"Hey, I Know that Guy!" Most Underrated Actors in Hollywood

original-written date: 12/1/24

Brad Pitt, Leonardo Dicaprio, Emma Stone, and Scarlett Johansson are just a few A-listers in Hollywood who’s name alone can carry a new movie.  But what about the Actors in supporting roles? Often, we don’t know until they’re walking on stage to receive their award, while the four other nominees are forgotten in a moment.  This blog is to shed some light on the lesser-known actors who deserve their flowers for excellent work on the big and small screen. Pull up google as you go and search each name as you read – I’m willing to bet you’ll recognize a lot more of these underappreciated stars than you think!

The TV Vets:

Michael Kelly – House of Cards, Lioness, The Penguin, Jack Ryan

           One of the best to ever do it when it comes to supporting roles in television, Michael Kelly is the bald guy you recognize immediately but can’t for the life of you remember his name.  Most famous as Doug Stamper in House of Cards, Kelly’s popped up in Lioness: Special Ops and The Penguin most recently. He’s accredited with roles in popular films such as Gone Girl, Now You See Me, Shutter Island, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Law Abiding Citizen.

David Costabile – Breaking Bad, Billions, Suits

           Most Actors would be lucky to have a role in a show like Breaking Bad, The Wire, or Billions. Costabile has had a role in all three, not to mention prominent roles in other popular shows like Suits, Better Call Saul, House, Law & Order and many more.  He’s also no slouch when it comes to films – most recently he had a role in Snack Shack which was received with positive reviews, as well as 13 Hours and The Dirt.

Wendell Pierce – Suits, The Wire, Jack Ryan

           I was first introduced to Wendell Pearce as Detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire, and I kept thinking how familiar the actor looked to me. Come to realize he’s been littered across some of my favorite shows and movies over the years, I just hadn’t put a name to the face. His television filmography is unmatched, playing memorable roles in shows like Suits, Chicago P.D., Jack Ryan, Elsbeth, Ray Donovan, Law & Order, Numb3rs, and The Odd Couple.

Neil McDonough – Band of Brothers, Suits, Yellowstone

           McDonough is an actor I’ve always recognized simply due to how often he pops up in things I like.  What really pushed him over the top for me was his performance as Lynn “Buck” Compton in Band of Brothers. He was a badass, but also an example of the horrors of War, and he was one of my favorite characters in the miniseries. He also had fantastic roles in Suits, Yellowstone, Justified, and is currently working on Tulsa King which I have yet to see. 

Michael Kenneth Williams – The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Lovecroft Country

           RIP to the actor who, in my opinion, gave the world a Top 5 character portrayal in the history of Television in Omar Little on The Wire. Complex, badass, intriguing, compelling characters don’t come often, but Omar Little is the epitome of them all, and Michael K Williams brought life into him better than any actor could have. In addition, he had prominent roles on Boardwalk Empire, Lovecroft Country, The Night Of, and even popped up in The Sopranos.

Aidan Gillen – Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, The Wire

           Some actors when cast in smaller roles are concerned with overdoing. Whereas Gillen says, okay, I’m in a small role, how do I make the audience want more of me?  He’s had supporting roles in 3 of the best shows of all time - Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, The Wire – and makes his character the most interesting person on screen in all three. Littlefinger, Aberamma Gold, and Tommy Carcetti are 3 of my all-time fave characters in 3 of my all-time fave shows. He’s also had roles in Queer as Folk, Kin, and Mayor of Kingstown, as well as a plethora of movie roles in bangers like The Dark Knight Rises, Those Who Wish Me Dead, Blitz, and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Oliver Platt – The Bear, Chicago Med, Fargo

           The first thing I remember seeing Oliver Platt in was Chicago Med which I watched with my parents. A couple years later I saw him pop up in The Bear – the perfect casting and perfect role for the Chicago native. Ever since I continue seeing Platt show up in things and I consistently enjoy his presence.  I really liked the part he played in the first season of Fargo, and he’s become very well-known for his role in 1993’s Three Musketeers.

Tom Pelphrey – Ozark, Banshee, Outer Range

               I haven’t seen the majority of Pelphrey’s work so this may be a biased placement, but the work I have seen is enough for me to include him on my list.  He played my favorite character across the whole run of Ozark as Wendy’s brother Ben. He was so complex and heartbreaking in that role and was really the only person I ever rooted for in that show. He also played interesting characters in Banshee, Love & Death, Outer Range, Iron Fist, and A Man in Full (despite me not loving the end result of those projects).

