History SugarWiki / HeReallyCanAct

** Fans were quick to respond positively to Neath Oum's portayal of Lie Ren for Volume 3. Even more in Volume 4, where Ren had a lot of screentime. And he has no acting background, only falling into the role because his brother who created the series died and Neath wanted to honor him.

** Though Garrett Hunter's role of Adam [[{{Narm}} wasn't always very well-received]], fans absolutely ''loved'' his extended scene in "Heroes and Monsters", where plays a [[NightmareFuel terrifyingly]] AxCrazy [[DomesticAbuser abusive ex-boyfriend]] to Blake.

** Many critics -- and even the writers who worked on them -- have pointed out that one of the best things about the Creator/TomBaker audio dramas is that, between getting more emotional scenes to do and several decades of personality maturation, he makes a specific point of acting in them, rather than just relying on his own LargeHam natural personality and VoiceOfDramatic to carry everything like he frequently did in the old days. The character comes off more [[TookALevelInKindness subtle and kind]] as a result.

* Ethel Merman was a legend of Broadway and film in the first half of the twentieth century, but her reputation was centered in comic musicals like ''Call Me Madam'' and ''Flora and the Red Menace.'' It was a surprise, then, when she decided to take on the role of Mama Rose in ''Theatre/{{Gypsy}}'', a part written specifically for her. Merman herself expressed doubts about some of the numbers, remarking that the finale, "Rose's Turn," was more aria than musical theatre piece. All doubt vanished, though, when Merman appeared on opening night and ''destroyed'' audiences with her nuanced, dramatic portrayal of Rose, the ultimate StageMom and, according to famous critic Clive Barnes, "one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical." Though many great performers--including Patti [=LuPone=], Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and Bette Midler--have all played Mama Rose, Merman's performance has gone down in history as incomparable, partially ''because'' it was such a major departure from her previous work and thus proof of her unmatched talent.

* Music/MelanieC is best known as a fluffy pop singer and member of the insanely popular Music/SpiceGirls, so her casting as Mary Magdalene in the arena tour of ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'' was met with some eyebrow-raising, to say the least. But she absolutely blew the roof off the arena with her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8azdnR2fQus stunning vocals]] and powerful-yet-vulnerable interpretation of the role and earned undying respect from musical theatre fans.

* Music/MelanieC is best known as a fluffy pop singer and member of the insanely popular Music/SpiceGirls, so her casting as Mary Magdalene in the arena tour of ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'' was met with some eyebrow-raising, to say the least. But she absolutely blew the roof off the arena with her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8azdnR2fQus stunning vocals]] and powerful-yet-vulnerable interpretation of the role, earning undying respect from musical theatre fans in the process.

** Creator/BonnieLangford as Mel had everything against her on television. She was an attempt at StuntCasting during the series's most awful DorkAge, and was widely disliked as a public figure to begin with; internal production team politics led to her being intentionally written as TheScrappy and directed to act as a ScreamingWoman in a stagey, {{Panto}} style in order to sabotage her. The audios give her much, ''much'' better material, altering her character from a one-note DamselScrappy into a DefiantCaptive DeadpanSnarker. This gives Langford full opportunity to show off what she's actually capable of as an actress, and she comes across like she's really enjoying the role.

* Khail Anonymous received universal acclaim for his voice acting as the sociopathic Adam in Machinima/ArbyNTheChief, particularly in the episode "Cradle To Grave".

