Hollywood can be a harsh place.
While not every actor can get on the level of Meryl Streep, there are some who get a bad rep for no reason.
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These are the ones who have been deemed “bad” due to one bad role (or a series of them; looking at you, Adam Sandler).
When, in actuality, these actors are talented. So much so, that they deserve awards!
Adam Sandler
Adam has gotten quite the bad rep for some of his movies (let’s pretend ones like Jack and Jill and That’s My Boy don’t exist).
But when the actor starred in Uncut Gems , we got to see him like never before. It’s worth the watch!
Zac Efron
You already know his looks are good. Like, um, damn good. But so is his acting!
Look beyond his time in High School Muscial and to the fact that he’s done everything from comedy to more serious roles, like playing Ted Bundy.
Dakota Johnson
Her association with the poorly-written movie, Fifty Shades of Grey , has made it hard for people to see that she’s actually extremely talented!
More than anything, though, she has so much potential to become a great actress.
Sebastian Stan
Don’t let his immature character in Gossip Girl fool you; he can act!
While he has few lines as the Winter Soldier, they weren’t even needed. He does a good enough job portraying his emotions through his body language.
Shia LaBeouf
If you can look behind the fact that he has done some questionable things, he is actually an excellent actor.
He was the star of his own show as a kid and he also led the Transformers franchise.
Shailene Woodley
While she disappeared from the spotlight for quite a bit, this actress deserves a second chance.
She’s phenomenal in every role she’s in, like Big Little Lies and The Spectacular Now .
Gina Rodriguez
The same thing that happened to Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston ended up happening to Gina: she just can’t shake her most-known character.
It made it hard for people to take her seriously once she transitioned to movie roles.
Robert Pattinson
Similar to Kristen Stewart, the guy deserves a break from his time in Twilight .
He blew audiences away in The King and The Lighthouse , so much that you forgot it was him. And he’ll do the same with Batman .
Jensen Ackles
He was pigeon-toed to the same Supernatural role for years and years. He is the best actor on the show, that’s for sure.
But now that the popular series is done, hopefully, people can see that the actor has true range to tackle more serious roles.
Maya Rudolph
The way she shined in Bridesmaids is the way she shines all of the time. The issue is, just not enough people see it.
But the SNL alum is a force to be reckoned with in the comedy world.
Judy Greer
Always the sidekick, never the lead. That has basically been this actress’s career in films like The Wedding Planner and 27 Dresses .
She’s a talented, funny actress who deserves her turn in the limelight! Give her the recognition she deserves!
Michaela Watkins
You’ve seen her on so many popular shows — New Girl , SNL , Veep — and yet, no one seems to know her name.
Well, it’s time to learn it, because this actress has got mad comedy skills.
Dacre Montgomery
It’s time to separate the actor from the horrible character he plays on Stranger Things .
Even when he plays a bad guy, he brings so much emotion and pain to the table when it’s necessary. What’s not to love about him?
Dave Chappelle
This comedian is so much more than just his sketch comedy.
He’s also capable of being a serious actor, as evident by his performance in A Star Is Born . This helped prove that he has an incredible amount of range.
Jennifer Lopez
Due to her many years of taking on romantic comedies, a lot of people didn’t take her acting seriously.
But she CAN act (and sing and dance and just about everything else). Her jaw-dropping performance in Hustlers proved that.
Amanda Bynes
This is another fallen child star who deserves awards for the work they’ve done.
Like Shia LaBeouf, she carried her own show on Disney as a child. She’s also the reason movies like She’s the Man and Easy A are classics.
Lindsay Lohan
Now, I know what you’re going to say: there’s no way. But, Lindsay has been a talented actress right from the start with The Parent Trap .
Then, she was so effortlessly charming and funny in Mean Girls and Freaky Friday .
Jack Black
While he is known for making us laugh with his expert comedy ( School of Rock , Nacho Libre ), he has taken on some deeper roles, too.
Just check him out in Enemy of the State ! You will definitely not be disappointed!
Kristen Stewart
If you were to scratch the Twilight movies from Kristen’s resume, one thing would be perfectly clear: she CAN act.
Yeah, we could have done without all her weird eye-blinking, but the movies just had some really, really bad dialogue.
