Ten Underrated Actors Who Deserve The Spotlight

Coming up in May, Ryan Reynolds will be playing The Green Lantern, a jet pilot who becomes possessed by a piece of alien jewelry. Or something. I don’t really follow The Green Lantern. The film version of the comic, however, is poised to be an enormous hit, finally giving the passionate scores of Green Lantern fans something to geek out about, and mainstream superhero junkies something new to look forward to.

It’s also the first time Ryan Reynolds has opened a film. He’s had leading roles before, (“The Nines,” “Buried,” “Definitely, Maybe”), but they were either in small-budget indie films with small distribution deals, or disposable rom-com fluff. He’s been in big-budget superhero action films as well (“Wolverine,” “Blade Trinity”), but he was always a second-tier player. I’ve always admired Ryan Reynolds, going back as far as his appearance on “The X-Files,” so it pleases me that this actor, who has spend the bulk of his career being the funniest and most watchable thing in bad movies, is finally getting his due.

Sadly, for every Ryan Reynolds, there are hundreds of perfectly funny, intense, serious thespians in the world who never get their due. Actors who work frequently, and are always a delight to see in films, but who never manage to get the enormous Hollywood success they so deserve (some would say over their A-list peers). The people who make your face light up, but who never seem to land the big prestige pictures and/or action blockbusters they have worked so hard to earn. The list of these performers is endless (as would be its counterpart; actors who should be less famous than they are), but this week, for Geekscape, I have compiled the following list of hugely talented actors, masters of their craft, who have received consistent work over the years, but who have never quite hit the big time (at least, not yet), much to the chagrin of their fans.

Let’s give these actors their due.

Clifton Collins, Jr.

Clifton Collins, Jr. first started working in TV on shows like “Freddy’s Nightmares” and “The Flash.” I first noticed him way back in 1992, when I saw him in Stuart Gordon’s underrated sci-fi prison film “Fortress.” His dark eyes and intense glare add weight to any scene he’s in, and he has a guarded gregariousness onscreen that make the viewer want to talk to him, albeit cautiously. He’s played soldiers (most notably in “Tigerland”), vatos, and gangsters. He showed up in “Traffic,” if you recall. He played Perry Smith in “Capote,” and, I would say matched Robert Blake’s intensity, if not his operatic tragedy. He even had a supporting role in the recent “Star Trek” movie as a Romulan, so he even has some genre cred.

My favorite role of his was probably the beleaguered shop-owner in “Sunshine Cleaning.” He had a weirdness that was initially off-putting, and a shyness that was human and appealing. He has played threatening tough guys and soulful warriors. He possesses the same scary/vulnerable quality as Willem Dafoe. I’m convinced he can do any role he is assigned, and I would love to see him in a leading role.

Orlando Jones

Orlando Jones is one of the funnier actors I’ve seen. I remember his monologues from “MadTV” (and yes, I did briefly watch “MadTV”), and taping them, and re-watching them, and loving every second of his screentime. He was frank and sarcastic. His comedy was of a piece with Bill Murray; that is to say, he would project a slight wink of self-awareness that made his line-reading all the funnier. He eventually (and some might say wisely) left “MadTV” to act in movies, and, for a while, was landing small roles in high-profile films like “Magnolia,” the remake of “Bedazzled,” and Barry Levinson’s “Liberty Heights.”

He was especially notable, oddly enough, in the remake of “The Time Machine,” where he played a huffy hologram, eager to share his knowledge with people, and impatient when they indulged in pop-culture fantasy. He even had a bittersweet story arc later in the film. Sadly, Jones never took off as a leading man, having only opened the film “Double Take” alongside Eddie Griffin. Once again, he gave his all to the material, but the film itself was not very good. This is a man who is dedicated, and I have seen his talent shining through his string of B films and supporting television.

For some reason, I picture him as a noir detective. Let’s get that going.

Jeff Fahey

Jeff Fahey is the man Eric Roberts should have been. Ruggedly handsome, occasionally slimy, occasionally innocent, soulfully intense, and a lot more talented, Fahey has been lurking in my subconsciousness ever since he played the innocent-simpleton-turned-horrible-psychic-psychopath in 1992’s “The Lawnmower Man.” The film itself is rather ridiculous, but Fahey proved, beyond a doubt, that he was able to juggle various disparate notes with equal aplomb. He was sweet and dumb one instant, grew confidence, became casual and conversational, and even pulled off being a cold-eyed killer very well. He played similar notes in the serial-killer’s-arm-possesses-man film “Body Parts” the year previous.

