Joan Fontaine
In Alfred Hitchcock’s gothic masterpiece Rebecca, Joan Fontaine more than held her own against Olivier’s brooding Maxim de Winter. As the terrified second Mrs. de Winter, living in the shadow of her predecessor, Fontaine gave a masterclass in psychological
fragility. Her performance earned her an Oscar nomination and established her as a major Hollywood star. The very next year, she won the Best Actress Oscar for another Hitchcock thriller, Suspicion. Her ability to convey vulnerability and quiet strength made her a magnetic screen presence. If you only know her from Rebecca, your next watch should be Max Ophüls’ heartbreaking romance, Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948), a pinnacle of the genre.
Merle Oberon
As the tempestuous Cathy to Olivier’s tortured Heathcliff in 1939's Wuthering Heights, Merle Oberon created an unforgettable portrait of destructive passion. Their chemistry is the dark, beating heart of one of classic Hollywood's greatest romances. While Olivier was famously difficult on set, Oberon's performance as the headstrong woman torn between love and social status is iconic. Born in India, Oberon crafted a fascinating and successful career despite the rigid studio system of the era. To see her command the screen in a completely different context, check out the suspenseful 1944 noir The Lodger, where she shines as a dance hall performer terrified she’s living with Jack the Ripper.
Vivien Leigh
No list of Olivier's collaborators would be complete without Vivien Leigh, his frequent co-star and wife of 20 years. Their off-screen romance began on the set of Fire Over England (1937), and their chemistry was palpable. They starred together in several films, including the wartime romance That Hamilton Woman (1941). While their shared work is essential, Leigh's own filmography is legendary. She won two Best Actress Oscars, most famously for playing Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. For a devastating look at her dramatic power outside of that epic, watch her Oscar-winning turn as the fragile Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951), a performance of breathtaking and heartbreaking intensity.
Jean Simmons
Jean Simmons starred with Olivier twice, delivering memorable performances in two very different epics. First, at just 19, she gave a heart-wrenching portrayal of the tragic Ophelia in Olivier's own directorial triumph, Hamlet (1948), earning an Oscar nomination. Her depiction of youthful innocence descending into madness is haunting. Twelve years later, they reunited for Spartacus, where she played the love interest to Kirk Douglas’s rebellious gladiator, and Olivier played the scheming Roman general Crassus. To appreciate her incredible range, watch her in the colorful MGM musical Guys and Dolls (1955), where she sings, dances, and holds her own opposite Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra.
Kirk Douglas
The 1960 epic Spartacus pitted two titans against each other: Kirk Douglas as the heroic slave leader and Laurence Olivier as his arrogant Roman adversary, Crassus. Their ideological and physical conflict drives the film. Douglas, who was also the film's producer, was a force of nature, an actor whose explosive energy defined a new kind of Hollywood masculinity. He fought to get the film made and to have blacklisted writer Dalton Trumbo publicly credited, a courageous move that helped break the Hollywood blacklist. Douglas's filmography is packed with classics, but for the ultimate display of his cynical, anti-heroic charisma, the film to watch is Billy Wilder’s brilliant and acidic newspaper noir, Ace in the Hole (1951).
Marilyn Monroe
The on-set clash between Olivier's classical stage training and Marilyn Monroe's intuitive Method acting during the making of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) is legendary. Olivier, who also directed, was reportedly driven to distraction by Monroe's process. Yet, on screen, the friction works wonders. Monroe’s effervescent charm as a naive American showgirl is the perfect foil for Olivier’s stuffy, aristocratic prince. Despite the difficult production, Monroe's performance was praised for its comedic timing and effortless screen presence. While she's an icon for many reasons, to see her comedic genius at its absolute peak, your next stop must be Billy Wilder’s flawless comedy, Some Like It Hot (1959).
Michael Caine
In the brilliant 1972 thriller Sleuth, Olivier and Michael Caine are the only two actors on screen for nearly the entire film. It’s a stunning two-hander, a dizzying game of cat-and-mouse between Olivier's aging, game-obsessed mystery writer and Caine's younger, charismatic hairdresser who is having an affair with the writer’s wife. The film is a masterclass in performance, with the two actors parrying dialogue like expert fencers. Caine, representing a new generation of British star power, proved to be a formidable match for the legendary Olivier. To see Caine at his coolest and most iconic, look no further than his breakout role as the cynical, bespectacled spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File (1965).
