7 Best John Wick Characters Who Aren’t John Wick

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The John Wick movies are remarkably consistent in creating a captivating world that feels both fantastical and believable. The films strike a perfect balance – they aren’t entirely detached from reality, but they offer a heightened sense of it. A key to the franchise’s success is its cast; everyone involved delivers perfectly nuanced performances, avoiding both underacting and over-the-top theatrics. Each movie skillfully blends familiar faces like Ian McShane’s Winston, Lance Reddick’s Charon, and Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, with new characters who either become temporary allies or deadly enemies for John Wick.

Here are some of the best characters from more recent films, with the restriction that each character appeared in no more than two movies.

7) The Director (Anjelica Huston)

Anjelica Huston, who plays The Director, is one of just two characters on this list to appear in multiple films. She’s in both John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Ballerina, which unfortunately didn’t do well at the box office.

As a movie fan, I was really struck by the character of The Director. She’s the head of the New York Ruska Roma, which is part of this powerful group called the High Table. The actress playing her, Anjelica Huston, just commands the screen – you instantly understand how she gets people to follow her orders. It totally makes sense that she’d be a really demanding teacher to her assassin ballerinas, and the performance sells that perfectly.

Stream Ballerina on Starz.

6) Shimazu Koji (Hiroyuki Sanada)

It might be unusual to group two characters together, but Akira and Koji Shimazu share the strongest relationship in the John Wick series. Akira deeply desires her father’s approval and closeness, and Koji doesn’t discourage this. However, his loyalty to John Wick leads him to risk both their lives as he tries to balance his relationships.

The movie features an incredible sword fight between Hiroyuki Sanada and Donnie Yen – easily one of the best action sequences in all four John Wick films. Sanada consistently delivers strong performances, and Rina Sawayama deserves praise for convincingly portraying Akira’s grief and determination to avenge her father.

Stream John Wick: Chapter 4 on Starz.

5) Aurelio in (John Leguizamo)

A standout quality of the John Wick films is how convincingly they portray the fear everyone has of the main character. Characters are constantly discussing Mr. Wick’s impressive skills and reputation.

The highlight of John Wick for me is when Iosef Tarasov crashes John Wick’s car into Aurelio’s repair shop. The way Aurelio – brilliantly played by John Leguizamo – immediately smacks Iosef shows us he’s far more afraid of Wick than of Iosef’s powerful father. It also makes it clear Iosef should be taking the situation much more seriously. Leguizamo perfectly portrays Aurelio as a seasoned criminal, but also as a relatable, everyday guy who’s friends with Wick. It’s refreshing to see a character who feels like a genuine ally, not just someone temporarily helping the main character.

Stream John Wick for free with ads on The Roku Channel.

4) Zero (Mark Dacascos)

Zero is a standout character in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and arguably the most amusing. While he’s a skilled assassin, he’s primarily a huge fan of John Wick himself.

It’s unsettling, but uniquely fitting for the John Wick series to show a fan eagerly anticipating killing the person they admire. Usually, harming an idol would be deeply upsetting, but with the character Zero, we genuinely believe his excitement about it.

Stream John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum on YouTube TV.

3) Cassian (Common)

Cassian is a compelling character, even if he doesn’t have a lot of backstory. What really stands out is his unwavering loyalty.

Following John Wick’s killing of his boss, Gianna D’Antonio, Cassian refuses to give up the chase. Driven by a sense of professional failure, he pursues Wick relentlessly until one of them is defeated – and, predictably, it isn’t Wick. The performances by Common and Keanu Reeves effectively show that Cassian, despite his duty, has a genuine respect for Wick, but cannot reconcile Wick’s actions. Similarly, Wick seems to respect Cassian and feels remorseful when he’s forced to seriously injure him.

Stream John Wick: Chapter 2 on YouTube TV.

2) Sofia Al-Azwar (Halle Berry)

The John Wick movies (including Ballerina) are packed with incredible action, but the third film arguably has the best sequences. A standout is the one featuring Sofia Al-Azwar and her two Belgian Malinois dogs.

Sofia is a compelling character driven by a heartbreaking decision: she intentionally distances herself from her daughter to protect her. This separation causes her constant pain, and unlike another character on this list, it seems there’s no chance they’ll be reunited. Though she teams up with Wick, she also resents him, even after they succeed in their mission. As she leaves him to continue his journey in the desert, she shows her lingering bitterness by spitting in his water bottle.

1) Caine (Donnie Yen)

A movie focusing on Donnie Yen’s character, Caine, from John Wick: Chapter 4 is in development, but its future depends on how well the upcoming film Ballerina performs.

Caine is a highly skilled assassin, on par with John Wick, despite being blind. He can effortlessly defeat large groups of armed opponents, and isn’t afraid to pause for a snack even during a fight – now that’s impressive! His motives for challenging Wick are surprisingly noble: he’s simply trying to shield his daughter, even though they’re estranged and the separation is painful. Luckily, after helping Wick defeat the Marquis and escaping the control of the High Table, he’s finally able to reconnect with her.

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2025-11-21 01:43