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Shaken, not stirred! Join us as we unveil the most iconic and memorable secret agents from the world of film and television. From suave spies to skilled operatives, these characters have left an indelible mark on pop culture. Who's your favorite undercover hero?
Transcript
00:00Watch all episodes of Citadel Diana now on Prime Video.
00:15Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 secret agents
00:20in movie and TV history.
00:27We'll be using the term secret agent a bit loosely here, and interchangeably with spy.
00:33As long as the character gathers information and must keep at least some of what they do
00:37hidden, they qualify.
00:39However, we won't include animated spies or secret agents, as they deserve a list of their
00:44own.
00:46Harry Hart aka Galahad, the Kingsman franchise.
01:01If anyone had any doubt that Colin Firth could be a seriously incredible secret agent, they
01:06were proven wrong as soon as they saw the infamous pub fight from Kingsman the Secret
01:11Service.
01:25Harry Hart, codename Galahad, is a British soldier turned secret agent who's both refined
01:30and ruthless.
01:32In the first installment of the franchise, Harry recruits Gary Eggsy Unwin to the top
01:37secret independent international intelligence agency known as the Kingsman.
01:41Eggsy transforms from a rebellious teen to an impeccably dressed gentleman.
01:46Both are master marksmen with unbelievable reflexes and high intelligence, making them
01:52two of the greatest spies in cinema.
02:06Number 19, Alicia Huberman, Notorious.
02:19Female spies frequently grace our screens these days, but back in 1946, those characters
02:25were uncommon.
02:26In Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller, socialite Alicia Huberman finds herself thrown into
02:31a world of espionage.
02:33Alicia is the daughter of a convicted Nazi conspirator known for enjoying a drink or
02:38several and easily attracting men.
02:41She's approached by U.S. government agent T.R.
02:43Devlin, who enlists her to seduce an old friend of her father's to infiltrate and gather information
02:49on his organization.
02:50Devlin puts her in a dangerous position, only made more complicated when the two fall in
02:55love with each other.
02:56The men in Notorious try to cast her as the femme fatale, but Alicia establishes she's
03:02more than what meets the eye.
03:13Number 18, Harry Tasker, True Lies.
03:24For U.S. government agent Harry Tasker, work-life balance just isn't in the cards.
03:29He pretends to be a computer salesman to keep his wife and daughter in the dark on
03:33his covert operations.
03:35Little do they know that while he's on those business trips, he's actually on missions
03:40for Omega Sector, a counter-terrorism and intelligence agency.
03:54And he puts his agency's resources to good use when he suspects his wife might be having
03:59an affair.
04:00Of course, things do not go as planned.
04:03In the action comedy, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Harry as a funny family man who just
04:07happens to also be a highly skilled international spy.
04:20Number 17, Sidney Bristow, Alias.
04:29When Sidney Bristow was just 19 years old, she was offered a job with the Central Intelligence
04:33Agency, or so she thought.
04:36Years later, she learned the truth.
04:38SD6 wasn't affiliated with the CIA, but was actually an international organized crime
04:43group.
04:44After this discovery, she becomes a double agent, working with the real CIA to take them
04:49down.
04:50With her father also being a double agent, and her mother a former KGB spy, Sidney is
04:55a natural when it comes to this line of work.
04:58She's in top physical shape, with a strong moral compass and the ability to be vulnerable.
05:14Sidney can rock any look from techno-goth to Vegas cocktail waitress, and has one of
05:20the best wardrobes in the spy genre.
05:28Number 16, Harry Palmer, The Ipcris File.
05:42British secret agent Harry Palmer isn't a super suave ladies man living in luxury.
05:47In fact, Harry Saltzman made The Ipcris File with the intention of introducing a grittier
05:52take on the well-known James Bond.
05:54But don't let his bespectacled appearance and mundane name fool you.
05:58The former criminal has a brash presence, and penchant for deadpan humor, and turns
06:03out to be quite the cook.
06:05Sir Michael Caine starred as Palmer in several films, and it's one of his finest performances.
06:10In 2022, Joe Cole stepped into the iconic role of the unsuspecting super spy in ITV's
06:25television adaptation.
06:38Number 15, The Cortez Family, The Spy Kids Franchise.
06:55After years traveling the globe as master spies, Gregorio and Ingrid Cortez retired
07:01from the exciting espionage life, choosing to shield their children from danger.
07:05But when they're older, Carmen and Junie Cortez find out their parents, who they deem
07:10not cool enough, are actually two of the best spies in the OSS, or the Organization of Super
07:16Spies.
07:17And before they can even process this information, they have to suit up and rescue their parents
07:21from a criminal mastermind.
07:24Armed with the coolest gadgets and natural aptitude for spy work, the entire Cortez family
07:29saves the world together.
07:41Number 14, Lorraine Broughton, Atomic Blonde.
07:57MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton is a sleek, agile force in this Cold War spy thriller.
08:03She is deadly with a firearm, or any nearby object.
