Though Rade Serbedzija really longs to play an Old West gunslinger — “It’s the reason I’ve worn cowboy hats for 40 years,” he laughs— he has nevertheless forged a formidable career playing villains. Whether on 24 or in The Saint, Eyes Wide Shut or this month’s Taken 2, Serbedzija is consistently riveting. The Croatian-born 62-year-old finds it ironic that he’s so frequently cast as the heavy, but he’s happy to break bad on the silver screen. “Today’s world is full of villains, and I have nothing in common with any of them,” he says. “I am simply a father of five children that I care for and love, husband to a beautiful woman and an ordinary man who wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Thankfully for movie fans, Hollywood sees him differently. Here are Serbedzija’s thoughts on his favorite villains he’s brought to life.

Murad in Taken 2 (2012)
“I really fell in love with this character. He lost his son and seeks revenge. I remember while shooting the first scene in the graveyard, I wanted to give this character a Shakespearean dimension, crying honest tears at the grave of his child.”

Ivan Tretiak in The Saint (1997)
“I played the game of life and death with Val Kilmer — and got to knock him out a few times.”

Andrei Strasser in Mighty Joe Young (1998)
“I remember the beautiful blue eyes of Charlize Theron as she knocked me out.”