History HeReallyCanAct / Film

** Perry has always been very LoveItOrHateIt because of the [[ComedicSociopathy Madea]] films he has directed and starred in, but his movie ''Good Deeds'' proved to be very surprising. With nary a Madea in sight, it was very low-key, sweet and disarming, with him turning a lot of his own film cliches over on their head. He proved that by playing a subdued, withdrawn sort of character that yes, He Really Can Act.

%%* Jacob Tremblay in ''Film/{{Room}}'', one of the best and most acclaimed child performances in recent memory. And at the age of 9.
%%* Creator/ChrisTucker in ''Film/DeadPresidents''.

* Genesis Rodriguez in ''Film/{{Tusk}}'' [[Have a look https://youtu.be/vBoUvG1rmdM]].

** People who think he's just a creation of the Hollywood Hype Machine clearly haven't watched ''Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand'', where he plays Spartacus's best friend, Varro, in one of the most adorable and heartbreaking bromances in recent memory. He played a Roman citizen who entered slavery to pay off his gambling debts, and he handled all the accompanying drama in a completely convincing way.

** To a lesser extent, some people believed that he proved his acting chops in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'' when Will Turner dies. To quote a YouTube comment: "I never really considered Orlando Bloom to be like an amazing actor or anything, even when I had the biggest crush on him ever, like he was first and longest celebrity crush lol, but I think he handles this whole death scene very well. I think I cried the first time I saw it."

* Creator/RickyGervais: ''Film/TheInventionOfLying'', despite being a comedy, features one very effective scene of Gervais' character improvising a description of Heaven to comfort his dying mother, which shows Gervais could easily start a career as a dramatic actor if he ever wanted to. ''Film/GhostTown'' is another dramedy like the film mentioned above where he demonstrates his ability to play a completely serious, ''humorless'' character.

** Critics who saw as a {{Hunk}} who can only be MrFanservice in films and nothing else were proven wrong in Ron Howard's ''Film/{{Rush 2013}}'', where he manages to be both that and a charismatic and flawed human being.

** And now, many critics has lavished praises on his performance in ''Film/DallasBuyersClub'', with some even calling it a career-best and giving another Awards buzz for him -- and a Golden Globe and an Oscar.
** Topped off with his role in the Creator/{{HBO}} anthrology drama ''Series/TrueDetective'', which has received rave reviews, and he more then holds his own with Creator/WoodyHarrelson.

* Creator/JKSimmons is likely best known to the public for his scene-stealing role as J. Jonah Jameson in ''Film/SpiderMan1'', getting all the best lines. But anyone who saw him in ''Series/{{Oz}}'' knew him as the depraved Nazi Vern Schillinger, a man who is in turns absolutely loathsome and at the same time filled with self-hatred and regret. It's a complex role and Simmons absolutely nails it, giving arguably the best performance in the whole series. And then he showed his phenomenally wide range when he played a completely likeable, sympathetic character in ''Film/{{Juno}}''. And now he's taken it to a new level with ''Film/{{Whiplash}}'', as a sadistic musical conductor intent on pushing his students to perfection. Numerous critics have made comparisons to R. Lee Ermey in ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', and they're warranted. Most have even gone as far as to call it the ''best role of his career'', which, when you look at his resume, is very high praise indeed. It actually was enough for Simmons to win the ''Oscar'' for Best Supporting Actor. He also won praise for ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', where he gives a subtler and extremely well-done performance as Tenzin. His HRCA factor is upped considerably when you realize that he began as a song-and-dance man on Broadway. Among his roles was that of Benny Southstreet in ''Theater/GuysAndDolls''. You would be hard-pressed to find a character less like his more well-known persona.

* Creator/SylvesterStallone: Interestingly, Stallone was wildly praised for his performance in the original ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' movie, with Creator/RogerEbert comparing him to Creator/MarlonBrando. Same thing with ''Film/FirstBlood'', whose ending showed with raw clarity how much of a ShellShockedVeteran John Rambo was, should convince anyone that he can act, only for both franchises to turn into simpler, more stereotypical action movies. Same for''Film/RockyBalboa'', which, after a failed attempt to do so in ''Film/RockyV'', went closer to the feel of the first film. And then there is ''Film/{{Creed}}'', a spin-off of the ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' series, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, for his most famous role, no less. Call this He STILL Really Can Act.

** Creator/LukeEvans performance as Bard mpressed not only fans but also critics. He'd previously had roles in ''Film/{{Clash of the Titans|2010}}'' and ''Film/{{Immortals}}'' both of which were thrashed by critics. Cue ''The Hobbit'', where he not only proves he can act but he can hold his own against actors like Creator/IanMcKellen and Creator/LeePace.

* Creator/JohnLithgow: The man is best-known to modern audiences as a comedic actor, generally taking some LargeHam roles similar to his ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' character. Then he played a man with mid-late Alzheimer's in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', and he earned praise from ''everyone'' for doing such a nuanced take on a character that could quite easily be overacted. This is only a surprise for people not old enough to remember his Oscar nominated turns in ''Terms of Endearment'' and ''The World According to Garp'', or for those who didn't remember his role in ''Film/BlowOut''. Or ''Film/{{Footloose}}''.

** As perviously mentioned in the L section, there's also Creator/JohnLithgow in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes''.

* Speaking of Affleck Brothers, Creator/CaseyAffleck. After bit parts in comedies such as ''The Last Kiss'' and the ''Oceans'' Films, no one expected much. Then in ''Film/TheAssassinationOfJesseJamesByTheCowardRobertFord'', he delivers an absolutely stunning and brilliantly understated performance as Bob Ford, the much reviled murderer of Jesse James, who wants nothing more than to be famous and beloved like his icon. His role in ''Film/GoneBabyGone'' shows that he's only going to get better! He isn't alone either. While no one was really in doubt after ''Film/{{Babel}}'' and ''Film/FightClub'', Brad Pitt really proved his talent as the violent, psychotic, but self-loathing, and deeply remorseful Jesse, who has the live with the guilt of the bloodshed he has caused.
** Speaking of Casey, he is now an Oscar winner for ''Film/ManchesterByTheSea''.

** He proved his acting prowess even before ''Film/AttackOfTheClones'' was released in a drama called Life as a House, where he earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Sam Monroe.

** He glorious played against type as a cowardly PR man forced into combat in ''Film/EdgeOfTomorrow''.

** Leo's iconic role of Jack Dawson in ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'' annoyed so many male viewers that it took him several following roles for them to begrudgingly admit that he's not just a [[{{Bishonen}} pretty boy]] actor any more.
*** The first film to really win guys over after ''Titanic'' was probably ''Film/CatchMeIfYouCan'' in which he portrayed Frank Abagnale with admirable aplomb.
*** The last holdouts were almost certainly converted by ''Film/ShutterIsland'' and/or ''Film/{{Inception}}.''
*** And for ''anyone else'', there's his PlayingAgainstType role in ''Film/DjangoUnchained''.
*** Then there's ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet'' a performance worthy of De Niro at his very best.
*** And he finally, ''finally'' won an Oscar for ''Film/TheRevenant''.
%%*** For others, his real breakout performance was in ''Film/TheDeparted''. Although ''Film/BloodDiamond'' from the same year should be mentioned right next to it.

* Creator/MichaelFassbender wasn't all that well known before ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', but he had been good. Then he promptly stole the critically raved about film through a chilling performance as Magneto. Which is quite something since he was essentially playing a younger version of one of Sir Ian [=McKellen=]'s best performances.

* Creator/HughGrant: ''Rowing with the Wind'' isn't considered to be by any measure a good movie; not only is it the the third movie in as many years to center around Creator/MaryShelley conceiving of the plot of ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}'', its central plot (that the Shelley Clique creates a monster that leads them all to their untimely deaths) is shamelessly stolen from Gothic. (It also has John Polidori, who was an English physician in his early twenties, portrayed as a middle-aged Spaniard). But what actually make the movie worth seeing is Grant, who actually ''acts''. Grant is one of those actors who had made a comfortable career of playing himself (or so we assume). His portrayal of Lord Byron is every bit as good as Creator/GabrielByrne's portrayal in Gothic, and Byrne was brilliant! The comparison is also unfair because Grant plays Byron over the course of many years, so we see many different aspects of his character, and the picture we get is a more complete one. Byrne played Byron as a hedonistic madman, and since we only saw him on that particular night, we were never allowed to see that there was more.

** Another example is him [[ActingForTwo portraying the double of a man]] [[TalkingToHimself who is also played by him]] in ''Film/ThePrestige''. Up until the double starts "acting" as him, they actually look, sound and move ''like different people'' and the transformation is genuinely astonishing.
** The skill in portraying such a morally ambiguous yet still somewhat sympathetic character in ''The Prestige'' that makes the viewer forget that they're even watching Wolverine's actor also shows his skill.
** And of course, there was Jackman when he was just this random Australian who was cast as ComicBook/{{Wolverine}}, one of Marvel's most iconic characters. He didn't just steal the film, he stole the series.

** She has an Oscar for Best Actress sitting on her shelf at home, as well as a room full of other awards, so it's hard to imagine this ever applying to her. But for the first half of the Nineties, she was best known for being Mrs. Creator/TomCruise. Then came ''Film/ToDieFor'', which won her a Golden Globe award, and which is still considered by many to be among her best work.

** In ''Film/TheNeonDemon'', she takes a cue from the previously mentioned Cumerbatch in ''Film/{{Atonement}}'' and plays a [[spoiler:lesbian vampire who almost rapes the female lead and is also a necrophiliac]]. Suffice it to say, it's '''disturbing'''. Hard to believe it's the same woman who played a young Creator/JodieFoster in ''Film/{{Contact}}''.
** Then of course there's ''Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire'', where many viewers declared she completely stole the show as Johanna Mason. One commentor even said:
---> "The next Hunger Games movie could just be Johanna [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch axing a bitch]] and I'd still love it."

** While best known for taking his shirt off constantly and talking like a drunk, he proved he was no slouch in ''Film/ATimeToKill'', in which he brings remarkable depth to what could have been a shallow role and effortlessly holding his own alongside veterans and critically acclaimed actors such as: Creator/SamuelLJackson, Creator/DonaldSutherland, Creator/KevinSpacey, Chris Cooper, Brenda Fricker and Charles Dutton. He now seems to be returning to that with his role in 2011's ''Film/TheLincolnLawyer''.

** Not forgetting ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'', are we? You know, the one with him acting as ruthless as Connery, Craig and Dalton at their coldest.

* Creator/RobertPattinson. ''Film/RememberMe''. Not that he was ever bad, per se, but ''holy cow''. But he earned a Razzie nomination for it. This could be said for the majority of the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' cast up to and including the examples of Creator/KristenStewart and Jackson Rathbone above.
* Josh Peck, famous for kid-oriented shows like ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'', ''Series/TheAmandaShow'', and various movies got his HRCA moment in 2008's ''The Wackness''.

** Perry was also praised for his acting-only turns in ''Film/GoneGirl'' as attorney Tanner Bolt and ''Alex Cross'' as the titular investigator, which much like ''Good Deeds'' were low-key yet good. Much like people tend to say (either joking or not) that Ben Affleck may be a better director than actor, some people have started to say ''the opposite'' about Perry.

* For Creator/BradPitt, ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'' was one of the first roles where his looks were seriously downplayed and he had to succeed on pure ability. And he aced it. Of course, anyone who had seen Pitt in ''Film/{{Kalifornia}}'' had also known what he was worth long before he became a household name. Many people had this reaction to his performance in ''Film/FightClub'', while others weren't converted until his performance in ''Film/TheCuriousCaseOfBenjaminButton''.

* Music/FrankSinatra crooned and hoofed his way through ''Film/AnchorsAweigh'' and ''Film/OnTheTown'', and then won an Oscar as Maggio in ''Film/FromHereToEternity''. In his acceptance speech, he admitted that he was just a "song-and-dance man." (One that would go on to play several more Oscar-worthy roles, such as ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenArm'', and ''Film/{{Suddenly}}'', where he plays a stone-cold psychopath.) Not to mention his performance in ''Film/TheManchurianCandidate''.

* Creator/SylvesterStallone: Interestingly, Stallone was wildly praised for his performance in the original ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' movie, with Creator/RogerEbert comparing him to Creator/MarlonBrando. Same thing with ''Film/FirstBlood'', whose ending showed with raw clarity how John Rambo was a ShellShockedVeteran should convince anyone that he can act, only for both franchises to turn into simpler, more stereotypical action movies. Same for ''Film/RockyV'' and ''Film/RockyBalboa,'' which went closer to the feel of the first film. And then there is ''Film/{{Creed}}'', a spin-off of the ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' series, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, for his most famous role, no less. Call this He STILL Really Can Act.

** Pprimarily known for being the cute girl in things like ''Film/{{The Karate Kid|1984}}'', ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'' and ''[[Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII III]]'', ''Film/AdventuresInBabysitting'' and ''Film/{{Cocktail}}'', shocked people with her Oscar nominated performance in ''Film/LeavingLasVegas''.

