History HeReallyCanAct / Film

* Elizabeth Shue:

* Creator/HarryStyles is best known as a member of the manufactured boy band ''One Direction'', and was not on anyone’s list of future acting stars. Then Creator/ChristopherNolan cast him in his World War Two drama ''Film/{{Dunkirk}}'', and Styles proved that he most definitely ''can'' play a serious, dramatic role.

* Creator/OliviaThirlby: The film ''Film/{{Juno}}'' was known (rightfully) as the arrival of Creator/ElliotPage, but it was also audiences' first exposure to Thirlby. Five years later came ''Film/{{Dredd}}'', 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.

* Music/JanelleMonae starred in two of 2016's most acclaimed films, ''Film/{{Moonlight}}'' and ''Film/HiddenFigures'' holding her own against full-time actors.

*** In ''Film/MuppetsHauntedMansion'', Gonzo faces his fears in a room ominously labeled "666". Not only does Goelz sound particularly terrifying as Gonzo's mirror reflection ("Looks to me like ''you're all alone.''"), but Gonzo's scream as he looks at his rapidly aging self in the mirror is ''bone-chilling.''

* ''Film/TheMazeRunner'':

* His portrayal of Fletcher Chase in Series/Trust was declared by some to be a CareerResurrection.

** {{Retcon}}s aside, some were relieved and glad that Cavill finally got to play a more traditional Superman in ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'', a performance many thought Cavill nailed well despite the UncannyValley of the botched CGI that were used to hide his moustache.

* Creator/BrendaSong does as well in ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOfZackAndCody'' and the sequel series ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOnDeck'' as anyone can be expected to do in a Disney Channel series. She'd played the same character in everything she'd done: dumb, spoiled rich girl with a penchant for snobbery. These series turned that UpToEleven and she's gone with it. Everyone who has seen her act before is therefore in for a very pleasant surprise should they see ''Film/TheSocialNetwork''; Christy's a slutty, jealous, and sometimes downright scary bitch, and you ''will'' respect her for it.

* Fred Durst, commonly known as the [[NiceHat backwards red cap]]-wearing mook from Music/LimpBizkit, surprised critics with his acting in the movie ''Film/Population436''. Then with his directing of the drama ''The Education of Charlie Banks''.

** 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.

* ''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". This is reinforced in ''Vol II'', where Drax's action scenes are minimized and Bautista carries the role almost solely on his (by then unquestionable) comic and thespian talents.

** Creator/BillPaxton, playing Morgan Earp alongside Creator/SamElliot as Virgil and Creator/KurtRussell as Wyatt, proved once and for all that he could leave the SciFiGhetto and filled the role with just the right amounts of childish enthusiasm and naïvite.

* 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.

** Some people argue that Courtney's strength as an actor lies better in supporting roles rather than headliners, which is why his portrayal in ''Suicide Squad'', which features an ensemble cast, was so well-received. Those people also tend to point out to ''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.

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

* Creator/KristenStewart:
** Best known for playing Bella Swan in ''Film/{{Twilight}}'', got this reaction with her performance as Music/JoanJett in the {{biopic}} ''Film/TheRunaways''.
** She already had a good performance to her name with ''Film/CatchThatKid''.
** 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. Especially since she was only 13-14 years old at the time.

** ''Film/CampXRay'' is also getting great reviews for her performance.

** 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.

** Perhaps the greatest example of this is ''Film/{{Spencer}}'', in which she disappears into the role of Princess Diana. Her performance received unanimous praise, including from the bodyguard of the real-life Diana. Experts are calling her the frontrunner for this year's Best Actress Oscar.

* Creator/PedroPascal's best-known TV and movie roles prior to the farcical ''Film/TheUnbearableWeightOfMassiveTalent'' don't have a broad sense of humor. Despite this, the majority of reviews praise his wit, comic timing, and emotional power for stealing the show.

** 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.

* Creator/JimCarrey was largely known for his manic comedy roles such as ''Film/TheMask'' and ''Film/AceVenturaPetDetective'', for which reviewers Siskel and Ebert declared that he should give up all aspirations of calling himself an actor instead of a glorified comedian. Then came ''Film/TheTrumanShow'', in which his pitch-perfect performance caused Siskel and Ebert to ''publicly recant their stance''. Carrey won a Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Actor, and his failure to be nominated for an Academy Award caused quite a stir. He followed this up with ''Film/EternalSunshineOfTheSpotlessMind'', ''Film/TheMajestic'', ''Doing Time on Maple Drive'' and ''Film/ILoveYouPhillipMorris'', having firmly established himself as a trustworthy dramatic actor. There's also his serious turn as Ebenezer Scrooge in ''[[WesternAnimation/AChristmasCarol2009 A Christmas Carol]]''.

* 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]]).

* ''Film/FearClinic'': Most fans and critics agree that musician [[Music/{{Slipknot}} CoreyTaylor]] and adult film actress Angelina Armani perform pretty good roles as a comic relief orderly and TheWoobie, respectively.

* Elizabeth Shue:
** Primarily 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''.
** 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.