Movie stardom is widely considered the pinnacle of success as an actor. Most TV actors dream of leaving the small screen and directing movies. But television roles come with their own perks. TV shows give their characters a lot more screen time than movies, so actors can really take on those roles and explore their psychology and personality in depth.
In the age of “Peak TV”, television roles are more lucrative and in demand than ever. In some cases, movie stars who can demand big-screen lead roles like Matthew McConaughey and Julia Roberts have moved on to television roles.
ten Reese Witherspoon
In the 90s and early 2000s, Reese Witherspoon made a name for himself starring in two Hollywood comedies that appealed to audiences like Revenge of a Blonde and dark, subversive satires like Election. She went on to win the Best Actress Oscar for her role as June Carter Cash in walk the line.
But in recent years, Witherspoon has ditched filmmaking in favor of television roles. She’s starred alongside other movie stars in all of her recent TV projects: Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep in big little liesJennifer Aniston in The morning showand Kerry Washington in Small fires everywhere.
9 Don Cheadle
After breaking into the 1980s with roles in acclaimed films like Hamburger Hill and ColorsDon Cheadle has appeared in films as critically acclaimed as Rwanda Hotelfor which he received an Oscar nomination, and that of Paul Thomas Anderson boogie nights.
Cheadle is known for his recurring collaboration with director Steven Soderbergh on hit films like Out of sight, Trafficand the oceans trilogy. The actor has since starred in Showtime comedies The house of lies and Black Mondayand is set to reprise his Marvel superhero role as War Machine in the Disney+ series Armor Wars.
8 Drew Barrymore
After making her debut as a child actress in Steven Spielberg HEYDrew Barrymore has proven his abilities as a leader in never been kissed. She starred alongside Adam Sandler in romantic comedies The Wedding Singer, 50 first datesand Mixtureand played on his own star power in the iconic opening scene of Scream.
Barrymore made it to the small screen to play a suburban cannibal in Netflix’s criminally underrated dark comedy series Santa Clarita diet. She also hosts the talk show The Drew Barrymore Show.
seven Anthony Hopkins
The legendary Anthony Hopkins won an Oscar with just 16 chilling screen minutes as Dr Hannibal Lecter in Thesilenceofthelambs. After years of acclaimed contributions to the motion picture industry, Hopkins was knighted and given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hopkins has appeared in films as beloved as Leftovers of the day, Nixon, Amistad, The two popesand The father. He also played Dr. Robert Ford, the co-founder and director of the titular western-themed park, in the first two seasons of HBO’s Noble Existential adaptation. Westworld. This role earned Hopkins an Emmy nomination.
6 Emma Stone
Both popular movie star and prestigious actress, Emma Stone won an Oscar for The Earth. Stone appeared in both blockbusters as The Amazing Spider-Man smaller and quirkier films and movies like birdman and The favourite.
The actor made his first breakthrough alongside Jonah Hill in the R-rated hit comedy super bad. A decade later, Stone reunited with Hill for the Netflix dark comedy miniseries Maniacal.
5 Jane Fonda
One of the most prolific movie stars of all time, Jane Fonda has won numerous awards: two Oscars, two BAFTAs, seven Golden Globes, an Emmy, the honorary Palme d’Or, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Cecil B Prize. DeMille – the list goes on.
Fonda has played a major role in such big-screen classics as Klute, Go homeand The Chinese Syndrome before moving on to the small screen to play alongside him 9 to 5 co-star Lily Tomlin in the Netflix sitcom Grace and Frankie.
4 winona ryder
One of the biggest movie stars of the 80s and 90s, Winona Ryder made a name for herself playing comedic roles in Heathers and beetle juice before taking on a more challenging dramatic role in girl interrupted.
Ryder’s star faded through the 2000s and early 2010s, but her career was revitalized in 2016 with the role of monster-slaying mother Joyce Byers in the Netflix sci-fi series 1990s. 80. stranger things.
3 Angela Bassette
Angela Bassett made her big screen debut with roles in movies like Boyz in the hood and Malcolm X. The screen legend first became a recognizable star with her flawless performance as Tina Turner in the biopic What’s love got to do with it. Bassett recently joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe — a kind of big-screen answer to serialized television — as Black Panther’s mother.
For the past few years, Bassett has been a regular collaborator with television producer Ryan Murphy, playing roles in american horror story and 9-1-1. Bassett’s work with Murphy earned him a grand total of seven Emmy nominations.
2 Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey’s breakout role was that of a grown man who hangs out with teenagers in Dazed and confused. Over the next few years, he settled into starring roles in critically acclaimed romantic comedies. The actor revolutionized his career with challenging dramatic roles in joe the killer, Mudand Christopher Nolan Interstellar – not to mention his turn in Dallas Buyers Club, which earned him a long-awaited Oscar. This period is nicknamed the “McConaissance”.
Halfway through ‘McConaissance’, McConaughey moved on to television for the first season of real detective. He gave a universally acclaimed performance as deranged existentialist jurist Rust Cohle.
1 julia robert
Winner of an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globes, Julia Roberts is one of the biggest draws at the box office. The actor first turned heads with his debut performances in Mystical Pizza and Steel Magnolias. Since then, she has acted in all kinds of films: comedies like Notting Hillthrillers like Sleep with the enemytraditional blockbusters like To hang up and Ocean’s Elevenand real dramas like Erin Brockovitch and Charlie Wilson’s War.
Roberts is known for starring alongside Richard Gere in hit romantic comedies like A pretty woman and bride on the run. In recent years, Roberts has moved on to streaming. She starred in Amazon’s psychological thriller series Back home as a social worker helping soldiers return to civilian life.
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