If you were like me, you saw a lot of B-movie in the 1990s, so you probably noticed Fahey in films like “White Hunter, Black Heart,” “Darkman III,” and “Epicenter.” I remember being delighted when he played the lead role in a little chapie thriller called “The Sketch Artist,” where he played the title policeman, who suspected that his girlfriend is a criminal. This is a true professional who, unlike many of his peers, brought his A game to every one of his projects, despite the material. He recently had a notable role in Robert Rodriguez’ “Machete.” Perhaps this will get him closer to the challenging lead role he’s been pointing to.

Piper Perabo

Piper Perabo recently landed a regular role in the TV series “Covert Affairs” which means her career may be on an uptick, but I feel she should have been a star much earlier. In “Lost and Delirious,” a queer drama from Canada, she played a lesbian schoolgirl as a wounded animal, enraged that the object of her affection was spurning her. She was playful at first, and slowly became passionately psychotic. The film was a mite dreary, but her energy was notable. She is probably best known, for playing the mousy-gal-turned-foxy-bar-maven in the infamous “Coyote Ugly,” which is not a good film, but one in which she shone above the others. I was impressed, also, with her work in the underrated film version of “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle,” where she was cute and energetic and darned funny.

She’s cropped up in bit parts here and there. She played the spurned wife in “The Prestige,” the eldest daughter in the “Cheaper by the Dozen” films, and the human character in “Beverly Hills Chihuahua.” Like any true professional, though, she brought real human qualities to her roles, despite her amount of screentime, proving that old adage that there are no small roles, just small actors. Her smile is dazzling, and her willingness to sell her part is rarely matched. Here’s another actress looking for a good meaty biopic role. It’s a task she is equal to. Cast her as a tortured comedienne. She’d do well.

Matthew Lillard

Everyone remembers Lillard from back in 1996, as he was the maniacal, goofy best friend in Wes Craven’s now-seminal “Scream.” Those who bothered to research him further would have also discovered his wonderful performance as a suburban rebel in Salt Lake City in the indie hit “SLC Punk!” He’s an actor who seems constantly on the edge of cracking up, which gives his lines a funny edge, but also a weird, grounded reality that is difficult to explain. He is funny. Very funny, actually. Even when he shows up in bit parts in “Summer Catch” or “Wing Commander,” you’re ready to giggle along with him. You may not be with the film, but when Lillard is on screen, you’re kind of on his side. His off-the-cuff puckishness and easy mad grin make him incredibly watchable.

He also got a lot of attention for playing shaggy in the live-action “Scooby-Doo” feature films. Many (myself included) questioned the need for “Scooby-Doo” feature films, and, by all accounts, they were pretty bad, but Lillard did not just play the live-action version of a cartoon character; he embodied it. Aside from “SLC Punk!,” Lillard has played the leading role in the recent release “Spooner,” which did not receive too much acclaim. Lillard deserves more chances, as his manic talent cannot go untapped.

Kevin J. O’Connor

Seriously, watch “Lord of Illusions.” Kevin J. O’Connor plays the tortured ex-cult-member-turned-powerful-stage-magician Swann in more subtle ways than you’d expect from a fleshy middling mid-’90s horror flick. He seems panicked and distracted. His worry is what drives the film; even more than Scott Bakula’s miscalculated tough guy antics. Now watch “There Will Be Blood,” and see how similar qualities as the lost Plainview brother was the only thing lending any sort of real humanity to an otherwise emotionally cold film. Now watch the 1999 version of “The Mummy.” See how he’s actually just as talented as a sniveling weasel. Now watch “Amistad.” A clunky film full of neat stuff, notably, O’Connor as a put-upon missionary.

This is the guy you want in your film. Capable of just about any kind of role, possessed of those intense blue eyes, and natural professional gravity often unseen in genre actors in his peer group, O’Connor has managed to grab the eye whenever he’s on screen. “Lord of Illusions” is the closest thing he’s ever had to a leading role (the film is really his story), and he was equal to the task, managing to portray distracted and tortured without stooping to cheap melodramatic tricks. This is a man who, given the chance, could prove to be as diverse and as intense as someone like Philip Seymour Hoffman. He needs his “Half Nelson.”

Maria Bello

Maria Bello is pretty and easy; she approaches her roles with a naturalness and lack of affect that is at once disarming and friendly, and appealing in that standoffish girl-who-is-way-cooler-than-you way. Whenever I see a miscast female lead in a film (say Rachel McAdams in “Sherlock Holmes” or Gwyneth Paltrow in “Proof,”) I secretly re-cast the role with Maria Bello. In my mind, the woman can do no wrong. She has more than mere talent, she has that ineffable moxie that makes her seem like you want to hang out with her. Her small role in “Thank You for Smoking,” as the flip alcohol backer is proof of this. Her playful sexuality in “A History of Violence” stood above that film’s protracted maleness. Her wounded love in “The Cooler” played well with the immensely talented William H. Macy. She even played mysterious multiple roles, adding to the amazement of Paul Schrader’s underrated “Auto Focus.”

