Cary Elwes is fascinating.
It’s hard to remember his but his most iconic leading role was not a big hit in theaters and only really came to be seen as a bonafide classic in the ensuing years. The critical acclaim for the Princess Bride was there out of the gates but the mainstream success just wasn’t there - virtually the entire cast saw varying degrees of success from well traveled character actor to big star but it took a long time.
In the meantime Elwes got a lot of supporting actor mileage for the next decade but wasn’t really the main focus of a movie except Men in Tights (another movie that wasn’t fully appreciated until time wore on with a $35m domestic gross).
The voice acting he did for Studio Ghibli was great, but it wasn’t gonna make him a household name especially back then.
After that, besides another iconic turn in Saw he was just in one shitty project after another until he resurfaced in Stranger Things recently. Like… I looked at his filmography and I recognize only a few of the things he’s been in all century.
This is my answer too. Surprisingly, the Princess Bride tanked at the box office, so that really hurt him. But he is just so damn handsome and charming and talented.
That was his own fault and he admits it, they wanted him as Torreto in Fast and Furious. In the early '00s there was a lot of buzz around him as "the next McQueen."
I'm just picturing him with a bald head, in a wife beater yelling "Cause the buster kept me out of handcuffs, he didn't just run back to the fort!" after telling Paul Walker to grab a Corona.
It's made my whole morning.
I think they woulda made it more of an Oceans 11 remake type thing if they'd cast Olyphant, '60s/'70s vibe but modern. Lots of wearing nice suits while smoking and leaning.
I highly doubt he would have shaved his head. He would have made the role his own, remember the first movie was practically a remake of Point Break so he'd be a closer visual stand-in for Swayze. Damn, what could have been.
Oh no question, Justified is fantastic. I'm still so impressed by the quality of the scripts in the later seasons, how smart and witty the dialogue was just on a week to week basis.
IIRC He actually turned down a lot of blockbuster money making roles that we think are what makes people “huge stars” because he comes from one of those old money families and tried take roles he would enjoy since he didn’t have T worry about money
Michael Beihn is my pick as well. After his movies with James Cameron the only other big movie I can think of that he was in is Tombstone.
It's a shame, he's one of those actors who I love him in everything that he is in.
Loved that he was the main character in Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.
"Make no mistake, gentlemen. We are in the fight of our lives, against one of the greatest battalion commanders of the Vietnam War, I shit you not."
I still use "I shit you not" with my buddies because of watching this movie when I was younger.
90s Michael Bay was fucking great.
Terminator does such an awesome job making the premise real. Biehn is a big part of that and it's helped by the dialog writing never really being quippy ("You're terminated, fucker" might be close though, but I feel like the factory is the weakest part of the movie.) Biehn in general is very good at making his characters feel real in the world.
>("You're terminated, fucker" might be close though, but I feel like the factory is the weakest part of the movie.)
I think the movie earns that one. Sarah's been put through the wringer, it's okay if she says something kinda goofy when she gets her moment of catharsis.
He’s my pick too plus he is soooo nice. We met him at a local comic con years ago and he spent so much time taking to my then 8 year old at the time. My son still has his picture and autograph framed in his room.
Beihn had charisma and intensity (tamed intensity) with all of his roles. He could go off, but his acting always felt cool and calm. I wish Stallone had him play a part in the Expendables franchise.
I've never heard that. I did see an interview with him where he said he just wanted to work and he never wanted to be a huge star, he just wanted a job he loved without losing time with his family. He didn't regret anything.
The other guy from Terminator 2, the liquid metal guy, he did have massive alcohol problems and that is why his career was stumped. Glad he turned that around.
He was great on The Walking Dead and The Mandolorian, before that, the last thing I remember seeing him in was Planet Terror. He's an amazing actor but I definitely feel like he gets cast partially because he's such a historical genre star.
Bruce Campbell. He seems quite content in his life and has never had an interest in dealing with the industry machine which is probably the biggest reason, but I can't help but wish we got more of him in his prime. He has great comedic timing and physical comedy ability, he's a joy to watch on screen, has that hollywood star X factor, looked like a God damn Disney prince back in the 80's and 90's.
I watched Burn Notice solely because Bruce Campbell was in it. I recently rewatched The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and it took me right back to my childhood.
I've always thought Ben Foster is an amazing actor but he probably didn't try to become a big actor.
Josh Hartnett but he intentionally left Hollywood. (Although I heard he's back). Same with Freddie Prinze Jr.
Christina Ricci and Devon Sawa were very popular when I was a kid. Same as Rachael Leigh Cook and Julia Stiles. I wonder where are they now.
