10 Best Dracula Actors of All Time (Who Aren’t Bela Lugosi), Ranked

Though the iconic Bela Lugosi’s performance is considered the definitive rendition, other actors have put their unique stamp on the role of Count Dracula throughout the years. Each portrayal reflects its era and the original visions of the filmmakers. Some highlight the gothic nobility of the Count, while others focus on the menacing nature of the lord of the creatures of the night. Though each of the actors is roughly recreating the same character, the versatility of Dracula’s various presentations is what stands out.

The following are a few of the most memorable interpretations of Dracula over the decades. For the sake of including a few prominent roles that stand in the history of the Count on screen, the role of Nosferatu will be included, as the original was an unofficial adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

10 Duncan Regehr in The Monster Squad

Dracula Delivers Scares in a Film Targeted at a Younger Audience

1987’s The Monster Squad has become a cult classic in the decades since its release, and that is largely due to Duncan Regehr’s role as Count Dracula. Regehr’s rendition is widely underappreciated due to the film’s target audience and initial box office failures. The actor brings his Shakespearean gravitas to the role and conjures a cold, menacing version of Dracula despite the comedy aspects of The Monster Squad. The filmmakers correctly followed the blueprint of blending horror and comedy set forth by Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, making sure the monsters were not in on the joke.

Duncan Regehr’s Dracula stands as a serious threat, which is what makes The Monster Squad work. His interpretation of the character elevates the movie and makes the eventual success of the children more satisfying, for the enemy they face is terrifying. He even maintained his distance from the child actors off-screen so that their reactions to him on camera were genuine.

The Monster Squad

PG-13 Fantasy Comedy Action Horror 1

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9 Bill Skarsgård as Count Orlok in Robert Eggers' Nosferatu

Skarsgård Puts Forth a Primal Performance

While not technically Dracula, including Count Orlok is fair game as the cultural legacy of Nosferatu is woven within the Dracula mythos. The original film was a veiled adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel to avoid copyright infringement. While the character names and locations were shifted, the overall narrative remains the same. Count Orlok’s physical appearance and nature differ from those of Dracula. He is not a charming aristocrat that the Count would evolve into, but rather a creeping ghoul that resonates with horror fans.

You wakened me from an eternity of darkness… You are not for the living. You are not for humankind. — Count Orlok, Nosferatu

Bill Skarsgård carried on the heritage of Count Orlok in the 2024 Robert Eggers adaptation of the classic Nosferatu. Having experienced redefining a classic horror character with his portrayal of Pennywise in It, Skarsgård brought his unique brand of menace and intimidation to the role of Count Orlok. His performance leans heavily on the malformed physicality of the character with a feral and ghostly approach. Skarsgård’s Orlok feels more animalistic than human.

Nosferatu

R Horror Fantasy Mystery 9 10 9 10

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8 Jack Palance in 1974's Bram Stoker's Dracula

Palance's Prince of Darkness Highlighted The Count's Tragic History

The late Jack Palance’s Dracula, also known as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, was a made-for-TV movie that first aired on CBS in 1974, after the original release was interrupted by an address by then-President Richard Nixon. The film was directed by Dan Curtis, the famed creator of Dark Shadows. Curtis and Palance had previously worked together on 1968’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The movie was written by legendary writer Richard Matheson, perhaps best known for I Am Legend and the original The Twilight Zone.

Palance’s large physique served him well in his portrayal of the Count. This version of Dracula was haunted deeply by his lost loves, and while it leaned more into the hopelessly romantic side of the vampire, Palance plays it with a sense of restrained aggression. Due to the film being made-for-television, the budget was modest, but Palance’s memorable performance uplifted the final product.

Dracula

Drama Horror TV Movie Romance

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7 Louis Jourdan in 1977's Count Dracula

The BBC Adaptation Stuck Close to the Original Source Material of Bram Stoker

Before his performance of Dracula in the 1977 BBC production Count Dracula, Louis Jourdan was perhaps best known for his work with Alfred Hitchcock in 1947’s The Paradine Case. Count Dracula was directed by Philip Saville and written by Gerald Savory. Though Savory was known for writing comedies, the intention for the film was to produce the most accurate adaptation possible of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. Even before considering Jourdan’s performance as Dracula, this adherence to the source material set the film apart from other interpretations.

We must survive, all of us. The blood of a human for me, a cooked bird for you. Where is the difference? — Louis Jourdan as Dracula, Count Dracula

Louis Jourdan’s Dracula is cultured and elegant. This is a contrast to the more monstrous portrayals of the Count seen in other adaptations. Jourdan’s terror is more psychological and atmospheric, as his true nature simmers below the surface of his perceived politeness. This is more in line with Stoker’s initial concept, as Dracula is a monster, but he is also from a line of ancient nobility.

Count Dracula

TV-PG Horror Thriller Drama TV Movie

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6 Frank Langella in 1979's Dracula

Langella's Dracula Was Mysterious and Hypnotizing

Directed by John Badham of Saturday Night Fever fame, 1979’s Dracula was based heavily on the 1924 stage play. The script was heavily adjusted to include a more romance-filled approach, making it a sort of love story. The film features a star-studded cast with heavyweight names such as Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence and Frank Langella in the titular role as Count Dracula. Langella made his Broadway debut in 1966’s Yerma, and would bring every ounce of his stage craft to the part of Dracula.