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[[folder: Unsorted]]
* [[Creator/LaurelAndHardy Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy]]:
** The pair got their chance to show their chops in their comedy feature ''A Chump At Oxford''. After Stan bonks his head and becomes Lord Paddington, he convincingly adopts an intelligent, educated, upper crust persona that couldn't be more different from the bumbling oaf he usually played. And Ollie, after being pushed one time too many by "Lord Paddington", uncorks his pent up frustration with a very convincing angry tirade.
** Oliver Hardy would later have the chance to play a proper dramatic role alongside Creator/JohnWayne in ''The Fighting Kentuckian'' where he still had some identifiable "Ollie" mannerisms but didn't play the part for laughs and spoke his own more pronounced Southern accent (which he usually suppressed for the Creator/LaurelAndHardy comedies).
[[/folder]]

* ''Film/TwelveMonkeys'':
** Creator/BruceWillis? Eh, we'd already seen ''Film/PulpFiction''. ''Film/TheSixthSense'' proves just how much range he really has. ''Film/DeathBecomesHer''. Who knew that he could be goofy too? (Well, anyone who remembered ''Series/{{Moonlighting}}'', but such films as ''Film/DieHard'' had overshadowed his earlier comedy career.) Anyone who thinks he can only play wisecracking action heroes is advised to see him as a disabled Vietnam vet in ''In Country''. This has happened to Bruce a few times. He started off as a comedic actor in ''Moonlighting'' (winning an Emmy in the process) and when it came time for him to do action roles like ''Die Hard'', people laughed and couldn't believe this comedian could ever be an action star. Once those movies took off, he was known as an action star and when it came time for him to do comedic roles again, they couldn't believe this action star could ever be a comedian. Once he dipped back and forth for a while, he started doing more dramatic roles and again... people didn't think this guy could pull it off. Also a movie no one remembers Willis did called ''Film/TheKid2000''.
** For Creator/BradPitt, this was one of the first roles where his looks were seriously downplayed and he had to succeed on pure ability. And he aced it. Of course, anyone who had seen Pitt in ''Film/{{Kalifornia}}'' had also known what he was worth long before he became a household name. Many people had this reaction to his performance in ''Film/FightClub'', while others weren't converted until his performance in ''Film/TheCuriousCaseOfBenjaminButton''.
* ''Film/BlackSwan'':
** Creator/NataliePortman. Through most of the movie, it looked like she was on the verge of crying. And considering [[BreakTheCutie what her character put up with]], you couldn't blame her. Portman has been doing critically acclaimed movies for some time now. For reference, check out ''Film/TheProfessional'', her very first film role, back when she was ''13'' years old. And she's already holding her own alongside Jean Reno and Gary Oldman.
** Creator/MilaKunis, [[Series/That70sShow usually]] [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy known]] [[Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall for]] comedies, showed her skills opposite Portman on ''Black Swan'' as well.

* ''Film/{{Dreamgirls}}'':

** Beyonce Knowles really shone. Just when it had been so easy to write her off, too... She received praise for her work in ''Cadillac Records'' as well.

** Although he'd proven himself to many with his collaborations with Creator/DavidORussell such as ''Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook'' and ''Film/AmericanHustle'', some were worried about the effectiveness that Creator/BradleyCooper would have as Rocket, given his relative inexperience as a voice actor. However, he proved to be an EnsembleDarkhorse in the film, expertly delivering the Raccoon's [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] and conveying his self-doubt and care for Groot very well.

* The ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' films:

* The ''Film/PlanetOfTheApes'' reboot has loads of these in both human and ape actors:
** It goes without saying but Creator/AndySerkis performance as Caesar is nothing short of brilliant though if you watched ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', ''Film/KingKong2005'' and ''Film/ThePrestige'' this isn't surprising. He manages to sell Caesar's character growth and conflict superbly. There's been more then a few pleas for him to get nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor/Best Leading Actor or at the very least a Special Achievement Oscar. One fan even compared him to Creator/DanielDayLewis. Wow.
** Amiah Miller in ''Film/WarForThePlanetOfTheApes''. The fact that she's able to hold her own against motion-captured apes is impressive enough but she has literally no dialogue for the entire movie. In her film debut no less!
** If you ever felt Creator/WoodyHarrelson was only good at playing the CloudCuckoolander or stoners, his performance as The Colonel will come as a surprise.
** Creator/JasonClarke, typically a HeyItsThatGuy in movies, proves he can hold his own against character actors like Creator/GaryOldman and Creator/AndySerkis. ''Film/ZeroDarkThirty'' is another good showcase of his acting, along with some of his native Australian work.
** Creator/TobyKebbell as Koba in ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', full stop. Kebbell was mostly known as an indie actor from the UK who, like Harrelson, mostly played weirdos or comedic characters in movies like ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'' and ''Film/RockNRolla'' (and the less said about ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' the better). His performance as Koba on the other hand [[Main/TheSociopath is downright terrifying]] and he was almost universally praised for his creepy performance. Another great performance of his was Durotan in ''Film/WarCraft2016''.
** Every critic you could imagine had this reaction to Steve Zahn's performance as Bad Ape, where he managed to bring some geunine humor and heart in whats otherwise a very dark film.
** All the ape actors in general, especially since they have to act with both expressions ''and'' sign language.
** As perviously mentioned in the L section, there's also Creator/JohnLithgow in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes''.

* Sally Hawkins in ''Film/BlueJasmine'', which earned her an Oscar nomination. She's also getting some Oscar buzz for her role aa a mute woman in ''Film/TheShapeOfWater''.

* Sally Hawkins in ''Film/BlueJasmine'', which earned her an Oscar nomination. She's also getting some Oscar buzz for her role aa a mute woman in ''The Shape of Water''.

* Creator/JohnLithgow: The man is best-known to modern audiences as a comedic actor, generally taking some LargeHam roles similar to his ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' character. Then he played a man with mid-late Alzheimer's in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', and he earned praise from ''everyone'' for doing such a nuanced take on a character that could quite easily be overacted. This is only a surprise for people not old enough to remember his Oscar nominated turns in ''Terms of Endearment'' and ''The World According to Garp'', or for those who didn't remember his role in ''Film/BlowOut''. Or ''Film/Footloose''.

* Creator/JohnLithgow: The man is best-known to modern audiences as a comedic actor, generally taking some LargeHam roles similar to his ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' character. Then he played a man with mid-late Alzheimer's in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', and he earned praise from ''everyone'' for doing such a nuanced take on a character that could quite easily be overacted. This is only a surprise for people not old enough to remember his Oscar nominated turns in ''Terms of Endearment'' and ''The World According to Garp'', or for those who didn't remember his role in ''Film/BlowOut''.

* Creator/SallyHawkins in ''Film/BlueJasmine'', which earned her an Oscar nomination. She's also getting some Oscar buzz for her role aa a mute woman in ''The Shape of Water''.

** As perviousoy mentioned in the L section, there's also Creator/JohnLithgow in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes''.

** Creator/TobyKebbell as Koba in ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', full stop. Kebbell was mostly known as an indie actor from the UK who, like Harrelson, mostly played weirdos or comedic characters in movies like ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'' and ''Film/RockNRolla'' (and the less said about ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' the better). His performance as Koba on the other hand [[Main/TheSociopath is downright terrifying]] and he was almost universally praised for his creepy performance.

** Creator/TobyKebbell as Koba in ''Film/DawnOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', full stop. Kebbell was mostly known as an indie actor from the UK who, like Harrelson, mostly played weirdos or comedic characters in movies like ''Film/TheSorcerersApprentice'' and ''Film/RockNRolla'' (and the less said about ''Film/FantasticFour2015'' the better). His performance as Koba on the other hand [[Main/TheSociopath is nothing short of terrifying]] and he was almost universally praised for his creepy performance.

* Creator/JackReynor in ''Film/WhatRichardDid'', which made his performance in ''Film/TransformersAgeOfExtinction'' all the more dissapointing. He also gives performances in ''Film/ARoyalNightOut'' and, [[https://youtu.be/g_TTG6vhg_4 as seen here]], ''Grassland''.

* Creator/MariahCarey in ''Film/{{Precious}}''. After the disaster that was ''{{Film/Glitter}}'', Carey's unflashy supporting role as a social worker more than makes up for it.

* ''Film/{{Hulk}}'':
** Creator/EricBana as Bruce Banner was able to transition from a comedian to a drama actor as a scientist with heavily repressed memories and anger issues.
** Creator/JenniferConnelly had an equally good performance as Betty Ross akin to her role in ''Film/ABeautifulMind''. Both worried about their friend's condition and how it affects other people with the right way of expressing it.
** Creator/NickNolte did one of the most underrated acting performances for a film villain. He shifted between LargeHam and DullSurprise in an interesting manner for a man who was imprisoned for thirty years.
** Last but not least, Creator/SamElliott as General Ross was pretty well received, even for fans who didn't like the movie.

%%* A lot of people said this about Farrah Fawcett in ''The Burning Bed''.

!!Examples of one creator through one or multiple works:

** ''Film/GoneGirl''. While Rosamund Pike got a majority of the awards, likely because [[spoiler: of the reveal that her character is a manipulative psychopath,]] Affleck's performance as the other half of a seriously messed up couple cannot be denied.
** From the teaser footage that's been shown of ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', there are people who think he could have the part '''nailed''' in spite of suffering from some serious WTHCastingAgency backlash when he was announced for the part. Having seen the movie, many critics were completely sold on him as Bruce Wayne/Batman, despite the film's tepid reception.

** His performance as John Harrison ([[spoiler:AKA Khan Noonien Singh]]) in ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' is downright chilling, going from a calm and composed officer to snarling psychopath. While his role as Literature/SherlockHolmes is definitely of the sociopathic variety, it's still a stark contrast to him [[spoiler:being an outright villain]]. He has previously played an OCD-suffering genius mathematician in ''Series/TheLastEnemy''. Glimpses of his performance in ''Film/TheFifthEstate'' biopic as Julian Assange further show his acting ability. It's possible he's just that good at playing flawed geniuses.

*** Then there's ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet'' a performance worthy of [=DeNiro=] at his very best.

* A lot of viewers had this reaction to Creator/ZacEfron in ''Film/SeventeenAgain''. His acting really is much better in this film than it is in his [[Film/HighSchoolMusical more famous films]], especially since he's a 22 year old, playing a 37 year old turned into a 17 year old.

** Evans was mostly known for goofy/sarcastic characters. When it was announced he'd play Steven Rogers/Captain America in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'', many fans assumed this would be the JumpingTheShark tv tropes moment for Marvel films. When the movie came out, Evans drew rave reviews from both critics & comics fans.

** Now a lady, then there's ''Film/TheNeonDemon'', which while divisive, her performance was greatly praised.

** Foxxearned his stripes with ''Film/{{Ray}}'', playing BlindMusician Music/RayCharles and netting himself an Oscar for it.

** This had arguably happened earlier when he fully embodied the role of Creator/JamesDean and when he held his own in ''Film/{{Milk}}''. Earlier still in ''Series/FreaksAndGeeks'' as Daniel, the cool rebel deconstruction, who desperately wants to break out of the loser perception everyone has of him. His speech about being one of the "Dumb Kids" is heartbreaking, even if you know before hand that it is setting up a final joke...

** Believe it or not, in ''Film/TheDescendants'' she got this reaction. Go watch the scene where [[spoiler:her character breaks down crying while forgiving Elizabeth for having an affair with her husband]] and try and remind yourself it's the same actress who said "Say goodbye to these!" in ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment''. Talk about range.

* Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a supermodel who'd only acted in ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon''. Creator/MichaelBay, who isn't known for his strong female characters, essentially used her as MsFanservice with no character whatsoever and Huntington-Whiteley was no better than anyone. Then came the critically acclaimed ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' in which she plays a pregnant sex slave, with critics agreeing that she gave a sympathetic, strong performance.

* Creator/JohnLithgow:
** The man is best-known to modern audiences as a comedic actor, generally taking some LargeHam roles similar to his ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' character. Then he played a man with mid-late Alzheimer's in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', and he earned praise from ''everyone'' for doing such a nuanced take on a character that could quite easily be overacted.
** This is only a surprise for people not old enough to remember his Oscar nominated turns in ''Terms of Endearment'' and ''The World According to Garp'', or for those who didn't remember his role in ''Film/BlowOut''.

** It's more that people forgot she could act. She gained praise for her very first movie, ''The Parent Trap''. Being that her performance in her last major movie, ''Film/IKnowWhoKilledMe'' was still pretty fresh in people's mind.

* Creator/RooneyMara: After her disastrous debut performance in the ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010'', many people wrote her of as the worst new star of the year. Near the end of the year, she had a OneSceneWonder in Creator/DavidFincher's ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'', and suddenly people began to see some potential in her. That potential was reached with ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo'' where she managed to match Creator/NoomiRapace's performance and (in some people's eyes) exceed it. Mara later revealed that she had a miserable time working on ''Film/A Nightmare on Elm Street'', and almost quit acting. Thank God she didn't.
* Creator/SteveMartin: He played ''completely'' against type as Arthur Parker in the film version of ''Series/PenniesFromHeaven'', only his second film after ''Film/TheJerk''. He proved there that he can act (and dance, too). He also does some first-rate work in ''Parenthood'' as a father facing the challenges of raising children with deep emotional problems that he realizes he can't fix. The scene where he lashes out at his boss for giving a promotion to a less deserving, morally bankrupt colleague and when his wife reveals that she is pregnant show just how angry his character is at the world.

** Perry was also praised for his acting-only turns in ''Film/GoneGirl'' as attorney Tanner Bolt and ''Alex Cross'' as the titular investigator, which much like ''Good Deeds'' were low-key yet good. Much like people tend to say (joke or not) that Ben Affleck may be a better director than actor, some people have started to say ''the opposite'' about Perry.

* Creator/JKSimmons is likely best known to the public for his scene-stealing role as J. Jonah Jameson in ''Film/SpiderMan1'', getting all the best lines. But anyone who saw him in ''Series/{{Oz}}'' knew him as the depraved Nazi Vern Schillinger, a man who is in turns absolutely loathsome and at the same time filled with self-hatred and regret. It's a complex role and Simmons absolutely nails it, giving arguably the best performance in the whole series. And then he showed his phenomenally wide range when he played a completely likeable, sympathetic character in ''Film/{{Juno}}''. And now he's taken it to a new level with ''Film/{{Whiplash}}'', as a sadistic musical conductor intent on pushing his students to perfection. Numerous critics have made comparisons to R. Lee Ermey in ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', and they're warranted. Most have even gone as far as to call it the ''best role of his career'', which, when you look at his resume, is very high praise indeed. It actually was enough for Simmons to win the ''OSCAR'' for Best Supporting Actor. He also won praise for ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', where he gives a subtler and extremely well-done performance as Tenzin. His HRCA factor is upped considerably when you realize that he began as a song-and-dance man on Broadway. Among his roles was that of Benny Southstreet in ''Theater/GuysAndDolls''. You would be hard-pressed to find a character less like his more well-known persona.

** Pprimarily known for being the cute girl in things like ''Film/{{The Karate Kid|1984}}'', ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'' and ''[[Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII III]]'', ''Film/Adventures In Babysitting tv tropes'' and ''Film/{{Cocktail}}'', shocked people with her Oscar nominated performance in ''Film/LeavingLasVegas''.

* Creator/GeneWilder: Despite being often cast in suitably comical roles, he does have some impressive acting chops, ''especially'' the infamous [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDEdKzAZgko "YOU GET NOTHING!"]] scene from ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory''.

