Such A Travesty: Actors Who Should Be Much Bigger Stars

[TaraS1]

I have been a diehard fan of Alicia Coppola (Mimi from Jericho) for nearly 25 years now - since I first saw her on Another World in 1991 - and it still blows my mind that she isn't a huge TV star.  She's insanely talented and has worked consistently all these years, but it's such a bummer that she just hasn't ever made it over the hump to major stardom.  

 

Who do you think should be a much bigger star than they are now?

[joelene]

Olivia Colman (Tyrannosaur, Peep Show, Broadchurch) seems to finally getting some real attention. I've been thinking for years she should be a bigger star than she is. I hope it's happening.

[Gudzilla]

Two names that have been around forever. Judy Greer and Keith David.

[CrazyDog]

I feel like Kevin Durand should be on this list. A great actor (he reminds me of William Fichtner in the roles he chooses and his acting chops) who gets interesting roles but doesn't get a lot of attention.

I'd love to see him in a truly big role. There was chatter about him and TWD but I think it was just rumors. And he seems pretty busy with The Strain and Vikings.

Edited September 30, 2015 by CrazyDog

[SnideAsides]

I just got through watching Wonderfalls for the first time and... everyone on that show, really, but especially Tyron Leitso and Caroline Dhavernas.

[SmithW6079]

Geoff Stultz. He starred in two shows on Fox that were canceled, and he's a recurring character on the new "Odd Couple."

[Ujio]

Two actors that I think have good looks, acting chops, and just about everything else going for them but don't seem to have "gotten there": Patrick Wilson and Josh Lucas. 

 

They have both starred in multiple movies (some blockbusters as well) and proven that they're talented thespians. Of course, they're incredibly handsome. I personally think they could (and should) be where Bradley Cooper is now. But they haven't gotten there -- or even close. 

 

Are they maybe just too -- generically handsome??? I don't know. But I've always wondered. 

[cpcathy]

I was just coming here to say that Patrick Wilson does seem so "generically handsome." His perfect role seemed to be in Little Children, where the characters called him "Prom King." Pretty, nice, not much else there. I am liking him more and more in Fargo, but when he was cast, I just thought, "oh, uh, okay."

[festivus]

I thought that too. I'm really enjoying him on Fargo so this might be the role that does it for him. 

 

For me it's Paul McGann. Good looking, good actor and a very sexy voice. Should be a bigger star than he is. Especially since it seems like all his fellow Brits are making out like bandits.

[braziliangirl]

Joshua Jackson. I know he's famous but I really believe he deserves to be a bigger star. The kind of star that everyone knows.  He's so charming, such a good actor, has chemistry with almost everyone.

Melanie Lynskey!

Justin Chambers!

Edited November 6, 2015 by braziliangirl

[TaraS1]

Another one just came to mind: Lucy Punch.  She's had a few small film/TV roles, but the first thing I saw her in was Ben & Kate with Dakota Johnson, and she stole every single scene.  I'm still brokenhearted that Fox canceled it, I thought it was the funniest sitcom I'd seen in probably a decade, and she was the funniest person on it.

[threebluestars]

Totally agree with Alicia Coppola. In addition to being a great actress, she has a really great look.

 

My pick is Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom, Parenthood, Justified). He is just insanely good. One of those actors who you know will throw themselves into their role 110% and completely become another person.

[shapeshifter]

Regina King (Southland and, currently, The Leftovers)

[Craphole Island]

I have so many people that I loved on TV shows that I thought would go onto huge things, but it never completely panned out. It's not that I think all of these people should be huge movie stars, but I just think they should be bigger than what they are!

 

Josh Holloway - He was SO good and charming on LOST and I was excited to see him going on to bigger things but it just never happened! If only they were making the Gambit movie ten years ago because he would be perfect for the role. I also love Maggie Grace and think she's incredibly underrated, but of anybody from LOST she is actually doing pretty good.

 

Speaking of Gambit, Taylor Kitsch was phenomenal in Friday Night Lights and I'm super bummed his film career tanked. I think he was unfairly blamed for his movies flopping. Also, anybody from Friday Night Lights.

 

Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody. Loved them on The OC. Still love them in anything I watch them in, but wish they were even bigger names.

 

And I've said this a few times, but I think Ashley Tisdale is way underrated and should be leading a sitcom. Because I think she has great comedic timing. Same for her Suite Life costar, Brenda Song. It's a shame she never really branched out of Disney because she had a very natural comedic timing and charm to her.

 

There are other people too who were once huge stars but fell off, like Alicia Silverstone and Neve Campbell, who I think are great and could still be stars but I think they are a case of not wanting the fame too much.

 

Co-sign Regina King! She's fantastic.

 

I'm curious to see what comes of most of the Glee cast (the "kids", specifically). It's interesting to see the second generation of New Directions, like Blake Jenner and Melissa Benoist, have a leg up right now. I hope to continue seeing more from Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, and Chord Overstreet (I think he's underrated too).   I want to see more from everybody else but I think Dianna has the best chance and the camera loves her, Naya could do drama and comedy and I hope to see more acting from her, and like I said I think Chord was underrated in both drama and comedy. He won't set the world on fire but I hope to see him in more roles.

 

Okay, I realize now that I basically just named a bunch of people I like, but it's mostly because I think they're all great and could be bigger if they got more work!

I have so many people that I loved on TV shows that I thought would go onto huge things, but it never completely panned out. It's not that I think all of these people should be huge movie stars, but I just think they should be bigger than what they are!

 

Josh Holloway - He was SO good and charming on LOST and I was excited to see him going on to bigger things but it just never happened! If only they were making the Gambit movie ten years ago because he would be perfect for the role. I also love Maggie Grace and think she's incredibly underrated, but of anybody from LOST she is actually doing pretty good.