Langella made a creative decision not to wear fangs, wanting to avoid all the previous horror tropes established by previous renditions. He wanted to focus more on the seductive, mysterious aspects of the character that fit more with the gothic love story vision of the film. While it is not the most terrifying version of Dracula, Langella’s deviation from the norm establishes his performance as a unique portrayal of the Count.

5 Gary Oldman in 1992's Bram Stoker's Dracula

Oldman's Dracula is One of the Most Complex Portrayals of the Character

Francis Ford Coppola’s visually striking gothic masterpiece, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, was released in 1992 to favorable praise for its elaborate set designs and spooky atmosphere. Previous Dracula films tended to possess an inherent campy nature, all of which was extinguished in the Coppola version. From the costumes to the lighting choices, Bram Stoker’s Dracula stood out to the eye as different before the story truly unfolded. The tone was somber, and Gary Oldman’s performance had much to do with this.

Oldman’s Dracula is seen as a sorrowful and tormented warrior. One of the more impressive feats of Oldman in the film is his ability to seamlessly shift between the many faces of Dracula, from the suave, aristocratic Count to the unnerving and grotesque monster. Oldman perfectly balances charm and menace, sometimes in the same scene. The rest of the cast is filled out nicely, though the performance of Keanu Reeves as Jonathan Harker is often maligned. Even so, Oldman’s powerful performance as Dracula carries the film just as much as Coppola’s artistic vision.

Bram Stoker's Dracula

R Horror Romance 1

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4 Klaus Kinski in 1979's Nosferatu the Vampyre

Herzog's Film Balances Dracula and Nosferatu

Werner Herzog’s 1979 classic Nosferatu the Vampyre takes the original film, blending and restoring the initial premise to that of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Unlike other adaptations of Nosferatu, Herzog returns the name Dracula to the titular character, cementing it further in the Dracula canon. Nosferatu the Vampyre focuses primarily on an eerie atmosphere, which is filled with dread and melancholy instead of jump-scare moments. In the many years since its release, it’s highly regarded as one of the best Dracula movies ever made.

Death is not the worst. Can you imagine enduring centuries, experiencing each day the same futilities? — Count Dracula, Nosferatu the Vampyre

Klaus Kinski’s performance as Dracula is considered one of the best put to film. Kinski perfeclty embodies the monstrous qualities of the Count, filled with existential dread and emotional layers. His portrayal is even more impressive when considering the unstable working history of Kinski and Herzog. Kinski’s interpretation of Dracula highlights the true cost of immortality.

Nosferatu The Vampyre

PG Drama Horror

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3 John Carradine in 1945's House of Dracula

Carradine Inherited The Count From Lugosi

John Carradine’s portrayal of Count Dracula is often overlooked by other actors of the era, such as Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. 1945’s House of Dracula, directed by Erle C. Kenton, featured many other Universal Monsters, such as Glenn Strange as Frankenstein’s Monster and Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man. John Carradine made his debut as the Count in 1944’s House of Frankenstein under immense pressure, as he was replacing Bela Lugosi.

Rather than trying to imitate the iconic Lugosi, Carradine chose to make the character his own. Carradine’s stature and unique mannerisms brought a distinct theatrical grace to Dracula, due to his extensive stage history. In House of Dracula, Carradine’s Dracula is seeking a cure for his vampirism, adding a sense of internal conflict to the character about his monstrous nature.

House of Dracula (1945)

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2 Christopher Lee in 1958's Horror of Dracula

Lee Rivals Bela Lugosi's Legacy as Count Dracula

When people think of Dracula, two actors usually come to mind: Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee. Lee’s portrayal of the Count for Hammer Films redefined and reintroduced Dracula to new fans. 1958’s Horror of Dracula, directed by Hammer legend Terence Fisher, was Lee’s debut as Dracula. The film also featured the late Peter Cushing in the role of Doctor Van Helsing, setting up the iconic duo for their on-screen futures together.

Christopher Lee would go on to play Dracula more than any other actor in history. His commanding presence made him the definitive version of Dracula for the generations after Lugosi was long gone. As his Dracula films continued, Lee would be openly critical of some of the scripts, though he would still reprise the role of Dracula for the fans. Lee took the iconic character and elevated its standing in pop culture, making him one of the most influential figures in Dracula’s storied history.

Horror Of Dracula

NR Horror

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1 Max Schreck in Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror

Schreck's Orlock Predates Lugosi

Before Lugosi put on the cape, there was Max Schreck as the terrifying Count Orlock in F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror. As stated before, though names and locations were changed to avoid legal issues with the Bram Stoker estate, Nosferatu is a spiritual adaptation of Dracula. Schreck predates Lugosi by almost a decade and inarguably laid the foundation for vampire cinema. His performance as Orlock is all the more impressive when considering that Nosferatu is a silent movie, leaving the actor to portray the terror through only facial expressions and body movements.

Another aspect of Schreck’s portrayal of Orlock that adds to its mystique is the mysterious nature of the man himself. Since little was known about Max Schreck, rumors began to circulate after the film’s release. This would inspire the 2000 film, Shadow of the Vampire, starring Willem Dafoe as Schreck, fictionalizing him as a real vampire.