What was/is the best acting performance you have seen by someone who is not a household name?
Asked by
OpryLeigh (
25305
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October 14th, 2011
When I say, not a household name, I don’t mean an amateur. Many actors/actresses make a succesful living but never make it to any kind of celebrity status. They are respected in their professional circle but their name is not recognised by the majority of people on the street.
Have you seen a performance, be it stage or screen, by someone that blew you away but you had never heard of them and, chances are, 95% of the people you knew never had either.
I’ve wanted to ask this question for about a week but it has taken me this long to work out hot to word it!
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16 Answers
I recently saw Ramin Karimloo play the phantom in both The Phantom of the Opera and, it’s sequel, Love Never Dies. I had never heard of him before a few months ago even though he doesn’t appear to be a “new kid on the block” (and, seeing as I go to a lot of West End and touring productions of musicals, it is quite surprising for me not to recognise a name at all) but he gave, by far, the most moving performance as the phantom I have ever seen.
The actress who played the young girl in the recent True Grit. I had never heard of her before and the way she handled a difficult period role was astonishing.
Peter Dinklage in The Station Agent.
@Rarebear: Good one.
Whose house?
I loved Javier Cåmara in Almodóvar’s Hable con Ella, a 2005 movie that I just watched for the first time.
Cámara is not a household name in my house, but he is a megastar in Spain.
I kinda adore Peter Stormare in Brothers Grimm….and Constantine. He’s just got something special. Also Jonathan Pryce, though he might be a household name in the UK. I keep expecting Ben Foster to become a big name, but it hasn’t happened yet despite killing in 3:10 to Yuma and Pandorum.
Tim Blake Nelson in O Brother, Where Art Thou ?
@Rarebear; Peter Dinklage had a very funny role in the Brit com, Death at a Funeral
He played the secret, gay, dwarf lover of the respectable businessman who was in the coffin, in the front parlor and on display for his respectable family and friends.
My Dad was an awesome actor. When he was playing a character on stage, I even forgot he was my Dad, and he became the person he was portraying. I’ll never forget his performance in Death of a Salesman.
@janbb Oh my word! He was Mr. Theopolis in Fido and I didn’t recognize him!
@gailcalled I love Death at a Funeral.
Gunnar Björnstrand is quite well known in his homeland of Sweden, but he is unknown here. He was incredibly good in The Seventh Seal as the squire Jons.
Emily Watson in Breaking the Waves was amazing.
And Richard Jenkins in The Visitor.
Does Lee Pace count? I think he’s the most incredible actor. The Fall and Soldier’s Girl were both fantastic, but I was especially impressed by Soldier’s Girl, though I’d never watch it again because it was just too sad for me to handle even once.
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