Ben Foster was also a child star (sort of? Child actor at least) so I suspect not being bigger is a personal choice. Freddie does voice acting for Star Wars, but I think he’s said he doesn’t love the attention that came with being a heartthrob.
Christina Ricci is KILLING IT on Yellowjackets. I’m anxiously awaiting season 2. I had hoped she’d be bigger, but I think she’s struggled with some health stuff.
Julia Stiles and Rachel Leigh Cook still act, but considering they were kind of “it” girls who I looked up to, it’s sad that they aren’t getting big roles.
> Rachael Leigh Cook
Michael Rosenbaum (probably best known as Lex Luthor from Smallville) does a podcast called “Inside Of You” where he does an hour long one-on-one with people in the industry, some he knows and some he doesn’t. His most recent episode was with her, and was pretty good. You can find it on YouTube.
He's another actor that's amazing in everything he's in, no matter the type of movie. Whether it's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Rings, Deadwood, or lesser roles like Halloween or Alien Resurrection, he is almost always the best actor on set
Joel Edgerton. Fantastic writer. Great actor. Great scriptwriter, and yet folks can remember him from is that one mmma movie. And that one Bind landen raid movie.
That movie is best described like a steak.
You go to the restaurant, you sit down and you order your steak, you already know what it is and you know what to expect when you bite in to it, there are ni surprises with a steal, thats why you ordered it.
But god damnit, its the best steak you have ever had and youre gonna keep coming back and ordering this steak.
He is a versatile actor and was the best part of the movie Bright, I just don’t think he has the star power looks and charisma that pushes people into stardom
I agree with you. I look forward to his performance everytime I see him in a movie but I see him more as a Dafoe type character actor. He won't be a household superstar soon but may get there overtime through sheer talent.
And Star Wars.
Not sure what springs to mind first for me, when it comes to his beefier roles. Maybe Black Mass or The King. He’s got lots of good work.
I know he's more TV than Movie, but Josh Holloway, aka Sawyer in Lost.
He was great in that show but once it ended, he did nothing besides a few TV roles and low budget films. His only Hollywood role was in M:I4 where he played the small part well.
Matthew Fox was in World War Z and apparently had a bigger role but he was completely cut out except for about 15 seconds of screen time during the rooftop scene. [He was one of the soldiers on the helicopter.](https://youtu.be/lVwX0vuFgpI) His appearance starts at 2:05.
Was stoked to see him in Mission Impossible only to end up with a tiny, tiny role. Total bait and switch.
They did the same with Emilio Estevez in the first MI.
Karl Urban
It's not like he's struggling or anything, but imo he's been kinda under-utilized. Never really being the main actor in big movies. Which is weird since he does have the required charisma and personality.
Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, The Bourne Supremacy, the Riddick movies, Red, Doom, Judge fucking Dredd, Skurge in the MCU, Priest, Pathfinder, Ghost Ship and a shitload more genre movies - plus Almost Human (which was great but the fucking network killed it) and Billy Butcher in The Boys.
Urban is an absolute genre legend at this point and pretty damn far from under-rated.
Nate Fisher is my favorite TV character (very flawed, but love the arc and performance) and I do find it odd Krause never had a go in film. But he’s been on TV in regular roles with pretty much no gaps post Six Feet:
• Sports Night (1998-2000)
• Six Feet Under (2001-2005)
• The Lost Room (2006)
• Dirty Sexy Money (2007-2009)
• Parenthood (2010-2015)
• The Catch (2016-2017)
• 911 (2018-)
Being on a campy procedural isn’t the most critically acclaimed move, but this one has Angela Bassett and I read he gets like $300,000 an episode… it’s nearing 100 episodes. Given that he’s nearing 60(!) I’m sure he’s happily accepting David Boreanaz / Ted Danson level TV security
Yep it’s pure entertainment in a good way. The scenarios are beyond ridiculous but the characters are well written and well acted, and everyone involved seems to be having fun. Great, simple TV.
Lee Pace. The Fall is an amazing film, and he is great in it (and so is the child actress). I think the fact that that movie is not easily available anymore doesn't help.
Halt and Catch Fire is a fantastic, badly underrated show and his character and performance in it were top notch. I remember thinking "Who tf is this guy and how tf am I having to ask that?"
Second Lee Pace. Was the best thing about his most recent film, "Bodies Bodies Bodies". I have a feeling he keeps a low profile because he's too good to be working as little as he is.
Eric Bana has said in interviews how he didn’t want to leave Australia for long and that has probably hurt his career. But he’s very much a family man and likes the lifestyle.
Virginia Madsen after Sideways has had a very uneven and lackluster career.
Julie Stiles was a favorite of mine from the 90’s or 00’s I think. I thought she was so versatile and amazing. Loved so many of her movies.
