If we had our way this would be the Hollywood A-list
Plenty of people in Hollywood are overrated. Movies and television shows teem with actors who were either lucky, shrewd, good-looking, or well-connected enough to rise despite a certain lack of talent. Probably every one has their own pet example – a movie star, an ingenue starlet or a pretty boy semi-celeb – that illustrates just what a capricious bitch good fortune really is, especially when Fame is at stake.
Obviously we watch too many movies and waaayyy too much television, and as a result we’ve seen some actors come and go that we wish worked more. The list below isn’t comprehensive and it’s not scientific; of course it’s not objective either. But if you see one of these actors on a screen, pay attention and you’re guaranteed to see good work.
Lee Tergesen: Of the hundreds of actors (we’re only slightly exaggerating) that came out of the late and much-missed HBO series Oz, perhaps no one is more overdue for widespread acclaim than the actor that brought Tobias Beecher to life. Tergesen’s done laps around the guest star circuit, appearing on the Law & Orders as well as CSI and Masters of Horror, but he’s an astonishingly versatile actor who deserves a wider audience. Possible liability: Suffers from The Nancy Travis Paradox: not pretty enough for leading roles, too charismatic for supporting parts. Notable performance: Any of his scene-stealing guest spots on Rescue Me and Desperate Housewives. Next appears: In this year’s Iraq War HBO mini Generation Kill.
Maria Bello: A true actor’s actor, Maria Bello has held her own against leading men as diverse as Mel Gibson and Viggo Mortensen. Her performances are dependably well-modulated and restrained, showing a technique built on craftsmanship rather than showing off for the camera with a lot of tics and strutting (probably why the Academy routinely ignores her.) Possible liability: Conspicuously not above taking paycheck roles such as in Coyote Ugly. Notable performance: Breathing new life into the waitress-with-a-heart-of-gold archetype in The Cooler. Next appears: Adventuring with Brendan Fraser in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
Stephen Root: An actor whose fame has remained at an unreasonable volume for much of his career, Root’s turn as the flopsweating Milton Waddams in 1999’s Office Space made the Swingline stapler a hip accessory. He’s since appeared in O Brother, Where Art Thou? and done regular work on underrated series like King of the Hill and News Radio. Possible liability: Hollywood only has so many parts for heavyset men that don’t involve buffoon schtick. Notable performance: He’s Milton Waddams, for Christ’s sake. Next appears: In Joe Wright’s (Atonement) Oscar-bait biopic The Soloist, opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Catherine Keener.
Gretchen Mol: Sometimes early fame is a curse. Mol shot to overweening public exposure in the late 90s, a time when new actors were mercilessly forced upon the public. Following starring roles in underperforming films like Rounders and The Thirteenth Floor, Mol built a career in indie cinema including Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things and last year’s The Ten. Possible liability: A tendency to appear in films that aren’t as good as they should be. Notable performance: Her fearless and revelatory starring performance in 2005’s The Notorious Bettie Page. Next appears: Opposite Luke Wilson in the indie comedy Tenure.
Gina Torres: We’re sort of convinced that Fame owes Gina Torres money. If you’re even a little bit geek, you’ve seen her in something: Firefly, 24, Alias, and several more genre serials. A gifted character actress, Torres plays strong women effortlessly without sacrificing her femininity. Possible liability: She may be typecast in geek culture roles. Notable performance: As first mate and Nathan Fillion’s conscience in Joss Whedon’s wildly uneven Serenity. Next appears: In the indie drama Don’t Let Me Drown, about two Latino teens in the aftermath of September 11th (yeah, that old cliche.)
Michael Hogan: Battlestar Galactica has made its mistakes, but even its low points were made gripping thanks to screen-melting performances by Mary McDonnell, Edward James Olmos, and especially Michael Hogan as the troubled and self-loathing Colonel Saul Tigh. Adding layers of emotion to what in other hands might’ve been a generic hardass role, Hogan never resorts to capital-A acting to communicate his character’s complexity. Possible liability: Long-running science fiction shows often become an albatross for their casts’ later careers. Notable performance: Parodying the Tigh character on Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken. Next appears: Helping Galactica grind to a conclusion in its final season.
- Michael Kabel
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