The Cast
Hellboy’s success as a film is just as dependent on its cast as it is on the forces behind the camera. There are few major Hollywood names here, as the film stars Ron Perlman in the titular role, expert physical actor Doug Jones as Abe Sapien, and Selma Blair as Liz, among others.
Perlman has become a bigger star with his role on Sons of Anarchy, but he remains very much a character performer. He loves Hellboy, and has been quoted as wanting to do the final film in the trilogy before he gets too old to don the make-up.
The two biggest names in the franchise are Perlman and John Hurt, but Hellboy and its sequel do not rely on star personas or star egos. The cast as a whole is the star, which means that the films move organically rather than taking time out to give each actor their chance in the limelight.