English character actor who began his career mostly typecast into "foreigner" roles due to his Spanish and Italian heritage. Nevertheless, Molina has carved out a career spanning more than three decades on stage and in film. His turn as Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man 2 was arguably his biggest mainstream breakout, but before that he had racked up a steady array of memorable performances: in Frida as legendary Mexican painter Diego Rivera, Boogie Nights as Rahad Jackson, Prick Up Your Ears as Kenneth Halliwell, Dudley Do-Right as Snidely Whiplash and even his debut film performance in Raiders of the Lost Ark as the "throw me the idol, I throw you the whip" guy.
He also holds the record for most LEGO minifigures made out of a single actor, at six (there are four different Lego figures for Dr. Octopus, plus one for Satipo and one for Sheik Amar.
- As Himself: In Coffee and Cigarettes, Molina played an exaggeratedly Woobie version of himself, in contrast to his scene partner, Steve Coogan, playing a heightened Jerkass version of himself. This was nearly unanimously regarded as one of the standout vignettes in the film due to an epic reversal at the end of their scene.
- Fake Nationality: He is one of the reigning kings of this trope in Hollywood, along with perhaps Ben Kingsley and Erick Avari.
- May-December Romance: His wife is 16 years older than he.
- Mean Character, Nice Actor: A Happily Married, and by all accounts modest and funny, gentleman who can also be called upon to play abusive husbands, resentful murderous lovers, comic book villains and characters who are simply batshit crazy.
- One-Scene Wonder: His insane scene at the end of Boogie Nights.