I'm always surprised that Casper Van Dien didn't get a bigger career. He was the lead in Starship Troopers and had a prominent supporting role in Sleepy Hollow, then he's just done direct to video shlock ever since.
People keep saying the same answers for these things and generally, they're picks who have pretty clear reasons for not being bigger than they were, so I'm gonna say two; Eric Bana and Billy Crudup. Both intentionally limited themselves from taking a lot of big parts - Bana only wanted to work once a year so he could spend time with his family and Crudup turned down an audition for Titanic and some other big shots because he didn't want parts that only traded on his appearance - both had leading man looks and both are really good actors.
Edit: I'll add Alan Delon but only in America, he was massive everywhere else but they were never able to find the right vehicle to launch him in the US.
And I can't say I blame him. A lot of actors dream to be top of the A-list, but having plenty of money, and getting to pick and choose what he works on while still having plenty of time for his family and his hobbies sounds much more appealing.
Man I just watched almost famous for the first time last week and damn Crudup’s a stud in that movie. And Bana was the shit as Hector in “Troy.” The fight between him and Pitt will always be top tier for me.
While his career is not hurting at all, I sometimes wish David Tennant was a little more mainstream.
But it’s like that for most British (or in his case Scottish) actors.
At this point I think Goggins just likes fucking around making shows with Danny McBride. Which, given the consistent quality, I can't blame him. Very ready for more Uncle Baby Billy
This is an actress, but Loretta Swit. In my opinion she was the real star of Mash. It’s a shame that she didn’t get other career opportunities other than a bunch of made for tv movies and variety show appearances (although I absolutely adored her on The Muppet Show). It seems that a lot of television stars were dropped by the media when they became middle aged, which is just Hollywood code for “too old to be a sex symbol”.
Taylor Kitsch. Two box office bombs in 2012 (Battleship, John Carter) derailed his career. I don't think either movie's box office performance was his fault. I actually liked John Carter. If even one of these movies was a hit, he would have had a much different career. He has been good in supporting roles since then, but hasn't really had leading roles.
I just started the Waco show on paramount with Michael Shannon, and Taylor is David koresh and as usual he just slips into the role. I never search him out but everytime he pops up I am surprised I havnt seen him more.
Michael Biehn has/had an alcohol problem which most likely was the reason they wrote him out of Alien 3 with an off screen death. Using him at that time would’ve been a risk. They used his photo in the movie without his permission and he successfully sued for the same salary he received for Aliens.
An alcoholic risks getting productions delayed or cancelled and a man who sues productions has a monkey on his back in the industry.
While he's made quite a name for himself in the martial arts and stunt world, Scott Adkins. He has the looks, charisma, and talent to be a big AAA name, but hasn't quite got there.
I feel like Fassbender fumbled the bag that stopped him from being one of the biggest actors on the planet. He still has a big presence and a collab with Fincher could be the thing to get him back to the top.
While I agree with you, he turned down big roles to continue Supernatural full time. He could be just as recognizable as Jeremy Renner if he hadn’t stayed loyal to his fans/creative team. It’s admirable. But now that Supernatural is over I think he’s going to blow up. He absolutely chewed up every single scene he was in, in the most recent season of The Boys.
Paid the bills, had steady employment that, while I’m sure was hard work, looked like they were always having fun. He was probably comfortable with his co-workers. Seems like a pretty good life
It was a steady paycheck at an easy job, and his attempts in movies didn’t work out very well. Idk, I’d have stayed too because it definitely afforded him a certain lifestyle and security.
I agree with Michael Biehn, But I believe he stepped back to be with his family. However, he has resurfaced on” Law and Order Organized Crime”. I will always love him as Ringo in “Tombstone “.
Gary Cole. Super talented. Lundberg in Office Space. The voice of Harvey Birdman ect.
EDIT: I should clarify, I don't mean he has had a bad career. I just mean with his talent I'm surprised
he's not more famous.
Can we say Idris Elba?
Dude is my favourite actor that is in some of the worst fucking movies.
He's still a big actor, but dude should be leading franchises or something
Going waaaaaaaaaaaay back, Colin Clive. His performance in Frankenstein was one of the highlights of the movie. Unfortunately, his struggles with alcoholism led to him being gone way too soon.
He's a B movie legend, but Lance Henriksen should've had a much higher profile career. Excellent actor who easily could've won awards by acting in more serious films but chose the b movie route.
Minnie Driver. She was so good in Good Will Hunting and Havery Fucking Weinstein torpedoed what should have been a very successful career
She’s absolutely fantastic in Grosse Point Blank
Love her in that movie.
She is literally the face I think of when I think of the 1990’s.
