Top 30 Underrated Actors
cinemadoor.com posted her Top 30 Underrated Actors list and now I shall post mine. We are related and have done lists together for years and years and it is very fun and exciting to me that we still do them and that we now post them online for others to see.
This list is very difficult and very subjective like all film lists. A lot of the people on my list are character actors which begs the question are they underrated if they are a character actor? I have one superstar on my list and my explanation for him will hopefully justify his spot. I tried not to go with actors that everyone says are underrated because honestly to me that makes them not underrated. No I do not think Gary Oldman, Steve Buscemi, Sam Rockwell, Ed Harris, Jeff Daniels, Peter Sarsgaard, Don Cheadle or any other number of actors arfe underrated to the point where they get on this list. While maybe they should all have more leading roles and I do think Gary Oldman is not appreciated to nearly the extent he should be, these actors all have great careers and give performances that get constant acclaim. They may be underrated but I think the film viewers appreciate their work. Some people who used to be underrated do not qualify anymore. 3 years ago Robert Downey Jr was nowhere near as famous again as he is now. He was doing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and was on Ally McBeal and was in The Singing Detective. Now for him to be on the list would be ludicrous. Last year Joseph Gordon-Levitt might have been my number 1 but 500 Days of Summer catapulted him to mainstream attention. A lot of the reasons simply have to do with under appreciation either in the recognition they get with critics and film viewers, people taking them for granted, them not having that star role yet or them not being given the qualities of roles they should be. I have no classic movie stars on the list. I almost put Conrad Veidt and Richard Widmark but I think it is impossible to know how they were perceived back in the day. I know Widmark was a big deal so are they underrated if they are not a household name amongst casual movie fans after 60 years? Also it was difficult to put on certain foreign actors because while they might not be appreciated in the States, I assume they are much appreciated in their home country. I have a couple who fall into the category despite the reservations I had about it. So anyways enough of that; here is the list. Forgive me because these reasons are so important.
30. Ray Winstone
Why: I think he gets really juicy roles in the UK. He starred in Sexy Beast and Nil by Mouth (which I haven’t seen but know is supposed to be great and he is supposed to be great in it). When it comes to Sexy Beast everyone talks about Ben Kingsley so Winstone gets overshadowed. He brought much more than was written on the page to his character in The Departed. Even though he is the star of Beowulf, you would never tell since his body is changed beyond recognition. He has popped up in tons of films and has a huge slate of pictures lined up. I just wish that was given roles that he deserves to be playing in the States rather than throwing these useless supporting roles (The Departed is an exception) or a random starring role (Beowulf) at him.
29. Ray Wise
Why: I know he was the go to guy for a while. Has anyone seen his performance on Twin Peaks? It is a masterwork. Truly remarkable. While I did not watch Reaper, his casting on it got a lot of people excited which is good. He is going to pop up on Dollhouse. While he has some film roles under his belt most notably Robocop and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, I think this actor should not by any means be popping up in random TV episodes. He should either be a regular on a show like he was on Reaper or he should be getting consistent film work. Whoever cast him in Good Night and Good Luck understood that he is underused especially in film. Hopefully someone else will notice that as well.
28. Dylan Baker
Why: I know that a lot of people list him as an underrated actor. But he is. He has a great career and gets to play many juicy different roles. His casting in Spider Man 4 has sparked a lot of rumors about the next villain but I still feel that he needs another role like Happiness which will get people’s attention instead of him being someone who is always appreciated but is never slammed with acclaim. Side note: he was fantastic in Trick ‘R Treat.
27. Thomas Kretschmann
Why: In an episode of Flash Forward, Thomas Kretschmann showed up in one episode for a few scenes. The show treated it like nothing. What was he doing there? It made me realize that while he is well known in Germany, he is completely under appreciated here. This is someone who has had key roles in films like King Kong, Valkyrie, Wanted, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Blade II and most importantly his wonderful performance in The Pianist. A few of these films are not good. He has done a ton of stuff in Germany and played a large part in the masterpiece that is Downfall. I would not have put him on the list if his work here had not been significant. However, since he has been in a great many films here and still does not have the appreciation to back it up he is underrated in my book.
