Sherlock: Best Actors Who Played John Watson, Ranked



The English detective featured in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books is mentioned Sherlock Holmes. John Watson, Sherlock's devoted companion, will no doubt follow him wherever he ventures. There have been several variations of the sleuth's sidekick in the countless movies based on their escapades. Over the past 100 or more years of television and cinema adventures, there have been every conceivable take on the character, from comedic companions to pivotal supporting characters.




Luckily for Watson fans, he'll get his own series sometime in the future, per Deadline. Until then, here are some of the best interpretations from Sherlock's beloved associate fans for them to review. It is elementary, my dear Watson.






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11 Raymond Francis - Sherlock Holmes (1951)



sherlock watson francis
BBC television



The detective programs Murder bag, crime sheet And No shelter starred Raymond Francis, a British actor, as Detective Chief Superintendent Tom Lockhart from 1957 to 1967. In this role, he played one of the first televised detectives to make repeated appearances. Before landing the part that would make him famous, Francis appeared as Dr. Watson in the 1951 BBC Sherlock Holmes television series, opposite Alan Wheatley as Sherlock Holmes. According to the book by Alan Barnes Sherlock Holmes on screenthis was the first collection of Sherlock Holmes stories broadcast on television.



10 Earle Cross - Various animated series



Watson animated
Burbank Films Australia



Actor Earle Cross is best known for his roles in the 1970s and 1980s police-themed television series. Home and away, Patrol boatAnd Police shop. In a series of Australian television movies based on the books of the same name by Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and the Valley of Fear, SHerlock Holmes and the Sign of Four, Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of BaskervilleAnd Sherlock Holmes and a study in ScarletCross provided the voice of an animated John Watson.



9 Kenneth Welsh - Various Canadian TV movies



sherlock watson welsh
CCTV
Odyssey Network



The versatile villain Windom Earle from Twin Peaksas well as his roles in the movies The day after tomorrow, Worship, Survival of the deadAnd The kite, made Canadian actor Kenneth Welsh famous in both film and television. Welsh played John Watson in a few Canadian television movies based on Arthur Conan Doyle books from 2000 to 2002, including The Baskervilles' dog, The sign of four, The royal scandalAnd The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire.



8 Edward Hardwicke — Sherlock Holmes (1986-1994)



Sherlock Watson Hardwicke
Granada television



English actor Edward Hardwicke had a successful theater and film acting career, until he retired from acting in 2005 due to health problems. His most famous performances are those in David Copperfield And Poirot by Agatha Christie alongside his portrayal of Captain Pat Grant in the British television series Colditz. Hardwicke was also known for his performance of John Watson in the British television series 1986–1994 Sherlock Holmes.




7 Himesh Patel — Enola Holmes 2



enola holmes 2 patel
Netflix



Tamwar Masood was a character played by actor, musician and singer Himesh Patel in the BBC soap opera East Enders from 2007 to 2016. He is best known for his roles in Don't look up, YesterdayAnd Basic principle. His work on Avenue 5 And Station Eleven, both earned him nominations: a Primetime Emmy and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2022, he played Dr. John Watson in the credits of Enola Holmes2which continues the story of Sherlock's younger sister settled in Enola Holmes. Patel's portrayal creates history as one of the rare instances where the role was not played by an elderly white gentleman.



6 John C. Reilly - Holmes & Watson



Holmes & Watson Trailer has Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly on the case
Sony images



A comedian and actor, John C. Reilly has a long list of acting accomplishments. His roles in movies such as Days of thunder, Boogie nights, Chicago, Gangs of New York, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Guardians of the Universe, and many others have made him a household name. In the 2018 American film Holmes and Watsonwho takes a more comedic approach to the characters in Arthur Conan Doyle's works, Reilly Watson played opposite Will Ferrell, who played Holmes.



5 Stephen Fry - The dog of the Baskervilles



Stephen Fry at The Sandman
Netflix



Stephen Fry is an English actor, presenter, comedian, director and writer. He originally rose to fame in the 1980s when he and Hugh Laurie formed the comedy duo, Fritz and Laurie. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Wild, Gosford ParkAnd V for Vendetta are some of the films he has starred in since then. His unusual voice, which led to voice-over work, further increased Fry's fame. He is known for reading all seven Harry Potter books for the UK version of the audiobook recordings. In the 2021 audio drama The Baskervilles' dog of Audible Originals, Fry provided the voice of John Watson.



4 Lucy Liu — Elementary School (2012-2019)



elementary
CBS television distribution



Lucy Liu is an American actress best known for her roles in Ally McBealtwo Charlie's Angels movies, Shanghai afternoon, Chicago, Kill Bill: Part 1and the Kung Fu Panda franchise. She recently provided the voice of Callisto Mal in the Disney animated movie Strange worldwhich came out in 2022. In the American drama series Elementary, which ran from 2012 to 2019, Liu played a distinctive take on the role of Watson. The show was a procedural drama that modernized Sherlock Holmes.






adventures of Sherlock
20th Century Fox



People remember Nigel Bruce most for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock movies Rebekah And Suspicion as well as the Charlie Chaplin movie Spotlights. The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes radio program, which ran from 1940 to 1947, and a series of 14 films based on Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, released between 1939 and 1946, both featured Bruce as Watson. He is recognized as one of the actors who helped make major contemporary adaptations accurately portray Watson as a skilled man of action.



2 Jude Law - Sherlock Holmes / Sherlock Holmes: A Shadow Play



Robert Downey and Jude Law in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes
Warner Bros.



Jude Law is an English actor best known for his roles in the Fantastic beasts movies too The talented Mr. Ripley, Closer, The big hotel in Budapest, Sky Captain and the World of TomorrowAnd The talented Mr. Ripley. Law, one of the most famous contemporary John Watsons, starred alongside the equally iconic Robert Downey Jr., who played Sherlock Holmes, in British-American films Sherlock Holmes in 2009 and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows in 2011. Two in-universe HBO television shows and a third movie starring the same cast have been announced, but no release dates have been confirmed at the time of writing.



1 Martin Freeman - Sherlock (2010-17)



Sherlock and Watson at the door, played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman
BBC



The office, The Hobbit movie trilogy, Fargo, Love actually, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyAnd The end of the world are among Martin Freeman's most famous performances. Moreover, he has received acclaim for his performance as Everett K. Ross in the MCU superhero movies Captain America: Civil War, Black PantherAnd Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In the upcoming Disney+ series Secret invasionscheduled for release in 2023, he will reprise the role.


In the aptly named BBC television series Sherlock, which ran from 2010 to 2017, Freeman starred John Watson opposite Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Sherlock Holmes. The series has received multiple award nominations, including Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy nominations, which has led to it winning several awards in a wide variety of categories.


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