* The cast of ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' have proved that, for a group that initially just consisted of a few guys screwing around on a web production, they can really act. For Burnie Burns, that's whenever Church is breaking down or the rare moments when he acknowledges his creator's influence as an Ai, for Joel Heyman it's when [[spoiler:Caboose is sobbing because he's lost his best friend]], and for Gus Sorola and Geoff Ramsey it's when it looks like Grif might die. And then there's Matt Hullum, who [[ManOfAThousandVoices has a lot of characters and they all sound different from each other]].
** On that note, Creator/ElijahWood deserves a mention. He'd been praised for an okay performance in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', but they'd not been overtly positive. Then he played Kevin in ''Film/SinCity'' and scared the shit out of everyone. When he got into ''Machinima/RedVsBlue'' as [[AIIsACrapshoot Sigma]], and he steals every scene he's in, making you simultaneously detest and love him at the same time.
** Miles Luna was hardly bad as Felix in the opening arc of ''Machinima/RedVsBlueTheChorusTrilogy'', but the fact that Luna was head writer got him flack at the time, with others considering him a little generic. Come Season 12 and TheReveal [[spoiler:that Felix is the biggest KnightOfCerebus in the entire show, a terrifying sociopath and ManipulativeBastard]] has won him a ''lot'' of praise.

* Music/KanyeWest in [[TearJerker We Were Once a Fairytale]]. ''[[UpToEleven Twice]].'' Also him on ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow''.

** Doug was one of the best things about the not-exactly-liked WebVideo/{{Sonic|EddieLebron}} movie, playing a ''[[PlayingAgainstType silent]]'' stoic soldier who was ready to FaceDeathWithDignity.

** Though Garrett Hunter's role of Adam [[{{Narm}} wasn't always very well-received]], fans absolutely ''loved'' his extended scene in "Heroes and Monsters", where plays a [[NightmareFuel terrifyingly]] AxCrazy [[BastardBoyfriend abusive ex-boyfriend]] to Blake.

** Liam Gaynor had showed some good comic timing in ''The Nutters'' ChristmasSpecial, but later admitted to feeling like a LesserStar compared to his peers. In the short ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYAmQJCv4FM Family Painting]]'', despite the three-minute run time, he impressed a lot of people with his restrained performance as a grieving brother reluctant to be there for his family. He also provides a brilliant bit of acting at the end, where [[ChildrenAreInnocent an innocent comment]] from his little brother causes him to break into [[WhenSheSmiles a smile that lights up the entire frame]]. His work in its sequel ''The Untold Story'' was also noted as a standout, and around the same time he was cast in ''Misfits'' after an audition so strong they were ready to cast him at once.

* WebVideo/{{Todd in the Shadows}}' breakdown during the "Hoedown Throwdown" in the ''Hannah Montana: The Movie'' review. While it's mostly played for somewhat goofy reasons (it's just a song), Todd does sound genuinely panicked and upset, and some of the things he says ("I'm sad all the time...I can't sleep at night") are pretty {{Adult Fear}}-inducing. It's certainly a lot more dramatic than his usual freak-outs.

** Many critics -- and even the writers who worked on them -- have pointed out that one of the best things about the Creator/TomBaker audio dramas is that, between getting more emotional scenes to do and several decades of personality maturation, he makes a specific point of acting in them, rather than just relying on his own LargeHam natural personality and VoiceOfDramatic to carry everything like he frequently did in the bad old days. The character comes off more [[TookALevelInKindness subtle and kind]] as a result.

A FanSpeak phrase: this is what you say to yourself when a comedic performer, a non-acting entertainer, or somebody more known for athleticism or looks than in-depth acting ability gets [[PlayingAgainstType cast in a challenging dramatic role]], and you're at least half-expecting a train wreck, and then... wow! They pull it off! Turns out they really can act after all.

** [[Characters/RoosterTeethOthers Barbara Dunkelman]] did a fairly good job voicing [[CoolBigSis Yang Xiao Long]] all through the first series run, but she was especially praised by the viewership for her convincing delivery of a [[AngerBornOfWorry highly emotionally-charged]] scene between Yang and Blake in Episode 6, Volume 2. In Volume 3, she does an even better job [[spoiler:as the events of Volume 3 very quickly turn Yang into a BrokenBird.]]

* [[SmallReferencePools Most viewers know]] Creator/RachaelLillis as [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jessie and Misty of Pokemon]]; yet since neither character has much nuance beyond {{Tsundere}} FieryRedhead and IneffectualSympatheticVillain FieryRedhead, there wasn't much potential for her to showcase her abilities there. Her voice-work for PluckyGirl [[Manga/RevolutionaryGirlUtena Utena]] likewise offered little opportunity for much serious acting... until [[WhamEpisode the episodes]] leading up to the GrandFinale. ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome And Ms. Lillis kills it]].'' [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments D'awws]] and [[TearJerker sniffles]] aplenty.