What’s more, she has a healthy view of her role as a sex object in many of her films, as proven in an interview segment from “This Film is Not Yet Rated,” where she was just as cool and as smart as any of her perfroemances. She’s the real deal.

As far as I can tell, Bello has only had one leading role, and it was in a little-seen tragedy called “Downloading Nancy,” about a woman who volunteers to be in an internet snuff film. I sadly have not seen it, but have been trying to track it down; I’m sure Bello’s powerful personality brings the film to the surface. Next, let’s cast her as a kick-ass sci-fi detective. For some reason, I can picture her slamming her boot into a alien’s throat.

Billy Zane

Listen to your friend Billy Zane.

His career started in seminal 1980s genre films “Back to the Future” and “Critters.” In 1995, he bit into the role of a demon incubus in the hysterical and energetic “Demon Knight.” In 1996, he played “The Phantom,” which is much maligned and, in my mind, underrated. In 1997, he played the melodramatic villain in “Titanic,” which doesn’t quite show the depth of his talent, but gave him worldwide exposure. In 1997, he was also in an odd incest-laced romance called “This World, The the Fireworks.” He’s played roles ranging from Mark Antony and Jack Kerouac, to flip and funny versions of himself.

Recently, he’s been in a string of cheesy B films which run from “BloodRayne” to “Chupacabra.” What Zane possesses, though, is a dark carnival cheer which elevates all of his films. He’s casual. He’s funny. Whether he’s a Roman ruler or an evil supernatural monster, he comes across as the cool guy you want to hang out with. He’s the friend you don’t want to piss off. He’s the leader you follow because he’s actually friendly and smart enough to lead. He’s like Claudius in Hamlet, capable of grievous crimes, but spends most of his time being charming and charismatic. He did manage to open a superhero film, but that was back before the ’00s superhero boom. Bring him back now. I’d rather see Zane’s flip intensity over whatever bland prettyboy they are casting as Captain America.

David Paymer

David Paymer is usually cast as the weaselly loser. In “Get Shorty,” he was the swindling dry-cleaner. In “State and Main” he was a sniveling industry wonk. In “Carpool,” his only leading role, he was a put-upon dad. This, I think, only stands as a testament to his ability to play to pathos very well. For some reason I see that translating to the role of Cassius in “Julius Caesar.” His film career has been relegated to “hey it’s that guy!’ roles, where you note him and like him, but never see him taking over for the dashing leading man. This is a pity, as I think he has the adult gravitas to pull of a huge dramatic tragedy. He is more than a whiny supporting man. He is the bottle of power waiting to be uncorked.

Paymer could be more than an action blockbuster, though. He could be a mob boss. He could play Shakespeare. Can you imagine How awesome he would be in an intense role like Iago? I think his thin voice and small stature, paired with his ease on screen and reputation as a sniveling sad-sack could play well to the mystery of violence lurking in Iago’s eyes. If it’s not intese you want, then cast him as a Shakespearean clown; his comic roles in “Crazy People,” and just about anything else proves his comic chops.

Ron Perlman

It may be unfair to mention Perlman on this list, as he has a string of high-profile films under his belt. He’s also the go-to guy for a legitimate superhero franchise, as he played the title character in Guillermo Del Toro’s “Hellboy” films. He’s also been in iconic cult video games and cartoons like “Conan,” “Batman,” “Teen Titans,” and “Fallout.” If you are a genre fan, you know about Ron Perlman, and you will be delighted to see him in anything (even if he is buried under pounds of makeup, as is so often the case). His deep voice and striking features are immediately recognizable, and his willingness to sell a role, no matter how silly, speaks to his bottomless professionalism.

But Perlman is, I feel, capable of much more. Sure, we can appreciate his soulful monosyllabic brute in “The City of Lost Children,” but how many if us were moved by his wonderful performance in “The Last Supper?” I’m willing to be it’s fewer. He is a bombastic actor, who acts from the ground up, light a mighty, charismatic titan. He can growl like a badass, but, just as well, he can cause you to weep with his quiet strength. His career stretches back to the 1970s, and he’s been working steadily ever since. His casting in “Hellboy” was a boon for him, and made him more recognizable than ever before. I, however, feel he should be in Oscar-caliber movies, where he is regularly winning awards, and nailing the dark roles in intense dramas. Let’s get this guy more work. Well, even more than he’s getting.

Witney Seibold watches way too many movies. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and his crotchety attitude. You can read his reviews on his ‘blog Three Cheers for Darkened Years, and hear his weekly podcast, “The B-Movies Podcast” with William Bibbiani over at Crave Online.