The Movie Not-So-Super Stars

John Magaro – Many Saints of Newark, Jack Ryan, Laroy Texas, The Big Short

           Magaro was the inspiration for the creation of this blog after I watched the trailer for his new film September 5th. He and Peter Sarsgaard are two of my favorites working right now. But it got me thinking of all the movies and shows I’ve seen Magaro in and how much I absolutely love the work he’s done. He’s been getting more popular as of late with a prominent role in Oscar-nominee Past Lives, as well as a starring role in LaRoy, Texas.  My favorite role of his was in The Many Saints of Newark – a Sopranos prequel where he played a young Silvio Dante. He was also a great supporting character in The Big Short, was one of my favorites in the cast of Jack Ryan and has a lot of fans from his work on The Umbrella Academy. Also interested to see what his role is in the new Fassbender show Agency.

David Dastmalchian – Suicide Squad, Prisoners, Late Night with the Devil, Oppenheimer

           Dastmalchian is probably the most recognizable face in movies that 99% of people don’t know his name.  He’s been on an incredible run of “that guy” performances in the past decade and keeps extremely busy working on a slew of movies I absolutely love – Dune 1 and 2, The Suicide Squad, Oppenheimer, Blade Runner 2049, Prisoners, Ant-Man and so much more. And if you’ve seen him in any of the above – especially in Prisoners – you know he brings the heat.  Recently he’s led a handful of varying-successful horror movies, the standout being Late Night with the Devil among his others The Boogeyman, Afraid, and The Last Voyage of Demeter. He’s also done voice-acting work on One Piece and What If…?        He also has a role in a new movie making some noise at film festivals called The Life of Chuck starring Tom Hiddleston (who deserves more work than just Loki projects).

Lewis Pullman – Top Gun: Maverick, Outer Range, Bad Times at the El Royale

           Pullman is one of the most recent additions to this list as he’s just recently hopped onto my radar.  Top Gun: Maverick is obviously one of the biggest box office successes in recent years, and I liked his role as the nerdy guy in the Top Gun class.  I thought he looked familiar when I watched Maverick, and I realized it was because he was in Bad Times at the El Royale as the hotel worker – a movie that wasn’t perfect, but he was good in.  I also thought he was great in Outer Range alongside Josh Brolin and Tom Pelphrey (a trio I’d be happy with in any movie or show).  He’s got a slew of newer projects that I haven’t gotten around to yet, but from everything I’ve heard he’s done well with what he’s been given regardless of the success of those projects. Starring alongside Brie Larson in Lessons in Chemistry, Salem’s Lot (2024), The Strangers: Prey at Night, The Line, Press Play, and will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Sentry in The Thunderbolts.

Adria Arjona – Hitman, Andor, 6 Underground

               Arjona burst onto the scene for me with her role in Andor. She doesn’t play a huge role, but it’s pivotal and endearing, and her performance adds much to a show that is already incredible.  This past year she blew me away in Hit Man alongside Glen Powell. Sexy, surprising, endearing, and sneaky hilarious. She’s done a ton of work in film despite varying levels of success for those films, including Morbius, Blink Twice, 6 Underground, Father of the Bride, Triple Frontier, and Pacific Rim Uprising.  She’s also been featured in successful series like Irma Vep, Good Omens, and True Detective.  

Giovanni Ribisi – Saving Private Ryan, Ted, Sneaky Pete

               Ribisi is truly one of my favorite actors to see show up in any form of media. I find him extremely compelling in his roles and has incredible range.  My earliest memory seeing him was in Saving Private Ryan, and aside from Barry Pepper’s badass sniper character, he was far and away my favorite as Medic Wade.  Many may know him from Friends as Phoebe’s eccentric younger brother, but his most prominent television role is Sneaky Pete – his starring role as the titular character. He’s hysterical in both Ted films, had supporting roles in both Avatar films, and had starring movie roles in the early 2000s like Gone in 60 Seconds, Boiler Room, and Lost in Translation. 