08:06But Lorraine's most dangerous weapons are her fists, and she can wield a stiletto with
08:11fatal results.
08:12In a race to obtain a list of active intelligence agents in Berlin before the KGB can get their
08:17hands on it, Lorraine goes from one stylized action-packed scene to another, looking phenomenal
08:23in the process.
08:24Charlize Theron made the character an instant bisexual icon, setting her apart from the
08:29typical super spy.
08:45Number 13, Phil Coulson, The Marvel Cinematic Universe.
09:04Agent Philip J. Coulson might be the most likable secret agent in recent history.
09:08He's relatable and easygoing, and a Captain America superfan, but he's also an accomplished
09:14S.H.I.E.L.D.
09:15agent.
09:16After his death at the hands of Loki in 2012's The Avengers, fans still wanted more Phil
09:20Coulson.
09:21The powers that be resurrected him, because after all, this is the world of comic books.
09:26And he lived on in the MCU, sort of.
09:40In Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the agent is promoted to director of the organization
09:45by former director and creator of the Avengers Initiative, Nick Fury.
10:01Number 12, Agents K and J, The Men in Black franchise.
10:14When an energetic NYPD officer, James Darryl Edwards III, chases down an abnormally fast
10:20criminal, he finds himself recruited by the stoic Agent K.
10:24He joins the Men in Black, a secret government agency tasked with monitoring extraterrestrial
10:29beings living on Earth.
10:37It's quite the career change, but Edwards, now known as Agent J, is a valuable addition,
10:42and a perfect opposite to K's super-serious demeanor.
10:45Together, they deal with all the otherworldly creatures among us, using their neuralizers
10:51to wipe the memory of any civilians who come into contact with alien lifeforms.
10:56And they sure look good while doing it.
11:11Number 11, Jack Ryan, The Jack Ryan Franchise.
11:26CIA analyst Jack Ryan prefers using his brains over brawn, but if it comes down to it, he
11:31can fight with the best of them.
11:33The information he uncovers often takes him away from his desk and into the field.
11:38And since 1990, five actors have stepped into the role, beginning with Alec Baldwin in The
11:44Hunt for Red October, to the current iteration of the character in the Jack Ryan series starring
11:49John Krasinski.
11:50Whether he's on the big screen or in the landscape of television, Jack Ryan will go down in history
11:55as one of the most badass agents ever.
12:09Number 10, Angus MacGyver, MacGyver.
12:24Angus MacGyver is arguably the most resourceful government agent in TV history, and the character
12:31is so influential that his name became a verb.
12:34Educated in applied sciences and fluent in more than four languages, this legendary troubleshooter
12:40can make anything out of, well, anything.
12:43His most used gadgets are his trusty Swiss Army knife, duct tape, and paper clips.
12:57But his most valuable asset is his genius-level intellect.
13:01MacGyver eventually leaves the Department of External Services, or DXS, to be a field
13:06operative for the Phoenix Foundation.
13:08He prefers non-lethal combat methods, proving that an unpredictable inventive nature can
13:14get the job done, and without a high body count.
13:26Number 9, Elizabeth and Philip Jennings, The Americans.
13:35Set in the early 1980s, The Americans follows two sleeper agents working for the KGB, posing
13:41as married couple Elizabeth and Philip Jennings.
13:44With their new identities, the agents set up a travel agency as a cover, and start a
13:49family in Falls Church, Virginia.
13:51Both have the masterful ability to blend into a crowd, and have a knack for manipulating
13:56others.
14:04Philip is the more emotional of the two, but both are skilled, ruthless fighters.
14:15While he sometimes questions some aspects of his work, Elizabeth is devoted to the Soviet
14:20cause.
14:21She may have an ice-cold demeanor, but she does have feelings for her husband and fellow
14:40spy.
14:41There is no doubt the Jennings are one killer couple.
14:45Number 8, Austin Powers, The Austin Powers Franchise.
14:54In the late 90s, Mike Myers introduced us to Sir Austin Danger Powers, the groovy British
15:00spy straight out of the swinging 60s.
15:02Sure, he isn't too bright, and he's often way too focused on his next shag, but Powers
15:08is a capable spy, narrowly escaping fembots on more than one occasion, and continuously
15:14foiling the plans of his nemesis, Dr. Evil.
15:27In the 1960s, he let the British Ministry of Defense freeze him in preparation for the
15:31inevitable return of the criminal mastermind.
15:34Now that's dedication.
15:36This international man of mystery may be a parody of James Bond, but he became one of
15:41the greatest secret agents on the big screen.
15:44He also gifted pop culture with a myriad of hilarious catchphrases and infectious tunes.
15:50Number 7, Nikita, La Femme Nikita.
16:08After she murders a police officer during a robbery gone awry, teenage Nikita is presented
16:13the opportunity to become a deadly assassin.
16:15Well, it's more like a terrifying ultimatum.
16:19Kill or be killed.
