Editorial: Actors Who Don’t Get Enough Credit

Posted By: Tom Hunton: June 25, 2014In: EditorialNo Comments

We live in a world where film is anywhere between liked and worshiped, and rightfully so. A well told story can move us, inspire us, lift us, scare us. Even with the struggling times for cinema, the film industry is still thriving. The spotlight though is often dominated by the mega-stars of the industry. The Clooney‘s, the Pitt‘s, the Kristen Stewarts‘s of the world. Time after time there are so many talented actors who simply don’t get the credit they deserve. The actors who put in career changing and defining performances, but never reap the rewards.

The good news is, there’s always hope for actors. Film, and Hollywood in particular, is a weird machine. One day you’re up and one day you’re down, and vice-versa. For example, if I was writing this list a year or two ago, Matthew McConaughey would definitely be included. Now, in 2014, that name would feel out of place o this list because he is finally getting the acknowledgement he deserves. A talented actor who was stuck in the world of romantic comedies, because that’s all that was thrown at him. Luckily he has managed to grab roles that would change his career for the better. Roles in films such as Fraility, Tropic Thunder and The Lincoln Lawyer. He’s a shining light for any of the talented actors in Hollywood who just can’t break that mold yet, to keep working hard, and success and recognition will come.

Here’s a list of some bitterly underrated actors working in Hollywood right now.

Michael Pena

Michael Pena is a curious case. I wouldn’t be writing about Pena if he wasn’t a massively underrated talent, but he may not be for too much longer. Pena has been biding his time putting in solid performance after solid performance over the years and it looks like it’s about to pay off. Perhaps it really is a case of slow and steady wins the race? After playing bit characters through the ’90s, Pena resisted the urge to accept ‘stereotypical’ Latino archetypes for the rest of his career. A steady up-rise in his career has seen him in some fantastic films like Crash, World Trade Center, Everything Must Go and End of Watch. Over the next couple of years Pena will be keeping himself busy by starring in (at least) 6 films! And with the soon to be released (in the UK), Cesar Chavez, a biopic following the civil-rights activist during the ’60s, Pena could very well become a man in even higher demand than he already is. Could this be the role to throw Pena into stardom? We can only hope so.

Toni Collette

Toni Collete is a phenomenal female lead who has seemed to find her footing in the Indie film world. A fantastic actress who immerses herself in her roles. Often swaying towards the more complex, true to life, struggling motherly role. Yet somehow Collete manages to find a different edge all the time. Toni Collette also has a real knack for accents, another very underrated skill seeing how many actors in today’s world struggle. Think Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond, Anne Hathaway in One Day. You cannot underestimate the importance of getting an accent down to a T, because one step out of line and the audience will punish you for it. You never see Collette struggling with such issues, but what is she? America, or British? She switches between the two seamlessly, it easy to understand peoples confusion. Well, in fact Collette is Australian, which makes her talent for accents even more impressive. So why isn’t she a household name? Why has she only had one nomination for an Academy Award in her entire career? It’s baffling, especially in the world of Hollywood where the under-appreciation of talented actresses is a constant issue. There’s one right here you fools, so start paying attention and give her the credit she deserves.

Barry Pepper

Oh, Barry. Another case of always the bridesmaid, never the bride. What the hell can’t you say about Barry Pepper? This guy is full of raw emotion and intensity and I guarantee, when he cries, you cry. This guy has the best crying face around! He makes it look cool for a grown man to cry. Okay, enough about crying. Seriously though, Barry Pepper is a shockingly underrated, underused and under-appreciated actor. The average film goer probably wouldn’t realise who he is until you mentioned films like Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Seven Pounds and 25^th Hour, which are just a selection of the fantastic films that Pepper has not only starred in with a supporting role but also helped bring the level up because of it. You’re unlikely to know his name, but once you see his face you’ll remember exactly who he is. And that’s the problem. It’s insulting that an actor so diverse and talented doesn’t even have a recognisable name, let alone getting the recognition he deserves. Things have somewhat slowed for Pepper in recent years after enjoying a thriving late ’90s and early-mid ’00’s. Perhaps upcoming Crime/Drama, Kill The Messenger starring Jeremy Renner will be the film to put him back on track?

Martin Freeman

Freeman is much like Pena in that he is on the cusp. Overshadowed and overtaken by other British comic actors, most notably Ricky Gervais, Martin Freeman has always been consistent in his work (including the rather shaky Christmas flick, The Nativity). Yet Freeman has always failed to break that Hollywood bubble. Whether he’s actually ever given it a go or not is another story, but people quickly forget what a hilarious actor he is. And if you want to see some genuine emotion from Freeman too, then check out the hit BBC series, Sherlock. While Benedict Cumberbatch reaps all the praise and rewards from the fan-girls, it’s Freeman who makes up half of the show, and equally gives 50% of the reason to watch it. Luckily for us, Freeman is currently starring in The Hobbit trilogy and the hit TV series, Fargo, so the world may finally sit up and take notice about what a remarkable actor Martin Freeman actually is.

Giovanni Ribisi

Still to this day known to many as ‘Phoebe’s brother from Friends‘. Giovanni Ribisi is a sublime actor that for whatever reason just cannot hit the big time. Saving Private Ryan, Ted, Avatar, Gone In Sixty Seconds, Public Enemies: just a few of the high profile films Ribisi has graced his presence with. Yet he’s constantly overlooked by the public and producers alike. Ribisi is a seasoned actor in his own rights, starting out young with regular appearances in hit TV shows such as The Wonder Years. He finally made a transition to film and hit the big time in 1998 with Saving Private Ryan. It was all looking good and then it seemed to stall, unjustly. He’s put in consistent performances over the years and has proven that he has the ability to switch from loveable goof, to despicable villain in a flash, but more often than not his roles come in the form of the supporting character, with nobody wanting to take that risk of giving him a lead. Is he just not lead material? Would audiences not gravitate towards him or is it yet another case of the Hollywood machine holding down what is a tremendously talented actor? Ribisi was recently seen working on the now cancelled hit and miss sitcom, Dads, as well as starring alongside Seth MacFarlane in the critically-panned comedy, A Million Ways To Die In The West. Not a good couple past gigs sure but everyone has their blip. We can only hope he can finally land a couple of hits and make his mark, because he deserves it.