Vera Farmiga – The Departed, Many Saints of Newark, The Conjuring

               One of my biggest blind sports for movies and television is the genre of horror. I’m a baby and want to be entertained, not scared when watching media.  However, The Conjuring was a phenomenon that I had to see, and despite it scaring the ever-living shit out of me, it’s a great film. And Farmiga is incredible in this genre. Her horror resume is unmatched, including all Conjuring squels, The Nun, Orphan, Annabelle Comes Home, and Norma Bates herself in Bates Motel.  Outside of horror, she’s played great side characters in The Departed, Up in the Air, The Judge, and Source Code. I also love her in The Many Saints of Newark as Livia Soprano and thought she was great in Hawkeye.

Rising Stars:

Kieran Culkin – Succession, A Real Pain, Fargo, Scott Pilgrim

               No hyperbole, Kieran Culkin legitimately may be a Top 10 actor on the planet (I’d give that nod to his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong as well).  He has this ability to connect with his characters on such a deep level, and his delivery of lines doesn’t feel like acting at all. It’s almost as if there were no lines on the page, the director just gave him the scope of the scene and he lets it rip. His most famous role is of course Roman Roy in Succession – a Top 10 TV portrayal of the last decade. He’s getting tons of Oscar-buzz for his new movie A Real Pain alongside Jesse Eisenberg. He only got one episode in Fargo season 2 but made the most of it. He’s beloved for his role in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Father of the Bride, and Movie 43. He’s become much more popular as of late, but he deserves so much more credit and opportunities.

Ayo Adebiri – The Bear, Theater Camp, Bottoms

               Another actor who is gaining tons of notoriety recently – which is MUCH deserved because she’s incredible – but a lot of people out there still don’t know Ayo Adebiri.  She burst onto the scene as Sydney in The Bear and it can’t be stressed enough how awesome she is.  She also has incredible comedic chops and has shown her creativity as a writer even early on in her career. Her and Rachel Sennott made one of the most under-appreciated comedies of the 2020s in Bottoms, and she plays a hilarious role in a hilarious movie Theater Camp.  She also is great in voice-acting with Inside Out 2, Big Mouth, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. She’s been cast in the MCU for Thunderbolts, and has a starring role in a new Sci-fi movie Omni Loop.

Angourie Rice – The Nice Guys, Spider-man film series, Mare of Easttown

               It’s a little difficult for me to gauge the true popularity of Angourie Rice among the public because a lot of her movies aren’t exactly catered to the 25-year-old male. However, the films and shows I have seen her in are enough for me to include her here.  At just 23-years old, Rice has quite the filmography already. She is laugh out loud funny at just 15 years old in The Nice Guys as Ryan Gosling’s daughter (“Dad, there are like, whores here and stuff”). I also thought she was great in Mare of Easttown alongside Kate Winslet. She has a supporting role in the Tom Holland Spiderman films, and she’s starred in several new movies like the revamped Mean Girls, Honor Society, Every Day, and Senior Year.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear, Andor, The Punisher

               Cousin himself! Ebon Moss-Bachrach is not a name that jumps out to many, but if you’ve seen The Bear you know exactly why he’s on this list. He has the same quality that I mentioned with Culkin above that when they say their lines, it doesn’t feel written. They make the lines their own and sink into the character seamlessly.  Aside from The Bear, he plays an extremely slept-on role in Andor and is part of an incredible 3-episdoe arc that fans will be familiar with.  He also has been praised for his roles in both Girls and The Punisher. He also had a funny role in No Hard Feelings alongside Jennifer Lawrence, and he’s been cast in the MCU’s Fantastic Four project as The Thing. Get this guy more work!

Jimmy Tatro – Real Bros of Simi Valley, 22 Jump Street, Theater Camp

Hand up, this is a very biased pick. Not sure many serious industry writers are talking about the need to get Jimmy Tatro in more projects.  But to that notion I say - fuck you, serious industry writers. This guy rules. I grew up on Jimmy Tatro’s Youtube channel Life According to Jimmy, heavily influenced by my older brother.  His comedy is right in my Q-zone.  Real Bros of Simi Valley is hysterical and is a conglomerate of several hilarious internet personalities. He’s had several small roles in good comedies like 22 Jump Street, Grown-Ups 2, Stuber, and more. He’s the star of American Vandal, a hilarious mockumentary, and is my favorite part of a hilarious movie Theater Camp.