* Creator/SamWorthington in ''Film/TheDebt'' came as a surprise to some critics, especially those who thought he couldn't escape his [[OohMeAccentsSlipping Australian accent]].

!!Examples of multiple creators through one work:

** Creator/NataliePortman in ''Film/BlackSwan''. Through most of the movie, it looked like she was on the verge of crying. And considering [[BreakTheCutie what her character put up with]], you couldn't blame her. Natalie Portman has been doing critically acclaimed movies for some time now. For reference, check out ''Film/TheProfessional'', her very first film role, back when she was ''13'' years old. And she's already holding her own alongside Jean Reno and Gary Oldman.
** Creator/MilaKunis, [[Series/That70sShow usually]] [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy known]] [[Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall for]] comedies, showed her skills opposite Portman on ''Film/BlackSwan'' as well.

** While we always knew Creator/RichardGere could ''act'', no-one thought he could sing. Or dance. Then came ''Film/{{Chicago}}'' and he did both, and blew the world away, putting in a show-stopping performance as AmoralAttorney Billy Flynn.

** All the actors playing the younger generation were previously best known for either niche projects (such as ''Film/AttackTheBlock'' for Creator/JohnBoyega and ''Series/{{Girls}}'' for Creator/AdamDriver) or in Creator/DaisyRidley's case, [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5397459 virtually nothing]]. [[WinBackTheCrowd Fan consensus]] is that they did an amazing job, especially given the switch to drama/SpaceOpera for some of them and the [[UnpleasableFanbase astronomically high expectations]].

** Much of the young adult cast (the "Golden Trio", in particular) of the ''Film/HarryPotter'' franchise have been receiving relieved sighs from critics, who recognize that, as they've grown, they've all truly grown into their characters. Creator/DanielRadcliffe, who starred (nude, yes) in ''Theatre/{{Equus}}'' in London's West End (and other places afterwards), also received positive reviews overall... And come to think of it, there are plenty of child actors that developed into, you know, actual actors. (Speaking of, according to Radcliffe the three of them were given various kinds of training once they were selected for the first film. One thing they didn't receive? ''Acting classes.'' Given that, one is even more minded to be forgiving of their earlier performances, and impressed at their maturing into skilled actors.)

** Creator/JenniferConnelly had an equally good performance as Betty Ross akin to her role in Film/ABeautifulMind. Both worried about their friend's condition and how it affects other people with the right way of expressing it.

* ''Film/TheRevenant'' (besides being "the one that finally gave Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio an Oscar):
** Some critics were really impressed with Will Poulter's performance as Jim Bridger, especially considering some of the other [[Film/WereTheMillers films he's been in]]. Even Jeremy Jahn's was impressed.

** Owen Wilson as Eli Cash, the Tenenbaums' neighbor, and Richie Tenenbaum's best friend. It seems like one of his many dami-a-dozen whimsical role until it's revealed that [[spoiler:he has an affair with Margot, with whom Richie is in love with, and later has a drug-fueled breakdown]].

* Creator/BenStiller:
** Most see the man as a one dimensional comedy actor. Those people haven't seen ''Greenberg''. In Greenberg Stiller's a 40 something who hasn't really figured out what he wants to do with his life and is completely fine with that. He arrives at a crossroads when he gets involved with his brother's much younger secretary. Stiller's character is probably the least flat character he has played by a long shot.
** He also impressed in ''The Secret Life of Walter Mitty''. Most of Stiller's characters have been arrogant, sarcastic and short-tempered. His performance here shows that he can not only play completely against type but he gives an astonishingly understated performance and makes the audience fall in love with a character who could easily have been portrayed as hopelessly dull or delusional in another actor's hands.

* ''The Woodsman'' also had a terrific example in Mos Def. His monologue about the child who had been torn apart by a rapist is both chilling and a Tear Jerker.
%%* This is one of the reasons ''Film/TheTrumanShow'' is widely considered to be JimCarrey's best movie.

%%* Creator/EmilyOsment in {{Dadnapped}} and the SeriesFinale to Series/HannahMontana.
* Creator/ColinFirth was known primarily for being a cute British guy in some fluffy romantic comedies, but then he was cast as [[UsefulNotes/TheHouseOfWindsor George VI]] in ''Film/TheKingsSpeech'', and nails a performance of a man who is both unprepared for the Crown and never wanted the job to begin with. His friendship with his speech therapist is wonderfully heartwarming, but the scene in which he [[TheWoobie breaks into tears]] with his wife, under the pressure of TheChainsOfCommanding, are what shows he deserved that Oscar. He also received much critical praise only the year before for ''Literature/ASingleMan'', where his portrayal of a man's grief following the death of his lover was wonderfully sensitive and understated, showing a greater depth to Firth that had not yet been seen.
* Sir Creator/MichaelRedgrave became an international star with his debut film role as Gilbert Redman in Creator/AlfredHitchcock's ''Film/TheLadyVanishes'', but it was his extraordinary performance as deranged ventriloquist Maxwell Frere in Cavalcanti's horror film ''Film/DeadOfNight'' that convinced critics that he really could act as well in films as he could on the stage. Redgrave's subsequent portrayal of the frigid classics master Andrew Crocker-Harris in ''Film/TheBrowningVersion'' (1951) is counted as one of the greatest film performances of all time.

%%* The performances of Creator/RickMoranis and Creator/SteveMartin in ''Film/LittleShopOfHorrors'' were top-notch, not just in acting, but singing, too. Little known fact: Steve Martin was already a professional singer before launching off as a comedian.
* Creator/SteveMartin: He played ''completely'' against type as Arthur Parker in the film version of ''Series/PenniesFromHeaven'', only his second film after ''Film/TheJerk''. He proved there that he can act (and dance, too). He also does some first-rate work in ''Parenthood'' as a father facing the challenges of raising children with deep emotional problems that he realizes he can't fix. The scene where he lashes out at his boss for giving a promotion to a less deserving, morally bankrupt colleague and when his wife reveals that she is pregnant show just how angry his character is at the world.
* Zach Galifinakis' voice performance as the Joker in The Lego Batman Movie. He manages to pull off funny ("I'm rubbing my butt all over your stuff!") and scary ("I always come to work with a smile").
* Creator/SethRogen's performance in ''Film/FunnyPeople'' was praised even in negative reviews of the film. While few critics consider him a ''bad'' actor, he was never much of a critical darling as a leading man.
* Creator/AdamSandler:
** He has been getting due to more serious films like ''Film/ReignOverMe'' and ''Film/FunnyPeople''.
** Sandler previously felt this effect from his role in ''Film/PunchDrunkLove''; however, that time, his dramatic turn didn't quite stick, and he went right back to doing goofy slapstick movies.
** Although when he wants to, which, by his own admission, is almost never. Most of the time he's just [[http://www.avclub.com/article/adam-sandler-confirms-his-movies-are-just-paid-vac-204952 taking a vacation with his film crew]]. Film/{{Click}} is one of the best examples, allowing him to mix a restrained form of his normal brand of humor with his dramatic side, leading to a level of AbsurdityAscendant. It's a rare film that can make a scene of a guy crying over a stuffed duck his dog would hump legitimately heartbreaking.
* Creator/EddieMurphy's performance in ''Film/{{Dreamgirls}}'' has been described like this. In fact, it's said that he could've won an Oscar for his performance had ''Film/{{Norbit}}'' not been released before the Academy voted.
* Beyonce Knowles in ''Film/{{Dreamgirls}}'' really shone. Just when it had been so easy to write her off, too... She received praise for her work in ''Cadillac Records'' as well.
* Creator/SylvesterStallone: Interestingly, Stallone was wildly praised for his performance in the original ''Film/{{Rocky}}'' movie, with Creator/RogerEbert comparing him to Creator/MarlonBrando. Same thing with ''Film/FirstBlood'', only for both franchises to turn into simpler, more stereotypical action movies. Same for ''Film/RockyV'' and ''Film/RockyBalboa,'' which went closer to the feel of the first film. Speaking of ''First Blood'', the [[ShellShockedVeteran ending of that film]] should convince anyone that he can act.
** And then there is ''Film/{{Creed}}'', a spin-off of the ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' series, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, for his most famous role, no less. Call this He STILL Really Can Act.
* Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme playing a fictionalized version of himself in ''Film/{{JCVD}}'', particularly the scene where he gives a very long [[TheOner uncut]] and impassioned monologue to the camera/audience/God, talking about his life and career.
* Creator/WillSmith's rising career was down to a series of steps where he would set himself up with fans with his winning smiling, slightly goofy and fun personality and then use a dose of serious acting to establish his credibility and then open himself up to a bigger audience.
** In the episode of ''Series/TheFreshPrinceOfBelAir'' where his absentee father returns and [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmerFuzRNZ4 yet again abandons him.]]
** The 1993 film adaptation of the play ''Six Degrees of Separation'', his first movie role, in which he had the very challenging role of a very sweet, complicated [[spoiler:con artist]] and aced it.
** Creator/WillSmith in ''Film/TheLegendOfBaggerVance'' and ''Film/{{Ali}}'', which was certainly needed after the huge dud of ''Film/WildWildWest''. If he didn't prove himself as an actor, it is likely that no one could have respected him after that. This was crystallized by his role in the utterly emotional ''Film/ThePursuitOfHappyness''.
** ''Film/IAmLegend'' wasn't perfect, but this scene solidified it:
--->'''Neville:''' I promised a friend I would say hello to you today. [[SanitySlippage Hello.]]\\
[[{{Beat}} (starts to cry)]]\\
'''Neville:''' [[TearJerker Please say hello to me.]]
** Smith's casting as Deadshot in ''Film/SuicideSquad'' was met with skepticism, as many thought he would be unable to pull off a villainous, cynical anti-hero like Floyd Lawton. In the end, however, his performance was the most consistently praised element of the film.
* Creator/JohnCReilly:
** He went for a sort of meta example of this in ''Film/WalkHardTheDeweyCoxStory'', since we already knew he was a good actor, but in character, he has a lot of OscarBait-style "deep acting moments", like pulling the sinks off the wall a la ''Film/WalkTheLine''. Also stretching the idea of playing the character from the youngest age possible, in this case 14, to oldest, as late 70's.
** His role in the movie ''Film/{{Chicago}}''. He can really sing and dance!
** It was ''Film/BoogieNights'' (1997) that gave him the opportunity to serve notice on how versatile and intelligent a character actor he really was (as it also did for Philip Seymour Hoffman).
* Creator/RobinWilliams:
** In ''Film/OneHourPhoto'' gives a restrained and finely-nuanced performance as the photo store guy who's (probably) stalking a family with sinister intent. Who knew, eh?
** He has had several other sedate, respectable roles before ''One Hour Photo'', though (perhaps most notably in ''Film/GoodWillHunting'', which he got an Oscar for).
** ''Film/DeadPoetsSociety''. Earlier than that, there was the TV-movie adaptation of ''Seize The Day'' (no relation to ''DPS''), and ''The World According To Garp''... but people weren't really paying attention to those when they came out. They ''wanted'' wacky [[Series/MorkAndMindy Mork]]-Robin. How times change...
** And ''Film/MoscowOnTheHudson'', ''Film/{{Awakenings}}'', ''Film/BeingHuman'', etc...
** To paraphrase a post-Oscar moment (which Williams received for ''Film/GoodWillHunting''), when an interviewer asks him how he felt about taking on such a serious role: "I went to Juilliard!"
** Another example is his terrifying performance on ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' as an amoral psychologist screwing with people in real-life versions of the BavarianFireDrill (at first) before escalating to the infamous Milgram Authority Experiment.
* Music/HilaryDuff:
** In an odd example, her performance seems to be the only thing in ''Film/WarInc'' which the critics ''did'' like.
** ''Film/RaiseYourVoice'' is a much earlier example. The only reason it bombed was because of the demographic issues. It was too mature for her pre-teen fans.
** She took a massive step forward in Greta, both with fans and haters.
* Creator/LindsayLohan:
** ''Georgia Rule''. Although it received mostly negative reviews, most critics praised her acting and said that her performance was the best part of the film.
** Lohan has shown that she's pretty good at playing more than one character, in such films as her debut ''Film/TheParentTrap'' and ''Film/FreakyFriday2003''. Her impression of Creator/JamieLeeCurtis in the latter is uncanny. However, the winning streak ended with ''Film/IKnowWhoKilledMe'' -- Lohan appeared to have a lot of trouble working with prosthetic special-effects makeup.
** It's more that people forgot she could act. She gained praise for her very first movie, ''The Parent Trap''. Being that her performance in her last major movie, ''Film/IKnowWhoKilledMe'' was still pretty fresh in people's mind.
* Creator/JohnWayne is an older example of this. After seeing ''Film/RedRiver'' (directed by Ford's friend, Howard Hawks) Creator/JohnFord famously said, "I didn't know the big lug could act." This led to Ford giving him deeper roles that really stretched his acting abilities in ''Film/SheWoreAYellowRibbon'', ''Film/TheQuietMan'', ''Film/TheSearchers'' and ''Film/TheManWhoShotLibertyValance''. And then there's his final film, ''Film/TheShootist''.
* In his review of ''Film/InglouriousBasterds'', {{Moviebob}} captioned the photo of Creator/EliRoth with the phrase "When did ''he'' learn to act?" There was also Mike Myers' OneSceneWonder.
* Brendan Fraser:

