Top 10 Most Underrated Actors Working Today
- The Movie Buff
- Jun 21, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 24, 2020
*This does not include actresses, that's for the next list.*
10) Riz Ahmed
This guy is one of the best rising stars working in Hollywood today. He is also the youngest on this list, so he has fewer titles to his name, however I believe he'll be a leading man in Hollywood within the next 5 years tops. He got his big break when starring next to Jake Gyllenhaal in the 2014 thriller, Nightcrawler.
From there, Ahmed got his chance to shine with the leading role in the HBO mini series, The Night Of. Afterwards, he has gotten some supporting roles in blockbusters such as Bodhi Rook in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and the villain Carlton Drake in Venom.
With recent indie roles such as 2019's Sound of Metal, Ahmed is proving his rising star status with each role he takes. He is currently set to play Hamlet in a modern retelling of the Shakespeare play set in London. Keep an eye out for this dude.
9) Djimon Hounsou
For someone with two best supporting actor Oscars nominations and a golden globe nomination under his belt, you'd think he would have more leading roles. Yet, he has very few leading roles in his 30 years in the industry.
He was nominated for (and should have won) an Oscar for his performance in Blood Diamond opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. If you've seen the movie, you'd know why, he delivers such emotion and intensity that you're grounded by his range. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his performance in 2002's In America. Yet most people know him for smaller roles such as Korath in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, Jakande in Furious 7, and Bedivere in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
We'll get to see another great performance soon since he apparently has a big role in A Quiet Place: Part II as well as a supporting role in the new Kingsmen prequel, The King's Man.
8) Mads Mikkelsen
Speaking of range, let's talk about one of the most recognizable bad guys in movies. Mikkelson is a Danish actor who found a niche in Hollywood by being typically casted as a villain. You might recognize him as the James Bond Villain, Le Chiffre, in Casino Royale, or as the Marvel villian, Kaecilius, in Doctor Strange.
However, it's his role as Hannibal Lecter in the highly underrated television show, Hannibal, that really shows his acting chops. He is cold, calculating, charismatic, and evil, playing the the most popular cannibal in pop culture so well that you almost like him.
He proves he's not just a menacing face, but a talented actor with many layered characters to back up his impressive resume.
7) Michael Pena
Your opinion of Michael Pena will entirely rely on which movie you saw him in first. For the younger generation, you might recognize him as Ant-Man's lovable and hilarious side-kick, Luis, in 2015's Ant-Man. You might also recognize him as Dennis in the 2009 Seth Rogen comedy, Observe and Report.
However, these comedic roles are shadowed in comparison to his dramatic roles. This proves my point with Pena, because he is one of the most versatile and underestimated actors today. For every scene he's had that made me laugh, he has one that grounds me with intensity. For example, his role as Officer Mike Zavala in the 2012 crime movie, End of Watch, was one of the the best supporting performances that year and was the first time I truly thought Pena was snubbed at the Oscars.
With other incredibly good dramatic roles under his belt, such as Gordo in the underrated WWII movie, Fury, Jesus Martinez in The Lincoln Lawyer, or Daniel in the 2004 Best Picture winner, Crash, it is no doubt he is deserving of more leading roles and definitely more recognition.
6) Andy Serkis
Chances are if you recognize Andy Serkis's face, it's from his recent role as the villian Ulysses Klaue in 2018's Black Panther. However, to those of us that have followed his career closely, we know him as one of the most versatile and talented actors of our generation.
Rightfully called the "King of Motion Capture", Serkis is most known for playing Gollum/Smeagol in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, a performance that cemented him as a legend in my eyes. He has also played King Kong in 2005's blockbuster King Kong.
However, his best performance comes from playing Caesar in the Planet of the Apes Trilogy. His ability to portray human emotion combined with primate-like movements and vocal sounds makes this one of the most unique performances I've ever seen and definitely deserving of an Oscar. When the academy finally recognizes motion-capture performances are just as difficult, if not more, than regular performances, I will finally find peace.
