The Flash: All 5 Barry Allen actors ranked from worst to best

3. Ezra Miller

Ezra Miller was cast as Barry Allen in the DC Extended Universe long before they ever got the chance to headline their own film. Yes, almost a whole decade before Barry was causing trouble in the timeline in The Flash movie, he was popping up here and there in various cameo appearances throughout the DCEU. And yet it feels like we truly didn't get to know the character until the 2023 movie.

Barry is a nerd through and through, and Miller did a great job of portraying that. He's also socially awkward, terrified of his own shadow, and so extremely cautious and considerate of everything he does that some more extroverted people find him annoying. This is so unbelievably Barry Allen, and Miller was committed to bringing him to the screen. It succeeded as The Flash finally gave the DCEU portrayal of the character the spotlight he was overdue, and it flourished early on because of their performance.

Miller also had to pull double duty in the movie, playing an alternate timeline (and younger) version of Barry at the same time. They were also convincing in that role, playing the immature and, at times, annoying iteration of the character with ease. And the contrast between the two Barrys worked very well, showcasing the wild differences that can surface in the timeline as the result of one change.

There was so much untapped potential with this version of Barry Allen, and it's unlikely that it ever be fulfilled due to the DCEU's relaunch as the DC Universe, but if the character had to bow out, we're glad he got to do it in his own movie.