* ''Film/HarryPotter:''
** Much of the young adult cast (the "Golden Trio", in particular) of the ''Film/HarryPotter'' franchise have been receiving relieved sighs from critics, who recognize that, as they've grown, they've all truly grown into their characters. Creator/DanielRadcliffe, who starred (nude, yes) in ''Theatre/{{Equus}}'' in London's West End (and other places afterwards), also received positive reviews overall... And come to think of it, there are plenty of child actors that developed into, you know, actual actors. (Speaking of, according to Radcliffe the three of them were given various kinds of training once they were selected for the first film. One thing they didn't receive? ''Acting classes.'' Given that, one is even more minded to be forgiving of their earlier performances, and impressed at their maturing into skilled actors.)
** Creator/EmmaWatson's crying after Hermione's fight with Ron in ''Goblet Of Fire''? Passable but seriously over the top. Her crying in ''Half Blood Prince'' when Harry is comforting her after seeing Ron kissing Lavender? Genuine TearJerker.
** Creator/AlanRickman. Considering he's best known for playing [[EvilIsHammy deliciously hammy bad guys]] like [[DieHard Hans Gruber]] and [[Film/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet Judge Turpin]], and his characterization of Severus Snape is mostly as a [[SadistTeacher cruel,]] [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] {{Jerkass}}, if you stick with the series long enough to get to the final film, you see him take this previously FlatCharacter and give him so much depth, culminating in perhaps the biggest TearJerker in the entire film series. Seriously, have the tissues close at hand.
* Jamie Foxx earned his stripes with ''Ray'', playing BlindMusician Ray Charles and netting himself an Oscar for it.
** ''Film/{{Collateral}}'' had him as an ActionSurvivor, opposite Creator/TomCruise's BigBad. And it ''works''.
* Owen Wilson in Creator/WesAnderson films: ''Film/TheRoyalTenenbaums'' and ''Film/TheLifeAquaticWithSteveZissou''.
** Speaking of ''The Royal Tenenbaums'', typically sophomoric movie actor Ben Stiller convincingly plays a grieving, tightly-wound widower.
** Lest we forget Creator/GwynethPaltrow's performance as Margot.
* Creator/ChanningTatum:
** Despite being mostly known for being reasonably hot and dancing in ''Film/StepUp'' and after being a critical punching bag for some time (one nickname for him? "The Charming Potato"), actually pulled off a really powerful and tragic performance in ''Film/AGuideToRecognizingYourSaints'', even going so far as to have a Method moment and throwing a table through a window in an unscripted and highly emotional scene.
** In a different vein, he showed in ''Film/TwentyOneJumpStreet'' that he has some excellent comedic chops -- some even claiming that he stole the movie from Jonah Hill.
** Even ''Film/DearJohn''. Watch the scene where he's reading the letter to his father [[spoiler: who dies while he's reading it]] and try not to cry
** And now, he has received critical acclaim for playing the lead in the true-crime drama ''{{Film/Foxcatcher}}''.
* ''Film/EdwardScissorhands'' got this kind of attention for Creator/JohnnyDepp. During his ''Series/TwentyOneJumpStreet'' days he had been thought of more as a teen mag coverboy than an actor (a situation that did not make him happy).
** Even in his LargeHam roles, such as [[Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean Captain Jack Sparrow]] and [[Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas Raoul Duke]], quite a bit of restraint and nuance often shows through, often because he is DoingItForTheArt and because he ''loves'' the parts in question (in the former case, he [[AwesomeDearBoy always wanted to play a pirate someday]], while in the latter, he was a personal friend of Creator/HunterSThompson and wanted to get the role just right).
* Dick Powell was a regular song-and-dance man in the forties used to doing lighthearted musicals, but his turn as a jaded and cynical private detective in ''Film/MurderMySweet'' was spot-on.
* ''Film/{{Hulk}}'':
** Creator/EricBana as Bruce Banner was able to transition from a comedian to a drama actor as a scientist with heavily repressed memories and anger issues.
** Creator/JenniferConnelly had an equally good performance as Betty Ross akin to her role in Film/ABeautifulMind. Both worried about their friend's condition and how it affects other people with the right way of expressing it.
** Creator/NickNolte did one of the most underrated acting performances for a film villain. He shifted between LargeHam and DullSurprise in an interesting manner for a man who was imprisoned for thirty years.
** Last but not least, Creator/SamElliott as General Ross was pretty well received, even for fans who didn't like the movie.
* Creator/VincentPrice:
** He is normally thought of a quite a LargeHam, more campy than generally scary. Even in straight-up horror suspense pictures like ''Film/HouseOnHauntedHill1959'', there's a fun quality to his character. Until you watch ''Witchfinder General'' (aka ''The Conquerer Worm''), where he's utterly terrifying.
** Or if you watch ''Dragonwyk'' where he deftly pulls off the charming leading man, capable of seducing Creator/GeneTierney. It's a role Gregory Peck was originally supposed to play.
** Anyone who still doubts Price's acting chops should see his role in ''Film/TheSongOfBernadette''.
** Or listen to some of his old radio acting, especially his appearances on ''Suspense''.
* Who knew that Sean Hayes, the guy that played a bimbo CampGay [[Series/WillAndGrace for years]], could act out a breakdown [[Series/{{Scrubs}} so easily]]?
* A lot of people said this about Farrah Fawcett in ''The Burning Bed''.
* Mo'Nique, whose entire filmography up until this point had consisted of [[LowestCommonDenominator low-brow]] comedies, shocked ''everyone'' with her portrayal of an abusive, mentally unstable mother in ''Film/{{Precious}}'', a role which earned her a much-deserved Oscar.
** MariahCarey's performance in the same film was also praised.
* Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio:
** Although critics nowadays are generally big fans of him, Leo's iconic role of Jack Dawson in ''Film/{{Titanic 1997}}'' annoyed so many male viewers that it took him several following roles for them to begrudgingly admit that he's not just a [[{{Bishonen}} pretty boy]] actor any more.
*** The first film to really win guys over after ''Titanic'' was probably ''Film/CatchMeIfYouCan'' in which he portrayed Frank Abagnale with admirable aplomb.
*** After a childhood playing the cute kid in sitcoms like ''Series/GrowingPains'', his first breakout was his Oscar-nominated performance in ''Film/WhatsEatingGilbertGrape?''
*** The last holdouts were almost certainly converted by ''Film/ShutterIsland'' and/or ''Film/{{Inception}}.''
*** And for ''anyone else'', there's his [[PlayingAgainstType role]] in ''Film/DjangoUnchained''.
*** Then there's ''Film/TheWolfOfWallStreet'' a performance worthy of [=DeNiro=] at his very best.
*** And he finally, ''finally'' won an Oscar for ''Film/TheRevenant''.
%%** For others, his real breakout performance was in ''Film/TheDeparted''. Although ''Film/BloodDiamond'' from the same year should be mentioned right next to it.
* On the subject of ''Gilbert Grape'', the lady who played Gilbert's mother Bonnie (Darlene Cates) was not a professional actress. She was cast after appearing on a talk show because the filmmakers couldn't find a real actress who looked right enough to play the grossly overweight character. Despite no previous experience, her role was expanded when they found out about her surprising ability to act. For an example, check the scene where she confronts the sheriff at the police station.
* Creator/KristenStewart:
** Best known for playing [[Literature/{{Twilight}} Bella Swan]], got this reaction with her performance as Music/JoanJett in the {{biopic}} ''Film/TheRunaways''.
** She already had a [[Film/CatchThatKid good performance]] to her name.
** From earlier on, ''Film/PanicRoom'', especially [[spoiler:the hypoglycemic fit]] while trapped with her mother in said room.
** ''Film/{{Speak}}'' is a great performance too.
** ''Film/{{Adventureland}}'' also counts, with a surprisingly realistic performance.
** ''Film/CampXRay'' is also getting great reviews for her performance.
** Perhaps her most admired performance so far is her role as a prostitute from ''Film/WelcomeToTheRileys''.
** In 2014, he appeared in the French film ''Clouds of Sils Maria'' and became the second American to win a César Award (France's equivalent of the Oscars).
** Stewart seems to be a genuinely talented actress; she's simply best known for a role whose motivations and lines are incredibly hard to communicate convincingly.
** Sadly, both she and Creator/RobertPattinson seem to get this because of ''Twilight''. Even though both have proven to be capable actors, reviews of their newer non-''Twilight'' movies seem to have shades of this.
** Her supporting role in ''Film/StillAlice'' is very moving and heartbreaking.
* Creator/BillyConnolly in a number of smaller roles, but the breakout is probably the film ''Mrs Brown''. As well as ''Film/TheBoondockSaints'' franchise in which he plays the stoic, [[BadassGrandpa aging yet ruthless]] HitmanWithAHeart. Anyone who's surprised by Billy Connolly's acting ability obviously hasn't seen his stand-up, where he plays hundreds of characters of varying voices and accents. There's an early video of him playing a man doing a quiet AnguishedDeclarationOfLove, only to let off a fart in the middle of it.

