The top 25 best fictional characters from Florida, ranked

25: The Shining’s Dick Hallorann
You see the guy in Florida for barely any time at all, yet his seasonal home is quite memorable. His choice in wall decor for his bedroom is as unique as his eerie telepathic abilities. This guy really does shine.
Photo via Warner Bros.

24: Bad Boys’ Detective Sergeant Mike Lowrey
Miami and drug movies go hand-in-hand like bacon and eggs, and we need someone like Mike to keep the dealers at bay while also filling our screens with so much bromance that your broheart might burst, bro.
Photo via Columbia Pictures

23: Cocoon’s Ben Luckett
Just like how Blanche Devereaux proved that older women can still be foxy, Ben Luckett demonstrated to viewers that your later years can be full of rebellious adventures. The St. Pete resident trespasses into a mystical pool, interacts with aliens and re-experiences the vitality of youth all while sporting a killer mustache.
Photo via 20th Century Fox

22: 2 Fast 2 Furious’ Roman Pearce
Back when the series was still in its infancy, Roman was but a newbie to the car chase gang, but he was a critical element nonetheless. His prison past didn’t stop him from assisting childhood friend Brian from bringing down a Miami drug lord and looking cool as hell while doing it. It’s no wonder he was eventually brought back for future adventures.
Photo via Universal Pictures

21: The Birdcage’s’s Armand Goldman
Robin Williams had an impressive track record when it comes to memorable characters, and while so many people talk about The Genie or Mrs. Doubtfire, we should never forget Armand, the gay owner of a South Beach drag club. The man’s dedication to his son’s happiness is equally heartwarming, heartbreaking and all-around funny.
Photo via United Artists

20: Day of the Dead’s Dr. Logan
Of course we’re talking about the original. Who do you think we are, anyway? Day of the Dead’s Dr. Logan is the batshit crazy guy you’ll want to avoid during a zombie outbreak in Fort Myers. If you learn anything from George A. Romero’s version of Frankenstein, it’s that you should never trust anyone who keeps a zombie as a pet.
Photo via United Film Distribution Company

19: Sharknado 3’s Gilbert Grayson Shepard
Everyone in the Sharknado series is somehow, someway a complete badass, but Gilbert, played by David Hasselhoff, is the shining star here. The man heads off to Cape Canaveral for a technological, more militaristic approach to destroying the flying, finned menace. The plan’s so out there that you can’t help but admire the guy.
Photo via Syfy Films

18: Dexter’s Dexter Morgan
A report from World Atlas stated that Florida came in third during a 2014 state murder count, beaten only by California and Texas. Needless to say, this serial killer-hating serial killer had his work cut out for him, doing what many only daydream about doing. As long as you block the series finale from your mind, this somewhat contradictory Miami-based character is a gem.
Photo via Showtime

17: Marley and Me’s Marley
The adorable Labrador retriever wrecks havoc all over South Florida, and yet he still wags his tail deep into your heart through misguided attempts at affection. Let’s all just wipe the ending from our minds. No need to start the waterworks now.
Photo via 20th Century Fox

16: Monster’s Aileen Wuornos
Charlize Theron didn’t just perform as the Florida serial killer; she became her through such a drastic transformation that the actress isn’t even recognizable. Wuornos’ story isn’t a pretty one, but it’s a revealing glimpse into the life and motivations behind arguably one of the most infamous female serial killers in history.
Photo via Newmarket Films

15: Jeepers Creepers’ The Creeper
Florida is a terrifying place to live in, so this monster’s existence almost seems possible. This regenerative horror villain is on the Dunnellon, Florida hunt for 23 days every 23rd spring because he apparently has a subconscious obsession with recurring numbers. At least the ability to make sequels makes sense; all The Creeper needs to do to replace body parts is to eat the needed part from a human being. Convenient? Yes. Memorable? Absolutely.
Photo via United Artists

14: Meet the Fockers’s Bernie & Roz Focker
If meeting the in-laws is the stuff of nightmares, then the Miamian parents that Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman portray are some terrifyingly odd sleep paralysis-induced concoction that surely shouldn’t exist. If your folks tend to embarrass you, at least be thankful that they’ve (hopefully) never shown your significant other pieces of your circumcision past.
Photo via Universal Pictures

13: Key Largo’s Maj. Frank McCloud
It’s tempting to give the honor to Lauren Bacall’s Nora Temple, but it’s Humphrey Bogart’s Frank that really solidifies this film. Key Largo has been out for almost 70 years, but that doesn’t mean that this film noir hero and his fight against human and environmental forces doesn’t live on.
Photo via Warner Bros.

12: Donnie Brasco’s Donnie Brasco
You might know him as the The Jewel Man or, if you’re close to the guy, Joseph D. Pistone. No matter what you call him, though, the guy has some very real guts, being that he was based off of a guy that actually had the courage to infiltrate the mafia. Things get real once he reaches Miami, but we’ll leave the details for your much-needed rewatch of this 1997 flick.
Photo via TriStar Pictures

11: There’s Something About Mary’s Magda
No matter how hard you try, you can never be more Florida than this eyesore of a neighbor. Hell, you might want to put on some “leather gloves and an oyster shucker” to get anywhere near this tanned shell of a woman. Just to be safe.
Photo via 20th Century Fox

10: The Longest Yard’s Paul "Wrecking" Crewe
Really, what’s with all the remakes? Burt Reynolds took on this role and made it his own in a much darker and satisfying manner than Adam Sandler ever could. No matter what is thrown his way — or what he puts himself through for that matter — Crewe’s dedication lets you know that even in a Palm Beach prison, you can come out on top with enough dedication.
Photo via Paramount Pictures

9: Magic Mike’s Dallas
Back in 2012, this film took middle-aged women by storm as they all flocked to see shirtless celebrities dance in pure Tampa strip club fashion. But while Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer’s characters might’ve been the focus of the movie, it’d have gone nowhere without the powerhouse that was Dallas (Matthew McConaughey), the man in charge of the entire seductive operation.
Photo via Warner Bros. Pictures

8: CSI Miami’s Horatio Caine
The man. The legend. The force behind one of the most iconic internet memes from way back when. The police lieutenant’s “Shades of Justice,” as his online admirers call them, pair well with the most ridiculous of remarks. Crime scenes are dramatic enough without his pun-y one-liners, but we don’t want to imagine a world without them.
Photo via CBS

7: Coach’s Coach Fox
Coach Fox was coaching away in Minnesota for most of the show’s run, but he found himself showing the Orlando Breakers the ropes for the last two seasons. No one loves football more than this guy, and while his obsession brings about some tension in his life, Fox is someone who always tries to make things all right. Not every jock’s a jerk, apparently.
Photo via NBC

6: The Golden Girls’ Blanche Devereaux
Television is filled to the brim with young women pursuing a life of promiscuity, but having someone like Blanche in the public eye reminded the world that some desires don’t need to be pushed aside when you reach old age. The Miamian’s snappy remarks and her stylish fashion made her someone to look up to no matter what point in your life you found yourself in.
Photo via NBC