6) Troy Baker
No, that is not Christian Bale (That picture does look like him though). It is the undisputed king of video game voice work and motion capture, Troy Baker. This one may seem odd to most, especially if you don't play video games, specifically story-driven video games. I, however, have a soft spot for such games and can honestly say some video games offer better story-telling than any TV show or movie I have ever seen.
Troy Baker has had many faces over the years. In fact, he has lent his voice and motion-capture skill to over 385 titles in movies, video games, and TV shows. Nearly every one of them is animated. His best role was as Joel in the 2013 Game of the Year winner, The Last of Us. If you've played it, you already know his ability to act is unparalleled in the video game industry. It's absolutely unreal and he carries a story that could be called one of the greatest video game stories ever told.
Look up his filmography and I promise you'll find no less than 10 different characters you've watched and say to yourself, "holy shit, this guy played ALL of them?"
4) Stanley Tucci
One of the most recognizable guy in Hollywood, yet every time you see him on screen you just say to yourself, "Oh, it's that guy from that movie I saw!" You imbeciles, you may address him as Stanley Tucci or the Tucc-man, or one of the best supporting actors who ever lived.
His acting range has branched out to everything...quite literally everything. To many, he's Caesar Flickerman from The Hunger Games, to others, he's Nigel from The Devil Wears Prada. To me, he was George Harvey from The Lovely Bones, for which he earned a nomination for a best supporting actor Oscar.
I can't even begin to list his other roles, but the list is pretty extensive and quite diverse for a guy who looks like everyone's dad. Give this man an award, damn it.
3) Idris Elba
The only person I can bring myself to calling James Bond, other than Daniel Craig, is this man right here. Idris Elba is everything a leading man in Hollywood should be, classy, rugged, charismatic, and capable. Yet, he is not often thought of enough when it comes to the best leading men in Hollywood.
Yes he was Charles in The Office. But he was also snubbed for an Oscar for playing the lead in Beasts of No Nation. He's proven great dramatic chops in movies like Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, and in television shows like Luther.
Besides those, he's had mostly supporting roles, all of which were great, but I want this guy to have his own blockbuster to carry, because he is more than capable of doing so. My dude is getting old too so the clock's ticking Hollywood, give this man his own franchise or so help me!
2) Paul Giamatti
Yes, he's the blue guy from Big Fat Liar. That is what he is most known for in the eyes of people under the age of 25. However, he has one of the most impressive filmographies I've ever seen and, chances are, he's been in some of your favorite movies.
Like Stanley Tucci, his roles have ranged from dark drama and action movies to comedies and even romances. He's been the good guy and the bad guy. To me, he's unmistakable, both in voice and appearance, no matter how different his characters look and act. He has an Oscar nomination for his role in Cinderella Man, a performance that really shows how well this guy can act.
He was Freeman in 12 Years a Slave, he was Jerry Heller in Straight Outta Compton, he was John Adams in the miniseries John Adams, he was Limbo in Planet of the Apes, he was Sergeant Hill in Saving Private Ryan, he was Mr. X in The Nanny Diaries, and he was Barney in Barney's Vision. Truly one of the best there ever was.
1) Sam Rockwell
Everyone bow and pay your respects to the undisputed king of never getting enough credit. I rank Sam Rockwell among my favorite actors of ALL-TIME, right up there with legends like Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio. Yet, not many people recognize him right away, and even fewer know his name.
Where to even begin with this guy's performances. Let's start with his most notable, playing Officer Dixon in Three Billboards Outside Ebbings, Missouri, a role that won him his first Oscar. There's also his leading role as Sam Bell in the criminally underrated sci-fi, Moon. Does it stop there? Don't be naive.
He's also Wild Bill in The Green Mile, Billy in Seven Psychopaths, Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, Zaphod Beeblebox in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, George W. Bush in Vice, Watson Bryant in Richard Jewell, and more recently Captain Klenzendorf in Jojo Rabbit - arguably my favorite performance of his to date.
Here is an actor who truly lays all of his talent on the table with each performance. As far as I can tell, his performances are only getting better, and I truly think he is the most underrated actor working in Hollywood.
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