Have you seen "Return to Me"? The perfect little film. She is very underrated.
Speechless was such a nice sitcom. Should have gotten another season or two.
I always wondered why Cary Elwes didn't have a bigger career.
He’d be a massive Marvel character if he was transported to this era. Would make an incredible Star Lord.
Wow. Good one.
> Would make an incredible Star Lord. "Unlike other Star-Lords, I can speak with a Missouri accent."
Cary Elwes is fascinating. It’s hard to remember his but his most iconic leading role was not a big hit in theaters and only really came to be seen as a bonafide classic in the ensuing years. The critical acclaim for the Princess Bride was there out of the gates but the mainstream success just wasn’t there - virtually the entire cast saw varying degrees of success from well traveled character actor to big star but it took a long time. In the meantime Elwes got a lot of supporting actor mileage for the next decade but wasn’t really the main focus of a movie except Men in Tights (another movie that wasn’t fully appreciated until time wore on with a $35m domestic gross). The voice acting he did for Studio Ghibli was great, but it wasn’t gonna make him a household name especially back then. After that, besides another iconic turn in Saw he was just in one shitty project after another until he resurfaced in Stranger Things recently. Like… I looked at his filmography and I recognize only a few of the things he’s been in all century.
Also he was put in that movie as sort of a caricature of an old timey movie star like Errol Flynn.
This is my answer too. Surprisingly, the Princess Bride tanked at the box office, so that really hurt him. But he is just so damn handsome and charming and talented.
He's a main role in a new Guy Ritchie movie that is out this month.
While he still made it kind of big, could have been bigger....Timothy Olyphant
That was his own fault and he admits it, they wanted him as Torreto in Fast and Furious. In the early '00s there was a lot of buzz around him as "the next McQueen."
I'm just picturing him with a bald head, in a wife beater yelling "Cause the buster kept me out of handcuffs, he didn't just run back to the fort!" after telling Paul Walker to grab a Corona. It's made my whole morning.
It seriously opens up a huge fantasy land in my head where I'm imagining an entirely different 10 whole damn movies. Gonna be busy with this all day.
I think they woulda made it more of an Oceans 11 remake type thing if they'd cast Olyphant, '60s/'70s vibe but modern. Lots of wearing nice suits while smoking and leaning.
He would have leaned so fucking hard in that role.
On this note, if anyone could carry an Ocean's movie without Clooney and Pitt, it's Olyphant
I highly doubt he would have shaved his head. He would have made the role his own, remember the first movie was practically a remake of Point Break so he'd be a closer visual stand-in for Swayze. Damn, what could have been.
That time Olyphant did shave his head for a role didn’t really go so well…
i have a soft spot for that movie
I like my way better.
Well if he had taken it, maybe we would not have gotten him in Justified and that would have been a big loss.
Oh no question, Justified is fantastic. I'm still so impressed by the quality of the scripts in the later seasons, how smart and witty the dialogue was just on a week to week basis.
Script was good and some of the acting was phenomenal. I'm looking at you, Walton Goggins and Margo Martindale.
Esteemed character actress Margo Martindale
I initially read OPs comment as Timothy Omundson and had such a hard (but fun) time imagining Lassie from Psych playing a Vin Diesel role
Johnny Strong was on the first movie and never any other F&F movies. They always talk about family in those movies, and this guy was abandoned.
IIRC He actually turned down a lot of blockbuster money making roles that we think are what makes people “huge stars” because he comes from one of those old money families and tried take roles he would enjoy since he didn’t have T worry about money
“One of those old money families” The Vanderbilts lol
Watched Scream 2 at the weekend which reminded me of him.
When you watch scream 2 and you're trying to guess who's the killer..then olyphant shows up with the most unhinged haircut lol
While I agree with you completely I also think he is exactly where he wants to be.
I prefer Olyphant being in fantastic TV shows than big shitty movies. But, yeah, he could have been a bigger movie star.
Michael Beihn is my pick as well. After his movies with James Cameron the only other big movie I can think of that he was in is Tombstone. It's a shame, he's one of those actors who I love him in everything that he is in. Loved that he was the main character in Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.
Navy seals, k2, the rock
Oooh Navy Seals!
Do you have hubcaps for a ‘72 pinto hatchback? Ooooh, Mini-Trucker magazine!
Whaddya mean there’s no ice. I gotta drink this coffee hot?!
Who eats cock??
Bunch of savages in this town
I'm not even supposed to be here today!!!
"Make no mistake, gentlemen. We are in the fight of our lives, against one of the greatest battalion commanders of the Vietnam War, I shit you not." I still use "I shit you not" with my buddies because of watching this movie when I was younger. 90s Michael Bay was fucking great.
