It seems as if every great comedian, if they live long enough, eventually gets the itch to test their acting range. While not every comedian can pull off a dramatic role, these funny men (and women) absolutely crushed it.
1. Robin Williams, Good Will Hunting (1997)
For an actor whose stardom is so inextricably linked to his comedy, films like Dead Poets Society, Insomnia, and Good Will Hunting prove that Robin Williams was very much in touch with the spectrum of human emotion.
2. Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher (2014)
Known by most for his comedic roles as Michael Scott in The Office, Brick Tamland in Anchorman, and the 40-year-old virgin named Andy, Carell's chilling role in Foxcatcher caught many of his fans by surprise.
3. Vince Vaughn, Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)
Vince Vaughn was once a steady-as-they-come cleanup hitter in classic comedies like Old School, Dodgeball, and Wedding Crashers, but he has not shied away from grittier roles, especially later in his career. Brawl in Cell Block 99 casts Vaughn as a drug runner who has to fend for himself in prison, a role for which he received critical acclaim.
4. Adam Sandler, Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
Adam Sandler's popular brand of comedy has never been described as highbrow, which made his captivating role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love so unexpected. While technically a comedy, Sandler played a far more layered character than he had ever before, displaying a range that his early comedy films never hinted at.
5. Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Sacha Baron Cohen catapulted into stardom as Ali G, Borat, and even Bruno. His trademark over-the-top comedic style is a stark contrast to his role in The Trial of the Chicago 7, a based-on-a-true-story film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin.
6. Jonah Hill, Moneyball (2011)
Jonah Hill left his indelible mark on cinema through his role as Seth in Superbad, and also played memorable parts in films like Knocked Up and This Is the End. With Moneyball, Hill crushed his turn in an Oscar-nominated sports drama, establishing that he could play roles well outside of his comedy niche.
7. Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
It's a common theme: Massive comedic stars make a few blockbuster films, then get the leeway to try more dramatic roles. Carrey followed this formula on his way to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a Charlie Kaufman-penned film that explores the complexity of love in a wholly unconventional way.
8. Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
One of the rare shows that captures much of the public's attention during the streaming saturation era of television, Bob Odenkirk and Saul Goodman (or Jimmy McGill) are synonymous. But fans of his semi-dramatic roles in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul may be unaware of Odenkirk's illustrious comedy background on programs like Mr. Show.
9. Whoopi Goldberg, The Color Purple (1985)
Before she was a mainstay on The View, Whoopi Goldberg was a comic. That is, until she played Celie Johnson in the period drama The Color Purple. The critically acclaimed film from Steven Spielberg grapples with stomach-turning themes and earned Goldberg an Oscar nomination.
10. Seth Rogen, Steve Jobs (2015)
Danny Boyle's take on Apple founder Steve Jobs' life story was far more serious and effective than a prior biopic, and Seth Rogen's turn as Steve Wozniak was a critical piece of the film. It was a far cry from Pineapple Express and The Green Hornet, that is for certain.
11. Will Ferrell, Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Stranger Than Fiction constituted a hard break from Will Ferrell's run of late 90s-early 2000s comedies. Even if there were comedic elements to the film, Ferrell's role as IRS employee Harold Crick tested the limits of his range as a thespian. Though those used to Ferrell's outrageous comedy did not love this movie, Stranger Than Fiction was generally well-received by critics.
12. John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
John Goodman has flexed his comedic chops time and again, playing bombastic characters in The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and The Flinstones. And while 10 Cloverfield Lane was hardly Goodman's first serious role, his unsettling role as a disaster prepper is distinctly unique from his prior roles.
13. Bill Murray, Lost in Translation (2003)
Bill Murray has carved out an illustrious comedy career with roots in the heyday of Saturday Night Live. Murray's role as an aging movie star who finds himself in an unexpected dalliance with a young Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation remains a standout within his vast filmography.
14. Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls (2006)
A consummate showman throughout his career as a standup comedian, Eddie Murphy's role as James “Thunder” Early in Showgirls was a logical progression. Murphy plays the founder of a record label that falls on hard times and holds his own alongside fellow scene-stealer Jamie Foxx.
15. Chris Rock, Fargo (2020)
One of the most respected stand-ups of his era, Chris Rock added 1950s-era gangster to his list of acting roles in Season 4 of Fargo. It was a far cry from Rock's usual comedic roles, but he absolutely owned it.
16. Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Far from the big-budget blockbuster spinoffs you'll find playing at a cinema near you, Can You Ever Forgive Me is a sl0w-burn biopic featuring Melissa McCarthy as disgraced author Lee Israel.
A portrait of self-destruction and the domino effect of deceit, McCarthy expertly exuded the desperation of a past-their-prime writer struggling to afford life in New York City.
17. Steve Coogan, Philomena (2013)
British funnyman Steve Coogan is a living legend across the pond, and his role in 2013's Philomena showed that he can hold his own in a dramatic role. Starring alongside Judi Dench, Coogan plays a disgraced politician who returns to his journalistic roots in the name of reuniting long-lost loved ones.
18. Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus (2022)
White Lotus has become one of the best television shows of 2022, and its casting of established stars in unconventional roles is no small part of its winning formula. Plaza kept viewers on their toes in Season 2, displaying her trademark coyness while exposing a vulnerability that led to serious drama.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
The 13 Movies So Awful They Scored Zero on Rotten Tomatoes
Receiving a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes is a sought-after accomplishment all directors and filmmakers hope to achieve. But do you ever wonder what happens when a movie is so bad that it totally tanks at the box office?
Perhaps more difficult are those movies so awful they reach a zero on the Tomatometer, meaning no critic liked a single aspect of the film. So instead, they watched each dire moment, waiting for something decent to occur, but it never did.
Here are 13 movies that achieved a perfect zero on Rotten Tomatoes.
10 TV Shows That Should Have Quit While They Were Ahead
What TV show started great but ruined its reputation by staying entirely too far past its prime? I can think of a few, but I don't want to spoil the ending.
After being surveyed, the Internet responded with these television series that should have quit while they were ahead.
10 TV Shows That Should Have Quit While They Were Ahead
10 Surprising Movies That No One Cares About Anymore
Someone recently expressed they were searching for movies that exist but aren't a big deal anymore, despite a massive appeal and success initially.
They gave these examples, “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The Bodyguard (two huge Kevin Costner films with enormous hit songs that no one has watched since 1997). The Revenant (Leo gets an Oscar, but can you remember anything besides the bear scene?). Seabiscuit. What else?” Here are the top responses.
10 Surprising Movies That No One Cares About Anymore
10 Most Hated Characters on The Big Bang Theory
Recently someone online asked, “Who do you consider the most unlikable on the show?” Do you think you know who took the number one spot on the list?
Here are the ten top-voted responses from the show's fans.
10 Most Hated Characters on The Big Bang Theory
10 Awesome Obscure 80s Movies No One Seems To Remember
Are you tired of the same well-known films on every 80s movie list? You're not alone.
An online discussion inquires, “What obscure 80s movie did you love that no one else seems to remember?” Here are the top responses.
10 Awesome Obscure 80s Movies No One Seems To Remember