* Creator/MarkWahlberg:
** In the early '90s, probably no one thought that rapper "Marky Mark" Wahlberg will once be nominated for an Oscar (''Film/TheDeparted'', 2006).
** ''Film/TheBasketballDiaries'' proved it first, but he also gave magnificent performances in ''Film/BoogieNights'', ''Film/ThreeKings'', and ''Film/IHeartHuckabees''.
** Similarly, his brother Donnie Wahlberg was just that dude from New Kids on the Block until he showed up in ''Film/{{Ransom}}.'' Later performances in ''Film/TheSixthSense'' and ''Series/BandOfBrothers'' cemented his status as a solid, talented character actor.
* Most people wrote Creator/OrlandoBloom off as worthless because of his [[MrFanservice popularity with]] [[UnfortunateImplications girls and women]] until his [[TakeThatMe self-deprecating]] appearance on an episode of ''Series/{{Extras}}'' and his performance as a near-suicidal failed writer in the London play ''In Celebration.'' Fans could have told these people that all they needed to do was watch him in ''Ned Kelly'' or ''Haven'' to see what he can do. Or ''Film/{{Elizabethtown}}''.
** To a lesser extent, some people believed that he proved his acting chops in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanAtWorldsEnd'' when Will Turner dies. To quote a YouTube comment: "I never really considered Orlando Bloom to be like an amazing actor or anything, even when I had the biggest crush on him ever, like he was first and longest celebrity crush lol, but I think he handles this whole death scene very well. I think I cried the first time I saw it."
* Creator/BruceWillis in ''Film/TwelveMonkeys''. Eh, we'd already seen ''Film/PulpFiction''. ''Film/TheSixthSense'' proves just how much range he really has. ''Death Becomes Her''. Who knew that he could be goofy too? (Well, anyone who remembered ''Series/{{Moonlighting}}'', but such films as ''Film/DieHard'' had overshadowed his earlier comedy career.) Anyone who thinks he can only play wisecracking action heroes is advised to see him as a disabled Vietnam vet in ''In Country''. This has happened to Bruce a few times. He started off as a comedic actor in ''Series/{{Moonlighting}}'' (winning an Emmy in the process) and when it came time for him to do action roles like ''Film/DieHard'', people laughed and couldn't believe this comedian could ever be an action star. Once those movies took off, he was known as an action star and when it came time for him to do comedic roles again, they couldn't believe this action star could ever be a comedian. Once he dipped back and forth for a while, he started doing more dramatic roles and again... people didn't think this guy could pull it off. Also a movie no one remembers Willis did called ''Film/TheKid2000''.
* Lloyd Bridges came at it in the opposite direction, spending part of the 60s establishing himself as a dramatic, action hero actor on film and in television. And then came ''Airplane!'', and his comic career was born. More than ten years of parody films like ''Film/HotShots'' later, his son Creator/JeffBridges is doing ''Film/BlownAway'' and needs someone to play his character's uncle. When Jeff suggested his dad for the role, the producers apparently responded with, "Doesn't he only do comedies?"
* Creator/BradPitt in ''Film/TwelveMonkeys''. Note that this is one of the first roles where his looks were seriously downplayed and he had to succeed on pure ability. And he aced it. Anyone who had seen Pitt in ''Film/{{Kalifornia}}'' had also known what he was worth long before he became a household name. Many people had this reaction to his performance in ''Film/FightClub'', while others weren't converted until his performance in ''Film/TheCuriousCaseOfBenjaminButton''.
* Music/{{Cher}}. When her name came up in the opening credits for ''Series/{{Moonstruck}}'', the audience laughed. She bagged an Oscar for it. Cher in ''Film/{{Mask}}''. People felt she should have bagged an Oscar for it. Cher had already established her dramatic credentials with supporting roles in ''Silkwood'' and ''Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean''
* Creator/BenAffleck:
** During the Rifftrax of the movie ''Film/{{Daredevil}}'', Mike is briefly impressed by a moment of good acting from Creator/BenAffleck as he plays blind lawyer Matt Murdock.
--->'''Matt:''' What is your problem with our clients, we have good, respectable clients. What's your definition of better? Define better.\\
'''Mike:''' Huh. Ben Affleck takes a stab at acting. And that's the last time we'll ever see him do that.
** ''Film/ChasingAmy'', particularly the car scene.
** ''Film/{{Hollywoodland}}'' also got plenty of mileage in this department.
** He manages to be a legit [[OneSceneWonder scene stealer]] in ''Film/BoilerRoom'' as well. To the point that he almost steals the entire movie.
** The [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSQYRq8kf4g parking lot scene]] in ''Film/{{Dogma}}'', of all things, is actually a pretty good performance.
** ''Film/TheTown'', is also an example of this. Also, Creator/BlakeLively reveals that she can do more than ''Series/GossipGirl'', and Jeremy Renner, while not being considered anywhere near a bad actor, reveals that he has much more than ''Film/TheHurtLocker'' in him, he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, his second nomination after his first for Best Actor in ''The Hurt Locker''.
** ''Film/ShakespeareInLove'' also counts.
** ''Film/GoneGirl''. While Rosamund Pike got a majority of the awards, likely because [[spoiler: of the reveal that her character is a manipulative psychopath,]] Affleck's performance as the other half of a seriously messed up couple cannot be denied.
** From the teaser footage that's been shown of ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', there are people who think he could have the part '''nailed''' in spite of suffering from some serious WTHCastingAgency backlash when he was announced for the part. Having seen the movie, many critics were completely sold on him as Bruce Wayne/Batman, despite the film's tepid reception.
* Speaking of Affleck Brothers, Creator/CaseyAffleck. After bit parts in comedies such as ''The Las tKiss'' and the ''Oceans'' Films, no one expected much. Then in ''Film/TheAssassinationOfJesseJamesByTheCowardRobertFord'', he delivers an absolutely stunning and brilliantly understated performance as Bob Ford, the much reviled murderer of Jesse James, who wants nothing more than to be famous and beloved like his icon. His role in ''Film/GoneBabyGone'' shows that he's only going to get better! He isn't alone either. While no one was really in doubt after ''Film/{{Babel}}'' and ''Film/FightClub'', Brad Pitt really proved his talent as the violent, psychotic, but self-loathing, and deeply remorseful Jesse, who has the live with the guilt of the bloodshed he has caused.
* Creator/ChrisPine:
** While he was hardly ''bad'' in ''Film/StarTrek'', he didn't exactly get a chance to show off his acting chops, and his prior work consisted mainly of romantic comedies. Then came a little play called ''Farragut North''...
** But then, anyone who saw ''Bottle Shock'' knew that he could act already...
** Anybody saw ''Carriers'', was spot on being a jerk, but with other implications... heartbreaking actually...
** Then ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' came out and those who saw [[spoiler:Kirk's death scene]] were moved to tears. Likewise to Creator/ZacharyQuinto's work during that scene.
** And then ''Film/HellOrHighWater'' was released. Any naysayers about his acting abilities were silenced for good.
** To say nothing of his role as Steve Trevor in ''Film/WonderWoman2017'', with special mention going to [[spoiler: his character's heart-breaking HeroicSacrifice, which is conveyed without a single word, no less.]]. You ''will'' believe that Chris Pine is a phenomenal actor by the movie's end.
* Music/MileyCyrus in ''Film/TheLastSong'', several critics, most notably Creator/RogerEbert praised her acting in that film. But, she got a Razzie nomination for it. Most people that gave ''Series/HannahMontana'' a chance instead of automatically panning it just because it was a Disney show already knew that Cyrus had real charisma and a flair for comedy. Even in the first season where she clearly showed her inexperience, she had some moments of brilliance (watch the episode where she also plays her [[UncannyFamilyResemblance evil identical cousin]]).
* Creator/JosephGordonLevitt in everything he's done since ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun''.
** Every review for ''Film/MysteriousSkin'' has a sentence that is essentially: "HOLY. COW. Didn't see that coming."
** But nobody really noticed until he returned to acting after taking off a few years to go to college. And not only his acting chops, but how fully committed he can be to any role or bit performed. His stint as host of ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' had him perform the "Make Em' Laugh" number from ''Film/SinginInTheRain'' to ''near perfection on live television''. To give some perspective, even stage performances of the number nowadays don't require the actor to perform all of the stunts because of the sheer amount of athleticism required pull it off. [[http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMTQyOTI3Mzky.html The performance can be seen here.]] And yes, he does do the backflip off the wall. Twice.
** His performance in ''Film/{{Brick}}'', which came out very soon after ''Mysterious Skin'' and starred Gordon-Levitt as a teenage ''hardboiled detective'', had a similar effect. But for the grand majority of movie audiences, it was almost certainly ''Film/{{Inception}}''.
** Actually, for the majority of people his breakout role was more likely ''Film/FiveHundredDaysOfSummer''.
** He is almost unrecognizable in ''Film/{{Lincoln}}''.
* Creator/JohnLithgow:
** The man is best-known to modern audiences as a comedic actor, generally taking some LargeHam roles similar to his ''Series/ThirdRockFromTheSun'' character. Then he played a man with mid-late Alzheimer's in ''Film/RiseOfThePlanetOfTheApes'', and he earned praise from ''everyone'' for doing such a nuanced take on a character that could quite easily be overacted.
** This is only a surprise for people not old enough to remember his Oscar nominated turns in ''Terms of Endearment'' and ''The World According to Garp'', or for those who didn't remember his role in ''Film/BlowOut''.
*** Also, his blood-chilling portrayal of the Trinity Killer on ''Series/{{Dexter}}''. The performance won him an Emmy and a Golden Globe.
* Creator/RobertPattinson. ''Film/RememberMe''. Not that he was ever bad, per se, but ''holy cow''. But he earned a Razzie nomination for it. This could be said for the majority of the ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' cast up to and including the examples of Creator/KristenStewart and Jackson Rathbone above.
* Nikki Reed previously had good performances in ''Thirteen'' and ''Lords of Dogtown'' but she's mostly known for her role as Rosalie Hale. For the first two films the character is about as flat as a pancake. Then in the third we get to see Rosalie explain her past. And she delivers a shockingly powerful performance in the fourth with her line to Alice about Bella's unborn daughter.
--> "Say the word, Alice. Say it! Baby! It's just a little baby!"
* Creator/RogerMoore is best known for playing suave, charming international playboy types. Seeing him in ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Haunted_Himself The Man Who Haunted Himself]]'', in which he plays an uptight exec who thinks he's being stalked by his own double and ultimately has a nervous breakdown, is a jaw-dropping experience. Partly because his performance is so good, and partly because seeing Roger Moore going realistically insane is genuinely disturbing.
** Right in the middle of his stint as Franchise/JamesBond, he starred in ''Film/TheWildGeese'' as Creator/DanielCraig's version of Bond, ie a hard, cold badass. His first scene where he forces a drug dealer to overdose on his own product is quite unnerving to people used to his foppish, debonair Bond.
** Not forgetting ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'', are we? You know, the one with him acting as ruthless as Connery, Craig and Dalton at their coldest.
* ''Film/TheInventionOfLying'', despite being a comedy, features one very effective scene of Ricky Gervais' character improvising a description of Heaven to comfort his dying mother, which shows Gervais could easily start a career as a dramatic actor if he ever wanted to. ''Film/GhostTown'' is another dramedy like the film mentioned above where he demonstrates his ability to play a completely serious, ''humorless'' character.
* Creator/CameronDiaz in ''Film/BeingJohnMalkovich''. She's unrecognizable and really good. ''Film/AnyGivenSunday'', in which she holds her own against Creator/AlPacino. And in ''Film/VanillaSky'' she gives the best performance of entire cast.
* Creator/MarkHamill impressed ''everyone'' after ''Franchise/StarWars'' by taking very serious roles in the Broadway versions of ''Theatre/{{Amadeus}}'', and ''Theatre/TheElephantMan''. Then he started [[WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries voice]] [[SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker acting]]... Also see ''[[VideoGame/WingCommander Wing Commander IV]]'', particularly when sharing the screen with Malcolm [=McDowell=]. ([[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpbOkVdl7b0 YouTube link]].)
* You know Creator/CharlieChaplin? The guy with the funny mustache who did slapstick in old silent comedies? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7GY1Xg6X20 Behold]]. Holy ''moley''.
* [[ProfessionalWrestling The Rock]]:
** While [[{{Kayfabe}} technically an actor]], he was hardly what most people would have thought of as one. Wrestling/DwayneJohnson, on the other hand, is quite successful.
** Interestingly, when the idea for the movie ''Film/TheOne'' was first put forward, the role of the good and evil protagonists (ItMakesSenseInContext) was written for Dwayne Johnson. However, he opted to do ''Film/TheScorpionKing'' instead, and the script was re-written for JetLi. While YMMV on the how good ''The One'' is, there's no denying the awesomeness of seeing Jet Li kick his own ass. Seeing the Rock do that would probably not be as cool. Besides, Jet Li and Creator/JasonStatham make a great team. The role of a Conan-like barbarian suits the Rock better.
* In case you didn't catch Creator/RyanReynolds in ''Film/DefinitelyMaybe'', you might want to check him out in ''Film/{{Buried}}'', which is just him in a box acting his butt off. Also in ''Film/SmokinAces'' he manages to pull of some great emotion especially in the final scenes. He pulls off absolutely terrifying extremely well in ''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror2005'' remake.
* Music/JustinTimberlake:
** In ''Film/AlphaDog''. This probably got him the cred he needed to get a key role in ''Film/TheSocialNetwork''.
** Timberlake also really earned his bones as a comedy performer with the famous ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' skit "Dick in a Box" and his series of commercials for Sony.
** Timberlake's performance in ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' is also one of these, as both a comedic & dramatic actor.
** Even his vocal performance as Boo-Boo in the ''WesternAnimation/YogiBear'' movie has gotten some praise for how well he did the voice.
** His understated performance in ''Film/BlackSnakeMoan'' is quite impressive.
** Watch the video for EltonJohn's 'This Train Don't Stop There Anymore', especially the part where Elton's against the wall and sinking. Then notice where this entry is on the list, and that Sir Elton doesn't look like that these days ... and look at how accurate it was.

** The skill in portraying such a morally ambiguous yet still somewhat sympathetic character in The Prestige that makes the viewer forget that they're even watching Wolverine's actor also shows his skill.
** Anyone who saw Hugh performing in Australian Theatre before he went to Hollywood will tell you, "That guy's going to be a star".
* Marlon Wayans in ''Film/RequiemForADream''. And again ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra.'' Ripcord, [[EthnicScrappy unlike his past comedic roles]] was actually a lot more subdued, making it all the more better of a role. Yet, he ended up earning a Razzie nomination for it.
* Chris Tucker in ''Film/DeadPresidents''
* And Creator/ChrisRock in ''Film/NewJackCity''.
* Music/{{Eminem}} in ''Film/EightMile''.
* Creator/JessicaBiel found herself typecast as either a MsFanservice or an ActionGirl. When Liv Tyler dropped out of ''Film/TheIllusionist'', she went to the audition in full costume, desperate to win the part of a 19th century duchess in Austria. Her casting was met with a lot of criticism, which went away when the film was released. ''Film/EasyVirtue'' was another one, also showing off some nice singing talents too.
* From the serious to the comic: Music/DavidBowie's mysterious, cool, sensual aura has bled into so many of his film/[=TV=] roles over the years that one can forget his genuine acting talent...so as a quick refresher, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXvAaNcXNzI enjoy]] the short film/music video hybrid ''Jazzin' for Blue Jean'', in which ActingForTwo results in AdamWesting of the coolness and an {{Adorkable}} protagonist.
* Creator/JetLi:
** A man best known as a pint-sized badass martial artist, in ''Ocean Heaven''. The romantic drama, proudly touted as his "first non martial-arts film", has Li play a terminally-ill father of a 22-year-old autistic child.
** Or ''Film/DannyTheDog''. The martial arts are used in service of the story (i.e., the fights express emotion just as clearly as the dialogue), and his mannerisms when playing a man raised as a dog are ''uncanny''.
** As to his martial arts movies, it is worth pointing out that Li delivered terrific performance in ''Film/{{Hero}}'' and ''Film/{{Fearless 2006}}''. He managed to carry an all-around mediocre ''The One'' with his acting as well. You gotta give the man some credit -- even when he knows that the audience just wants to see asses kicked and kung fu done, he still makes an effort to act well.
** Don't forget his role as Wong Fei Hung in the ''Film/OnceUponATimeInChina'' series, arguably his most famous role and the one that is synonymous with the image of Wong Fei Hung. Also his role in The Warlords as the conflicted AntiHero Panq Qinqyun, the role was critically praised, earning Jet his second Hong Kong Film Award for Best actor nomination and his first win (the first nomination on which he did not win was for the aforementioned Fearless).
** Interesting fact about ''Film/TheOne'': After Wrestling/DwayneJohnson passed on the role in favor of ''The Scorpion King'', the character was rewritten for Jet Li... with a lot less lines. Jet Li doesn't ''need'' to speak to show a lot of emotion. The scene during the final fight where he [[spoiler:sees his empty ring finger and finds his center, allowing him to beat the bad guy,]] is done without any words at all, but they're not necessary there. Add to that the fact that he's ActingForTwo (the crazy and power-mad Yulaw and the good-hearted and desperate Gabe), and you can see why he got the role.
* Creator/NataliePortman in ''Film/BlackSwan''. Through most of the movie, it looked like she was on the verge of crying. And considering [[BreakTheCutie what her character put up with]], you couldn't blame her. Natalie Portman has been doing critically acclaimed movies for some time now. For reference, check out ''Film/TheProfessional'', one of, if not her very first film role, back when she was ''13'' years old. And she's already holding her own alongside Jean Reno and Gary Oldman.
* Creator/MilaKunis, [[Series/That70sShow usually]] [[WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy known]] [[Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall for]] comedies, showed her skills opposite Portman on ''Film/BlackSwan'' as well.