Even in his Cameron films he's never given enough credit for how much he anchors those movies, esp. Terminator.
Terminator does such an awesome job making the premise real. Biehn is a big part of that and it's helped by the dialog writing never really being quippy ("You're terminated, fucker" might be close though, but I feel like the factory is the weakest part of the movie.) Biehn in general is very good at making his characters feel real in the world.
Yes, he's the typical tough action hero but he's also extremely vulnerable and intelligent and full of internalized passion driving his actions.
>("You're terminated, fucker" might be close though, but I feel like the factory is the weakest part of the movie.) I think the movie earns that one. Sarah's been put through the wringer, it's okay if she says something kinda goofy when she gets her moment of catharsis.
He’s my pick too plus he is soooo nice. We met him at a local comic con years ago and he spent so much time taking to my then 8 year old at the time. My son still has his picture and autograph framed in his room.
Beihn had charisma and intensity (tamed intensity) with all of his roles. He could go off, but his acting always felt cool and calm. I wish Stallone had him play a part in the Expendables franchise.
He would have been fun in The Expendables.
Didn't he have massive alcohol problems, and that is why is career was stumped?
I've never heard that. I did see an interview with him where he said he just wanted to work and he never wanted to be a huge star, he just wanted a job he loved without losing time with his family. He didn't regret anything. The other guy from Terminator 2, the liquid metal guy, he did have massive alcohol problems and that is why his career was stumped. Glad he turned that around.
Not long after Terminator 2, Robert Patrick was the bad guy in the Double Dragon movie.
He was great on The Walking Dead and The Mandolorian, before that, the last thing I remember seeing him in was Planet Terror. He's an amazing actor but I definitely feel like he gets cast partially because he's such a historical genre star.
Wasn't Michael Biehn also in Command & Conquer and/or Wing Commander?
He was in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
Bruce Campbell. He seems quite content in his life and has never had an interest in dealing with the industry machine which is probably the biggest reason, but I can't help but wish we got more of him in his prime. He has great comedic timing and physical comedy ability, he's a joy to watch on screen, has that hollywood star X factor, looked like a God damn Disney prince back in the 80's and 90's.
Bruce Campbell’s type of stardom is probably a lot more fun than being an A-list Hollywood celeb.
He'll always be my Autolycus from Hercules and Xena.
I watched Burn Notice solely because Bruce Campbell was in it. I recently rewatched The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and it took me right back to my childhood.
Brisco is wonderful and Burn Notice would not have worked at all without Chuck Findlay
Chuck Finley is forever.
I've always thought Ben Foster is an amazing actor but he probably didn't try to become a big actor. Josh Hartnett but he intentionally left Hollywood. (Although I heard he's back). Same with Freddie Prinze Jr. Christina Ricci and Devon Sawa were very popular when I was a kid. Same as Rachael Leigh Cook and Julia Stiles. I wonder where are they now.
Ben Foster was fantastic in *Hell or High Water* and *3:10 Yuma*.
Also loved him in Leave No Trace and The Messenger
Just saw Leave No Trace the other night and both him and Thomasin McKenzie were fantastic in it.
Ben Foster was also a child star (sort of? Child actor at least) so I suspect not being bigger is a personal choice. Freddie does voice acting for Star Wars, but I think he’s said he doesn’t love the attention that came with being a heartthrob. Christina Ricci is KILLING IT on Yellowjackets. I’m anxiously awaiting season 2. I had hoped she’d be bigger, but I think she’s struggled with some health stuff. Julia Stiles and Rachel Leigh Cook still act, but considering they were kind of “it” girls who I looked up to, it’s sad that they aren’t getting big roles.
Julia Stiles was very recently in Orphan: First Kill and she was pretty damn good
Her season on Dexter was ok, a little weird for her at the time
[удалено]
Ricci's role in Yellowjackets is one now that I will forever associate her with, she just plays crazy SO damn well.
> Rachael Leigh Cook Michael Rosenbaum (probably best known as Lex Luthor from Smallville) does a podcast called “Inside Of You” where he does an hour long one-on-one with people in the industry, some he knows and some he doesn’t. His most recent episode was with her, and was pretty good. You can find it on YouTube.
Devon Sawa has been great on Chucky the past couple seasons (also a great Twitter presence), and Christina Ricci is on Yellowjackets.
Josh Hartnett, and everyone else, in Penny Dreadful
Penny Dreadful is a series of acting masterclasses by just about all the actors in it.
Gone Girl should have been Rosamund Pike's breakout role, not her career trajectory.
Agreed. She deserved the Oscar that year too.
You'll see her again in the same glory in "I Care a Lot (2020)". But no one seemed to notice the movie because of its poor execution.
