Which Actors Played James Moriarty And Who Played Him Best?

Walking into a Moriarty discussion feels like entering a crowded stage: so many performers bring a different light. Off the top of my head I think of Andrew Scott’s manic, performative Jim in 'Sherlock' — theatrical, unpredictable and dripping with dark humor. Then there’s Jared Harris in 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows', who gives the role a stately, poisonous intellect that fits the original late-19th-century mastermind. Daniel Davis transformed a holodeck character into something frighteningly real on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', and Eric Porter gave a restrained Victorian menace in the Jeremy Brett TV adaptations. Plus Natalie Dormer’s Jamie Moriarty in 'Elementary' cleverly reimagined the archetype as a femme fatale with razor-sharp cunning.

My vote for best depends on what you value: if you want showmanship and modern electricity, Andrew Scott; for classical menace and chessmaster precision, Jared Harris. Personally I lean toward Scott because he made me forget the rest of the cast when he was on-screen — his Moriarty is theatrical adrenaline, and I loved every wild beat of it.

Lately I find myself split between the cerebral and theatrical Moriartys. Jared Harris embodies the classic Doyle villain: calm, calculating, the kind of intellect that sits behind a curtain pulling strings; his portrayal in 'Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows' gives the role Victorian authenticity and cold menace. By contrast, Andrew Scott's take in 'Sherlock' is electric — a modern, showman-ish psychopath who weaponizes charisma, and that made him a viral cultural moment.

I also adore Daniel Davis’s Moriarty in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' because it’s a clever twist on the character — a hologram who becomes self-aware and challenges Data and Picard, and Davis plays him with theatrical relish. Eric Porter’s Jeremy Brett-era Moriarty is closer to the canonical professor: deliberate and dangerous. If I had to crown one, I’d pick Jared Harris for fidelity to the source and chilling restraint, but I’ll happily rewatch Scott’s explosive scenes on a loop. Either way, the variety of interpretations is what keeps the character alive for me.

I’ve loved debating Moriarty for years, and a quick roll-call of notable actors who’ve played him includes Andrew Scott in BBC’s 'Sherlock', Jared Harris in Guy Ritchie’s 'Sherlock Holmes: A game of Shadows', Daniel Davis as the holodeck Moriarty in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', Eric Porter opposite Jeremy Brett in Granada’s take on 'The Final Problem'/'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes', and Natalie Dormer’s gender-flip turn as Jamie Moriarty/irene adler in 'Elementary'. Older screen and radio versions also featured classic character-actor types like George Zucco and Henry Daniell, each bringing that old-school theatrical menace.

If you press me to pick a single best, I’ll go with Andrew Scott. His Jim Moriarty is snarling, charismatic, hilariously unhinged and intimately scary in a way that feels modern — equal parts performance art and psychological warfare. Scott made the character both terrifying and strangely magnetic, planting lines and expressions in the cultural memory. Still, Jared Harris gives the professor an icy, mastermind gravitas that suits the Victorian pulp roots, and Daniel Davis turned a holodeck novelty into a deliciously theatrical Moriarty. For sheer unforgettable presence though, Andrew Scott wins my personal vote; he made me want to rewatch entire episodes just to study the tiny, wicked choices he makes. That performance stuck with me long after the credits rolled.

I'm always happy to shout out a few names when people ask who’s played Moriarty: Andrew Scott ('Sherlock'), Jared Harris ('Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'), Daniel Davis ('Star Trek: The Next Generation'), Eric Porter (the Jeremy Brett TV versions), and Natalie Dormer ('Elementary') are the ones I think of first.

If I must choose a favorite, Andrew Scott’s turn hits me hardest — it’s theatrical, unnerving and oddly charismatic. But I’ll admit Jared Harris nails the classic intellectual menace in a way that feels true to Arthur Conan Doyle’s original. Both stick with me for different reasons, and that’s part of why the character never gets old.