Good ol’ Hollywoodland (FYI that is what it used to be called). There’s never a lack of talent in LA. There are some great actors and actresses that bless the silver screen with their presence. From DiCaprio to Streep there are tons of actors that are absolutely breathtaking and they rightfully deserve the star power which they have earned.
However, there are times where I see delightfully talented actors and actresses that never get to the same level as some of their peers. Their raw talent and refined finesse on screen is incredible and they consistently deliver great performances in every film they appear in. Here’s my top 5 actors and actresses that are sorely underrated.
5. Jackie Earle Haley
This guy was an incredible Rorschach. I am utterly convinced that no one could have pulled it off better than him. But it’s not just his performance in Watchmen that had me sold on his talent. I’ve seen his work as Freddy Kreuger (A Nightmare on Elm Street), George Noyce (Shutter Island), Ronnie McGorvey (Little Children), and Alexander H. Stephens (Lincoln). They’ve all been utterly fantastic and really shows the dynamic range he has as an actor. Incredible skill set ranging from disturbed individual to Vice President of the Confederate States of America.
Wish I could see more of the guy on screen, definitely a talent that does not get recognized too often. Wish he got that Oscar win in 2006 for Little Children, but it was tough talent to beat that year and Alan Arkin deserved that Oscar.
4. Joaquin Phoenix
Thank goodness his rap career “failed” and all those crazy antics was just a hoax near Shia LaBeouf proportions. But hey, he managed to stay in character like that for the entire duration of I’m Still Here, now that’s some prime example of dedication and method acting.
Joaquin’s performances in Walk the Line (in which he actually sang and learned to play the guitar), Her, and The Master were absolutely incredible. It shows his incredible range for acting and his talent is palpable on screen. I hope he gets another hit film soon, it’s a shame that he’s not used as much anymore. I rarely hear about him nor hear about movies coming out in which he stars which is sad because he is such a talented actor.
3. Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz gives me so much nostalgia. She was amazing in The Mummy and even in it’s sub-par sequel The Mummy Returns. It showed her action prowess and comedic ability in acting. Her perfomances in The Constant Gardener (which won her an Oscar) and more recently The Lobster are brilliant and worthy of all the praise she’s gotten. It’s a shame that she’s fallen out of the public eye and hasn’t gotten any major roles in film anymore.
She is a talented actress that deserves more recognition. I am looking forward to seeing her in The Light Between Oceans, despite the fact that I had my reserves about the story of the film, I’m positive her performance there will be amazing!
2. Ellen Page
Another sorely underrated actress. Just watch Juno (in which she was nominated for an Oscar), Inception, and in her performances in the X-Men series. Her voice acting talent is great in the video game Beyond: Two Souls. She mainly does indie films now which aren’t bad, but I’d like to see her in the big screen again. She is a wonderful actress and it was refreshing to see her in X-Men: Days of Future Past as Kitty Pryde again.
I hope she lands a good role in a major film again, she’s got excellent talent that I think people don’t really notice.
1. Cillian Murphy
I can go on and on and on about Cillian Murphy. One of the most underrated actors in the history of planet earth. I was a fan of his ever since I saw 28 Days Later. He delivered such an excellent performance in that film, but that’s not the only example of his talent.
Breakfast on Pluto, The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Sunshine (which is my absolute favorite performance of his), The Nolan Batman Trilogy, Inception, and Red Eye are all films in which he shines brilliantly. Cillian Murphy is not lauded enough for the talent that he brings on screen. He is an absolute pleasure to watch in every film that he’s in. There’s something about his piercing eyes and subtle speech that makes him either the most relatable character or a frightening psychopath.
Upon the recommendation of my fellow podcast mate Daniel, I saw him on the TV series Peaky Blinders and he is incredible as always. Cillian Murphy never fails to deliver on his performances. I consider him to be Daniel Day Lewis Jr. (in a good way of course).
I would like to see more of Cillian Murphy in the spotlight. I really hope he does something that can get him an Oscar nod as well. He is an amazingly versatile actor with incredible talent, I’ll be so disappointed to not see him breakout more than he already has.
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That’s my list! Do you agree? Disagree? Let me know! 🙂 What other actors and actresses are out there that you think are underrated?
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