You may have previously read our piece on overrated actors working today and, needless to say, it caused a bit of a stir. So, with that in mind, we thought we'd double down and go through some truly underrated actors who don't get half the credit they deserve and not nearly enough of the work that's out there.
Take a look.
10. LIZZY CAPLAN
You may know Lizzy Caplan primarily from 'Mean Girls' or, more recently, 'Cloverflield', but Lizzy Caplan's been working away in some fantastic roles for quite some time. A perfect example is the equally underrated 'Masters Of Sex', a brilliant little drama series about a real-life sexologist working in '60s America. Caplan plays a research assistant who works with Michael Sheen and the two embark on a somewhat tense relationship. Also check out 'Party Down', a short-lived comedy series with 'Parks & Recreation's Adam Scott. She has also starred in 'Das Boot' and 'Castle Rock' of late.
9. IDRIS ELBA
Again, like Lizzy Caplan, people may only know Elba from being constantly linked with James Bond or Pacific Rim, but BBC's 'Luther' proved that he has an incredible amount of range and is capable of really leading a series all by himself. While he's primarily been in the leading role, 'Star Trek Beyond' proved that he's just as capable at playing a villain. Elba has also impressed as Heimdall in the MCU movies.
8. NAOMI WATTS
Although she's cropped in some very high-profile blockbusters, it's her work in smaller films and TV series that really shows off Watts' incredible skill. You only need to look at the bizarreness that is 'Mulholland Dr.' to know that she's a capable actor; she acts as the link to reality in David Lynch's dreamworld and when her grips begins to slip on it, so too does our own.
7. TOBY KEBBELL
We've talked about how fantastic 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' has been before; it's easily one of the best sci-fi films of the past twenty years. One of the main reasons for that is Toby Kebbell's performance as the brutal Koba, an ape who was experimented upon by humans and is now a broken, warped and vengeful being. The fact that he loses himself completely in the role - in every sense of the role - is so rare nowadays. So many actors appear to be concerned with their own persona shining through. However Kebbell puts himself aside entirely and becomes the character. It's not just his CGI stuff, either. Look at Guy Ritchie's 'Rocknrolla' or 'Black Mirror' and you'll see one of the finest English actors working today.
6. TONI COLLETTE
While it's true, Toni Collette does have an impressive track record in comedic, off-kilter roles, she's also done a huge amount of dramatic work too that's worth checking out. Again, like Toby Kebbell, she's one of those actors who just disappears into a role entirely. Her talent was clear from the get-go, however. 'Muriel's Wedding' was her fourth role in her entire career and, since then, she's starred in some incredible films. 'Velvet Goldmine', 'The Sixth Sense', 'About A Boy', 'The Hours', 'Little Miss Sunshine' and 'The Way Way Back' - she was even brilliant in the 'Shaft' remake and that was ridiculous. And she was robbed of that Oscar nod for 'Hereditary.'
5. JOEL EDGERTON
When you look over Joel Edgerton's iMDB, there really is such a range of genres, across TV and film. He's done everything - from big-budget blockbusters like 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Zero Dark Thirty' to smaller, more introspective fare like 'The Gift' (which he directed) and 'Kinky Boots'. 'Warrior', as well, also showed how Edgerton was capable of transforming himself - again, disappearing entirely into the role and becoming something brutal and unforgiving. More recently roles in 'Loving' and 'Boy Erased' (which, again, he directed) are making him more of a household name.
4. RICHARD JENKINS
If there was justice in this world, everyone would know who Richard Jenkins is. He's the very definition of a character actor, turning up in some brilliant roles and leading the actors to the central plot. But even when he's not in that sort of role, he's still excellent. 'Killing Them Softly' is a perfect example, where he plays an unnamed attorney who works for a crime syndicate. The film is punctuated by these meetings with Brad Pitt where the two try to work out a debt problem and it's the casual swishing between them that makes it. 'Six Feet Under', 'Step Brothers' or 'The Shape of Water' are his most recognisable work. However he's done some fantastic roles beside these.
3. VIOLA DAVIS
'How To Get Away With Murder' might be a trashy TV show, but Viola Davis has always been the best thing about it. It's good to finally see mainstream Hollywood clocking the fact that she's a brilliant actor. She's built a steady career in TV roles and, in all of them, she's brought that hard-edged style to bear. 'Law & Order: SVU', the remake of 'The Andromeda Strain', she even turned up alongside Toni Collette in the short-lived-but-really-good 'United States of Tara'. In relation to film, Davis blew viewers away in 'Fences', 'The Help' and 'Widows'. And she was one of the better elements of the dreadful 'Suicide Squad.'
2. NICOLAS CAGE
Here's the genuinely infuriating thing about Nicolas Cage. When he wants to be, Cage can be one of the best actors working today. You're laughing now, right? You only need to watch last year's 'Mandy', 'Bad Lieutenant', 'Leaving Las Vegas' or 'Rumblefish' and you'll know that he is more than capable of turning in a decent performance.
He can play a role completely straight - like in 'Moonstruck' or 'Joe' - or he can go completely nuts, like in 'Face / Off' or 'Vampire's Kiss'. Very few actors are able to go from one extreme to the other like Cage. He doesn't get half the credit for that ability. Why he chooses to make the film he does is anyone's guess. It can't all be about his tax liabilities. Maybe he sees something we don't. Maybe it's all some sort of huge performance art piece. Who knows. Maybe he doesn't know himself.
1. PATRICK WILSON
Patrick Wilson's been one of those actors who's been consistent in each role he takes on. The second season of 'Fargo' is worthy of just about every award going for a television series. So too, is Patrick Wilson. The understated nature of his performance in 'Fargo' is just fascinating to watch. When you see the older version of his character, it's clear that Wilson was taking on certain aspects of it and blending them together so seamlessly. He's also done some great comedic work as well. The unfairly maligned 'A-Team' remake, Joe Carnahan's bizarro-comedy 'Stretch', Jason Reitman's cringe-tastic 'Young Adult' and DC blockbuster 'Aquaman' all show that Wilson has a range that's the envy of others. Why he's not doing bigger films is a mystery, but maybe it's a good thing. He's able to do more intelligent, nuanced work without compromising.
