Outstanding Acting (way different than their regular roles)

[Superhero 9,033]

Not sure if I can phrase it properly... but picture a prominent actor and the roles they usually play. Then think of an unusual role that they played and absolutely crushed it.

 

My initial submission is Brad Pitt in Snatch.

 

[Cheeseweasel 26,443]

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher

[hobbes2702 13,502]

31 minutes ago, Cheeseweasel said:

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher

I actually didn’t think he was very good in that especially after watching the fox catcher doc. Seemed like he was playing a character who didn’t remind me very much of John DuPont

[GoPokes83 2,248]

Matthew McConaughey in Dallas buyers club, and maybe again in Killer Joe.

[bborange 10,408]

Tom Cruise killed the role and not his normal role.  

 

 

 

[Parliament 14,616]

[Cheeseweasel 26,443]

5 minutes ago, Parliament said:

 

He was only paid $50,000 for that role. 

[Parliament 14,616]

wut?

[Surly Bevo 25,778]

Henry Fonda in Once Upon A Time In The West

Robin Williams in One Hour Photo

and in the fun category

 

[ztejas 44,277]

Uncut Gems? 

I know Sandler has a couple other more dramatic roles - like Punch Drunk Love - but it had been like 20 years since that one with a lot of comedic garbage in between. 

[Helobious 9,825]

Will Farrell, stranger than fiction 

[lemonandaturd 4,289]

Steve McQueen in A Soldier in the Rain. 

[DixonHur 11,970]

Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

 

[TommyGufano 6,027]

3 hours ago, bborange said:

Tom Cruise killed the role and not his normal role.  

 

 

 

Another instance of TC going against type

[NAVY 6,971]

[NAVY 6,971]

Also 

 

[Superhero 9,033]

Charlize Theron in Monster

[Superhero 9,033]

1 hour ago, TommyGufano said:

Another instance of TC going against type

Yea… not his typical role as a hero, but it was Tom Cruise acting through and through. 

[fellside 1,136]

I don't think I've seen Fiennes play something quite like his character in In Bruges.

[tx 3 putt 78,735]

10 hours ago, Cheeseweasel said:

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher

he was great in the office 

horrible in everything else

Edited December 23, 2022 by tx 3 putt

[tx 3 putt 78,735]

6 hours ago, DixonHur said:

Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

 

very under rated actor 

[Herpa Derpa 6,356]

Sly as a schlub in Copland. Also held his own with DeNiro, Keitel and Liotta.

[Bama Llama 1,508]

Tyler Perry in Alex Cross (2012)

I was just flipping channels and found this film. Perry did a fine job IMHO. IMDB gave it a meh score but so what? It’s worth the watch. You’ll never think of Madea the same way.

[Elvis 3,438]

[ztejas 44,277]

1 hour ago, Bama Llama said:

Tyler Perry in Alex Cross (2012)

I was just flipping channels and found this film. Perry did a fine job IMHO. IMDB gave it a meh score but so what? It’s worth the watch. You’ll never think of Madea the same way.

He played Colin Powell in Vice. 

Edited December 23, 2022 by ztejas

[RPM 26,671]

The man had range.

[Liquor and Poker 3,659]

Me at the office Christmas party

[Herpa Derpa 6,356]

9 minutes ago, Liquor and Poker said:

Me at the office Christmas party

Handle checks out.

[Scary Stranger 1,726]

Tom Cruise killed the role and not his normal role.  
 

 
 

I would bet that this is closer to the real Tom Cruise than any part he’s played before or since.

[HornPhD 1,389]

On 12/23/2022 at 12:28 PM, Elvis said:

Nothin burps like bacon

[Parliament 14,616]

On 12/23/2022 at 11:38 AM, Bama Llama said:

Tyler Perry in Alex Cross (2012)

I was just flipping channels and found this film. Perry did a fine job IMHO. IMDB gave it a meh score but so what? It’s worth the watch. You’ll never think of Madea the same way.

