Top 20 Most Underappreciated Actors Ever

Starring in a young adult book series adaptation often propels artists into stardom. But “The Maze Runner”’s leading man is still underestimated. O’Brien’s career story is basically an aspiring actor’s dream come true. He started out posting funny videos on his YouTube channel, and was eventually discovered. Soon enough, he landed his breakout role as fan-favorite character Stiles in “Teen Wolf”. Rumor has it that he showed up to the audition with nothing but links to his videos! That takes real guts. More recently, he showcased his talent in Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well: The Short Film”! Considering his range, we’d say he deserves way more credit than he gets.

If you don’t know who she is yet, we’d recommend checking out her impressive body of work. Chau’s breakout performance as Ngoc Lan Tran in “Downsizing” was simply outstanding. She more than held her own, seamlessly playing off serious Hollywood veterans like Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, and Christoph Waltz. The role even earned her a nomination at both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards, which is no small feat! She just brings a unique presence to every single part she plays. By all accounts, Chau should be a way bigger fixture in the business by now!

You probably know her as Quinn Fabray, aka the Cheerios’ head cheerleader and McKinley High’s queen bee on “Glee.” Though she started out as a rather stereotypical figure, Fabray’s character development was nothing short of impressive. She was preppy, edgy, and everything in between throughout the course of the series. Agron absolutely nailed every single iteration of Quinn. Amazingly, the actress brings that same dedication and talent to all of her roles - even if the projects themselves aren’t always critically acclaimed. Her work in “The Family,” for instance, was powerful and deeply emotional. “I Am Number Four” was yet another example of her ability to make any part shine. Somehow, she always makes it look easy!

She’s pretty well-known for bringing the wide-eyed title cyborg to life in “Alita: Battle Angel,” and it’s not hard to see why. Her portrayal of the character was, in a word, captivating. But Salazar’s resume is filled with many more credits, which makes us wonder why she didn’t become a bigger Hollywood name sooner. Maybe you’ll recognize her from her stints on such shows as “Parenthood” and “Man Seeking Woman.” Maybe you’re familiar with her performance as Brenda in two-thirds of the “Maze Runner” trilogy, or as Lucy in “Bird Box.” Of course, that’s just a fraction of what she’s accomplished, which tells you everything you need to know.

This Yale educated actress is one of those performers that seems like she’s in everything, yet most people don’t really know who she is. Lathan started out with bit parts in classic shows like “Moesha” and “Family Matters”. She then went on to give critically-acclaimed performances in movies like “The Best Man” and “Love & Basketball.” She’s also the voice of Donna Tubbs on “The Cleveland Show” and “Family Guy,” proving that she truly can do anything. In fact, she’s been nominated for - and won - so many awards that she’s practically a staple in Black cinema. Still, despite her extreme talent and diverse body of work, she’s flown under the mainstream radar. Hopefully that changes soon, because Sanaa Lathan is a name everyone should know.

He’s been in the industry for decades. Nineties’ kids probably know him best as the voice of Lord Farquaad in “Shrek”. Older audiences, on the other hand, might remember him as the strict Reverend Shaw Moore in “Footloose”. But Lithgow’s also been in a plethora of other films, TV shows, and stage productions. With over a hundred credits under his belt since the 1970s, he’s brought a palpable passion to every role he’s taken on. His Golden Globes, Tony, and Emmy awards practically speak for themselves! If that’s not enough to convince you, he also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. With that in mind, people should really better appreciate his contributions to the industry!

She looks familiar, but you just can’t place her, right? Toni Collette is a chameleon. She slips into every role so seamlessly you forget she’s playing a part. She makes it easy to suspend your disbelief and enjoy the ride, and her versatility is extraordinary. It’s shocking that the woman behind the grim Annie Graham in “Hereditary” is the same one who played the showy Joni Thrombey in “Knives Out.” You probably didn’t even realize that she was the mom in “The Sixth Sense”! She’s also been considered for, and earned, many prestigious awards. So why isn’t she a household name yet? She certainly should be.

