My 10 Favorite Movie Sidekicks

I love movie sidekicks. These secondary characters frequently get less screen time than the more famous “leads” but make no less of an impression. Often, they steal the movie right out from under the main characters, becoming more quoted, more talked-about, and more loved. So, though I have applied whatever definition suited my needs, here is a quick, general guide to what makes a sidekick:

1. They are not the main character.
2. They are a support to or part of the support system for the main character or they are in some way subordinate to the main character.
3. They often or usually provide comic relief and/or sage advice (though they are more commonly comedic).

The intent of categorizing these characters as “sidekicks” is not to diminish their importance. The point is to celebrate these quirky, amazing, delightful, and magnificent characters and the actresses and actors that brought them to life. With that being said, here are five tremendous sidekicks who just missed my list:

Red in Shawshank Redemption (Morgan Freeman): the quintessential “best friend,” loyal to the very end. Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road (Nicholas Hoult): an enemy turned friend whose resourcefulness helps our heroes. Rocky Balboa in Creed (Sylvester Stallone): the main character from the Rocky series turns into a poignant partner for Adonis Creed. Jeff in Safety Not Guaranteed (Jake Johnson): always ready with a quip but subtly supportive in Colin Trevorrow’s underrated indie. Marcellus Washburn in The Music Man (Buddy Hackett): ready for whatever scheme Professor Harold Hill cooks up in the classic musical.

Author’s note: I decided not to count Robin William’s iconic turn as the Genie in Aladdin as a sidekick. I feel like the character/performance was so transcendent as to move out of the realm of “sidekick-dom” and into its own category. Robin Williams’ Genie may have been conceived as a sidekick, but I felt it was a slight diss, somehow, to include him here.

10. Polly Perkins in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Gwyneth Paltrow): Though Polly does play into some of the stereotypes of the “damsel in distress,” she is not content to be left on the sidelines and ultimately serves as more of a partner to Jude Law’s Sky Captain. Her late 1930’s gumption is what really makes her stick out, as well as Gwyneth Paltrow’s soulful and sassy interpretation of what could have been an empty convention.

9. Charlie Prince in 3:10 to Yuma (Ben Foster): The definition of sidekick does not often apply to villains; the word “henchman” is normally the go-to word there. But Charlie Prince is not one of the main characters, that would be Christian Bale’s Dan Evans and Russell Crowe’s Ben Wade, and is a subordinate of Wade’s. He is such a loyal and focused accomplice that he will not rest until he rescues his captured boss. The irony of his fierce loyalty is that he pays for it, in the end, with his life, dying at the hands of the man he worships, which only makes his indestructible allegiance more poetically melancholy.

8. Jillian Holtzmann in Ghostbusters (Kate McKinnon): Anyone who has seen Kate McKinnon in literally any of her roles knows what an impressive scene-stealer she is, possessing the ability to make any scene funnier with a well-placed facial expression or humorous vocal inflection. In this 2016 update of Ghostbusters, she manages to still steal scenes, even surrounded by some of the funniest women of all time: Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Leslie Jones. Holtzmann is loose, weird, and absolutely integral to the team.

7. Luther Stickell and Benji Dunn in the Mission: Impossible series (Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg): Ving Rhames holds the honor of being the only other actor or actress besides Tom Cruise to appear in every single Mission: Impossible film. Simon Pegg’s Benji fits the old-school definition of the word sidekick, being the tech guy and the funny guy who is a non-threatening presence. Rhames’ Luther Stickell brings the years and years of loyalty, starting out as a fledgling member of a rogue IMF team and graduating to an essential component of every mission and a crucial confidant of Cruise’s Ethan Hunt. Benji brings the right-on-time technical savvy and the high-key exasperation that every cinematic squad needs.

6. Luis in Ant-Man (Michael Peña): Michael Peña’s motor-mouthed Luis was the break-out character of Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man and that is quite a feat, given that the main character is played by veteran scene-stealer Paul Rudd. Luis is funny and sharp and good-natured. Peña manages to take the recurring joke of Luis’ meandering storytelling and keep it from getting stale. Luis may not seem like he’s going to save the day, but he and his crew manage to be indispensable.

5. Rod Williams in Get Out (Lil Rey Howery): Rod’s foulmouthed and hilarious tangents provide much of the straightforward humor in Jordan Peele’s incredible directorial debut. Whether he is riffing on Jeffrey Dahmer or the funky fetishes of white men, Rod is always ready with a hysterical monologue. But he is also always looking out for Daniel Kaluuya’s Chris, warning him about potential dangers and saving him in his climactic moment of need.

4. Matt Kowalski in Gravity (George Clooney): Gravity was mostly sold as a one-woman show driven and anchored by the brilliant performance of Sandra Bullock. The movie, however, would not have worked as well as it did without the disarming and charming presence of George Clooney’s Matt Kowalski, who provides both a steadying and intelligent influence on Bullock’s Ryan Stone, as well as the ultimate inspiration for the final part of her journey. Screen time-wise, it is a very short turn but impact-wise, Kowalski is felt for the entire film.

3. Holly March in The Nice Guys (Angourie Rice): An incredible performance by the 15-year-old (at the time) Angourie Rice in a movie that stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, two heavyweight actors, considered by many to be two of the greatest actors of their generations. She goes toe-to-toe with both of them, providing light moments of humor here and nuanced moments of depth there. Holly March — the character — is mature beyond her years, often supplying her dad with advice, ironically switching assumed roles with him. She rarely flinches in the face of danger, which is the hallmark of the greatest sidekicks.

2. Lance Brumder in Orange County (Jack Black): An underrated but colossal comedic performance, Jack Black’s Lance Brumder is the deadbeat brother of Colin Hanks’ Sean Brumder. He takes slackerness to new heights, hatching harebrained schemes and failing from one escapade to another. Mike White’s script knows exactly how to showcase both the physical gifts of Black the comedian and the ironic line readings of Black the stoner. Lance’s heartwarming love for his brother helps provide the beating heart underneath the rapid-fire jokes in Jake Kasdan’s college-application comedy, but Lance is also the inexhaustible supply of said rapid-fire jokes.

1. Donkey in Shrek and Mushu in Mulan (Eddie Murphy): While it is technically cheating to include two characters here, Eddie Murphy’s voice work is legendary. Second only to Robin Williams in pantheon-level voice work, Murphy’s ad-libbing and fast-talking as Shrek’s steadfast and devoted Donkey and too-cocky but just sincere enough Mushu in Mulan are two of the funniest and most interesting side characters in any movie ever. In both cases, the characters dance right on the edge of ineptitude, only to prove their worth in the moments when it matters most. Their loyalty: unflagging, their banter: engaging, their fighting spirit: infinite. They embody the values of a perfect sidekick and Donkey and Mushu will live on in the annals of film forever.