Despite being human themselves, not all actors shine the brightest when playing human characters. There are a select few in Hollywood who truly show their biggest strengths when they’re asked to bring heroes or villains to life who are not human beings. Some of the characters in this category may often look human, but an actor’s performance can quickly make it clear that they have fantastical origins. It’s not a skill that every actor has, but those who are great at it fulfill a vital role in genre-heavy storytelling.
The term “non-human” can mean a few different things. For example, a non-human character could be an alien, which is quite common in sci-fi movies and TV shows. In horror or supernatural properties, beings like monsters or demons are often folded into the storylines. Specific skill sets are routinely called upon for characters like this. Although the use of prosthetics or high-tech filming techniques is a commonly-used approach, it’s not always the case, or even necessary. Some actors who specialize in non-human characters can complete the illusion without any of that.
Dee Bradley Baker
It would take an incredibly long time to list all of Dee Bradley Baker’s non-human roles. While the character he has played the most is Klaus in American Dad!, the animated Seth MacFarlane show doesn’t scratch the surface of Baker’s talents. Whenever there is an alien, monster, or even an animal that needs bespoke sounds to bring the character to life, Baker is often at the top of the list for many Hollywood casting agents. Even if you don’t think you’ve ever witnessed a non-human Baker performance, you probably have. To give just one example, he is the voice of Eagly in Peacemaker. Yes, he makes the Eagle noises. His immense workload on SpongeBob SquarePants through the years also can’t be ignored.
Jeffrey Combs
Combs has certainly played more than his fair share of human characters throughout his decades-long career, but they’re not what he’s particularly known for. His non-human acting talents can be seen on full display in various Star Trek projects. Always covered in the franchise’s signature prosthetics to make him a member of several alien species, Combs has played numerous Star Trek characters of differing races. He’s even played more than one alien character in specific Star Trek shows. He’s something of a legend to fans of the long-running sci-fi franchise, and for good reason. Acting in prosthetics is a niche skill, and Combs continuously proves why he’s one of the best at it.
David Tennant
There is no question that almost everyone will know David Tennant best as the Tenth Doctor – and, more recently, the Fourteenth Doctor. Looking at Tennant’s Doctor Who character, he just appears human, but the second he speaks and storms around the scene in his signature chaotic way, it becomes very clear he’s not from Earth. His larger-than-life performance perfectly sells his Time Lord heritage. Other roles that demonstrate Tennant’s talent for playing non-human characters include Crowley from Good Omens, the Lord Commander from Final Space, and Professor Huyang from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Ahsoka.
Zoe Saldaña
Saldaña has two characters that have appeared in multiple record-breaking movies. The first is Gamora, who has starred in numerous MCU movies, and the other is Neytiri from the Avatar franchise. Neither character is human, and Saldaña has nailed the performance every time. Although Gamora does have largely human mannerisms, the way Saldaña plays her Na’vi character in Avatar sets the standard for how it should be done. In fact, her performances as Neytiri kind of make everyone else playing a Pandora native in the saga look like they aren’t trying hard enough to make their characters seem alien.
Alan Tudyk
Tudyk has had something of a career renaissance in recent years, and all while playing non-human characters. That said, these types of performances have long been a part of his repertoire. Whether providing motion capture performances, lending only his voice, or appearing in front of a camera, he always does a great job with quirky protagonists and villains. One character he doesn’t get enough credit for is Sonny in 2004’s I, Robot. Other, more recent, non-human highlights for Tudyk include K-2SO in Rogue One and Andor, and various characters in 2025’s Zootropolis 2. He also ended a four-season run as the joyously irreverent Harry Vanderspeigle in Resident Alien when the show concluded in 2025.
Andy Serkis
Serkis does have many acting credits tied to playing human characters, but he’s long been established as an incredibly versatile performer. One of the biggest quirks when it comes to Serkis’ presence in a live-action production as a non-human character is that it’s often impossible to tell he’s even there. As one of the most experienced and talented motion-capture specialists, Serkis is the man behind several iconic sci-fi and fantasy characters. While most famous for his mo-cap and voice performances as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies, he also plays Caesar in the modern Planet of the Apes movies and Snoke in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. His face may be obscured when playing some of his most famous characters, but the quality of Serkis’ work can’t be denied.
Doug Jones
Doug Jones has permeated genre-heavy movies and TV shows for decades, but he somehow still hasn’t become a household name. His first starring role came as Saru in all five seasons of Star Trek: Discovery. He played the character between 2017 and 2024, but even Trekkies might not recognize him out of context. While the show did find a way for Jones to briefly appear without his alien prosthetics, it’s the actor’s eye-catching spindly physique that makes him such a great fit for non-human characters.
Jones always makes a concerted effort to move his body in a unique way as he brings each non-human character to life. Saru is just one example, but as the franchise’s first canonical member of the Kelpien race, Jones’ performance as Saru was instrumental in establishing many of the alien race’s characteristics. Other great examples of the work Jones puts into these types of roles are his performances as Abe Sapien in the 2000s Hellboy movies and his bone-chilling portrayal of Pale Man in 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth.
Did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments if you think other great actors routinely thrive in non-human roles.
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