X-Men: All 4 Beast actors ranked from worst to best

3. Nicholas Hoult

Appeared in: X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, Dark Phoenix

After the initial X-Men trilogy came to a close, Fox took some time to figure out where they wanted to take the saga next (all while doing a Wolverine prequel at the same time). Their decision came in the form of X-Men: First Class, a 2011 prequel that showcased the formation of Marvel's Mightiest Mutants.

Nicholas Hoult took on the role of a young Hank McCoy who tried desperately to find a "cure" for his mutation, but it only accelerated it, turning him into the Beast we all know and love from the comics. After accepting himself for who he was, he joined the X-Men, with Hoult reappearing in sequels Days of Future Past, Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix.

Hoult's performance was a more layered one than the other Beasts we had seen simply because the material provided him with a chance to showcase Hank's conflict over being a mutant. He was incredibly compelling, especially in First Class as he struggled with who he was and longed to be "normal" - an arc that directly conflicted with Mystique's longing for self-acceptance. In fact, he delivered one of that movie's most quietly powerful performances and we really should be celebrating that much more.

Like Michael Kopsa, Hoult's awesome portrayal of Beast would be ranked a bit higher due the lack of focus that the character gets in later movies (and the overall quality of those movies too). He was fantastic in the role, showing us a different side to Beast, and the movies could have benefitted from giving him a bit more spotlight.