* WebVideo/JoueurDuGrenier: Both Fred and Seb usually parody whichever franchise is being tested, but when they allow themselves to work on more serious storylines, they can be genuinely gut-wrenching, most notably in the VideoGame/Frostpunk narrative LP.

* ''WebVideo/JoueurDuGrenier: Both Fred and Seb usually parody whichever franchise being tested, but when they allow themselves to work on more serious storylines, they can be genuinely gut-wrenching, most notably in the VideoGame/Frostpunk narrative LP.

A FanSpeak phrase: this is what you say to yourself when a comedic performer, a non-acting entertainer, or somebody more known for athleticism or looks than in-depth acting ability gets [[PlayingAgainstType cast in a challenging dramatic role]], and you're at least half-expecting a train wreck, and then... wow! They pull it off! Turns out [[TitleDrop He Really Can Act]] after all.

-->--'''Creator/JohnFord''' after seeing Creator/JohnWayne's performance in ''Film/RedRiver''

** From the same series, Creator/TravisWillingham as [[ColonelBadass Roy]] [[ByronicHero Mustang]]. Somewhat typecast as overtly masculine characters without a ton of depth, he had very little experience when cast in the 2003 anime at just 21 years old. While his performance in that version was still well received, he blew everyone’s expectations out of the water with his return to the role six years later in Brotherhood. He gave Roy warmth, gravitas and depth beyond even what was seen in the sub and helped to make him one of the show’s most emotionally complex characters, as well as nailing his comedic moments. Special mention goes to Part 5 Episode 2 in [[spoiler: the fight with Envy]], which has him giving one of the most [[HeroicBSOD terrifyingly furious screams]] in anime history, as well as the [[TearJerker positively heartwrenching]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone regret]] and [[LoveHurts tenderness]] he shows in the scene following that.

** As mentioned briefly below, Miles Luna has been absolutely NAILING Jaune’s most broken moments since the end of Volume 3. Special shout-out goes to his sobbing verbal smack down of Cinder in Volume 5, and the moment when he gets ’’very mad’’ at Ozpin/Oscar in Volume 6. He’s come a very long way from Vomit Boy.

* WebVideo/JennyNicholson’s voice over performance as the vindictive and self righteous fanfic author, Addison Cain, in Creator/LindsayEllis’ epic [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWWcWtAUoY video essay about how a fanfiction trope led several people into court]] received a lot of praise from fans in the comment section.

* Broadway actress Lesli Margherita is mostly famous for her [[CloudCuckoolander wacky backstage vlogs]] and for originating Mrs. Wormwood in the Broadway cast of ''Theatre/{{Matilda}}''. Got that image in your head? Here she is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40rDjGK9Slo singing "God Help the Outcasts"]] as [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame Esmeralda]]. There's a reason she has an (unrelated) Olivier.

** Doug was one of the best things about the not-exactly-liked WebVideo/{{Sonic}} movie, playing a ''[[PlayingAgainstType silent]]'' stoic soldier who was ready to FaceDeathWithDignity.

** Liam Gaynor had showed some good comic timing in ''The Nutters'' ChristmasSpecial, but later admitted to feeling like a LesserStar compared to his peers. In the short ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYAmQJCv4FM Family Painting]]'', despite the three-minute run time, he impressed a lot of people with his restrained performance as a grieving brother reluctant to be there for his family. He also provides a brilliant bit of acting at the end, where [[ChildrenAreInnocent an innocent comment]] from his little brother causes him to break into [[WhenSheSmiles a smile that lights up the entire frame]].

* Creator/JohnnyYongBosch is a bit typecast; he used to work on ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' and typically plays confident, outgoing heroes. Then comes... Well, this entry has been changed at least ''three times'', which tells you how good he is: