Only a very small percentage of actors ever make it onto what we’d deem as the Hollywood A-list, and to be fair, there are countless thespians who have absolutely no interest in getting there.
Increased visibility comes with increased pressure, expectations, and scrutiny. Sure, it must be nice to pick up a $20 million paycheck to lead a big budget blockbuster packed with visual effects and action sequences that gets marketed with your name above the title, but there’s also a lot of talents who simply love the work and want to deliver the best performances they can.
With that in mind, there’s an interesting discussion happening over on Reddit, one that finds film fans listing their favorite actors who aren’t regarded as A-list superstars. As you’d expect, some deep cuts and cult favorites are being thrown forward, but one name appears more often than the rest.
A great deal of the focus and praise has fallen on Jon Bernthal, who is about as reliable an actor as you’re likely to find. Regardless of the scope and scale of the project, or the size of his contributions, the former (and possibly future) Punisher is always guaranteed to give 100 percent.
There’s also a lot of love for Eric Roberts, who hasn’t exactly suffered from being less famous than sister Julia, while perennial “that guy” John Carroll Lynch is worthy of a mention or two. Jason Isaacs, Toby Jones, Hiroyuki Sanada, and the legendary James Hong are additionally thrown into the discourse, and every single one of them deserves their moment in the spotlight.