Getting started early as a child actor in the ‘90s, Malone impressed with her first major part as Bone in “Bastard Out of Carolina”. The performance even landed her a SAG Award nomination for “Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries”. She’s since accumulated many credits, but her most well known part is probably that of Johanna Mason in “The Hunger Games” movies. No one else could’ve played that role as well as her! Film critic Roger Ebert has often praised Malone for her impressive performances, and we have to agree with him. Whether it’s a small independent film or a huge Hollywood blockbuster, the actress always brings the goods.

This queen of supporting roles was Jenna’s not-so-great friend Lucy in “13 Going on 30”, Claire’s sister Karen in “Jurassic World”, and Scott’s ex-wife Maggie in “Ant-Man.” She’s also appeared in bit parts and guest spots on several different TV shows. But if you’ve seen her performance as Karen in the “Halloween” movies, then you know that she has what it takes to be a leading lady. Greer’s impressive resume spans more genres than most folks realize, and she’s able to make even secondary characters memorable. Needless to say, the time has come for her to step into the spotlight!

You’ve probably mistaken her for Amy Adams at one point or another, but this is a completely different talented Hollywood redhead. And it’s time she got the love she deserves. Though she started racking up credits in the early ‘90s, the actress became well-known in North America when she brought Gloria to life in “Wedding Crashers”. Her work in the 2005 movie was incredibly well-received, and won her the MTV Movie Award for “Breakthrough Performance.” Of course, we can’t talk about Fisher without mentioning her portrayal of Rebecca Bloomwood in “Confessions of a Shopaholic.” On top of that, her back-to-back performances as Myrtle in “The Great Gatsby” and Henley in “Now You See Me” were absolutely stunning. So why aren’t we talking about her more?

She may be most famous for her Disney Channel days, but there’s a lot more to see from this bright, young star. Speaking of the Disney Channel, she won a Daytime Emmy expertly playing twins with very different personalities on “Liv and Maddie.” And her performance in the “Descendants” movies was also noteworthy. Still, her work extends beyond the beloved kids network. For instance, she had a recurring role on Marvel’s “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”, where she played a devious villain named Ruby. She also showed off her chops when she portrayed Amber in “Hairspray Live!” Yet sadly, she’s not often spoken about as a serious artist, despite having proven herself time and again!

He became a big deal when he starred as Peter Parker in “The Amazing Spider-Man” films. But Garfield started impressing us before that - and has continued doing so ever since - with critically-acclaimed performances in numerous projects. In 2010 alone, he graced our screens as both Tommy in “Never Let Me Go” and Eduardo Saverin in “The Social Network.” Of course, there was also his portrayal of Desmond Doss in the 2016 film “Hacksaw Ridge.” More recently, he blew us away with his embodiment of Jonathan Larson in “Tick, Tick…Boom!” Clearly, his talent is undeniable, but people are only now starting to realize it. Though the extent of this superhero’s acting powers have yet to be fully recognized, we have a feeling he’s just getting started.

This talented actor is a pioneer for Latinx performers. He initially found his groove as a performance artist. But making it in Hollywood wasn’t as simple, as most of the roles he was offered were based on stereotypes about Hispanic people. Still, he broke out of that, showcasing his talent in roles like Tybalt in the 1996 adaptation of “Romeo + Juliet” and Toulouse-Lautrec in “Moulin Rouge!” His voice acting is also unmatched. Fans of the “Ice Age” movies have Leguizamo to thank for Sid. Did we mention he was also Bruno in “Encanto”? Perhaps if more people knew the name behind the voice, they’d understand how legendary he is. Because whether it’s on stage or on screen, Leguizamo’s performances are always dynamic and memorable.

