The roles that actors play tend to say a lot about them, or so we think. They'll get tunneled and typecast until the public, and casting directors, think that's all they can do. That makes it all the more impressive when they manage to break out and show us their real skills.
A Reddit thread asked people to share the roles that made them appreciate a certain actor's talent, and these were their answers.
"Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech. I've watched that movie many times over, and still think she was fantastic."
"She's also wonderful in The Crown," added another, "She's wonderful in general and I thoroughly enjoy seeing her in non-creepy weirdo Tim Burton-esque roles. (I enjoy him too, but I'm glad she's been able to show range)."
"For me it was Jeff Daniels. I saw him in The Martian (2015), and I didn't know who this intimidating, scary man was. I assumed if the film had a villain, he'd be it. But then I realize I had also seen him in Dumb and Dumber (1994). He was... that guy?? Well, he sure does have some range."
"John Goodman in 10 Cloverfield Lane. I always thought of him as a big teddy bear, but he was terrifying in 10CL. Not only that, he also can have a lot of range even within the same role. He can convincingly go from welcoming and shy, to creepy and dictatorial."
"I was absolutely blown away by Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl. I genuinely thought she didn't have it in her to be Amy - I was very wrong."
Another user happily agreed, "Oh man same! Also I was not sure how I felt about Ben Affleck playing Nick. Did not think he could pull off that character but I loved it!"
"Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting and Awakenings," answered one user, listing a few of Williams' less comedic roles.
"Robin Williams is underrated as a 'serious' actor. At least it feels that way. It's so hard not to think of him as an amazing comedian and funny guy but he has nailed so many non-comedy roles."
"Paul Rudd is popular for his comedy roles and Marvel but this dude can [expletive] act for real. His scene in Our Idiot Brother is really great, it really sticks with you."
"Rudd always seems very comfortable in his characters," pointed out one reply. "Some actors, you can see them acting. With Rudd, he puts on characters like he's slipping on a comfortable shoe."
"The Lighthouse. I have to be honest I never knew Robert Pattinson from anything other than Twilight before watching this. He's an exceptional actor."
I like to believe that Pattinson knew this would be the role to change a lot of peoples' views about him.
"Clooney in [Burn After Reading]. He usually plays smooth characters, seeing him convincingly play this weak-willed creepy weirdo was impressive."
"Same film, but Brad Pitt as the flamboyant fitness instructor seriously impressed me on his range," added another. Seems that film brought out the skill in a few actors!
"Not a film but Barry really showcases Bill Hader's dramatic acting chops. Dude's talented as [expletive]."
"You’ve gotta check out Skeleton Twins," recommended another comment, "Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are both so talented it’s unfair."
"Clive Owen in Children of Men."
Another reader brought up another fantastic role of his, "He’s my all time favourite actor. The scene in Closer where he and Julia Roberts have the huge argument in their apartment is one of his best moments and me gasping at the end because of how raw and real it was."
"Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds. I knew Waltz was a good actor but his character Hans Landa is a masterpiece of its own in already a masterpiece of a movie. The man got an Oscar for that role and it was damn well deserved."
"I was put off by Emily Blunt for such a long time because of The Devil Wears Prada. It was actually when she and Anne Hathaway did that Lip Sync battle show together that I came around to liking her. Then Edge of Tomorrow came along and I was like 'Damn'! She's now one of my favorite actresses."
"Margot Robbie, I, Tonya."
"For the longest I thought she started as a model (I think I confused her with Kate Upton or Cara Delevigne)," explained one reply, "which was only ‘confirmed’ by the first role I knowingly saw her in with Suicide Squad. When I saw I, Tonya I realized I was very wrong."
"After Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark, I thought Robert Downey Jr was typecast as a know-it-all jerk type guy. Then I watched Chaplin and rewatched Tropic Thunder, and realized the guy's basically a virtuoso of an actor."
"Mads Mikklesen's turn as Hannibal showed he was more than an action movie actor."
"You should watch as many of his movies as possible, especially the more indie and foreign films," urged a Mikklesen fan. "He really is an amazing actor. He suffers a bit in Hollywood because his not standard Hollywood leading man handsome and he has an accent. So he gets put in the villain role a bit."
"Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in Tombstone, very different than in Top Secret and Real Genius."
"If Tombstone didn't make you realize that Val Kilmer is one of America's finest actors, then you didn't see Tombstone," declared another user.
"There's a scene in Forrest Gump where Forrest is trying to ask Jenny if Forrest Jr is slow. The emotions on Tom Hank's face...fear, shame, pride...he just blew me away."
"Tom Hanks is exceptional. He seems to nail every role and somehow make you feel what his character is feeling. The man made me cry about a bloodstained volleyball drifting away for God's sake!"
"Steve Carell in Foxcatcher."
Another viewer who was shocked by his range added, "Also in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, he was so.. gentle and strangely really convincing as a romantic lead. Up until then I'd only seen a part of Michael Scott in every other performance of his."
"No movie in particular but Gary Oldman, after I realized he was in so many movies that I enjoy. Range for days.
"Gary Oldman is so good there's a point in every person's life that you realize he's one of your top 3 favorite actors and just didn't know it for the past 20 years because you didn't realize it was the same guy in all your favorite movies."
"Will Ferrell in Stranger than Fiction, didn't expect to see him nail a serious role."
One reply added a fact regarding this film, "He did an interview sometime ago in off-camera with Sam Jones. He said he looked around when they were getting ready to do that one emotional scene with Dustin Hoffman and he mentioned he felt so out of place. Almost imposter syndrome. But he knocked it put of the park. So much so that Dustin Hoffman gave him praise after."