Side Role All-Stars:

Walton Goggins – The Righteous Gemstones, Fallout, The Hateful Eight

A veteran actor who rarely gets the starring role, but is a master of supporting characters.  Baby Billy in The Righteous Gemstones is an all-timer, as is Lee Russell in Vice Principals.  He’s been praised for his Fallout performance this year, and has a big fanbase built from his Justified and Sons of Anarchy days. His credits are an endless list, but some of my favorites of his are The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, Ant-Man, and Maze Runner.

Gil Birmingham – Yellowstone, Wind River, Hell or High Water

If Taylor Sheridan continuously puts you into his projects, you’re doing something right. Birmingham is a recognizable actor from his work in the Sheridan-verse like Wind River, Yellowstone, and Hell or High Water, all of which he’s terrific in. Fans recognize him from the Twilight series of films as well, but he’s most well-known for his storied career in TV including Under the Banner of Heaven, Banshee, House of Cards, Siren, and so much more.

Gary Cole – Veep, Talladega Nights, Office Space

If you’re a comedy fan, you know Gary Cole. It doesn’t get much better in terms of creating memorable side characters than his career, most notably as Lumbergh in Office Space and Ricky Bobby’s Dad in Talladega Nights. Memorable guest roles on Entourage, Suits, The West Wing, The Good Wife, and more, a fan favorite in Veep, and one half of the best announcing duo there ever was in Dodgeball. (shoutout Jason Bateman)

Dagmara Dominczyk – Succession, We Own This City, Bottoms

Dominczyk is probably the least well-known actress on this list, but every time I see her I like her more. First introduction to her was in Succession as Karolina, a minor character in the grand scheme that I liked. She had a similar-scope role in We Own This City, and has since had supporting roles in Miller’s Girl, Priscilla, Bottoms, and The Lost Daughter. 

Diedrich Bader - Office Space, Napoleon Dynamite, Lucky Hank

Bader is an actor/comedian who is more well-known for his voice-acting work, having countless credits to his name across animated projects like Bat-Man, Surf’s Up, Bojack Horseman and so many more. I remember him most from Office Space (“Doing two chicks at the same time man”) and Napoleon Dynamite (“Bow to your sensei, BOW TO YOUR SENSEI”) and recently popped up as I was watching Lucky Hank featuring Bob Odenkirk (who is also slept on FYI). 

Deserve More Opportunities:

Antony Starr – The Boys, Banshee, The Covenant

Homelander himself from The Boys universe, it’s honestly confounding to me that this guy doesn’t have more jobs. He’s legitimately mesmerizing as Homelander and has a crazy amount of range. He’s a master of facial and reactionary acting in my opinion. He’s also great in Banshee, a show in which he’s a criminal trying to take on the persona of a small-town sheriff.  He also got a role in The Covenant with Jake Gyllenhaal, but deserves much more. 

Peter Sarsgaard – Presumed Innocent, Dopesick, Jarhead

After watching Presumed Innocent I was in awe of Peter Sarsgaard’s performance and the character he portrayed.  He was somehow able to play a sleazy asshole that I found myself rooting for by the end of it? It was a conflicting experience but I want even more (Excited for September 5 to come out).  He’s been acting for a very long time and has had plenty of good roles, I just want to see even more of him.

Billy Crudup – The Morning Show, Almost Famous, Watchmen

The Morning Show is FAR from a perfect show (and has gotten worse with each season) but Billy Crudup is so energetic and entertaining, he’s kept me watching for 3 whole seasons.  He has a long resume over the years - his most notable movie being Almost Famous from 2000 and having two big TV roles as recently as 2023 - but I can think of about 5 TV shows and movies he’d be perfect for off the top of my head.

Ken Leung – Industry, Sopranos, Lost

Eric Tao is a powerhouse of a role for any actor in the series Industry, and Ken Leung plays it as well as I could ever imagine. He also had a small but incredibly memorable role to me on The Sopranos, and I haven’t watched Lost yet, but many praise his performance there as well.

Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul, Veep, Invincible

It took all my power not to add Bob Odenkirk, Michael Mando, Jonathan Banks, Patrick Fabian and the whole Better Call Saul crew on this list because I fucking love that show. I’ll settle for just Rhea Seehorn because it makes ZERO sense to me how she hasn’t had more jobs (and makes me furious she never won an academy award for her work on BCS).