this post was submitted on 28 Aug 2023
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Anytime a comedian takes on a dramatic role and nails it.
Off the top of my head….
Robin Williams: Dead Poets Society (and many more, I think that was his first) Bill Hader: Barry. Jim Carrey: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Don’t forget about Bryan Cranston either! He was that weird but hilarious dentist from Seinfeld and the dad in Malcolm in the Middle way before he ever was Walter White.
Man, Robin Williams can get to me like no one else. There were moments in Good Morning Vietnam, a couple years before Dead poets, but GMV was def more focused on his big comedic personality. Then his performance in The Fisher King...I don't generally get emotional about celebrities but that dude was different. There's been a few musicians that have been much better than expected. Dolly Paton in 9 to 5, Madonna on A League of their Own, Prince's acting in Purple rain. Ice Cube in Boyz in da hood.
Awakenings was another one, right after Dead Poets Society.
You often hear comedians are the best actors because they learn to act through humour which is is probably the most abrupt emotions to react to
I've heard it more that both comedy and drama is like a dance, but comedy has a faster tempo.
I figure it's also because they're on stage so much and trying to convey so much to an audience so often. There's gotta be a lot of transferrable skills.
I really loved Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me? She nailed that one
All these dudes are known for their acting though first and foremost...
They weren't though, they were straight up comedians. After all these years it's obvious they had more to them, but when they first stepped into serious roles it wasn't known and was a surprise to most what they could do outwith comedy.
I hear you and agree, though for the sake of discussion and argument - let's say OP was referring to unnamed nobodies who nailed it in their acting debut.
Who's your best?
Probably Whoopi Goldberg in The Colour Purple.
Yes and no. We often differentiate between "comics" and "actors" as people who belong to different disciplines of entertainment. Robin Williams and Jim Carrey got their starts in stand-up, and Bill Hader as an improv sketch comic. It's pretty commonplace for notable comics to transition into comedic acting on screen, but that's basically the type of production they get typecast into from that point on.
So when much of the industry places all this emphasis on having backgrounds in stage, working up through the indie circuit, or having some sort of Hollywood pedigree, it's notable when a comedic actor manages to break free of the typecast and thrive.
Exactly. I remember seeing Liar Liar and Jim Carrey's reaction when the kids were taken away by his client was top-tier drama. And just his line delivery and malleability were signs of great acting, regardless if it's offen "wasted" in comedy.