(Credits: Far Out / StudioCanal / Universal Pictures / Focus Features / Dimension Films / De Laur…
Fri 20 June 2025 20:15, UK
An actor doesn’t need to be in every scene of a movie to leave an impact. In fact, many stars have only appeared in just one, yet the strength of their performance leaves audiences unable to forget the short time they graced the screen.
The sign of a good actor is their ability to harness a commanding presence, no matter who they’re acting alongside or how long they’re on the screen for. In many instances, it’s easy to forget that an actor only appeared in one scene of a movie because of how iconic and influential their performance becomes, like Dean Stockwell in Blue Velvet – anyone who watches it will always remember that flawless lip-sync.
We’ve picked five performances that demonstrated the abilities of actors to master exactly what was required from them in just one scene. With a limited amount of time to prove themselves, they did just that, and some even won prestigious awards as a result.
So, from Drew Barrymore in Scream to Beatrice Straight in Network, here are five incredible performances from actors who only appear in one scene of the movie.
Five iconic performances from actors in one scene:
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