26. Billy Crudup
He has a great career I admit that. He gets a lot of juicy and interesting roles. I am just confused as to why he never made the jump to A-list actor. He has both the looks and the talent. I wouldn’t really want his career to change but I do think he is under appreciated by both critics and by filmmakers.
25. Tom Cruise
He is the only superstar on my list. He used to be taken seriously. He is not anymore. He might be one of the most famous men in the world but how many people think he has any talent at this point? A lot of people laugh at him and his personal life has made it hard for anyone to take him seriously. I get past it though. I do not think he is an actor who can slip into any role unrecognizably. He always has that vibe about him. However I think he is great at emoting. I think his performance in Magnolia is incredible. Most importantly I think he brings a level of emotion and intensity to action roles that are not even required by him but it makes the films much better. He really puts humanity into Mission Impossible 1 and 3 and his performance in Minority Report is really impressive especially for a film that is so on the go and so plot based. For these reasons even though he is so famous I do think he is talented and I wish he were taken more seriously.
24. Chiwetel Ejiofor
In many mainstream films (2012 (!), American Gangster, Inside Man, Serenity) and many smaller films (but not small) as well (Melinda and Melinda, Children of Men, Redbelt, Dirty Pretty Things, Kinky Boots, Talk to Me). Always gets acclaim for his work but he has yet to become a household name of any sort and he still needs that one performance to catapult him to greatness. He has the looks and the talent to be getting first rate work. He also has been in a lot of first rate work but in a supporting part. Look at his filmography! He gets to be in so many things! Why don’t most people know him yet?
23. Matthew Goode
He will get there. He has not been around forever so his placement is slightly unjust. He sort of took a misstep with his Watchmen performance (although it is not the disaster everyone else thinks it is) but turned in two stellar and very different performances in Match Point and The Lookout. He is on critics’ radars and with A Single Man coming out he will stay there until he gets that role which gives him turn an Oscar nomination and into the public eye.
22. Jason Flemyng
He is simply underused. How should he be allowed turn up in the shitfest known as Mirrors in a supporting role no less? Of course he manages to be the best part of that film. Outside of Tilda Swinton’s scenes in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he is the best part of that film. Every film I have seen him in further proves to me that he is a scene stealer and needs to be featured more prominently in films. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was a long time ago. He needs something else to showcase him.
21. Jensen Ackles
His performance in My Bloody Valentine was atrocious. One of the worst pieces of acting I have ever seen. Do not be fooled though; this guy can seriously act. His work on Supernatural reaches pretty astounding heights at times but of course since it is a show on the CW who is going to take that seriously? It is unfortunate because Ackles’ work on the show is totally consistent and uniformly impressive. This is someone I could see fading away after the show ends which I really do not want to happen because he is just too good to waste in this world of young cardboard heartthrob actors. If he cannot have a career but Robert Pattinson, a fellow heartthrob who cannot act to save his life, at least in Twilight, I’ll eat my hat.
20. Josh Charles
I have seen him in a few early roles of his most notably Dead Poets’ Society. His performance on Season 1 of In Treatment is what struck me though. The role is quite different from anything else I have seen him done. It is a role I can really picture Mark Wahlberg playing. But we do not need more Mark Wahlberg. We need more Josh Charles. That is what I say.
19. Keith Carradine
I have a bit of an old man crush on the Carradine. Even though he was huge in the 70’s, even winning an Oscar for his song from Nashville, and this sustained itself for quite some time, he has been popping up on TV everywhere when he should be popping up in movies. Do not get me wrong; his role on Dexter as Lundy was fantastic and I would not have it any other way. I also love his being on Dollhouse. Why though, is he only on TV when this guy has more charisma and natural intrigue than many of the actors I watch in films? Why am I living in a world where Keith Carradine does not get regular film work? Way under appreciated.
18. Alan Tudyk
Besides being in Joss Whedon’s Firefly and Dollhouse, Tudyk is usually assigned pointless comic relief characters such as the pirate guy from Dodgeball. I was very happy to see him in 3:10 to Yuma and I am glad he has a role on V. Firefly gave him the material to function as a comic relief character but with some actual depth and Dollhouse gave him an opportunity to play a nasty villain with his own dark humor infused into the role. Can someone give him something else worthwhile so I do not have to see him in another Verizon commercial?
17. Danny Huston
Critics appreciate Danny Huston. I appreciate Danny Huston. Does anyone else? Even though I was stuck seeing him as Stryker in the worst movie basically ever, Wolverine, and the other worst movie ever, The Number 23, he actually does good films. As part of the famous Huston family, it’s his duty. His performance in Birth stands out to me as a highlight. He has also appeared in 21 Grams, The Aviator, The Proposition, The Constant Gardener, Children of Men, Marie Antoinette and is set to appear in a slew of very high profile projects coming up soon. It is not that he does not get the work, I just never hear anyone talk about him outside of critics referring to him as ‘always dependable’ or something like that.
16. Paul Schneider
His role on Parks and Recreation is a big deal and almost did not put him on the list. However I think his roles in Assassination of Jesse James and Lars and the Real Girl were standouts among standout casts. He has been around for a while thanks to David Gordon Green who cast him in both George Washington and as the lead in All of the Real Girls. He is much more exposed now but I still think he has yet to establish himself as an actor in the capacity that I someday hope he achieves.
15. Tom Hollander
See In the Loop. He nearly steals it from Peter Capaldi. Nearly. I have been a big fan of his for a few years now. He has made a career of playing douchebags in films like Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3, Pride and Prejudice and maybe The Libertine and Paparazzi? I cannot remember what he does in either of those stupid movies. I hope people see his potential and cast him in different and interesting roles soon because I just love this guy.
14. David Patrick Kelly
I am so happy that he is going to be in Jonah Hex. Not because I care, because I couldn’t give a shit, but because he will be in something. This actor, who is most well known as the “Warriors, come out to playyeeaayyy” guy has a Crispin Glover like presence about him or vice versa. He is weird and entrancing and sketchy and all sorts of things that make him pop from anyone else in any given scene. David Lynch saw that and cast him as Jerry Horne, Ben’s brother. He popped in and out of episodes, never had an arc of his own but he fit into Lynch’s strange world perfectly. This is what Kelly does; he pops in and out of shows and/or films. He has not been used nearly to the extent that he should have been. Maybe people will stop looking at Megan Fox and her nonexistent waist in corsets to look at David Patrick Kelly in Jonah Hex. Maybe people will go “hey who is that guy?” and discover the awesomeness of David Patrick Kelly. Doubtful but I can hope.
13. Justin Theroux
His career has been focused on writing a lot recently. He co-wrote Tropic Thunder and is co-writing Iron Man 2. However this guy has the looks, talent and ability to do comedy and drama and should be a leading man. He was…in Mulholland Drive. I would rather him be the lead man in that than the lead in 100 other films. He gets to be in the cowboy scene, he gets to have Billy Ray Cyrus beat the crap out of him, and he gets to pour pink paint in a jewelry box! What could be better? Nothing I tell you. He also had a large role on Six Feet Under as Brenda’s boyfriend in later seasons. He has gotten other leading work in Michael Showalter’s The Baxter and in David Lynch’s latest Inland Empire. I just think he should be better known that he is.
12. William Fichtner
I never watched Invasion but fuck whoever canceled it. Seriously, a show starring William Fichtner is a brilliant idea. He had a huge role on Prison Break, another show I did not watch, which redeemed this mistake. Another guy who pops up a lot, most recently in The Dark Knight’s opening scene, but who just goes under appreciated hence his placement on the list.
11. Justin Kirk
Even though he has a starring role on Weeds and is clearly well set when I think of what I think his career would be without Weeds I become weary. Like Ben Shenkman, his Angels in America co star, I think he would have slipped into more relative obscurity. His role on Weeds showcases his insane ability for comedy and likability. This past season also gave him the opportunity to do some dramatic work which he of course can do so well. I hope when Weeds is over, Justin Kirk can have a solid career whether it be in film, TV or theater. Judging by his talent, I have no doubt of his abilities.
10. Michael Hogan
Michael Hogan as Colonel Tigh on Battlestar Galactica was a sight to behold. Starting off by being a character I could not stand but found fascinating to a character to being possibly my favorite character on the show is a great feat. This guy is a brilliant actor. Put him in more things.
9. Clancy Brown
Yes he is Mr. Krabs on Spongebob. But did anyone watch Carnivale? Brother Justin? One of the greatest villains ever? He also had an important role in Shawshank Redemption. Like David Patrick Kelly, Brown has the gift of sticking out whenever he appears onscreen due to his unique intensity. Not used nearly as much as he should. I really hope this is due to the amount of voice work he does talking up a lot of time. If not….grrrrrrrrr….
8. Lee Tergesen
Nobody would think after watching Oz, that Lee Tergeson, who played protagonist Beecher, would ever think that he’d be showing up for very small arcs on TV shows. The evolution of Beecher throughout the show demonstrates Tergesons’ impressive range. Again, he should be in the spotlight.
7. Chris Eigeman
Is his dry wit too much for people? I do not understand this at all. This one is totally perplexing. He runs away with Kicking and Screaming and Barcelona in particular. If someone can explain the lack of this man in either films or TV I would love to understand this.
6. Eamonn Walker
Ludicrous amounts of presence. Kareem Said on Oz was one of the great TV characters. His performance as Howlin Wolf in the recent Cadillac Records was praised particularly by Roger Ebert who went on about him for a while. Thankfully he also appears in this year’s critically acclaimed The Messenger. Simply put though, he should be either one of the world’s leading A List stars or one of the worlds’ great famous character actors. Either way, he should be much more well known.
5. Christian Camargo
He steals every scene in The Hurt Locker nearly undermining the character development of Eldridge because his Doc is so fascinating to watch. He steals every scene on his short but unforgettable run on Dexter Season 1. Someone cast this man in something substantial. He should be in everything. Severely underrated.
4. Jeremy Davies
His 2 season run on Lost showcased a unique intrigue that Davies has almost unmatched by anyone except maybe the character Davies played on Lost, Daniel Faraday. I know I use this term about a lot of people but that is why they are on the list. Huge part in Saving Private Ryan, lead in Spanking the Monkey, lead in other films as well and roles in Lars von Trier’s Dogville and Manderlay but he needs to keep up the work because he is more interesting than like 99% of the lead actors working today. A true gem.
3. James Callis
How does the man who played the brilliant character of Gaius Baltar on Battlestar Galactica become assigned the part in a crappy SyFy film involving Merlin? Seriously, Callis’ work as Baltar is like Top 5 TV Performances of the Decade. He brought humor, pathos, humanity, guilt, desperation and a number of other qualities to the uncommonly complex character of Gaius Baltar. Give him something. Now.
2. Ben Foster
He is right on the cusp with his new film The Messenger. He will probably be ineligible for this list soon. For now though he could be this generations’ gift to the world of acting. I started watching him on Flash Forward, (the 1996 kids awesome kids show, not the new one) when I was young. He now has shown his unnatural intensity and depth to numerous films, both good and bad. His work on Six Feet Under was very strange and made for a very memorable character named Russell. His 3:10 to Yuma was easily the standout performance of the film overshadowing Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.
1. Jack Nance
David Lynch saw how special this man was. The small cult following Jack Nance has understands how special he was. I understand how special he was. His brand of personality was so eccentric that the film world could not find a secure place for him. It is almost for the better. He would have just been assigned the same role over and over. Eraserhead is in no small part a success because Nance’s performance is so in sync with Lynch’s vision. It is almost the only film that was weird enough to sync itself with the actor. Lynch used him on numerous occasions. He had small roles in Dune, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and Lost Highway. His second stunning work was as Pete Martell on Twin Peaks, perhaps the most sympathetic and outright likable character on the show outside of Cooper of course and maybe Andy. Jack Nance died in 1996. He was a gift and I consider myself a devotee and fan of his. And I think he was the most underrated actor of all time.
This list is very difficult and very subjective like all film lists. A lot of the people on my list are character actors which begs the question are they underrated if they are a character actor? I have one superstar on my list and my explanation for him will hopefully justify his spot. I tried not to go with actors that everyone says are underrated because honestly to me that makes them not underrated. No I do not think Gary Oldman, Steve Buscemi, Sam Rockwell, Ed Harris, Jeff Daniels, Peter Sarsgaard, Don Cheadle or any other number of actors arfe underrated to the point where they get on this list. While maybe they should all have more leading roles and I do think Gary Oldman is not appreciated to nearly the extent he should be, these actors all have great careers and give performances that get constant acclaim. They may be underrated but I think the film viewers appreciate their work. Some people who used to be underrated do not qualify anymore. 3 years ago Robert Downey Jr was nowhere near as famous again as he is now. He was doing Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and was on Ally McBeal and was in The Singing Detective. Now for him to be on the list would be ludicrous. Last year Joseph Gordon-Levitt might have been my number 1 but 500 Days of Summer catapulted him to mainstream attention. A lot of the reasons simply have to do with under appreciation either in the recognition they get with critics and film viewers, people taking them for granted, them not having that star role yet or them not being given the qualities of roles they should be. I have no classic movie stars on the list. I almost put Conrad Veidt and Richard Widmark but I think it is impossible to know how they were perceived back in the day. I know Widmark was a big deal so are they underrated if they are not a household name amongst casual movie fans after 60 years? Also it was difficult to put on certain foreign actors because while they might not be appreciated in the States, I assume they are much appreciated in their home country. I have a couple who fall into the category despite the reservations I had about it. So anyways enough of that; here is the list. Forgive me because these reasons are so important.
30. Ray Winstone
Why: I think he gets really juicy roles in the UK. He starred in Sexy Beast and Nil by Mouth (which I haven’t seen but know is supposed to be great and he is supposed to be great in it). When it comes to Sexy Beast everyone talks about Ben Kingsley so Winstone gets overshadowed. He brought much more than was written on the page to his character in The Departed. Even though he is the star of Beowulf, you would never tell since his body is changed beyond recognition. He has popped up in tons of films and has a huge slate of pictures lined up. I just wish that was given roles that he deserves to be playing in the States rather than throwing these useless supporting roles (The Departed is an exception) or a random starring role (Beowulf) at him.
29. Ray Wise
Why: I know he was the go to guy for a while. Has anyone seen his performance on Twin Peaks? It is a masterwork. Truly remarkable. While I did not watch Reaper, his casting on it got a lot of people excited which is good. He is going to pop up on Dollhouse. While he has some film roles under his belt most notably Robocop and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, I think this actor should not by any means be popping up in random TV episodes. He should either be a regular on a show like he was on Reaper or he should be getting consistent film work. Whoever cast him in Good Night and Good Luck understood that he is underused especially in film. Hopefully someone else will notice that as well.
28. Dylan Baker
Why: I know that a lot of people list him as an underrated actor. But he is. He has a great career and gets to play many juicy different roles. His casting in Spider Man 4 has sparked a lot of rumors about the next villain but I still feel that he needs another role like Happiness which will get people’s attention instead of him being someone who is always appreciated but is never slammed with acclaim. Side note: he was fantastic in Trick ‘R Treat.
27. Thomas Kretschmann
Why: In an episode of Flash Forward, Thomas Kretschmann showed up in one episode for a few scenes. The show treated it like nothing. What was he doing there? It made me realize that while he is well known in Germany, he is completely under appreciated here. This is someone who has had key roles in films like King Kong, Valkyrie, Wanted, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Blade II and most importantly his wonderful performance in The Pianist. A few of these films are not good. He has done a ton of stuff in Germany and played a large part in the masterpiece that is Downfall. I would not have put him on the list if his work here had not been significant. However, since he has been in a great many films here and still does not have the appreciation to back it up he is underrated in my book.
26. Billy Crudup
He has a great career I admit that. He gets a lot of juicy and interesting roles. I am just confused as to why he never made the jump to A-list actor. He has both the looks and the talent. I wouldn’t really want his career to change but I do think he is under appreciated by both critics and by filmmakers.
