Why Do Villains Always Wear Sunglasses? A Look Into Eyewear and Character in Film

by Chris Montanelli

The world of cinema has various elements that contribute to the final product, differentiating art from the forgettable. Whether done subtly or in your face, fashion is crucial to creating a story and adding layered details and nuances to the film. Fashion not only distinguishes movie stars and the public’s perception of them but also enables actors to fully inhabit the characters they are portraying.

In the case of villains, there seems to be a long-standing relationship between antagonism on the screen and wearing a sleek pair of dark sunglasses. You may wonder why this has been a definitive accessory for villains since the dawn of the silver screen. When reflecting on the nature of on-screen villainy, it’s interesting to see how eyewear comes into play.

The style of a villain

Most archetypal villains are made to exude power and presence every time they appear on the screen. What they wear is crucial to defining their character to the audience and setting an impression of their overall personality in contrast to the main character. Influence and affluence are two factors that often belong to “the big bad”, enabling them to enact their plans with ease and leadership.

With these elements, viewers are used to seeing shorthand in villain styling that suggests mystery, detachment, and glamour. Sunglasses are critical in establishing this air, just as they do in real life. Popular brands design their eyewear with the distinction of functionality and creating a look that stands out. It’s an exciting balance that draws attention to your style but still gives you a shield that protects your eyes from prying eyes and external elements, whether to detach from others or showcase your taste for finer things. Consider the Ray-Ban RB7066 or the Howard from TheCollection, which you can see on someone in real life and get the impression that they know what looks good while adding a sort of enigmatic appeal to their style.

Look at some of the most iconic villains across genres, and you’ll see how their style defines their taste, stature in life, and priorities to the audience. Whether it’s Miranda Priestly in decadent Prada lambasting young fashion hopefuls or Marsellus Wallace controlling crime rings in Inglewood, their place in the universe they inhabit is evident from the distinctive eyewear they don. It’s a means to create instantly recognizable characters who are decidedly meant to feel like they are on another level compared to the protagonists.

Some of the most iconic costume designers in film all won awards for their best work because of such attention to detail. Something as simple as a pair of eyewear and how they choose to wear it says a lot about a character, respective to the time period they’re in. Look at Milena Canonero’s work in The Grand Budapest Hotel or Jacqueline Durran’s in Barbie, and you’ll see how the style of a villain is just as much a part of who they are as their actions may be.

Eyewear as a storytelling device

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Aside from establishing the nature of your villain, eyewear has been a vital storytelling device in countless tales. It can show narrative changes imperative to a villain’s arc or serve as a point of their design that not only defines their intentions but also may be a blatant mask for their true nature. Even in Chungking Express, you see the mysterious ‘Woman in Blonde Wig’ garnering the attention of a cop. As the audience follows along with her story, her sunglasses, paired with her wig and trench, immediately establish her secrecy and even intimate some elements of her experiences off-screen. Considering how actress Brigette Lin was staged next to casually dressed Indian extras, her “discreet” disguise ironically makes her stand out — alerting the audience that she’s the one to watch.

Major villains like the Corinthian in the Sandman series on Netflix also use eyewear as a central point to the mystery surrounding their characters. Practically every scene with this antagonist sees them in dark sunglasses, only removed in revealing sequences that make the act of removal feel impactful. In an interview with Newsweek, Corinthian actor Boyd Holbrook explained that he even chose to keep his shades on in between takes to maintain the enigmatic tone of the character.

Sunglasses have been used to note dips into villainy and chaos for characters otherwise portrayed as the hero. If you look at Michael Mann’s Ferrari, his dark specs are a direct barrier between his chaotic private life and the icy image he portrayed for the media. As filmmakers and costume designers collaborate to weave stories through cinema, it’s clear why tropes like the villain with sunglasses remain successful. Something that may be a fashion statement also becomes a piece of the puzzle to create compelling and memorable characters.