Sure, you’ve got your Brad Pitts, your Robert Downey Jrs, your Johnny Depps. And yeah, there’s that chameleon-woman Meryl Streep, the wonderful Helen Mirren, and the now-everywhere Jennifer Lawrence rounding it out on the female side. So what do all these players have in common? Well, they’re stars. They’re the best of the best. They sell tickets. And though we appreciate the great performances they’ve given over the years, sometimes the big stars just get too much credit. What about the other people acting in the movies? The people who you just kind of accept are there time after time. What’s the big deal, you ask? That’s their job, right? They’re not supposed to overshadow the stars, you say?
Well, a lot of these second players still manage to get their dues: Paul Giamatti, Steve Buscemi, Michael Shannon… everyone loves those guys despite the fact that they rarely take the leading roles in big pictures. But so many actors remain vastly unappreciated – so much so that if these guys disappeared into thin air, things just wouldn’t be the same. We’re not saying we should throw Oscars and Golden Globes at them ’til their heads get so big they set themselves upon impromptu rap careers… we just want to say thanks. In our minds, here are 5 underrated actors who don’t get enough credit for their fine work.
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