 

Speaking of Gambit, Taylor Kitsch was phenomenal in Friday Night Lights and I'm super bummed his film career tanked. I think he was unfairly blamed for his movies flopping. Also, anybody from Friday Night Lights.

 

Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody. Loved them on The OC. Still love them in anything I watch them in, but wish they were even bigger names.

 

And I've said this a few times, but I think Ashley Tisdale is way underrated and should be leading a sitcom. Because I think she has great comedic timing. Same for her Suite Life costar, Brenda Song. It's a shame she never really branched out of Disney because she had a very natural comedic timing and charm to her.

 

There are other people too who were once huge stars but fell off, like Alicia Silverstone and Neve Campbell, who I think are great and could still be stars but I think they are a case of not wanting the fame too much.

 

Co-sign Regina King! She's fantastic.

 

I'm curious to see what comes of most of the Glee cast (the "kids", specifically). It's interesting to see the second generation of New Directions, like Blake Jenner and Melissa Benoist, have a leg up right now. I hope to continue seeing more from Dianna Agron, Naya Rivera, and Chord Overstreet (I think he's underrated too).   I want to see more from everybody else but I think Dianna has the best chance and the camera loves her, Naya could do drama and comedy and I hope to see more acting from her, and like I said I think Chord was underrated in both drama and comedy. He won't set the world on fire but I hope to see him in more roles.

 

Okay, I realize now that I basically just named a bunch of people I like, but it's mostly because I think they're all great and could be bigger if they got more work!

[SmithW6079]

And I've said this a few times, but I think Ashley Tisdale is way underrated and should be leading a sitcom. Because I think she has great comedic timing.

Ashley Tisdale was the voice of Candace on "Phineas & Ferb," and over the summer, she was on a TBS sitcom about a barbershop. However, I'm not sure it was renewed.

[giovannif7]

Ashley Tisdale was the voice of Candace on "Phineas & Ferb," and over the summer, she was on a TBS sitcom about a barbershop. However, I'm not sure it was renewed.

It wasn't renewed.

[methodwriter85]

On 9/29/2015 at 4:00 PM, joelene said:

Olivia Colman (Tyrannosaur, Peep Show, Broadchurch) seems to finally getting some real attention. I've been thinking for years she should be a bigger star than she is. I hope it's happening.

Well, she upset Glenn Close's latest Oscar run, so it's safe to say that it's happening.

Matt Barr's continual failure to get a show going kind of baffles me. He's gorgeous and talented, but he didn't parlay the big break that The Hatfields and McCoys gave him into a lasting t.v. gig.

I've been rooting for Brian Hallisay ever since he did an episode of Cold Case in 2006 about two closeted cops who have an affair in 1968, but he never really did take off other than as a "Hey, it's that guy." Same for his co-star Shane Johnson, although Shane does seem to be working more. In Brian's case, his wife JLove Hewitt pulled some strings and got him a guest starring gig on 9-1-1, and I'm hoping that leads to some more gigs for him.

[Irlandesa]

12 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

Matt Barr's continual failure to get a show going kind of baffles me. He's gorgeous and talented, but he didn't parlay the big break that The Hatfields and McCoys gave him into a lasting t.v. gig.

Matt stars in Blood & Treasure on ABC or CBS. I forget which.   It's a summer show but it was picked up for a second season.   It's the kind of show that likely does well internationally too.

My vote here would be Jake McDorman.  He tends to be a highlight for me in the movies and TV I see him in but, other than Greek, his shows haven't been more than one season.   And he mainly only does guest roles in movies.   He works steadily but hasn't seemed to find the defining role for him. 

[methodwriter85]

11 minutes ago, Irlandesa said:

My vote here would be Jake McDorman.  He tends to be a highlight for me in the movies and TV I see him in but, other than Greek, his shows haven't been more than one season.   And he mainly only does guest roles in movies.   He works steadily but hasn't seemed to find the defining role for him. 

Limitless was a genuinely good show that should have lasted longer. The Murphy Brown reboot was kind of a mistake, but his son/mother chemistry with Candice Bergin was the best part of that show.

[Blergh]

I know he died in 2013 so it's definitely a case of what wasn't done, wasn't done. However; with his ability to do a plethora of characters and accents on the original Electric Company, I never understood why Jim Boyd didn't become a breakout star via this show as Morgan Freeman did! He was absolutely brilliant! 

[RealHousewife]

I absolutely love Adam Brody. He’s so cute. Rachel Bilson was awesome on The OC, but I had a bit of a crush on Seth Cohen. 

I think John Stamos should have become a bigger star. He’s got the talent, looks, charm, everything. 

There are two actresses taken before their time who I think had the potential to become legends. Sharon Tate had the incredible beauty and it factor. Then there was Dorothy Stratton, who was like a better looking Marilyn Monroe and had Marilyn’s vulnerability.  There aren’t a ton of women who are blessed with the kind of natural beauty those women had, and everybody said they were total sweethearts.

Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore. Their performances moved me to tears in Initiation of Life. 

Edited January 7, 2020 by RealHousewife

[littlewonder]

Rahul Kohli!  He is so charming, able to do drama and comedy.  He should have the John Krasinski arc and now become a movie leading man.

[Bumblebee84047]

Margaret Colin owns this thread.

[methodwriter85]

On 1/7/2020 at 4:35 PM, RealHousewife said:

I absolutely love Adam Brody. He’s so cute. Rachel Bilson was awesome on The OC, but I had a bit of a crush on Seth Cohen. 

Here we are at the end of 2024 and his career has been officially revived with "Nobody Wants This" in Netflix. I haven't seen it yet but I do want to watch it.