* Creator/JesseEisenberg, although giving good performances in films like ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'' and ''Film/{{Adventureland}}'', really proved himself as a actor in ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'', especially [[TearJerker during the end]].
* That doofy guy from ''Series/BosomBuddies'', and ''Series/BachelorParty'', and ''Series/{{Volunteers}}'', and ''Series/MazesAndMonsters'', ... and then Creator/TomHanks did ''Film/{{Philadelphia}}'', and ''Film/{{Big}}'', and ''Film/ALeagueOfTheirOwn'', and ''Film/ForrestGump'', and ''Film/{{Apollo 13}}'', and ''Film/SavingPrivateRyan'', etc., etc. It's called TomHanksSyndrome for a reason.
* People only familiar with Creator/AngelinaJolie from the ''Film/LaraCroftTombRaider'' movie would do well to watch such films as ''Life or Something Like It'', where she gives a powerful performance as a TV reporter who discovers she is doomed to die in a week. Her role in ''Film/GirlInterrupted'' cemented her status as a great actress, and that was before ''Tomb Raider''.
* Creator/JamesFranco:
** For a while, it seemed like he was going to be remembered as whiny and irritating Harry Osborn in ''Spider-Man''. Then along came ''Film/PineappleExpress'', and now ''Film/OneHundredAndTwentySevenHours'', boosting his esteem considerably.
** This had arguably happened earlier when he fully embodied the role of Creator/JamesDean and when he held his own in ''Film/{{Milk}}''. Earlier still in ''Series/FreaksAndGeeks'' as Daniel, the cool rebel deconstruction, who desperately wants to break out of the loser perception everyone has of him. His speech about being one of the "Dumb Kids" is heartbreaking, even if you know before hand that it is setting up a final joke...
** He actually improved alot over the course of the ''Spider-Man'' movies, going from wooden in one movie, to "whiny and irritating" in the next, to ''very convincing'' in the third, as he plays Harry as evil and vengeful, with amnesia, in a moral dilemma, and ''dying'' all in the same film.
* Creator/JackieChan is known for more comedic roles, so his dramatic performance in ''Film/TheKarateKid2010'' remake surprised many viewers. Not those who'd seen Film/ShinjukuIncident. Chan plays a less glamorous version of Film/TheGodfather...and kills it.
* After twenty years, Creator/SamRockwell became everyone's favourite quirky independent actor. He gave excellent serious performances in ''Film/TheAssassinationOfJesseJamesByTheCowardRobertFord'' and ''Frost/Nixon'' but it was his complex, emotionally demanding role in ''Film/{{Moon}}'' (which he carries all by himself) that proved how good he can be.
* Creator/AnneHathaway in ''Film/RachelGettingMarried'' proved that she is a force to be reckoned with.
** And in ''Film/LesMiserables2012'', which won her an Oscar.
** In ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' she spends the first ten minutes or so playing a catering server who is in everything but name pre-[[Film/ThePrincessDiaries Princess]] Mia. And then Bruce confronts her... and just through changing her ''posture'', she ''becomes'' Catwoman before our eyes.
** When she did ''Film/BrokebackMountain'', people thought of it as a movie with three amazing thespians and Anne Hathaway. Arguably Hathaway has now eclipsed all of them (with the exception of Creator/HeathLedger, who left us too soon).
* Something of a retro example: Creator/ChristopherWalken has never been regarded as a bad actor, but his persona is so famous that it can often overshadow his talent. He was brilliant in ''Film/KingOfNewYork'' as the drug kingpin who knows that his dreams of redemption are futile and he cannot escape the burden of guilt and in ''The Funeral'' as a man who is fully aware that his bloodlust will only cause more destruction for everyone and who believes that he will go to Hell when he dies. And if you can get through ''Film/CatchMeIfYouCan'' without shedding a tear, there's a fiver here with your name on it. And there's ''Film/TheDeerHunter'' from earlier in his career, which earned him an Academy award. If you need further convincing, check out [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj5mE4LiUX0 this behind-the-scenes clip]] of Walken from ''Catch Me If You Can'' (at about the 2:20 mark). This guy's the real deal.
* Creator/HarveyKeitel was always a good supporting actor, proving he could hold his own alongside [=DeNiro=] but never getting the big parts. Then in ''Film/BadLieutenant'' he gives a brilliant performance as a man we should detest but we pity due to his intense self-hatred and despair. It blows [=DeNiro=] and Pacino completely out of the water.
* Creator/SimonPegg in ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead'''s dramatic scenes. A comedy actor shouldn't be that good at crying. While the entire Cornetto Trilogy is stealthily full of this, Gary and Andy's final confrontation in the titular pub of ''Film/TheWorldsEnd'' is reaffirmation for Simon's dramatic talents, and puts Nick Frost squarely and firmly in this category as well. (Heck, the entire movie is arguably one long He Can Really Act for Frost.) Not to mention Benji's rant to Ethan in ''Film/MissionImpossibleRogueNation''.
* Going back to ''Film/{{Scream 4}}'', Creator/EmmaRoberts turns in a downright frightening performance as [[spoiler:a psychotic teen killer]]. Think about how girls her age can be and you'll see her performance is one of the most underrated of the past 5 years.
* Creator/TomCruise:
** After being known as a Leading man and Hollywood Actor, Tom Cruise proved his talent in ''Film/BornOnTheFourthOfJuly'' as the all-American ex-Marine turned anti-war activist Ron Kovic. He had similar parts in ''Film/AFewGoodMen'' and ''Film/{{Magnolia}}'' showing what he can do. He arguably proved it earlier than that in ''Film/TheColorOfMoney'', merely by not being blown off the screen by Paul Newman.
** Cruise made his name with muff, fluff and stuff like ''Film/RiskyBusiness'', ''Film/{{Cocktail}}'' and that paean to HoYay and the U.S. Navy, ''Film/TopGun''. His "serious" co-star turn with Creator/DustinHoffman in ''Film/RainMan'' got the critics to sit up and take notice and persuaded Creator/OliverStone to use him for OscarBait in ''Film/BornOnTheFourthOfJuly''.
** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q662gCwpKfI According to Anne Rice]] he nailed Lestat. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKbLquqxBAQ&feature=related Pun intended]].
** He's completely unrecognizable as a fat, bald, ClusterFBomb-spewing media mogul in ''Film/TropicThunder''.
** He's a beautifully broken man in ''Film/VanillaSky''.
** And a ruthlessly efficient, sociopathic hitman in ''Film/{{Collateral}}''.
** And a guilt-ridden, noble warrior in ''Film/TheLastSamurai''.
** He glorious played against type as a cowardly PR man forced into combat in ''Film/EdgeOfTomorrow''.
* Bradley Cooper has been known as primarily as a comedic actor but wowed in ''Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook'' where he was nominated for an Oscar. Long before he was ever famous, Cooper more than held his own on ''Series/{{Alias}}''. Will's early quest to uncover the truth about Danny's murder was acclaimed at the time, whereas episodes like "Almost Thirty Years" (especially the torture scenes) and "There's Only One Sydney Bristow" really emphasised how good of an actor Bradley Cooper is.
* Creator/MatthewMcConaughey

** Topped off with his role in the {{Creator/HBO}} anthrology drama ''Series/TrueDetective'', which has received rave reviews, and he more then holds his own with Creator/WoodyHarrelson.
** The reason Creator/ChristopherNolan sought him to play the hero in his movie ''{{Film/Interstellar}}'' is his performance as the titular character in ''{{Film/Mud}}''.
* Creator/VinDiesel
** He is the kind of actor who plays the same type of character, regardless of what character he's supposed to be playing. And then he did ''Find Me Guilty'', and suddenly people were quoting the trope name. Those few people who were paying attention (mostly Creator/RogerEbert and a few other film critics) were talking about his performances in ''Film/BoilerRoom'' and ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' years before.
** Also, he's pretty good in his self-directed, short film debut [="MultiFacial"=].
** Most people would be surprised to know that he started as a stage actor. A part of that is hinted in ''Film/ThePacifier'' where he helps a kid put on a play.
** He received critical acclaim for providing the voices of both ''WesternAnimation/TheIronGiant'' and Groot in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy,'' particularly for his ability to pack a ton of emotion and meaning into simple, stoic phrases (''"I go. You stay. No follow."''). Furthermore, for ''Guardians,'' he committed to his role absolutely, saying his one line ("''I am Groot''") over a thousand times, committing facial and body language to give Groot's animators a base to work with, and furthermore providing the (translated) line in French, Russian, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and German (and maybe more).
** A particular high point for his acting was the ending of ''Furious 7'', where he managed to break the hearts of every viewer with his narration that contained a boatload of Real life Subtext.
* Creator/BurtReynolds in ''Film/{{Deliverance}}''. Little more than beefcake at the time, he proved his chops in Creator/JohnBoorman's infamous adaptation of the weekend trip whose ecological anvil somehow got drowned out by Squeal Little Piggy. See also ''Film/BoogieNights''.
* Topher Grace's character in ''Film/{{Predators}}'' at first seems like his usual role, an awkward wimp... until TheReveal that [[spoiler: he's an '''extremely''' depraved serial killer who's been stringing the others along.]]