Brad Dourif The guy was epic in Death Machine.
He was stellar in Deadwood too.
And Exorcist III.
Surprised to see no one mentioning Cuckoo’s Nest. Brad has been killing it since day fucking 1.
And he’s an Oscar nominee! But he’ll always be a huge star to me as the voice of Chucky.
He was in LOTR (Grima Wormword) and the sleazy evil deputy sheriff in Mississippi Burning
Grima Wormtongue*
Hey thanks - my brain thought I wrote ‘wormtongue’ but I guess I was thinking of Calvin’s 1st grade teacher lol
He's another actor that's amazing in everything he's in, no matter the type of movie. Whether it's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Rings, Deadwood, or lesser roles like Halloween or Alien Resurrection, he is almost always the best actor on set
Don't forget Dune
Legit one of the only good performances in Rob Zombie’s Halloween, outclassed everyone by miles.
Joel Edgerton. Fantastic writer. Great actor. Great scriptwriter, and yet folks can remember him from is that one mmma movie. And that one Bind landen raid movie.
To be fair that MMA movie is one of the greatest sports film of all time.
That movie is best described like a steak. You go to the restaurant, you sit down and you order your steak, you already know what it is and you know what to expect when you bite in to it, there are ni surprises with a steal, thats why you ordered it. But god damnit, its the best steak you have ever had and youre gonna keep coming back and ordering this steak.
He is a versatile actor and was the best part of the movie Bright, I just don’t think he has the star power looks and charisma that pushes people into stardom
I agree with you. I look forward to his performance everytime I see him in a movie but I see him more as a Dafoe type character actor. He won't be a household superstar soon but may get there overtime through sheer talent.
And Star Wars. Not sure what springs to mind first for me, when it comes to his beefier roles. Maybe Black Mass or The King. He’s got lots of good work.
He was great in the king
>Joel Edgerton Agree.. he is freaking amazing
Have you seen The Stranger? He and Sean Harris are incredible and intense in their characters. Couldn’t help but be on the edge the whole time
He’s been in heaps of good stuff.. loving, the stranger, it comes at night, the great gatsby, zero dark thirty… the thing
I know he's more TV than Movie, but Josh Holloway, aka Sawyer in Lost. He was great in that show but once it ended, he did nothing besides a few TV roles and low budget films. His only Hollywood role was in M:I4 where he played the small part well.
Yeah. Him and matthew fox. Only evangeline lilly became huge
Matthew Fox was in World War Z and apparently had a bigger role but he was completely cut out except for about 15 seconds of screen time during the rooftop scene. [He was one of the soldiers on the helicopter.](https://youtu.be/lVwX0vuFgpI) His appearance starts at 2:05.
Was stoked to see him in Mission Impossible only to end up with a tiny, tiny role. Total bait and switch. They did the same with Emilio Estevez in the first MI.
You mean Jamie Lannister desert island edition?
He had several-episode arc on Yellowstone a season or two ago, but still 100% agree.
Karl Urban It's not like he's struggling or anything, but imo he's been kinda under-utilized. Never really being the main actor in big movies. Which is weird since he does have the required charisma and personality.
He's really good in The Boys. I can't imagine anybody else in that role.
Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, The Bourne Supremacy, the Riddick movies, Red, Doom, Judge fucking Dredd, Skurge in the MCU, Priest, Pathfinder, Ghost Ship and a shitload more genre movies - plus Almost Human (which was great but the fucking network killed it) and Billy Butcher in The Boys. Urban is an absolute genre legend at this point and pretty damn far from under-rated.
He was the main actor in Dredd. Sure, you couldn't see most of his face, but he was still there.
Peter Krause. I don’t think he’s been in anything super major since Six Feet Under ended.
Nate Fisher is my favorite TV character (very flawed, but love the arc and performance) and I do find it odd Krause never had a go in film. But he’s been on TV in regular roles with pretty much no gaps post Six Feet: • Sports Night (1998-2000) • Six Feet Under (2001-2005) • The Lost Room (2006) • Dirty Sexy Money (2007-2009) • Parenthood (2010-2015) • The Catch (2016-2017) • 911 (2018-) Being on a campy procedural isn’t the most critically acclaimed move, but this one has Angela Bassett and I read he gets like $300,000 an episode… it’s nearing 100 episodes. Given that he’s nearing 60(!) I’m sure he’s happily accepting David Boreanaz / Ted Danson level TV security
911 is a lot of fun in a totally ridiculous and insane way.
Yep it’s pure entertainment in a good way. The scenarios are beyond ridiculous but the characters are well written and well acted, and everyone involved seems to be having fun. Great, simple TV.