25. Tom Cruise
He is the only superstar on my list. He used to be taken seriously. He is not anymore. He might be one of the most famous men in the world but how many people think he has any talent at this point? A lot of people laugh at him and his personal life has made it hard for anyone to take him seriously. I get past it though. I do not think he is an actor who can slip into any role unrecognizably. He always has that vibe about him. However I think he is great at emoting. I think his performance in Magnolia is incredible. Most importantly I think he brings a level of emotion and intensity to action roles that are not even required by him but it makes the films much better. He really puts humanity into Mission Impossible 1 and 3 and his performance in Minority Report is really impressive especially for a film that is so on the go and so plot based. For these reasons even though he is so famous I do think he is talented and I wish he were taken more seriously.
24. Chiwetel Ejiofor
In many mainstream films (2012 (!), American Gangster, Inside Man, Serenity) and many smaller films (but not small) as well (Melinda and Melinda, Children of Men, Redbelt, Dirty Pretty Things, Kinky Boots, Talk to Me). Always gets acclaim for his work but he has yet to become a household name of any sort and he still needs that one performance to catapult him to greatness. He has the looks and the talent to be getting first rate work. He also has been in a lot of first rate work but in a supporting part. Look at his filmography! He gets to be in so many things! Why don’t most people know him yet?
23. Matthew Goode
He will get there. He has not been around forever so his placement is slightly unjust. He sort of took a misstep with his Watchmen performance (although it is not the disaster everyone else thinks it is) but turned in two stellar and very different performances in Match Point and The Lookout. He is on critics’ radars and with A Single Man coming out he will stay there until he gets that role which gives him turn an Oscar nomination and into the public eye.
22. Jason Flemyng
He is simply underused. How should he be allowed turn up in the shitfest known as Mirrors in a supporting role no less? Of course he manages to be the best part of that film. Outside of Tilda Swinton’s scenes in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, he is the best part of that film. Every film I have seen him in further proves to me that he is a scene stealer and needs to be featured more prominently in films. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was a long time ago. He needs something else to showcase him.
21. Jensen Ackles
His performance in My Bloody Valentine was atrocious. One of the worst pieces of acting I have ever seen. Do not be fooled though; this guy can seriously act. His work on Supernatural reaches pretty astounding heights at times but of course since it is a show on the CW who is going to take that seriously? It is unfortunate because Ackles’ work on the show is totally consistent and uniformly impressive. This is someone I could see fading away after the show ends which I really do not want to happen because he is just too good to waste in this world of young cardboard heartthrob actors. If he cannot have a career but Robert Pattinson, a fellow heartthrob who cannot act to save his life, at least in Twilight, I’ll eat my hat.
20. Josh Charles
I have seen him in a few early roles of his most notably Dead Poets’ Society. His performance on Season 1 of In Treatment is what struck me though. The role is quite different from anything else I have seen him done. It is a role I can really picture Mark Wahlberg playing. But we do not need more Mark Wahlberg. We need more Josh Charles. That is what I say.
19. Keith Carradine
I have a bit of an old man crush on the Carradine. Even though he was huge in the 70’s, even winning an Oscar for his song from Nashville, and this sustained itself for quite some time, he has been popping up on TV everywhere when he should be popping up in movies. Do not get me wrong; his role on Dexter as Lundy was fantastic and I would not have it any other way. I also love his being on Dollhouse. Why though, is he only on TV when this guy has more charisma and natural intrigue than many of the actors I watch in films? Why am I living in a world where Keith Carradine does not get regular film work? Way under appreciated.
18. Alan Tudyk
Besides being in Joss Whedon’s Firefly and Dollhouse, Tudyk is usually assigned pointless comic relief characters such as the pirate guy from Dodgeball. I was very happy to see him in 3:10 to Yuma and I am glad he has a role on V. Firefly gave him the material to function as a comic relief character but with some actual depth and Dollhouse gave him an opportunity to play a nasty villain with his own dark humor infused into the role. Can someone give him something else worthwhile so I do not have to see him in another Verizon commercial?