He owned every one of his scenes in Gone Girl too.

[Rimbo 27,079]

Steve Martin in Leap of Faith.

[RomaVicta 30,617]

Robert DeNiro in King of Comedy

The mention of Henry Fonda in Once Upon a Time in the West is excellent. I saw him talk about on a talk show back in the day. 

Michael Douglas in Falling Down

Willem Dafoe in The Life Acquatic with Stephen Zissou, he'd almost always played heavies in his younger days.

Phillip Michael Seymour Hofffman* as the bad guy in one of the Mission Impossible movies

 

*You take three names, you take your chances with ol' RomaVicta.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2022 by RomaVicta

[Parliament 14,616]

5 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

 

Phillip Michael Seymour as the bad guy in one of the Mission Impossible movies

 

 

Wat?

[Neonmoon 38,130]

On 12/23/2022 at 3:02 AM, tx 3 putt said:

he was great in the office 

horrible in everything else

[The Original Greaser Bob 2,901]

If we are getting into nice people acting mean, the BK in Sexy Beast.

[futureman 22,714]

my only comment would be that actors like philip seymour hoffman and ben kingsley don't really have "regular" roles.  they're amazing actors that can do most anything; they don't have "regular" roles.

[futureman 22,714]

mark wahlberg plays the same person almost every time.  maybe dignum would fit this thread, though.

[DDD Dad 14,661]

7 minutes ago, futureman said:

mark wahlberg plays the same person almost every time.  maybe dignum would fit this thread, though.

 

[bborange 10,408]

At the time, this was very different from most of his career.  

 

From this

 

To this.   

[bborange 10,408]

Don't think many would have thought of Jeff Daniels in this role based on his past work.   He showed he was outstanding in a comedy.   His agent thought it would kill his career.

 

 

[WhatTheBuck 28,938]

11 hours ago, RomaVicta said:

Robert DeNiro in King of Comedy

Robert DeNiro in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

[RomaVicta 30,617]

6 hours ago, Parliament said:

Wat?

Philip Seymour Hoffman

He used to go by Phillip Michael Thomas in which guise he did his greatest departure from his usual work:

 

[Neonmoon 38,130]

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Neonmoon

[HornsOverIthaca 2,339]

oops

Edited December 26, 2022 by HornsOverIthaca

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11,669]

Gary Oldman:  It aint white boy day.

[Carl Spackler 3,621]

On 12/22/2022 at 3:15 PM, Surly Bevo said:

Henry Fonda in Once Upon A Time In The West

Came here to post the same thing.  Fonda completely played against type in that role, and it was one of really notable times in Hollywood history.  (But based on his private life, it might not have been a huge stretch for him.)

[Rimbo 27,079]

Here's an interesting pair.

Tom Hanks in Philadelphia. Prior to this, he was known for screwball comedies (and the occasional rom-com). He does this, wins his first Oscar... and everything turned around.

Similarly: Michael Keaton in Batman. Same rep, different role. In the months of hype leading up to the release, most of us couldn't see him playing that role well at all. But now, it's iconic.

[bborange 10,408]

5 minutes ago, Rimbo said:

Here's an interesting pair.

Similarly: Michael Keaton in Batman. Same rep, different role. In the months of hype leading up to the release, most of us couldn't see him playing that role well at all. But now, it's iconic.

I would say it started with Clean and Sober with Michael Keaton and Batman was another role most did not see him playing.  The movie role in Pacific Heights right after Batman was another different role he did very well.  

[Rimbo 27,079]

1 minute ago, bborange said:

I would say it started with Clean and Sober with Michael Keaton and Batman was another role most did not see him playing.  The movie role in Pacific Heights right after Batman was another different role he did very well.  

I mean, both of those guys pretty much proved they can act the fuck out of any role you give em by this point. Wasn't so clear back in the late 1980s/early 1990s tho