(1976). Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. There are plenty of actors who, after Googling to find their names and feasting your eyes on their photos, make you scream, Oh, thatguy. Weve rounded up some of the most irksomely familiar actors, many of whom have appeared on both film and TV (though often in supporting roles) to give you some clarity. In theaters, we've been transported to the cosmos in Eternals, gone to a mythical land in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and journeyed between atoms in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Wellivers name might finally be on the map for some, thanks to his three seasons as the lead on Amazons well-received crime seriesBosch (which has two more seasons on the way). With 182 credits to her name as an actor, Grant has created a huge catalog to pull from with each role. Next up for the actor? Wonderful actor and star of several 80s movies. Female Character Actors You've Seen, but Can't Name - Ranker He is an actor and writer, known for The Green Mile (1999), Wind River (2017) and Dances with Wolves (1990). He was previously married to Meg Foster. Actors You Recognize But Can't Name Quiz - By jeffreylail - Sporcle As one of the most awarded artists of his time, Davis has an Emmy, a Grammy, several NAACP Image Awards, and shares a National Medal of Arts with his partner in life and often on the stage and screen Ruby Dee. He is a veteran stage actor having such plays as "The Elephant Man" and Neil Simon's "London Suite" under his belt. Wheres Paula Abdul when you need her? ", Denis O'Hare's acting career spans nearly three decades, and he's racked up dozens of film and TV credits in this time. Though he earned a Best Actor Academy Award nomination forHustle and Flow,Howard hasnt gained full movie star status. More recently, O'Hare has appeared in "Big Little Lies," "This Is Us," and "The Nevers.". Actors You Know, But Can't Name - IMDb 15 Famous Character Actors We Bet You Can't Name Seriously, remember him? Actor, director, playwright, and civil rights activist Ossie Davis enjoyed a career spanning over five decades. Some actors seem to be everywhere but you still don't know their names. Growing up the youngest of four siblings in a Catholic family in Warrington, Lancashire (near John Pyper-Ferguson was born in Mordiallic, Australia. He began his acting career in New York theaters, appearing in more than 75 productions over the course of 12 years. He is married to Lisa Houle. He was born in NYC; his parents later moved to Mahopac, NY, where he graduated from Mahopac High School. I couldnt be more thrilledto contribute these lists of my favorite things to a magazine as historic as ESSENCE. Time and taste dictates who will emerge from a long career as a leading man and who will simply continue on, giving audiences their best in the roles they land. Hollywood studios all promote the You need a tough guy? she now writes about everything from tech to entertainment, business and lifestyle, and more. Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. He died on April 29, 2022 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Minority Report (2002), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) and Secret Santa (2003). She is also a painter and author. Appearing in Charles Rocket was born on August 28, 1949 in Bangor, Maine, USA. He stayed at Brown and took up acting classes, and realized it was his true calling. Both of his parents had immigrated to Israel from India. Gregory Hines, one of the greatest tap dancers ever, is an Emmy and Tony-winning Broadway legend. His father was born in Iraq but raised in Bombay and his mother was born and raised in India. Born in Montreal, William Hope joined the National Youth Theatre in London after high school and performed for three seasons with them. After all, stars come and go, and it's remarkably easy to be replaced in Hollywood. A tall, imposing character actor with a penetrating stare, Marshall Bell has provided excellent support in a variety of roles and genres. If I recognize you, then I know your name. He was previously married to Jane Mandel. Need we say more? Most people will recognize Elizabeth Reaser from her role as Shirley Crain in the Netflix hit "The Haunting of Hill House" in 2018, but the actress has a long list of credits that date back to the early 2000s. He is an actor and producer, known for Max Payne 3 (2012), Max Payne (2001) and The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996). Smiling_Dragon Atkins initially became an avid horror film fan in his childhood days; Howard Hawks' immortal classic The Thing from Another World (1951) made an especially strong Dian Bachar was born on