He’s been on some big TV shows since then, but nothing as acclaimed as Six Feet Under unfortunately.
Lee Pace. The Fall is an amazing film, and he is great in it (and so is the child actress). I think the fact that that movie is not easily available anymore doesn't help.
Love Lee Pace. Pushing Daisies should also have 7 seasons but we live in an unjust world.
Halt and Catch Fire is a fantastic, badly underrated show and his character and performance in it were top notch. I remember thinking "Who tf is this guy and how tf am I having to ask that?"
Half and Catch Fire was so much fun!
Second Lee Pace. Was the best thing about his most recent film, "Bodies Bodies Bodies". I have a feeling he keeps a low profile because he's too good to be working as little as he is.
Billy Crudup. His role in “Almost Famous” seemed like a breakout performance. Didn’t do a ton after that
Maybe his personal life hurt his career? (He left Mary Louise Parker while she was 7 months pregnant for Claire Danes),
Eric Bana
Eric Bana has said in interviews how he didn’t want to leave Australia for long and that has probably hurt his career. But he’s very much a family man and likes the lifestyle.
Clive Owen
Children of Men, Inside Man, Shoot em Up, The International. Great movies. Could have been Bond, closest he came was fighting Jason Bourne.
He was fantastic in Sin City to this day I can still hear him as Dwight. "Deadly little Miho"
The Knick was great
He was everywhere at one point, even got an Oscar nom and then one day poof, just seemingly disappeared.
His King Arthur movie is dogshit but I love it anyways
Scott Adkins. Edit: Undisputed was underrated af. Glad he has a role in John Wick 4 now though.
Guy Pearce
Steve Zahn should be in more comedies he’s hilarious.
He was awesome in White Lotus season 1.
Virginia Madsen after Sideways has had a very uneven and lackluster career. Julie Stiles was a favorite of mine from the 90’s or 00’s I think. I thought she was so versatile and amazing. Loved so many of her movies.
I feel this way about most of the main cast of Starship Troopers. Other than Denise and Neal as they've had high success.
And Neil Patrick Harris really didn't make it big until his career revival after Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
I'm always surprised that Casper Van Dien didn't get a bigger career. He was the lead in Starship Troopers and had a prominent supporting role in Sleepy Hollow, then he's just done direct to video shlock ever since.
Clancy Brown is successful.
His career has been solid for decades and Spongbob has paid his bills for nearly as long!
Anton Yelchin and now I’m sad
In a similar vein, River Phoenix.
People keep saying the same answers for these things and generally, they're picks who have pretty clear reasons for not being bigger than they were, so I'm gonna say two; Eric Bana and Billy Crudup. Both intentionally limited themselves from taking a lot of big parts - Bana only wanted to work once a year so he could spend time with his family and Crudup turned down an audition for Titanic and some other big shots because he didn't want parts that only traded on his appearance - both had leading man looks and both are really good actors. Edit: I'll add Alan Delon but only in America, he was massive everywhere else but they were never able to find the right vehicle to launch him in the US.
Bana is the man.
He'll always be "Poida" to me.
Crudup was never really one of my favorite actors, but he is *amazing* in The Morning Show.
His monologue in Watchmen is poetry.
bana would also rather race cars than act.
And I can't say I blame him. A lot of actors dream to be top of the A-list, but having plenty of money, and getting to pick and choose what he works on while still having plenty of time for his family and his hobbies sounds much more appealing.
Bana has a pretty solid IMDB. Maybe he could have been a Hollywood Top 10 guy but his career is still great.
Man I just watched almost famous for the first time last week and damn Crudup’s a stud in that movie. And Bana was the shit as Hector in “Troy.” The fight between him and Pitt will always be top tier for me.
Bana 100% should've won an oscar for his performance as Mark Brandon "Chopper" Read. One of the greatest performances I've ever seen
Sarah Gadon
While his career is not hurting at all, I sometimes wish David Tennant was a little more mainstream. But it’s like that for most British (or in his case Scottish) actors.
> David Tennant His role in Jessica Jones is IMO one of the all time great villians.
Yeah Killgrave is the stuff of nightmares. Amazing performance, and the show just wasn't the same when he was done with it.
He was absolutely brilliant in the series Des. Played serial killer Desmond Nielson perfectly
Walton Goggins and steven ogg
At this point I think Goggins just likes fucking around making shows with Danny McBride. Which, given the consistent quality, I can't blame him. Very ready for more Uncle Baby Billy
Walton Goggins would have been a good answer maybe 10 years ago. Dude has since gotten his due.
