would go on to change the landscape of action movies, spawning countless clones that are still made today.

The heroic archetype laid out in Die Hard would go on to change the landscape of action movies, spawning countless clones that are still made today.

Before Die Hard, Bruce Willis was not considered an action star or… a star of any caliber. He was primarily known for his role in the romantic mystery series Moonlighting, and his casting was considered to be a nail in the coffin for a movie no one was thrilled to make. In fact, McClane was a role originally offered to Frank Sinatra, which would have resulted in a different movie, to say the least. Thankfully, Willis was able to nab the role and create one of the defining screen heroes of the 20th century.

NEXT:The 10 Best Bruce Willis Movies, Ranked