October 26, 1970 in Denver, Colorado, USA. But FXsAtlanta,which he created, stars in, and often directs, made him a star. While there, he was frequently performing on stage with the Carolina Playmakers. He graduated from Dennis Boutsikaris is an American character actor who has won the Obie Award twice. Noted for his dangerous, chameleon-like portrayals while possessing the scariest-looking pair of eyes in the business, leathery-looking Steve Railsback has mesmerized us over the years with a number of weird, often warped roles both on film and television. Mitch Martin Kove was born on March 6, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. He died on April 24, 2017 Richard E. Grant is an actor and presenter. You need a tough guy? Duke Media Entertainment, led by actor, director, producer, writer and humanitarian, Bill Duke, is dedicated to bringing quality Edutainment to audiences around the globe. let advertisementDisclaimer = 'ADVERTISEMENT'; Strong-featured, narrow-eyed actor who has portrayed a mixed bag of both good guys and bad guys. Although Keith David started as a Broadway actor, he quickly took on film roles that made him a recognizable face in the industry. Digital Trends Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites. 2. Jackson has starred in over one-hundred-fifty films, which have earned an estimated twenty-seven billion dollars, making him the highest-grossing actor of all time. He first became interested in acting after serving three years in the US Air Force and Roger Ward was born in 1936. He is best known for his work on Smallville (2001) as Sheriff Ethan Miller. He brings an understated quality to his characters with often hilarious results. Very talented actor, possibly best known for playing the bad guys in Lethal Weapon 3 and The Mask of Zorro. Entertainment Actor. He is an actor, known for Repo Man (1984), Batman (1989) and Conan the Destroyer (1984). For more information, please see our Photo: Greg Hernandez / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0. skit just before the Emmy Awards where he was handed the illustrious award for The Guy From That Show. (Note: all three runner-ups are also on this list!). Time and taste dictates who will emerge from a long career as a leading man and who will simply continue on, giving audiences their best in the roles they land. Billy Dee Williams gave us Lando Calrissian inStar Wars, Louis McKay inLady Sings the Bluesand Brian Walker inMahogany. Smith starred in seven films, which earned over five hundred million dollars at the box office. Famous Men You'd Want To Have A Beer With, The Most Popular TikTok Boys And Male Influencers Of 2023, Character Actors You See All Over But Probably Can't Name, The Hunger Games: Mockingly - Parts 1 & 2, Wrights talent is unmatched and largely unsung. Dance typically plays assertive bureaucrats or villains. He has been married to Sharon Dahlonega since December 7, 1994. var device = 'desktop'; Journeyman actor Ernie Hudson began his career as the resident playwright at Detroits Concept East, the oldest black theatre in the US. Character actors (you may recognize The face but cant remember the name) by Logan Roy is dead. The son of an English army officer (Edward Lonsdale-Crouch) and a Franco-Irish mother ( M.C. The bad news is, there are tons of great character actors vying for those roles. All this month, Essence.com will present TWENTY, THE REMIXthree digital exhibits I curated celebrating excellence in the worlds of acting, art, and fashion. Follow her on Twitter @christinetechCA. The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. An excellent screen and voice actor who balances them perfectly. To me he will always be De Bracy from Ivanhoe. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. During his short stellar career, Chadwick Boseman left an indelible mark upon Hollywood and movie fans alike. He is an actor and writer, known for Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), The Dark Knight (2008) and Argo (2012). Most recently, he has lent his voice to "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" and "Rick and Morty.". Six years later, he became the first to win the Oscar forLillies of the Field. He brings an understated quality to his characters with often hilarious results. John Michael Higgins was born on February 12, 1963 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Elizabeth Reaser from her role as Shirley Crain, nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award twice, the "Princess Diaries" movies from 2001 and 2004, appeared as a supporting actor in several movies, nominated for a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy. Time and taste dictates who will emerge from a long career as a leading man and who will simply continue on, giving audiences their best in the roles they land.There are tons of characters actors working today (and who stole scenes in the past) but for the sake of brevity, well concentrate on just these guys, the most well-known of the little known and often not recognized supporting actors in character roles. 