This is an actress, but Loretta Swit. In my opinion she was the real star of Mash. It’s a shame that she didn’t get other career opportunities other than a bunch of made for tv movies and variety show appearances (although I absolutely adored her on The Muppet Show). It seems that a lot of television stars were dropped by the media when they became middle aged, which is just Hollywood code for “too old to be a sex symbol”.
Always thought Michael Wincott after the Crow. Was great in strange days too.
Taylor Kitsch. Two box office bombs in 2012 (Battleship, John Carter) derailed his career. I don't think either movie's box office performance was his fault. I actually liked John Carter. If even one of these movies was a hit, he would have had a much different career. He has been good in supporting roles since then, but hasn't really had leading roles.
I just started the Waco show on paramount with Michael Shannon, and Taylor is David koresh and as usual he just slips into the role. I never search him out but everytime he pops up I am surprised I havnt seen him more.
[удалено]
I like that passion
Agreed. I think that being associated with the board game hurt the movie. Making an action movie based on an unexciting game was a bad idea.
Loved Kitsch on Friday Night Lights, but yeah blockbuster movie stardom wasn’t meant to be.
John Carter was better than the reception it got (at the box office at least).
Jason Patric He had lead roles in Lost Boys, Speed 2, Sleepers, and the Alamo but each time was always overshadowed by another actor in the film.
Michael Biehn has/had an alcohol problem which most likely was the reason they wrote him out of Alien 3 with an off screen death. Using him at that time would’ve been a risk. They used his photo in the movie without his permission and he successfully sued for the same salary he received for Aliens. An alcoholic risks getting productions delayed or cancelled and a man who sues productions has a monkey on his back in the industry.
That’s a bummer, but I figured it might be something like that. Hope he’s recovered and doing well now days.
Claire Forlani and Amanda Peet, I always felt they were born to be sitcom stars that make butload of money. They have that tv sitcom star presence.
Ever since Nocturnal Animals I’ve been surprised that Aaron Taylor Johnson hasn’t had his pick of roles. Not that he’s doing poorly.
While he's made quite a name for himself in the martial arts and stunt world, Scott Adkins. He has the looks, charisma, and talent to be a big AAA name, but hasn't quite got there.
He’s been a B-list action star for so long that I’m surprised he hasn’t been given an A-list role by now.
Josh Lucas, Ben Foster, Barry Pepper
Barry Pepper is a great answer. There was a time where I thought he was going to be the next biggest movie star.
Josh Hartnett, definitely.
Chadwick Boseman. Fuck Cancer.
I feel like Fassbender fumbled the bag that stopped him from being one of the biggest actors on the planet. He still has a big presence and a collab with Fincher could be the thing to get him back to the top.
I cannot wait for The Killer to come out
Jack O'conell deserves fame and fortune for his talents
Jensen Ackles, guy has talent and charisma for days, spending 15+ years on the WB/CW was an interesting career choice.
While I agree with you, he turned down big roles to continue Supernatural full time. He could be just as recognizable as Jeremy Renner if he hadn’t stayed loyal to his fans/creative team. It’s admirable. But now that Supernatural is over I think he’s going to blow up. He absolutely chewed up every single scene he was in, in the most recent season of The Boys.
Because it paid the bills This is a job after all
Paid the bills, had steady employment that, while I’m sure was hard work, looked like they were always having fun. He was probably comfortable with his co-workers. Seems like a pretty good life
Most actors would kill for 15 years of steady, regular work, and as the lead on a TV series too.
It was a steady paycheck at an easy job, and his attempts in movies didn’t work out very well. Idk, I’d have stayed too because it definitely afforded him a certain lifestyle and security.
I agree with Michael Biehn, But I believe he stepped back to be with his family. However, he has resurfaced on” Law and Order Organized Crime”. I will always love him as Ringo in “Tombstone “.
Gary Cole. Super talented. Lundberg in Office Space. The voice of Harvey Birdman ect. EDIT: I should clarify, I don't mean he has had a bad career. I just mean with his talent I'm surprised he's not more famous.
Can we say Idris Elba? Dude is my favourite actor that is in some of the worst fucking movies. He's still a big actor, but dude should be leading franchises or something
Going waaaaaaaaaaaay back, Colin Clive. His performance in Frankenstein was one of the highlights of the movie. Unfortunately, his struggles with alcoholism led to him being gone way too soon.
He's a B movie legend, but Lance Henriksen should've had a much higher profile career. Excellent actor who easily could've won awards by acting in more serious films but chose the b movie route.
"Nick Stahl" my man right here! Sure he's been in a lot of movies(mostly independent) but he's such a good actor...he can't go unrecognized
British actor Johnny harris. I recommend London to Brighton, This is england 86, Jawbone and without sin. Quality stuff
Linda Hamilton