The character has a shaved head and a mustache and is wearing a purple sweater and a backpack. They are pointing out of frame at another person

Top 5 Keith David Roles

 

Sometimes (most of the time — Ed.) I struggle to find themes for new posts. I will have an idea like “A Primer on Mythic Quest movies” and I’ll accumulate films that fit the theme over a period of months (years. –Ed.) and then I’ll get a burst of energy and will write an article. This is my usual workflow. Other times an idea will prompt immediate action. This post is one of that type.

I spoke to Keith David via an online movie club of which I’m a member. It was a real treat as I’ve loved David’s work for years. He is consistently memorable and excellent, whether it be in something I loathe like Requiem For a Dream (2000) or something I love like Men At Work (1990). He’s worked consistently in voiceover and acting for 40 years, aided by his gravitas, his excellent comedic timing, and his infinitely cool voice. And he was delightful in the interview, going on tangents about the movie industry and the creative process, telling great jokes, nailing lines from favorite projects of his. It ruled.

What follows are my Top 5 Keith David roles .

 

Matt Rob

The comic book character spawn stands in silhouette against a stone wall and his eyes glow green

5. Spawn (1997—1999)

Any summary of David’s career is incomplete if you omit his voice-acting, just like with two other greats Pamela Adlon and Clancy Brown. I’ve always liked how Spawn looks more than how the actual shows/movies end up, but at least here we get the beautiful visuals coupled with the stentorian voice of David.

 

Two trash collectors argue next to a garbage can while a supervisor stands nearby and looks worried

4. Men at Work (1990)

This is one of those movies that has been in my memory almost as long as I’ve had memories. My family recorded this one onto a tape that I watched at least a dozen times. David’s Vietnam vet with anger issues is the perfect comedic counterpoint to the energy of James St. James and Carl Taylor. No one gets exasperated like Keith David and this movie is a showcase for it.

 

Two men in dark sunglasses hold pistols and look determined

3. They Live (1988)

Here is another movie where David is not playing the lead but is vital to the film working. Roddy Piper’s Nada is instantly a true believer once he gets the sunglasses, so we need a voice of reason to create tension. And that fistfight is iconic.

 

A US soldier in Vietnam stands in base camp and holds a fuel can

2. Platoon (1986)

The film positions Barnes (Tom Berenger) and Elias (Willem Dafoe) as the two forces competing for Taylor’s soul, but I think that David’s King is more important than Elias in that regard. He hasn’t let the war break his spirit and his energy keeps Taylor grounded in all of the base camp scenes.

 

A man in a red cardigan looks in confusion at a teenager

1. There’s Something About Mary (1998)

There was nothing else close to #1 for me. I think the bathroom scene in this movie — Markie Post and David and Ben Stiller in a tiny suburban bathroom with a potential gelding on the line — is a master-class in comedy. David and Post are amazing together. I’m laughing as I’m typing this. “How’d you get the beans above the frank?” is said in my house multiple times per week in all manner of contexts. David (and Post) are a small part of this movie but I’d gladly watch an entire movie about the two of them.

 

By birthdaze, Movies, Watch Party