17. Danny Huston
Critics appreciate Danny Huston. I appreciate Danny Huston. Does anyone else? Even though I was stuck seeing him as Stryker in the worst movie basically ever, Wolverine, and the other worst movie ever, The Number 23, he actually does good films. As part of the famous Huston family, it’s his duty. His performance in Birth stands out to me as a highlight. He has also appeared in 21 Grams, The Aviator, The Proposition, The Constant Gardener, Children of Men, Marie Antoinette and is set to appear in a slew of very high profile projects coming up soon. It is not that he does not get the work, I just never hear anyone talk about him outside of critics referring to him as ‘always dependable’ or something like that.
16. Paul Schneider
His role on Parks and Recreation is a big deal and almost did not put him on the list. However I think his roles in Assassination of Jesse James and Lars and the Real Girl were standouts among standout casts. He has been around for a while thanks to David Gordon Green who cast him in both George Washington and as the lead in All of the Real Girls. He is much more exposed now but I still think he has yet to establish himself as an actor in the capacity that I someday hope he achieves.
15. Tom Hollander
See In the Loop. He nearly steals it from Peter Capaldi. Nearly. I have been a big fan of his for a few years now. He has made a career of playing douchebags in films like Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3, Pride and Prejudice and maybe The Libertine and Paparazzi? I cannot remember what he does in either of those stupid movies. I hope people see his potential and cast him in different and interesting roles soon because I just love this guy.
14. David Patrick Kelly
I am so happy that he is going to be in Jonah Hex. Not because I care, because I couldn’t give a shit, but because he will be in something. This actor, who is most well known as the “Warriors, come out to playyeeaayyy” guy has a Crispin Glover like presence about him or vice versa. He is weird and entrancing and sketchy and all sorts of things that make him pop from anyone else in any given scene. David Lynch saw that and cast him as Jerry Horne, Ben’s brother. He popped in and out of episodes, never had an arc of his own but he fit into Lynch’s strange world perfectly. This is what Kelly does; he pops in and out of shows and/or films. He has not been used nearly to the extent that he should have been. Maybe people will stop looking at Megan Fox and her nonexistent waist in corsets to look at David Patrick Kelly in Jonah Hex. Maybe people will go “hey who is that guy?” and discover the awesomeness of David Patrick Kelly. Doubtful but I can hope.
13. Justin Theroux
His career has been focused on writing a lot recently. He co-wrote Tropic Thunder and is co-writing Iron Man 2. However this guy has the looks, talent and ability to do comedy and drama and should be a leading man. He was…in Mulholland Drive. I would rather him be the lead man in that than the lead in 100 other films. He gets to be in the cowboy scene, he gets to have Billy Ray Cyrus beat the crap out of him, and he gets to pour pink paint in a jewelry box! What could be better? Nothing I tell you. He also had a large role on Six Feet Under as Brenda’s boyfriend in later seasons. He has gotten other leading work in Michael Showalter’s The Baxter and in David Lynch’s latest Inland Empire. I just think he should be better known that he is.
12. William Fichtner
I never watched Invasion but fuck whoever canceled it. Seriously, a show starring William Fichtner is a brilliant idea. He had a huge role on Prison Break, another show I did not watch, which redeemed this mistake. Another guy who pops up a lot, most recently in The Dark Knight’s opening scene, but who just goes under appreciated hence his placement on the list.
11. Justin Kirk
Even though he has a starring role on Weeds and is clearly well set when I think of what I think his career would be without Weeds I become weary. Like Ben Shenkman, his Angels in America co star, I think he would have slipped into more relative obscurity. His role on Weeds showcases his insane ability for comedy and likability. This past season also gave him the opportunity to do some dramatic work which he of course can do so well. I hope when Weeds is over, Justin Kirk can have a solid career whether it be in film, TV or theater. Judging by his talent, I have no doubt of his abilities.
10. Michael Hogan
Michael Hogan as Colonel Tigh on Battlestar Galactica was a sight to behold. Starting off by being a character I could not stand but found fascinating to a character to being possibly my favorite character on the show is a great feat. This guy is a brilliant actor. Put him in more things.
9. Clancy Brown
Yes he is Mr. Krabs on Spongebob. But did anyone watch Carnivale? Brother Justin? One of the greatest villains ever? He also had an important role in Shawshank Redemption. Like David Patrick Kelly, Brown has the gift of sticking out whenever he appears onscreen due to his unique intensity. Not used nearly as much as he should. I really hope this is due to the amount of voice work he does talking up a lot of time. If not….grrrrrrrrr….
