Underrated Actors Spotlight #2

It’s that time again for my running feature to highlight those fantastic actors that are overshadowed by hacktors and hacktresses. Today, we focus on the supporting players.

J.K. Simmons

I first saw J.K. on the HBO series Oz where he played the Aryan leader, Vern Schillinger. He was fantastic in the role. You recognize him from such films The Cider House Rules, Thank You for Smoking, Juno, Burn After Reading, I Love You Man, Extract and the Spider Man franchise. He is currently on the TBS series, The Closer as Assistant Chief Will Pope

He is a character actor that could disappear into every role from a neo-Nazi skinhead, a sympathetic father, a brash newspaper editor to the voice of the yellow M&M in those commercials.

Check out J.K’s IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0799777/

Judy Greer

Judy Greer has played second fiddle of less talented actresses for more than a decade. Her first recognizable role with in the dark comedy Jawbreaker as the ugly duckling turned mean girl.  Every since then she has been cast as the “best friend” in such movies as  The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez, 13 Going on 30 with Jennifer Garner, 27 Dresses with Katharine Heigl, and her latest Love Happens with Jennifer Aniston.

Judy deserves better than what she has got. The bit parts and walk-ons she has over the years, she manages to make a sucky role into something memorable with her stoic, nonchalant delivery. She knows that he best friends is stupid. She always needs to snap her out of it.

Check out Judy’s IMDb page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0339460/

I hope that these two would get some more substantial roles in future that could highlight their talent.

Underrated Actors Spotlight #1

I would like to start another running feature on this blog. Highlighting those actors that delivers outstanding performances in each one of their movies, but nobody in Hollywood would give them a chance to showcase their full potential. You have hacktors actors and hacktresses actresses out there that are getting the good roles and the accolades for mediocre work. I want to talk about one actor and one actress in each subsequent post.

Peter Sarsgaard

Peter made his big screen debut in Dead Man Walking. He got his big break in Boys Don’t Cry, playing John Lotter in 1999. Afterward, he starred is mostly supporting roles in Garden State, Kinsey, Flightplan and Jarhead. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role of Chuck Lane in Shattered Glass. He is currently in the movie, Orphan with another actor spotlight, Vera Farmiga. He is also starring in the upcoming movie, An Education with Carey Mulligan.

With every role, you believe that this person existed. There is never a false note with his portrayal. If he plays a killer, a bisexual assistant, a damaged Iraqi soldier, an adoptive father of an evil child, you believe everything about his performances.

Check out Peter’s IMDb profile: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0765597/

Vera Farmiga

Vera has been in the acting game for over a decade. She made a big splash on the national stage with her role in Oscar winning film, The Departed. She also starred in Iron Jawed Angels, the 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate, Never Forever, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and aforementioned Orphan. She was nominated for Critic’s Choice Award for role in Nothing but the Truth. She is co-starring in Jason Reitman’s follow-up to Juno, Up in the Air with George Clooney.

Vera delivers a raw, enriched performance in every role that she plays. If you she is playing, the clueless wife of Nazi sympathizer, the tortured psychiatrist, a member of the suffrage movement or a CIA agent whose cover in blown, she brings and intensity that no other actress could ever do.

Check out Vera’s IMDb profile: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0267812/

These are great actors. They don’t need to be mediocre drivel like Orphan to get their name out there. Give them a chance to shine and they will blow you away.