16:20A mysterious government agency called the Center faked her death, giving her a clean
16:25slate to start anew.
16:41Nikita very reluctantly agrees, and trains in martial arts and develops other skills,
16:46transforming into the ultimate femme fatale.
16:4920 years after the film, The CW premiered Nikita, a series centering on the titular
16:54character as a rogue spy working to take down the agency that trained her.
17:00Both Anne Perriot and Maggie Q play the role to perfection, making Nikita one of the best
17:05secret agents in cinematic and television history.
17:19Number 6, The Angels, the Charlie's Angels franchise.
17:33Beginning with the original TV series in the 1970s, the crime-fighting trio dubbed
17:42Charlie's Angels has been a mainstay in American pop culture.
17:46The OG Angels, Sabrina, Jill, and Kelly were recent police academy graduates assigned to
17:51disappointing jobs.
17:53Feeling underutilized, they joined the Charles Townsend agency led by their unseen boss Charlie,
17:59becoming expert undercover agents and masters of espionage.
18:03Through subsequent films and shows, the various iterations of the Angels have always been
18:08a team of three tenacious women of different professions.
18:11Reformed thieves, race car drivers, MIT students, former MI6 agents, anyone can be an Angel.
18:29Number 5, Maxwell Smart, Get Smart.
18:41From 1965 to 1970, Get Smart had audiences laughing at the inept top-secret government
18:47agent Max Smart, aka Agent 86.
18:50Despite his clumsiness, he is a pro with a pistol and unusually resourceful, working
18:56alongside the much more efficient Agent 99.
18:59Smart is tasked with keeping the international evil organization Chaos from taking over the
19:03world time and time again.
19:06Get Smart featured all kinds of ridiculous gadgets like shoe phones, the laser blazer,
19:11and of course, the cone of silence.
19:25Maxwell Smart isn't the smoothest of agents, regularly causing complications.
19:34But nevertheless, he still manages to be one of the top agents at control.
19:49Number 4, Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, The Marvel Cinematic Universe.
20:03Since first appearing in 2010's Iron Man 2 as an undercover spy, Natasha Romanoff has
20:08become a key player in the MCU.
20:11At a young age, Natasha, along with many other girls, was trained in the Red Room, a secret
20:16academy that taught young girls to be KGB assassins called Black Widows.
20:21Later, Clint Barton recruits her to S.H.I.E.L.D., where she eventually becomes an Avenger.
20:38She more than holds her own, fighting aliens and androids alongside gods and enhanced mortals,
20:43and her hand-to-hand combat skills are arguably more impressive than any superpowers.
20:49Agent Romanoff brings just as much heart as she brings brawn, and she leaves a lasting
20:54legacy in the MCU, including her signature move.
21:06Number 3, Jason Bourne, The Bourne Franchise.
21:23Rogue CIA special agent Jason Bourne is not your typical action hero.
21:28An injury causes him to suffer from amnesia, leaving him with no idea who he really is.
21:36As he goes on his own mission to piece together his memory, other CIA agents try to take him
21:51down, but his insane fighting expertise and impressive ability to make a dangerous weapon
21:56out of anything keep him alive.
21:58The Bourne films were a more grounded approach to the spy genre, foregoing womanizing and
22:03luxury for ruthless violence and an identity crisis.
22:06Jason Bourne remains one of Matt Damon's most iconic roles to date.
22:15Number 2, Ethan Hunt, The Mission Impossible Franchise.
22:28Since 1996, Tom Cruise has led one of the highest-grossing film franchises of all time,
22:34as both producer and star, becoming notorious for doing his own stunts.
22:38Cruise is just as relentless and dedicated as his character Ethan Hunt, an Impossible
22:44Mission Force or IMF agent.
22:46Hunt just gets better at his spy craft with each movie, and has solidified his place among
22:51the most badass cinematic action heroes.
23:04Whether he's stealing confidential files or preventing the spread of a deadly virus, Ethan
23:09Hunt is always ready to jump into depth-defying scenarios for any mission, no matter how impossible.
23:21Number 1, James Bond, The James Bond Franchise.
23:42Taking the top spot on our list is 007 himself.
23:45James Bond first appeared on screen in 1962's Dr. No, but the fictional agent was created
23:51by author Ian Fleming in 1953.
23:54As of 2022, Mr. Bond has been portrayed in the Eon series of 007 films by six actors
24:00– Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel
24:06Craig.
24:10Each actor has their own take on the coveted role, but all exude the character's confidence
24:15and wit.
24:31Bond leads a glamorous yet dangerous life as a British Secret Service agent, saving
24:36the world and wooing women.
24:38Notably, the infamous Bond girls like the elegant double agent Bess Berlin.
24:42He's the quintessential spy who's made a huge impact on pop culture, inspiring countless
24:48homages and parodies.
24:58Who do you think is the best secret agent?
25:01Let us know in the comments below.
25:06Watch all episodes of Citadel Diana now on Prime Video.