8. Lee Tergesen
Nobody would think after watching Oz, that Lee Tergeson, who played protagonist Beecher, would ever think that he’d be showing up for very small arcs on TV shows. The evolution of Beecher throughout the show demonstrates Tergesons’ impressive range. Again, he should be in the spotlight.
7. Chris Eigeman
Is his dry wit too much for people? I do not understand this at all. This one is totally perplexing. He runs away with Kicking and Screaming and Barcelona in particular. If someone can explain the lack of this man in either films or TV I would love to understand this.
6. Eamonn Walker
Ludicrous amounts of presence. Kareem Said on Oz was one of the great TV characters. His performance as Howlin Wolf in the recent Cadillac Records was praised particularly by Roger Ebert who went on about him for a while. Thankfully he also appears in this year’s critically acclaimed The Messenger. Simply put though, he should be either one of the world’s leading A List stars or one of the worlds’ great famous character actors. Either way, he should be much more well known.
5. Christian Camargo
He steals every scene in The Hurt Locker nearly undermining the character development of Eldridge because his Doc is so fascinating to watch. He steals every scene on his short but unforgettable run on Dexter Season 1. Someone cast this man in something substantial. He should be in everything. Severely underrated.
4. Jeremy Davies
His 2 season run on Lost showcased a unique intrigue that Davies has almost unmatched by anyone except maybe the character Davies played on Lost, Daniel Faraday. I know I use this term about a lot of people but that is why they are on the list. Huge part in Saving Private Ryan, lead in Spanking the Monkey, lead in other films as well and roles in Lars von Trier’s Dogville and Manderlay but he needs to keep up the work because he is more interesting than like 99% of the lead actors working today. A true gem.
3. James Callis
How does the man who played the brilliant character of Gaius Baltar on Battlestar Galactica become assigned the part in a crappy SyFy film involving Merlin? Seriously, Callis’ work as Baltar is like Top 5 TV Performances of the Decade. He brought humor, pathos, humanity, guilt, desperation and a number of other qualities to the uncommonly complex character of Gaius Baltar. Give him something. Now.
2. Ben Foster
He is right on the cusp with his new film The Messenger. He will probably be ineligible for this list soon. For now though he could be this generations’ gift to the world of acting. I started watching him on Flash Forward, (the 1996 kids awesome kids show, not the new one) when I was young. He now has shown his unnatural intensity and depth to numerous films, both good and bad. His work on Six Feet Under was very strange and made for a very memorable character named Russell. His 3:10 to Yuma was easily the standout performance of the film overshadowing Russell Crowe and Christian Bale.
1. Jack Nance
David Lynch saw how special this man was. The small cult following Jack Nance has understands how special he was. I understand how special he was. His brand of personality was so eccentric that the film world could not find a secure place for him. It is almost for the better. He would have just been assigned the same role over and over. Eraserhead is in no small part a success because Nance’s performance is so in sync with Lynch’s vision. It is almost the only film that was weird enough to sync itself with the actor. Lynch used him on numerous occasions. He had small roles in Dune, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart and Lost Highway. His second stunning work was as Pete Martell on Twin Peaks, perhaps the most sympathetic and outright likable character on the show outside of Cooper of course and maybe Andy. Jack Nance died in 1996. He was a gift and I consider myself a devotee and fan of his. And I think he was the most underrated actor of all time.
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Also a huge fan of Ray Winstone. I first saw him in Scum (when he was very young, and so was I). He's brilliant in Nil by Mouth and also in The War Zone.
Tom Cruise should've been nominated for an Oscar for his performance in Tropic Thunder.
So how are you and Sarah related?
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Some great choices here and any list that includes Danny Huston, William Fichtner and Ray Winstone will make me smile.
Also cool to see The Kurgen get some love, I'm a huge Carnivale fan too.
i enjoy Jeremy Davies neurotic schtick too.
Nice to meet another BSG nut and the inclusion of Ray Wise and Jack Nance makes me feel we have a lot in common
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i will automatically have a lot in common with anyone who likes bsg. so say we all!
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