6. Sean Pertwee
Appearing in Fox’s innovative Batman prequel Gotham, Sean Pertwee portrayed Alfred for five years. During that time, it’s safe to say that he revolutionised the character and delivered the most unique interpretation to date.
A former SAS soldier from East London, Pertwee’s Alfred isn’t quite as refined as his fellow live-action portrayals, simply because he’s not afraid to put his training to the test. That, however, sets him apart from the rest, ultimately making him a lot more efficient.
Sure, he’s rougher, more aggressive and hot-tempered than the others, but he’s also a lot younger and this allowed him (and the Gotham writers) to delve into Alfred’s history – something we hadn’t seen done on-screen before.
A tough guy built for the horrors of Gotham City, no doubt, but the best thing about him stemmed from his relationship with Bruce.
For the first time in history, we got to watch the young billionaire struggle with the death of his parents as he grew into the man that would ultimately protect Gotham and, as a result, we got to watch how Alfred became a father to a boy who was very much in need of a parental figure.
Together, the pair became the show’s own dynamic duo, as the butler trained his young master to be the Dark Knight the city needed while single-handedly protecting him from the evils that attempted to harm him in the meantime.
A broody, bold and badass reinvention of the live-action Alfred, Pertwee portrayed the character with the perfect combination of grit and heart, making for one of the most engaging interpretations of the character we’ve ever seen – and one that undoubtedly paved the way for Pennyworth. A class act indeed.