7. Paul Giamatti
Paul Giamatti is one of many great actors who have been relegated to playing “the bad guy,” despite demonstrating that he has the kind of range that most actors would kill for.
Giamatti started off in numerous supporting roles, and it’s sad to see that the majority of his body of work is more or less that. Some of his more notable appearances includeSaving Private Ryan(1998),The Ides of March(2011) andStraight Outta Compton(2015).
However, the one opportunity he was given to be a lead character was not wasted—Giamatti’s performance inSideways(2004) was sublime. After that, he earned a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role withCinderella Man(2005), but did not clinch the win.
In recent year, Paul Giamatti has been flexing his acting muscles as Chuck Rhoades in the TV showBillions, and he’s been turning heads. We can only hope that this leads to a Giamatti renaissance in cinema.
6. Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe has collaborated with many famous directors, including Wes Anderson, Robert Eggers, Paul Schrader, Martin Scorsese, Oliver Stone, Wim Wenders, and Lars von Trier.
And even though he’s put in some incredible performances while working with all of them, he’s still inexplicably overlooked—Willem Dafoe still doesn’t get the spotlight he deserves.
Dafoe demonstrated that he has the ability to lead a movie withThe Last Temptation of Christ(1988), but in the years after that, Dafoe has remained relegated to playing villain-type roles (much like Giamatti).
After his stunning performance inThe Lighthouse(2019), you’d think we’d have entered the era of Willem Dafoe by now. Unfortunately, other than inSiberia(2020), we’re still waiting on him to lead a high-profile film.
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5. Paul Dano
Paul Dano played the mute boy who dreamed of being a pilot inLittle Miss Sunshine(2006) as well as the corrupt pastor inThere Will Be Blood(2007). From that alone, it’s obvious that this guy has tremendous range.
Other Dano highlights include voiceover work for Spike Jonze’sWhere the Wild Things Are(2009), lending his unique vocal cords to a resonant picture about loss and loneliness, plus stellar supporting roles in12 Years a Slave(2013),Prisoners(2013), andThe Batman(2022).
Despite all of that, Dano has not found success as a leading man. He’s criminally underrated and it’s such a shame to see. Fortunately, Paul Dano is a creator at heart and none of this seems to bother him. He wrote and directed the mesmerizingWildlife(2018) to critical acclaim.
Related:The Best Movies About Loneliness and Feeling Lonely
4. Cillian Murphy
Though he found mainstream success as a leading man in Steven Knight’s hit TV showPeaky Blinders, Cillian Murphy has most often been cast in cinema for his ability to bring heft to supporting roles.
In the few times Murphy has scored leading roles, it was usually for a British or Irish production, such as28 Days Later(2002),Breakfast on Pluto(2005), andThe Wind That Shakes the Barley(2006).
But when it comes to Hollywood productions, Cillian Murphy’s talent is somewhat marginalized and he’s yet to break past his image as a supporting actor, as he was inA Quiet Place Part II(2021).
Fortunately, he’s a frequent collaborator of Christopher Nolan and most viewers recognize his unique face thanks to his appearances inThe Dark Knight Trilogy, (2005–2012),Inception(2010), andDunkirk(2017).
He wasn’t the lead in any of those films, but it seems like Christopher Nolan will be giving him the opportunity to perform as leading man in the upcoming filmOppenheimer(2023).
Related:The Best Movies Where Actors Played Different Genders
3. Tom Wilkinson
Sure, Tom Wilkinson was nominated for Academy Awards for his performances inIn the Bedroom(2001) andMichael Clayton(2007). Yet, it still seems like Wilkinson doesn’t get the admiration he deserves.
In part, that’s because he’s always a supporting actor even though he has the acting chops on par with the greatest in Hollywood.
From the dramaticIn the Name of Father(1993) to the hilariously funnyThe Full Monty(1997), he has the range to do it all. He even delivered a subtly moving performance inEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind(2004).
He’s also had memorable roles inBatman Begins(2005),The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel(2011),Selma(2014), plus he’s lent his soothing voice for voiceover work inThe Grand Budapest Hotel(2014).
Tom Wilkinson is an actor who never seems out of his depth, yet very few seem to recognize that about him. For shame.
2. Brendan Gleeson
FromBraveheart(1995) toMacbeth(2021), Brendan Gleeson has appeared in some of the most iconic films of all time. However, for the most part, he hasn’t been given an opportunity to truly shine.
I would pay to see more of his character from Martin Scorsese’sGangs of New York(2002). While DiCaprio and Diaz were putting on appalling Irish accents, Brendan Gleeson—the only Irish person in the cast—was forced to spend the majority of the story in the background.
That’s also been the case in many of his other films, including28 Days Later(2002),Paddington 2(2017), andThe Ballad of Buster Scruggs(2018).
But when it comes to Irish productions, he’s had some fantastic outings:The General(1998),In Bruges(2008),The Guard(2011),Calvary(2014), and, most recently,The Banshees of Inisherin(2022).
Brendan Gleeson clearly has both subtlety and range. All we want is to see him afforded an opportunity to flex that in Hollywood.
1. Mads Mikkelsen
Though he started his career as a dancer and a gymnast, Mads Mikkelsen has turned in an incredibly rich and versatile career as an actor.
He’s a frequent collaborator of Dane Thomas Vinterberg, and together they’ve made incredibly moving films likeThe Hunt(2012) andAnother Round(2020). Yet, whileAnother Roundwent on to win an Oscar for Best Foreign Film, Mikkelsen went unnoticed.
Indeed, despite his natural skill at acting, Mads Mikkelsen is frequently typecast and always overlooked in America come awards season.
That’s not to say that Mads isn’t appreciated in his native Denmark, nor to suggest that Mikkelsen necessarily cares about such things. He seems like the laid-back sort of guy who enjoys the experience as opposed to the accolades that may or may not come with the job.
However, given his unbelievably moving part inThe Hunt, his talents are clearly squandered in Hollywood as he’s repeatedly cast as the villain, whether inStar Wars,Marvel, orJames Bond.
With that in mind, it’s safe to say that Mads Mikkelsen is the most underrated actor in Hollywood of our time.
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