1. Tall, slim, remote and boyishly handsome, one of Keir Dullea's most arresting features is his pale blue eyes, which featured in a number of watershed films of the 1960s. Richard attended the University of Notre Dame, where he became heavily involved with the University Theatre. As a former cast member of MADtv and the current CarMax guy, Daly told the New York Post in 2016 that it wasnt until he put on the lab coat prior to filming his part in an episode of Netflix series Lady Dynamite that he said to himself: Oh, this is turning into a thing now.. Sidney Poitier. Kind is a hilarious comedic actor worthy of recognition for his work and hes still as funny today as he was in his heyday in the 90. ", Jones also appeared in several TV shows, which include "Agent Carter" and "Doctor Who." Bottom Line: Judy Greer Judy Greer has spent her career starring alongside huge Hollywood names, like Jennifer Garner and Katherine Heigl. Historically, the Black actor has dared to challenge the stereotypes of what it means to be a Black man in a White world. Who are the best character actors? He continued to work with other big names like Clint Eastwood in "Bird" in 1988, in which he played a jazz player. Born in New York, Larry Hankin took an industrial design degree from the University of Syracuse; multifaceted artist, in addition to being an actor, he is also a screenwriter, producer, director and singer. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He also does a ton of voicework and narrations. Born in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, Kevin grew up in Rossland, British Columbia. We knew Michael was sexy as far back asFruitvale Station. He portrayed an eclectic Rex Maynard Linn is an American film and television actor. He left the city to play basketball at Brown University, but his hoops career was cut short when he suffered an injury during his freshman year. I guess you all in the states think of him as an actor whereas . They show up in all your favorite movies but still you just can never place them. Stephen Tobolowsky | The Goldbergs (2013), Titus Welliver | 'Agents of Shield' (2014), doctors lab coat or school principal sweater vest. His long and successful career includes numerous Kevin's first dream was to be a cartoonist, but in later years decided to on acting. Belafonte is the first solo artist in history to have a million-selling album. Hes also busy between jobs, working as a director as well. He played Jeff Billings on "The Wonder Years," Duffy Guthrie in "The New Leave It to Beaver," and Cory Kupkus in "My Two Dads. Random Entertainment or Actor Quiz. Best Known For Playing: Borderline criminal types and strange neighborhood characters. My guess is quite often. In the '90s, David's career flourished, appearing in "Clockers" and "Dead Presidents." 4. as Super Hero Darla and "Harlem.". Handsome, rugged, versatile and charismatic character actor Tom Atkins was born on November 13, 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ", Most recently, Ealy has appeared in the Starz series "Power Book II: Ghost," "Reasonable Doubt," and "A Black Lady Sketch Show.". | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms. Colm Joseph Feore OC is a Canadian actor. They're those guys who you totally recognize from that thing and maybe that other thing? They have two children. Well, here is a list of actors/actresses whose faces you probably recognize but with names you dont. An actor with incredible range and intensity British export Idris Elba has emerged as one of cinemas sexiest stars. Her horror roles include TerrorVision, Chopping Mall, The Devil's Rejects, The House of the Devil and many more. May 7, 2015 - "It's got what's his name he always plays the bad guy, you know?" How many times when describing a movie you just saw have you realized that you have no recollection of an actor's name? You can first narrow it down by looking at just the Actor section of their credits page. They have three children. He rose to fame on NBCsCommunity. He is also a narrator of audio-books, for which he has won 13 Golden Earphone Awards and 8 Audie Awards. Robert Golden Armstrong ("Bob" to his friends) was born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 7, 1917. He is an actor and producer, known for Club Dread (2004), Wild Hogs (2007) and The Dukes of Hazzard (2005). Tall, bearded, heavy-set Anglo-French character actor, best known internationally for playing Deputy Commissioner Claude Lebel in The Day of the Jackal (1973) and Bond villain Hugo Drax in Moonraker (1979). He graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School San Antonio, where he acted in the department of theatre, and from The University Stephen McHattie was born on February 3, 1947 in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. Posted: 10/21/09 at 9:25pm. Ealy has also taken roles in several TV shows, including "Being Mary Jane," "The Following," "Californication," and "The Good Wife. let infinite_scroll_layout_settings = JSON.parse('{"layoutSettings":{"autoConsent":0,"introParagraphType":"Social_image","imagePosition":"","notClickableHeader":0,"additionalPost":1,"vidazooPixelStartPage":0},"topAd":{"position":"Before","element":" figure","startsFrom":1},"video":{"provider":"Vidazoo","startsFrom":3},"rightRail":{"type":"Per_item","startsFrom":0,"onceOnHowManyItems":2}}'); An Old West no count varmint? A friend and contemporary of Sidney Poitier, Belafonte made his screen debut inBright Roadwith co-star Dorothy Dandridge. Recently, she has appeared in HBO's "Veep" and Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale." He is best known for appearing in the 1997 film "Boogie Nights" and "Traffic" in 2000. By 2000, she appeared in two more cult classics: "But I'm a Cheerleader" and "Girl, Interrupted. In interviews, Howard claims hes retired. Yet, while hes been actively working in Hollywood for more than three decades, Baker has often been relegated to supporting roles that, while memorable, still havent quite put his name on the map. Dorian Harewood was born on August 6, 1950 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. entertainment, news presenter | 4.8K views, 28 likes, 13 loves, 80 comments, 2 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from GBN Grenada Broadcasting Network: GBN News 28th April 2023 Anchor: Kenroy Baptiste. The good news is that with the advent of streaming channels and a sprawl of cable slots, there are lots of roles for male characters out there. Tell us what you think about this feature. From the early eighties until 2001, few actors of any race were as successful as Danny Glover. Who are the best character actors?Actors dont get into the business thinking they'll be a character actor, they simply want to act. His roles included that of Sgt. He has appeared in "Dear White People" for 23 episodes, "Once Upon a Time" for 14 episodes, and "The Get Down" for 10 episodes. He was born on August 11, 1950 in Riga, USSR [now Latvia] as Elya Zalmanovich Baskin to Zalman and Frieda Baskin, both of Russian Jewish descent. Name another actor who could play bothLuthers DCI John Luther and Heimdall inThe Avengers? He is married to Samantha Jupiter Faison. A consummate pro with a sprawling rsum, Tobolowsky even joked about his status during a hilarious Jimmy Kimmel Live! He is best known for playing the role of Frank Tripp in the television series CSI: Miami. Hahn has acted in some of the most popular comedies of the last two decades, including 2003's "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days," 2004's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," 2008's "Step Brothers," 2013's "We're the Millers," and 2016's "Bad Moms.". He also had some starring roles, most notably the horror cult classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956). After the RAF, his father worked as an engineer in the copper mines in Rhodesia. ", Most recently, he played Leo Nicoletti in "The Company You Keep.". Toby Jones jumped into Hollywood in 2006, with his breakthrough portrayal of Truman Capote in "Infamous" opposite Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Sigourney Weaver. While she started her career writing exclusively about tech (before the iPod even existed!) Max Payne's awesome voice. He was previously married to Susan West. let infinite_scroll_server_settings = JSON.parse('{"max_screen_index":98,"site_initial":"nj","total_media_id":"","is_active_mode":"GeneralMode","campaign_hash":"7caa701b2bd5a182b80c72b9bdf88e2d","article_url":"\/entertainment\/unknown-actors-yh\/","country_code":"US","cloudfront_country_code":"US","first_article_max_page_num":46,"additional_post_url":"https:\/\/ninjajournalist.com\/world\/weather-girls-yh\/"}'); Offbeat character actor Tom Noonan, born in Connecticut on April 12, 1951, started off his career in various theater troupes that utilized his skills as a guitarist and composer. Hes played them all. Yes, hes that guy from Lost. My guess is quite often. DBS MORNING SHOW & OBITUARIES 25TH APRIL 2023 APRIL 2023 - Facebook Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. More recently, Reaser played Kathleen Willey in "American Crime Story" and Olivia Winslow in "The Handmaid's Tale. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts As a child, I read my mothers ESSENCE magazines from cover to cover, breathing in the beauty and wonder of the Black experience. They deserve to have a spotlight shone on them, and their names placed in lights, so enjoy. He began his career as an illustrator in the entertainment world, and studied acting at Mike Hagerty was born on May 10, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. For the . He has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award twice for his work on the show. Step 3. He most recently appeared in the television shows "B Positive" and "Last Man Standing. Everyone in Britain knows #3 is Vinny Jones because he's primarily a football player who also acts. His movie career began in 1994 with the movie Blink (1993) in which he played the role of Neal Booker. While there, he earned his degree in Philosophy and as a senior, was cast in the stage production of "Picnic," where he played a football player. Often plays villains but in Watchmen he plays the best costumed hero: Nite Owl! Find out what is trending and never be out of the loop. Like some of the other women on this list, Mary Woronov is not as known because she is not only an actress. He has since appeared in over 30 films as well as ABC's short-lived Gideon's Crossing (2000). ", Since then, DuVall appeared in several TV shows, including "Carnivle," "Heroes," "American Horror Story," and "The Lizzie Borden Chronicles.". Higgins most recently acted in the Netflix original film "The Curse of Bridge Hollow," and he continues to voice various characters on "Bob's Burgers. ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc. He is an actor, known for Die Hard (1988), Licence to Kill (1989) and Street Fighter: The Movie (1995). TWENTY ICONIC ACTORS is a group of men whose work redefines the world of entertainment. Frankie Faison was born on June 10, 1949 in Newport News, Virginia, USA. Rodney Eastman was born on July 20, 1967 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His major breakthrough (providing him legendary status) was the starring role as astronaut Dave Bowman in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: Roy Dupuis was born on April 21, 1963, in New Liskeard, Ontario. He won Best Audiobook of the Year from Amazon for his reading of American Gods.Boutsikaris was born in Newark, A tall, wavy-haired US actor with a deep, resonant voice, Clancy Brown has proven himself a versatile performer with first-class contributions to theatre, feature films, television series and even animation.Clarence J. Good also appeared in a number of movies like "Stomp the Yard" in 2007, "One Missed Call" in 2008, "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" in 2013, and "Think Like a Man Too" in 2014. That said, there's many actors who have kept their face out there, even if their name doesn't ring any bells. And although many of her characters (especially Lucy in. He settled in Los Angeles in the mid-1950s, where he was noticed by producer/director Actor | Stephen E. Miller is a Canadian and American screenwriter, novelist, and actor based in Vancouver, B.C. He was previously married to After serving in the United States Air Force where he was recognized for Cold War service and for expert marksmanship, Chrest earned a BFA Degree in Directing from Marshall University (West Virginia) and a MFA Degree from Louisiana State University.A veteran of over 100 screen roles, and over 60 Bill Cobbs was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where his parents were hard-working people, who instilled in him a sense of self-reliance and humility. ", Julie Gonzalo started her acting career in the early 2000s, taking bit roles in TV shows and movies. With his distinctive face and piercing blue eyes, you immediately recognize Baker from his roles in series like Homeland, Blindspot, The Americans, and The Good Wife. Since his breakout role as Ricky Nash in the hit films Barbershop and the sequelBarbershop 2: Back in Business, with his mix of good looks and charm, Michael Ealy has made his mark in Hollywood, starring in the hit filmsSeven Pounds,Think Like a Man, andAbout Last Night. James McCaffrey was born in 1959 in Albany, New York, USA. He was previously married to Sigrid Insull and Marycarolyn Linda Elizabeth "MiMi" Hawkins. A fixer? Played by Anna Silk, Bo is a complex and powerful character that still feels relatable, despite the fact that she's a succubus that can (and has) killed people she's intimate with.