* Bizarrely, some have had this reaction to ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon'', namely Patrick Dempsey as Dylan Gould, a human villain even more despicable than most of the Decepticons. In a more "he really can direct" way, this movie clearly proved that if Creator/MichaelBay wants to make a serious, mature and dark movie, he makes a serious, mature and dark movie ''right''.
* Creator/JackBlack:
** He's known for being goofy, silly, immature, etc. Then comes along his despicable character in the ''Film/{{King Kong|2005}}'' remake...
** However, it's Creator/DustinHoffman's tutoring for ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' that really allowed Black to create a truly soulful character as Po.
** And then there's ''Film/{{Bernie}}''. Take every trait you'd associate with a "typical" Jack Black character and create a character who's the complete opposite. Black nailed it.
* John Ritter and Dwight Yoakam in ''SlingBlade''.
* Creator/WoodyAllen in ''Film/TheFront''. Up until this point in his career, he had been known for playing silly, nebbishy nerds. Although there are traces of that here, it's a deeper and more dramatic performance than even his fans are used to.
* Film critics savaged Music/{{Madonna}}'s performances for years until her turn as Eva Perón in ''Film/{{Evita}}''; she eventually won a Golden Globe for her performance.
** In fact, many critics would agree that she's done a decent job in a few of her other films--''Film/DickTracy'', ''Film/ALeagueOfTheirOwn'', ''Film/DesperatelySeekingSusan'', etc.
* Creator/ChristopherReeve was an unknown in 1978, although an unknown who'd gone to Julliard (where he was Creator/RobinWilliams' classmate and friend). Rejected three times before he finally got the part, he came to define Franchise/{{Superman}} for at least one generation, and on the strength of his acting, made us believe not only that a man could fly but that ClarkKenting was entirely possible.
** And lest you think his talents are limited to filling out blue spandex or wearing glasses convincingly, go watch ''Deathtrap'', where he plays an earnest young writer [[spoiler:and murderous sociopath]], or ''Film/SomewhereInTime'', but [[TearJerker be prepared to cry. A lot.]]
* Fred Durst, commonly known as the [[NiceHat backwards red cap]]-wearing mook from Music/LimpBizkit, surprised critics with his acting in the movie ''Population 436''. Then with his directing of the drama '' The Education of Charlie Banks''.
* After her disastrous debut performance in the ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010'', many people wrote of RooneyMara as the worst new star of the year. Near the end of the year, she had a OneSceneWonder in Creator/DavidFincher's ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'', and suddenly people began to see some potential in her. That potential was reached with ''Film/TheGirlWithTheDragonTattoo'' where she managed to match Creator/NoomiRapace's performance and (in some people's eyes) exceed it. Mara later revealed that she had a miserable time working on ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010'', and almost quit acting. Thank God she didn't.
* Sam Worthington in ''Film/TheDebt'' came as a surprise to some critics, especially those who thought he couldn't escape his [[OohMeAccentsSlipping Australian accent]].
* Matthew Lillard is usually known as a LargeHam actor who played Shaggy in ScoobyDoo. In ''Film/TheDescendants'', he displays surprising restraint and emotion that some were not aware he was capable of. Watch ''Film/SLCPunk'', and bring the tissues.
** The signs were there even earlier: pay attention to him as "Maniac" Marshall in ''Film/WingCommander'' and be ''stunned'' by the nuanced performance he gives as a 'mere' supporting character.
* Emmy Rossum was mainly known for giving bland, [[WideEyedIdealist wide-eyed]], [[TheIngenue ingenue]] performances. The came the US remake of ''Film/{{Shameless}}'' where she not only proved she could act her ass off but somehow managed to come off as a better actor than ''William H. Macy''.
* Thomas Haden Church was best known as the goofy mechanic Lowell on the comedy series ''Series/{{Wings}}''. Then he appeared in ''Film/{{Sideways}}'' in a role as far from Lowell as humanly possible and blew everyone away with his performance. And as Sadman in ''Film/SpiderMan3''. He even did the motion capture for his scene after first gaining his powers.
* Creator/EmilyBrowning going from the childlike and innocent Violet in ''Film/ASeriesOfUnfortunateEvents'' to ''Film/SuckerPunch'' is mind blowing to some people. The difference in characters in immense...
* Music/VanessaHudgens proves she could go the distance in the acting department with her subtle but emotional performance in ''Film/SuckerPunch'' where she plays the complete opposite of who she played in ''Film/HighSchoolMusical''.
* David Caruso is best known to audiences for putting on sunglasses and cheesy one-liners. Therefore seeing him in ''Film/KingOfNewYork'' as the violent but well-intentioned police officer who is disgusted that a wealthy man can get off for murder is quite a shock. He not only plays the role extremely well, he easily holds his own alongside Creator/ChristopherWalken.
* Creator/JKSimmons is likely best known to the public for his scene-stealing role as J. Jonah Jameson in ''Film/SpiderMan1'', getting all the best lines. But anyone who saw him in ''Series/{{Oz}}'' knew him as the depraved Nazi Vern Schillinger, a man who is in turns absolutely loathsome and at the same time filled with self-hatred and regret. It's a complex role and Simmons absolutely nails it, giving arguably the best performance in the whole series. And then he showed his phenomenally wide range when he played a completely likeable, sympathetic character in ''Film/{{Juno}}''. And now he's taken it to a new level with ''Film/{{Whiplash}}'', as a sadistic musical conductor intent on pushing his students to perfection. Numerous critics have made comparisons to R. Lee Ermey in ''Film/FullMetalJacket'', and they're warranted. Most have even gone as far as to call it the ''best role of his career'', which, when you look at his resume, is very high praise indeed. It actually was enough for Simmons to win the ''OSCAR'' for Best Supporting Actor. He also won praise for ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', where he gives a subtler and extremely well-done performance as Tenzin.
** His HRCA factor is upped considerably when you realize that he began as a song-and-dance man on Broadway. Among his roles was that of Benny Southstreet in ''Theater/GuysAndDolls''. You would be hard-pressed to find a character less like his more well-known persona.
* Tom Hulce made his first big acting mark as goofy Delta frat member Pinto in ''Film/AnimalHouse''. Then along came a movie called ''Film/{{Amadeus}}''. And then, a movie called ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', where it turns out he really can ''sing'' as well.
* Creator/HaydenChristensen got this reaction after ''Film/ShatteredGlass'', suggesting that his wooden performance in the ''Franchise/StarWars'' prequels were at least partly a result of the director's lack of attention.
** Wooden? Really? I wouldn't call that scene where he confesses to killing a camp of Tusken Raiders wooden.
** All the points in ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' without dialogue managed to showcase Hayden's prowess through his ''facial expressions'' alone. And even then, he manages to deliver some of his lines in a very evil and badass manner.
* Gary Busey: He didn't garner an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (for ''The Buddy Holly Story'') for nothing. (I mean, the guy practically ''was'' Music/{{Buddy Holly}}, similar to how Creator/JoaquinPhoenix became [[Music/JohnnyCash The Man in Black]].)
* Creator/KarlUrban gets this treatment after ''Film/StarTrek''. Just watch ''Film/{{Doom}}'' or ''Film/TheChroniclesOfRiddick'', where he plays characters written to have the same exact expression for the entire film. Then watch him as "Bones" [=McCoy=] and be amazed (Creator/LeonardNimoy certainly was). However, if you happen to recognize him as Éomer from ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' films, then it won't be much of a surprise to you.
** He has also shown off some real chops, not to mention versatility, by selling the title character of ''Film/{{Dredd}}'' solely by voice and body language--throughout the entire film the only bits of him visible are his mouth and chin.
* Creator/ChrisEvans in ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger''. Evans was mostly known for goofy/sarcastic characters. When it was announced he'd play Steven Rogers/Captain America many fans assumed this would be the JumpTheShark moment for Marvel films. When the movie came out, Evans drew rave reviews from both critics & comics fans.
** He's also recently received praise for his gut-wrenching performance as Curtis Everett in ''[[Film/{{Snowpiercer}} Snowpiercer]]''.
* Leila Arcieri in ''Kevin Hill''. Before then she was thought of as more beauty than anything else. But her role in Kevin Hill proved she's very capable of doing dramatic roles, and is more than just a pretty face.
* Tori Spelling has been Hollywood's favorite punching bag for years, usually seen as a product of nepotism and a talentless little rich girl. In an effort to defy this, she put together a little LifeEmbellished sitcom in 2006 called ''So [=NoTORIous=].'' The critics who normally got their kicks trashing her, almost unanimously (and frequently, begrudgingly) praised the show, saying it was better than they assumed, and that Spelling is actually funny and pretty good at comedy, enjoying that, rather than a vanity project, she was willing to [[SelfDeprecation make fun of herself]] as much as anyone else.
* Creator/TylerPerry has always been very LoveItOrHateIt because of his [[ComedicSociopathy Madea]] films, but his movie Good Deeds proved to be very surprising. With nary a Madea in sight, it was very low-key, sweet and disarming, with him turning a lot of his own film cliches over on their head. He proved that by playing a subdued, withdrawn sort of character that yes, He Really Can Act.
* Steve Carell in ''Film/LittleMissSunshine''. The guy mainly known from ''Series/TheDailyShow'' at that time put on a great performance as the formerly suicidal uncle.
** ''Film/{{Foxcatcher}}'', where he played the extremely creepy and terrifying millionaire John du Pont. He even managed to get nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.
* ''Film/KillerJoe'' has multiple examples. The most obvious is Matthew [=McConaughey=] who completely destroys his goofy Rom-com image, buries it in a coffin ten feet deep and pours concrete on it. He absolutely owns every single scene he is in and manages to be both completely compelling and seductive and completely terrifying and unpredictable, able to switch from oily charm to explosive violence in an instant. The second is Juno Temple who creates a very unique character that combines childlike wonder and mature sexuality mixed with deep mental instability. The third is Gina Gershon who is so good as Charlene You forget she was ever in ''Showgirls''.
* Jeff Daniels. Here he is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwcVJMvVWDA in]] ''Film/DumbAndDumber''. And here he is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kdOKJXfTU4&feature=related in]] ''Film/{{Gettysburg}}''. Anyone who still has doubts definitely needs to watch ''Series/TheNewsroom''.
* The film ''Film/{{Juno}}'' was known (rightfully) as the arrival of Creator/EllenPage, but it was also audiences' first exposure to Creator/OliviaThirlby. Five years later came ''Film/{{Dredd}} 3D'', in which her character is TheHeart, the NewMeat who has to [[TookALevelInBadass Take a Level in Badass]], the FairCop ''and'' TheChick with PsychicPowers. The movie may be named after Judge Dredd, but it's Thirlby whose performance carries the film.
* A lot of people would dismiss Creator/ReeseWitherspoon, who starred in light-hearted fares such as ''Film/{{Legally Blonde}}'' and ''Film/JustLikeHeaven'', as only a vapid, romcom actress who is more known for looks than talent, even to the point when there was an outrage when it was announced that she was to play June Carter Cash in the Music/JohnnyCash biopic, ''Film/WalkTheLine''. But when they saw the movie and her heartbreaking performance in it, [[TearJerker particularly in the climatic proposal scene]], she shut the doubters up and proved everyone that she's a '''brilliant''' actress (and singer, too) and even winning a plethora of awards for the performance, including a more-than-deserved Academy Award.
** See also ''The Man in the Moon'', ''{{Film/Freeway}}'', ''Film/{{Election}}'', ''Vanity Fair'', and ''Rendition''.
** Her performance in ''Film/{{Mud}}'' has won her great praise.
** With ''Film/{{Wild}}'', she again proved to everyone that she's still a great actress after being in many critically panned films after her Oscar win, giving a tearful and subtle performance that garnered her a second Oscar nomination.
* Many people dismissed Creator/NicolasCage as a bad actor who always goes crazy. He's very good in ''Film/TheRock'', ''Film/LordOfWar'', ''Film/LeavingLasVegas'', ''Film/BadLieutenantPortOfCallNewOrleans'', ''Film/CityOfAngels'', ''Film/{{Windtalkers}}'', and ''Film/WildAtHeart''.
* Creator/NicoleKidman has an Oscar for Best Actress sitting on her shelf at home, as well as a room full of other awards, so it's hard to imagine this ever applying to her. But for the first half of the Nineties, she was best known for being Mrs. Creator/TomCruise. Then came ''Film/ToDieFor'', which won her a Golden Globe award, and which is still considered by many to be among her best work.
** Pre-Tom Cruise, there was ''Bangkok Hilton'', in which she plays a young woman framed by her boyfriend for heroin smuggling. The scene where she starts to go into an asthma attack when the heroin is discovered will impress anyone.
* Elizabeth Shue, primarily known for being the cute girl in things like ''Film/TheKarateKid'', ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartII'' and ''[[Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII III]]'', ''Film/AdventuresInBabysitting'' and ''Film/{{Cocktail}}'', shocked people with her Oscar nominated performance in Leaving Las Vegas.
** A lesser known case in the Lifetime movie ''Amy & Isabelle'' in which she plays a repressed spinster and borderline abusive mother. Her performance was highly praised. It also helped that she went down the BeautyInversion route.
* Creator/KateHudson got an Oscar nomination for ''Film/AlmostFamous'' but a series of romantic comedies that did middling business caused people to forget what they liked about her in the first place. ''Film/TheSkeletonKey'', where she goes against type to play a hospice nurse, sparks this reaction from fans even to this day. In a different vein for this trope, ''{{Theatre/Nine}}'' had critics praising her for her singing and dancing -- her song "Cinema Italiano" is a huge EarWorm.
* Rachel [=McAdams=] and her acting talent were never in doubt but her first two notable roles were ''Film/MeanGirls'' and ''Film/WeddingCrashers'', and ''Film/TheNotebook'' suffered a lot of HypeBacklash. She then showed off her dramatic talents in ''Film/RedEye'', proving her versatility.
* Creator/SachaBaronCohen in Hugo gives a surprisingly good performance as the station inspector. You can feel the characters pathos when need be, it's awesome.
* Creator/KirstenDunst was showered with nominations and awards for her lead role in ''Film/{{Melancholia}}'', and with good reason. Her portrayal of a woman with depression is partially based on her own experiences with the affliction, and it shows, particularly during the wedding scene. She'd dropped off the radar for several years, but this reminded everyone about her talents in the first place.
* Sally Field. Light, fluffy, comedic sitcom actress, right? She was ''Gidget'', she was ''Series/TheFlyingNun'', she was ''The Girl With Something Extra'' -- and then she was ''Sybil'', and everybody sat down and shut up. Anyone left over was completely won by ''Norma Rae'', or -- for the last holdouts -- ''Film/PlacesInTheHeart''.
* Creator/DanAykroyd in ''Film/TradingPlaces''. Say what you want about Aykroyd's acting, but he played his character pretty well. [[spoiler: His character was going through depression, because his life has been destroyed by a bet. And he played it very convincing.]]
** And then he was vindicated by Oscar nomination via his stellar performance in ''Film/DrivingMissDaisy'', managing to hold his own in the company of screen legend Jessica Tandy.
* Speaking of, Dan's fellow Blues Brother Creator/JohnBelushi played completely against type in the sweet romantic comedy ''Continental Divide'', which made a lot of people wonder {{what could have been}} if he had managed to beat his drug demons before they took his life.
** [[Creator/JamesBelushi His brother]] is no slouch, either. Check out his role as Fang in ''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' and The Woodsman in ''WesternAnimation/{{Hoodwinked}}''.
* Daryl Hannah had always been associated with lightweight roles but proved surprisingly convincing as a psychotic killer in the ''Film/KillBill'' movies.
* Despite being often cast in suitably comical roles, Creator/GeneWilder does have some impressive acting chops, ''especially'' the infamous [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDEdKzAZgko "YOU GET NOTHING!"]] scene from ''Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory''.
* What, no mention of Creator/AnnaPaquin in ''Film/ThePiano''? She might have been only 11 at the time it was released, but she ended up displaying a complexity with her emotions in her performance that many actresses twice her age couldn't muster. She also earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.
* Creator/MichaelFassbender wasn't all that well known before ''Film/XMenFirstClass'', but he had been good. Then he promptly stole the critically raved about film through a chilling performance as Magneto. Which is quite something since he was essentially playing a younger version of one of Sir Ian [=McKellen=]'s best performances.
** Also, this random Australian was cast as Wolverine, one of Marvel's most iconic characters. His name was Creator/HughJackman. He didn't just steal the film, he stole the series.
* Critics who saw Creator/ChrisHemsworth as a {{Hunk}} who can only be MrFanservice in films and nothing else were proven wrong in Ron Howard's ''Film/{{Rush 2013}}'', where he manages to be both that and a charismatic and flawed human being.
** His OneSceneWonder in ''Film/StarTrek'' as George Kirk pulling a YouShallNotPass on a vastly superior enemy has him in a TearJerker conversation with his wife who has just given birth. And that's before he became well-known for [[Film/{{Thor}} swinging a hammer]].
* While Creator/BenedictCumberbatch is well-known to British audiences just for ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'' alone, his performance as John Harrison ([[spoiler:AKA Khan Noonien Singh]]) in ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' is downright chilling, going from a calm and composed officer to snarling psychopath. While his role as Literature/SherlockHolmes is definitely of the sociopathic variety, it's still a stark contrast to him [[spoiler:being an outright villain]]. He has previously played an OCD-suffering genius mathematician in ''Series/TheLastEnemy''. Glimpses of his performance in ''Film/TheFifthEstate'' biopic as Julian Assange further show his acting ability. It's possible he's just that good at playing flawed geniuses.
** Speaking of flawed geniuses, there's also his work in ''[[Theater/{{Frankenstein 2011}} Frankenstein]]''. Not only did he play Dr. Victor Frankenstein, he and co-star Creator/JonnyLeeMiller would swap roles so they would play both Dr. Frankenstein and the Creature. It should come as no surprise that both Cumberbatch and Miller won the Olivier Award for their work.
** Very rarely is it said that Benedict Cumberbatch is anything less than a great actor, but for anyone who says he's just a pretty face, look no further than his role as a terrifying [[spoiler: rapist pedophile]] in ''Film/{{Atonement}}'', which is about the least sexy role a person could take on. Especially with his creepy PornStache.
* Creator/HenryCavill as Franchise/{{Superman}} in ''Film/ManOfSteel''. Although the movie got mixed reviews (as did the decision to make Superman largely filled with angst), Cavill's performance as Superman had several defenders cite it as one of the good things in the movie. All the more awesome since he gets to act alongside well-known actors such as Creator/KevinCostner, Creator/MichaelShannon and Creator/RussellCrowe.
** For those who were less impressed with the movie or found that it offered him a limited range to work with, his performance in ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015'' provided this trope, as it allowed him to play someone with a much smoother and more affable personality.
* Not a whole lot of people remember that Creator/CharlizeTheron was at first dismissed as yet another vacuous pretty face who was to be regarded as nothing more than a flash-in-the-pan screen ingenue who would fade away when she turned 30. Then she transformed herself into serial killer Aileen Wuornos in ''Film/{{Monster}}'' and jaws dropped across the land. Then she won an Academy Award and people ''knew'' to take her seriously.
* Creator/SethMacFarlane definitely deserves this (with the rest of the fair amount of praise he's gotten) for his effort as Johann Krauss in ''Film/HellboyIITheGoldenArmy'', considering how well he holds his own alongside big names like Creator/RonPerlman and Selma Blair. He is undeniably a good VA, but this is a gamble that definitely paid off.
** The films themselves had an internal example, when David Hyde Pierce said that Creator/DougJones could play both the voice and body of Abe Sapien, not just the body. Pierce even refused a credit for the character. The second film just uses straight Jones.
* Creator/HeathLedger used to be mainly known as [[Film/BrokebackMountain "the gay cowboy."]] When he was cast as SelfDemonstrating/TheJoker in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'', the general reaction was either [[CollectiveGroan groans of dread]] or simply, [[FlatWhat "What?"]] He won an Academy Award and critical acclaim for his performance, and is often considered to be the best Joker ''ever''.
* Creator/WilliamShatner, inspiration of many a trope, showed his genuine acting prowess throughout ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan''. Just ''try'' to keep your ManlyTears down during [[spoiler:Spock's death scene and funeral]]. Go ahead, ''try.'' And there's also many moments where Shatner moderates his acting, showing how it's ''Kirk's'' intentional hamminess, not Shatner's, [[IShallTauntYou to bait Khan]] [[BerserkButton over and over]] in order to win the day.
** Really, the first six ''Trek'' films are full of shockingly good performances from the original series cast. Deforest Kelly does an incredible impression of Creator/LeonardNimoy in ''Film/StarTrekIIITheSearchForSpock'', Nimoy perfectly nails the scenes where Spock rediscovers his humanity and reunites with his father in ''StarTrekIVTheVoyageHome'', Kelley almost single-handedly saves the otherwise-awful ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'' during the scene regarding Bones's father, and Shatner totally sells a fight between two Captain Kirks and delivers some very heartwarming speeches in ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry.''
* Uwe Boll, known chiefly for [[VideoGameMoviesSuck crappy film adaptations of video games]], proved his directing chops with ''Film/{{Rampage}}'', considered by many to be his best effort yet.
* Prime Focus has done some notoriously crappy 3D conversions in the past (''Film/{{Clash of the Titans|2010}}'' and ''[[Film/ThePhantomMenace Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace]]'' come to mind), but with their 3D conversion job on ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', they showed a lot of promise and even won the Best 2D to 3D Conversion Award from the International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society for their 3D conversion job on ''Film/{{Gravity}}''.
* Creator/KeanuReeves is well-known for his [[DullSurprise deadpan delivery, monotone voice, and lack of emotional expression.]] But in ''Franchise/TheMatrix'', he proves that not only can he emote, he can emote well. Many also like to cite him as at least very enjoyable in the ''Film/BillAndTed'' movies as well, and others would cite ''Film/MyOwnPrivateIdaho''.

* ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy''.
** [[Wrestling/{{BATISTA}} Dave Bautista]] as Drax. As a professional wrestler, Bautista had acted in some minor roles before (always in roles where they were looking for a wrestler), but nothing this big. His timing as the ComicallySerious LiteralMinded Drax was hilarious, but he was also able to effectively portray his character's grief over the loss of his family and later the [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone guilt he felt]] over alerting the villains to the Guardians' whereabouts. Most critics praised his performance. Even the New York Times critic referred to him in passing as "the terrific Dave Bautista".
** Although he'd proven himself to many with [[Film/SilverLiningsPlaybook his]] [[Film/AmericanHustle collaborations]] with David O. Russell, some were worried about the effectiveness that Bradley Cooper would have as Rocket, given his relative inexperience as a voice actor. However, he proved to be an EnsembleDarkhorse in the film, expertly delivering the Raccoon's [[DeadpanSnarker snark]] and conveying his self-doubt and care for Groot very well.
%%* ''Film/GoneGirl'': Tyler Perry as Tanner Bolt.
* ''Rowing With The Wind'' is by no measure a good movie; not only is it the the third movie in as many years to center around Creator/MaryShelley conceiving of the plot of ''Literature/{{Frankenstein}}'', its central plot (that the Shelley Clique creates a monster that leads them all to their untimely deaths) is shamelessly stolen from Gothic. (It also has John Polidori, who was an English physician in his early twenties, portrayed as a middle-aged Spaniard). But what actually make the movie worth seeing is HughGrant, who actually ACTS. HughGrant is one of those actors who had made a comfortable career of playing himself (or so we assume). His portrayal of Lord Byron is every bit as good as GabrielByrne's portrayal in Gothic, and Byrne was brilliant! The comparison is also unfair because Grant plays Byron over the course of many years, so we see many different aspects of his character, and the picture we get is a more complete one. Byrne played Byron as a hedonistic madman, and since we only saw him on that particular night, we were never allowed to see that there was more.
* Luke Evans performance as Bard in ''Film/TheHobbit'' impressed not only fans but also critics. He'd previously had roles in ''Film/{{Clash of the Titans|2010}}'' and ''Film/{{Immortals}}'' both of which were thrashed by critics. Cue ''Film/TheHobbit'', where he not only proves he can act but he can hold his own against actors like Creator/IanMcKellen and Creator/LeePace. He can also add ''Film/HighRise'' to his resume of good performances.
** Creator/EvangelineLilly also impressed quite a lot of people as Tauriel, espically in the third film [[spoiler:when she's grieving over Kíli's body.]] You will believe an Elf can make you cry.
* Eddie Redmayne in ''Film/TheTheoryOfEverything''.
* Creator/SiennaMiller was never deemed a bad actress, but she was initially best known for a ''really'' tabloid fodder-worthy relationship with Creator/JudeLaw and secondly for her role as the Baroness in the infamous ''Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra''. Imagine the surprise critics and audiences felt when they recognized her in her small role as David's wife in ''Film/{{Foxcatcher}}'', and later on when she starred in ''Film/AmericanSniper'', where she was even liked by that film's haters.

* Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a supermodel who'd only acted in ''Film/TransformersDarkOfTheMoon''. Michael Bay, who isn't known for his strong female characters, essentially used her as MsFanservice with no character whatsoever and Whiteley was no better than anyone. Then came the critically acclaimed ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' in which she plays a pregnant sex slave, with critics agreeing that she gave a sympathetic, strong performance.
** The same film also features a very subdued and thoughtful performance from Tom Hardy, surprising audiences who only know him for his over-the-top portrayal as Bane in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises''
* Creator/RichardPryor. Anyone who has only seen a small portion of his standup and his movies with Creator/GeneWilder can be forgiven for assuming that he was not a particularly great actor. Funny yes, but not a great actor. And then in some of his performances, he pulled out the Mudbone character, or some other similar characters (junkies and such) that are both ''amazingly'' well performed '''and''' a serious bit of MoodWhiplash compared to his usual energetic comedic style. He also gave an excellent straight dramatic performance in ''Blue Collar''. And listen to the fear in his voice in [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLpzj84u_xY this scene]] in ''The Mack''.
* Muppet fans were unsure of how well Steve Whitmire would take over performing Kermit the Frog following Creator/JimHenson's death, but his great performance in ''Film/TheMuppetChristmasCarol'' was a solid reassurance that Henson's legacy would live on (before he even died, Henson said that he was planning on having Whitmire take over for him - if even the man himself had faith in Whitmire's abilities, then nobody should've worried.)
** Henson himself also deserves props for the scene where Kermit gives himself a pep talk under the stars in ''Film/TheMuppetMovie.''
-->'''Kermit:''' I guess I was wrong when I never promised anyone. I promised me.
* ''Film/StrangerThanFiction'': Creator/WillFerrell is mostly known for his comic roles, but damn if this movie doesn't prove he can pull off a dramatic role. Crick's distress when he's told that [[spoiler: he must accept his death in order to make Karen's book work]] feels strikingly genuine.
* Creator/MadelineKahn is known for her role in ''Film/{{Clue}}'', her hosting gigs on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'', and parts in Creator/MelBrooks comedies like ''Film/YoungFrankenstein'', ''Film/HighAnxiety'', ''Film/WhatsUpDoc'', and ''Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI''. However she was more than just a comedienne. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlg5InsskW4 Check out this monologue]] she delivered in ''Film/PaperMoon'', where she was able to express anger, humor, sadness, irritability, vanity, regret, resignation, and silliness, all in under 3 minutes! She received a well-deserved Oscar nomination for her performance.
* ''Film/TheRevenant'':
** Some critics were really impressed with Will Poulter's performance as Jim Bridger, especially considering some of the other [[Film/WereTheMillers films he's been in]]. Even Jeremy Jahn's was impressed.
** All of the Native American actors and actresses in the film. Not only did the film do the right thing in casting the correct ethnicity of the actors, but almost none of them had ever even acted in a film before. And they gave fantastic performances. Doubles as CrowningMomentOfAwesome.
* ''Film/{{Divergent}}'': Creator/ShaileneWoodley is surprisingly good here. Special mention goes to the scene where [[spoiler:Tris' mother is killed]]. She also earned a much-deserved Golden Globe nomination for ''Film/TheDescendants''.
* Diana Ross who brilliantly played the troubled music legend BillieHoliday in ''Lady Sings The Blues''. She won a Golden Globe and a Acadamy Award nomination for the role. Given it was her first movie role, many people were impressed.
* Although Super8 was built on great child actors, Creator/ElleFanning stands out as a true talent, especially in the [[ShowWithinAShow Film Within A Film]] rehearsal scenes.
** Then there's ''Film/TheNeonDemon'', which while divisive, her performance was greatly praised.
* ''Film/TheForceAwakens'':
** All the actors playing the younger generation were previously best known for either [[{{Film/AttackTheBlock}} niche]] [[{{Series/Girls}} projects]] or [[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5397459 virtually nothing]]. [[WinBackTheCrowd Fan consensus]] is that they did an amazing job, especially given the switch to drama/SpaceOpera for some of them and the [[UnpleasableFanbase astronomically high expectations]].
** Peter Mayhew has always been a very talented and well-respected actor, but his roar of pure ''agony'' and later grieving in the Falcon after [[spoiler: Han's death]] are.....[[TearJerker hard to watch.]]
* Believe it or not, Creator/JudyGreer in ''Film/TheDescendants'' got this reaction. Go watch the scene where [[spoiler:her character breaks down crying while forgiving Elizabeth for having an affair with her husband]] and try and remind yourself it's the same actress who said [[Series/ArrestedDevelopment "Say goodbye to these!"]]. Talk about range.
** There's also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTK0rs8L7mo this scene]] from ''Film/TheVillage'', which she made the same year as ''Film/ThirteenGoingOnThirty''.
* Creator/KristenBell surprised quite a few people, castmates included, that she could belt out one hell of a tune in Disney's ''Disney/{{Frozen}}''. Some reviewers pointed out that the film let her unleash one of her best kept secrets (since her singing before this had been minor things, such as ''Film/ReeferMadnessTheMusical'').
* Creator/JenaMalone lives and breathes this trope:
** Need proof? Go watch her in ''Film/TheNeonDemon'' where she takes a cue from the previously mentioned Cumerbatch in ''Film/{{Atonement}}'' and plays a [[spoiler: lesbian vampire who almost rapes the female lead and is also a necrophiliac]]. Suffice it to say, it's '''disturbing'''. Hard to believe it's the same woman who played a young Creator/JodieFoster in ''Film/{{Contact}}''.
** Come to think of it, she wasn't bad in that either. Proof that some child actors do last.
** Then of course there's ''Film/TheHungerGamesCatchingFire'', where many viewers declared she completely stole the show as Johanna Mason. One commentor even said:
--> "The next Hunger Games movie could just be Johanna [[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch axing a bitch]] and I'd still love it."
** One final film to note is the indie horror film ''Film/TheRuins''. An actress in a low-budget horror film shouldn't be that good at crying.
* Creator/JaiCourtney was often derided as a creation of the HollywoodHypeMachine, with neither the charisma nor [[DullSurprise acting chops]] to properly headline a major blockbuster. Then came his role as Captain Boomerang in ''Film/SuicideSquad'', which has received a great deal of critical acclaim and audience support for his portrayal of a funny-yet-dickish career criminal.
** People who think he's just a creation of the HollywoodHypeMachine clearly haven't watched ''Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand'', where he plays Spartacus's best friend, Varro, in one of the most adorable and heartbreaking bromances in recent memory. He played a Roman citizen who entered slavery to pay off his gambling debts, and he handled all the accompanying drama in a completely convincing way.
* Jacob Tremblay in [[Film/{{Room}} one of the best and most acclaimed child performances in recent memory]]. [[Main/CrowningMomentOfAwesome And at the age of 9]].
* Creator/JackieEarleHaley was a child actor in the 1970s and 1980s who fell off the radar and took a long hiatus from acting. When he eventually made a return, he stunned a number of critics with his work in ''Film/LittleChildren'', earning an Oscar nomination with it. For variety, his work as Rorschach in ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'', was considered one of the best superhero casting choices ever.
* Creator/BrieLarson earned much praise as a rising actress in the late 2000s and early 2010s, largely through supporting roles in comedies like ''Film/ScottPilgrimVsTheWorld'' and ''Film/TwentyOneJumpStreet''. However, she then ended up taking on a much larger amount of notability as the lead in indie dramas like ''Short Term 12'' and ''Film/{{Room}}'', each of which required her to portray characters with immense emotional trauma. Larson managed to pull off both feats, earning critical acclaim and winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for ''Room''.
* Creator/RyanPhillippe became famous as a star of teen movies in the 90s -- such as ''Film/CruelIntentions'', ''Film/IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer'' etc. But in the 2000s he started winning critics over with ''Film/FlagsOfOurFathers'' and ''{{Film/Crash}}''. Even the director of ''Film/StopLoss'' was reluctant to cast him, but quickly warmed to him after a few meetings.
* Alex Pettyfer was known solely as a PrettyBoy in various YA adaptations that flopped. But ''Film/MagicMike'' saw him earning lots of praise for his work -- proving that there was more to him than just providing {{Fanservice}}.
* While Creator/EmiliaClarke had already proved her chops on ''Series/GameOfThrones'', her critically panned performance in ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'' led to many thinking she'd be a one-hit-wonder - typecast as {{Action Girl}}s forever. Then came ''Film/MeBeforeYou'' and she accomplished three things: a) she went radically against type to play an {{Adorkable}} CuteClumsyGirl, b) opted for a smaller, more independent project that wasn't a guaranteed hit, and c) showed that she had the range to do so. She both shows off some great comic timing in the film's funnier parts, before breaking viewers' hearts as CerebusSyndrome sets in.

* Emily Mortimer is recognized as a very good actress, as shown in ''Series/TheNewsroom''. But then watch her in [[https://youtu.be/HWe802TQAG0 this scene]] from ''Film/ShutterIsland''. There's also her role as one of the Main/{{Jerkass}} sisters in ''Film/OurIdiotBrother''.
* Haley Bennett has already made quite a name for herself for being critically-lauded in films like ''[[Film/TheMagnificentSeven2016 The Magnificent Seven]]'' and ''Literature/TheGirlOnTheTrain''. She also turned in a OneSceneWonder performance in ''Film/TheEqualizer''.
* Brandon Lee, holy shit. Most of his movies prior to this play him as a skilled martial artist, yet with a laid back comedic personality. ''Film/TheCrow'', on the other hand, shows him PlayingAgainstType as the deeply hurt and revenge-driven Eric Dravem and not only is it successful, '''it is scary'''. The fact that he died in the making of this movie makes his performance more haunting.
* ''Film/{{Logan}}'':
** When she was eleven years old, Creator/DafneKeen played Laura in only her second role. She was praised as the best thing in an excellent movie. Not only was she acting opposite veterans Creator/HughJackman and Creator/PatrickStewart, but she had no lines for the first half of the movie and had to act with her expressions alone.
** In contrast to most models-turned-actors, Boyd Holbrook was praised for playing a genuinely threatening and charismatic villain, with many calling his performance superior to that of Richard E. Grant. Many viewers were actually disappointed when it turned out he ''[[TheDragon wasn't]]'' the film's main antagonist.
* While we always knew Creator/RichardGere could ''act'', no-one thought he could sing. Or dance. Then came ''{{Film/Chicago}}'' and he did both, and blew the world away, putting in a show-stopping performance as AmoralAttorney Billy Flynn.

* While ShiaLabeouf was praised for his performaces in Film/Transformers and Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull, the controversial nature of those films, coupled with his off-screen antics, have overshadowed his talent. However, he has gained respect in a number of films both before and after those films.
** Film/Holes, which was actually his film debut, proved his acting capabilities beyond the broad comedy of Series/EvenStevens.
** In Film/WallStreetMoneyNeverSleeps, he had received cries of WTHCastingAgency for his PlayingAgainstType beyond the action films he was known for, but when the movie came out, critics had agreed that he gave an overall solid performance as a stockbroker.
** Post Transformers, he had taken on a role in David Ayer's WWII film ''Film/{{Fury}}''. He had gone into an intense DyeingForYourArt phase, to the extent that he actually cut his face to get into the character. Many had worried about such dedication, but his performance was praised when the film came out.