He’s been on the scene for a while now, but you never really hear about him in the mainstream media. His performance as one of the Vulture’s henchmen, Shocker, in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” was epic. And that’s only one of many stellar performances. Look no further than his portrayal of David "Fathead" Newman in “Ray” to see what we mean. Yet he’s never won any of the four major awards. His role as fan-favorite character Mike Milligan in “Fargo” did get him an Emmy nomination, but he was ultimately robbed. Woodbine’s another in a long list of actors who have starred in over a hundred projects. So we can’t help but wonder when his recognition will come..

Most millennials probably still think of Stifler's mom from the “American Pie” movies when they see this talented character actress on screen. Nobody can play a comedic role quite like Jennifer Coolidge. Her portrayal of Paulette Bonafonté in the “Legally Blonde” movies is still referenced today, because that’s just how hilarious it was. She also did a wonderful job bringing the evil - but iconic - stepmother Fiona to life in Hilary Duff’s “A Cinderella Story.” And that’s saying nothing of how she brought the irreverent Sophie Kaczyński to life in “2 Broke Girls”! Coolidge is always laugh-out-loud funny, and brings an unparalleled charm to every role. So while people may not initially picture her when they think of top-tier comedic actresses, they definitely should.

Reilly’s a pretty big name in Hollywood, but we feel he still doesn’t have the level of public notoriety he deserves. From goofy comedies like “Step Brothers”, to dramas such as “The Aviator”, to the musical “Chicago”, he’s had a foot in many genres. And no matter what type of role he’s taken on, he’s delivered. While he’s been nominated for many major awards, his only notable win is the 2003 SAG award for “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture”. It’s completely unacceptable! He’s always a bright spot in whatever film he’s in, and his trophy case should reflect that.

Kathryn Hahn can do no wrong. Did you see her in “WandaVision”? Her work in the series was nothing short of awe inspiring, and provided a glimpse into just how talented she truly is. After all, it takes a lot of skill to pull off a twist like that so seamlessly! She was also the funniest character in the “Bad Moms” movies, and pretty much steals whatever show she’s in. Any project is simply better if Hahn’s in it, because she consistently delivers compelling and nuanced performances. How is it humanly possible that she hasn’t won an Emmy yet? Somebody give this acting phenom all the awards!

This Juilliard trained actor has been around for decades. As of now, he’s won an Oscar and three Tonys, and has been nominated for two Emmys and five Golden Globes.Yet, you probably didn’t recognize him by name, did you? After graduating from Juilliard, the idea emerged for Kline and his fellow students to form an Acting Company. Needless to say, it was a resounding success. And all these years later, he’s accomplished quite a wide array of work, tackling both the stage and screen with ease. He’s starred in some big name movies like “Sophie’s Choice”, “The Big Chill”, and the one that won him his Oscar, “A Fish Called Wanda”. This industry titan’s name should be on everybody’s lips by now!

Her first major role as Mattie Ross in “True Grit” nearly landed her an Academy Award. In fact that made her one of the youngest actresses to ever be nominated for a “Best Actress in a Supporting Role” Oscar. And it’s been all uphill from there. She’s showcased her musical and acting talents in movies like “Begin Again”, and in the “Pitch Perfect” franchise. What’s more, her portrayal of Nadine in “The Edge of Seventeen” was pure brilliance. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, she also flawlessly became Emily Dickinson in the Apple TV+ series. She’s always able to churn out subtle yet powerful performances, and never fails to amaze us. It’s absolute lunacy that some people still don’t know just how gifted she is.

You probably haven’t heard of this man, in part because he seemingly makes a point of keeping himself out of the spotlight. Murphy himself has reportedly said that he has no interest in the celebrity lifestyle. But his performances really do speak for themselves. His resume includes several acclaimed theater pieces, but spans mediums. Of course, “Peaky Blinders” fans will know him better as Tommy Shelby. And while he keeps a low-profile outside of work, he’s delivered stellar performances in more than one mainstream film. He spooked all of us as the Scarecrow in “Batman Begins,” and his performance as Jackson Rippner in “Red Eye” was overwhelmingly terrifying. Murphy might not be interested in more attention, but there’s no doubt his work warrants it.