# Comedians who turn out to have good dramatic acting skills **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comedian-jokes\ **Created:** [April 8, 2022, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515 "2022-04-08T12:57:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/81 "2022-04-08T23:49:45Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Albert Brooks was mainly known for comedies before playing a gangster psychopath in _Drive_ . He was in _Out of Sight_ before that. Not a psychopath, but not a funny guy, either. > [@JeffB](#): > > Steve Carrell is someone primarily known for comedic roles, but he was surprisingly good in _Foxcatcher._ And in _Little Miss Sunshine_. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/82 "2022-04-09T00:49:46Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Sacha Baron Cohen of Borat and Ali G fame is amazing in his serious roles. The Spy on Netflix in particular was a fantastic performance. Check him out as Abbie Hoffman in _The Trial of the Chicago Seven_. Brilliant, a real standout amidst a LOT of strong performances from the other actors, too. Generally speaking: amongst newer actors, Jonah Hill and Paul Rudd have impressed with good dramatic turns. Hill in _Moneyball_, Rudd in _Living With Yourself,_ along with some serious and touching moments in his Ant-Man role. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/83 "2022-04-09T02:11:00Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Kinda like _Stranger than Fiction_ – I avoided it for a while because the only time Will Ferrell has been funny to me is in that short video where his foul-mouthed landlady is played by a three year old. Don’t forget _The Lego Movie_ - Ferrell hams up his voice part, but plays the live-action Dad completely straight, and it works perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/84 "2022-04-09T02:19:25Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > And in _Little Miss Sunshine_ . And in “The Way Way Back,” where Carrell plays a jerky dad (well). And in that sweet, melancholy film about four Vietnam vets. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/85 "2022-04-09T03:03:51Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Check him out as Abbie Hoffman in _The Trial of the Chicago Seven_ . Brilliant, a real standout amidst a LOT of strong performances from the other actors, too. Saw him in that too. As good as it was I thought he was even more impressive in The Spy. Holding those two performances next to each is most head shaking. Hard to believe it is the same actor doing those two very different parts. ---
**Author:** ![hocow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hocow/32/4112_2.png) [@hocow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hocow)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/86 "2022-04-09T14:43:42Z")
I was just talking about this earlier while watching Law and Order: Organized Crime. Denis Leary is always a chain smoking comedian in my mind, but he is nailing the dramatic role of dirty cop in that show. ---
**Author:** ![its\_the\_daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bb73d2/32.png) [@its\_the\_daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/its_the_daddy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/87 "2022-04-09T14:58:44Z")
Biĺly Connolly, of course. Johnny Vegas as Krook in ‘Bleak House’ ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/88 "2022-04-09T15:06:11Z")
He was downright scary in Suicide Kings. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/89 "2022-04-09T16:47:49Z")
SNL’s Will Forte (MacGruber, etc.) was excellent starring with Bruce Dern in _Nebraska_. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/90 "2022-04-09T21:13:28Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Adding another vote for Jim Carrey, who I think is a better dramatic actor than comedic. YMMV. > > > [@Tride](#): > > > > And _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_ was excellent > > This, my favorite film. Not mentioned, another favorite: The Majestic. I haven’t seen “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind”, but found him great in “The Truman Show”, and I’ll add “Man On The Moon” to the list. Yes, he played a comedian, but it’s really not a comedy. He was great in it, and I’m another one who can’t stand Jim Carrey in comedic roles. ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/91 "2022-04-09T21:26:34Z")
You should see it. Very strange. Reminds me a bit of _Brazil_ in some hallucinogenic way. Plus, anything with Kate Winslet in it is probably worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/92 "2022-04-10T00:28:05Z")
Bill Hader does drama very well. _Barry_ is ostensibly a comedy but it only works because he plays it extremely straight and very dark. He was also very good in _It._ ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/93 "2022-04-10T01:18:58Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I haven’t seen “Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind”, but found him great in “The Truman Show”, and I’ll add “Man On The Moon” to the list. You have to see Eternal Sunshine. But let me give you some suggestions… Have all refreshments at hand. Don’t plan to answer the phone or the door or anything…you’ll need to pay attention. Also I’m not sure what forms may exist (director’s cut, etc.) but try to get the one with director’s commentary available for after you watch it. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/94 "2022-04-10T01:36:33Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > You have to see Eternal Sunshine. But let me give you some suggestions… You really made me curious about the movie, so I looked up the imdb page and put the DVD on my amazon wish list. I had heard about the title of the film, but never was really aware of it. I saw on imdb that the German release has the idiotic title “Vergiss Mein Nicht”, which I’d never noticed either. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/95 "2022-04-10T04:40:14Z")
That was the movie that made me a huge Kate Winslet fan. I’d seen _Titanic_, of course, but _Eternal Sunshine_ was a role that she absolutely nailed, and it was against type. It really surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/96 "2022-04-10T12:27:15Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Adam Sandler has produced at least a couple of legit good dramatic roles, as has Will Ferrell. > > _Punch Drunk Love_ and _Uncut Gems_ are both good performances, if not a bit strange. “Reign Over Me” is also good from Sandler. I don’t think I’ll ever again pay to watch a Sandler comedy (some of them are a bit of weakness when flipping through cable/streaming choices), but very well might to see him in dramatic films. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/97 "2022-04-10T12:34:33Z")
How about Val Kilmer? He was in **Top Secret!** and **Real Genius** and then was in **Thunderheart**. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/98 "2022-04-10T13:01:26Z")
There’s **Eddie Izzard** who started in stand up comedy but seems a fairly versatile actor. Doesn’t quite fit the OP since he pretty much only did comedy roles (although often playing the ‘straight man’) on radio, TV and occasionally film but British comedian **Ronnie Barker** was reputedly well respected as an acting talent. Just never really demonstrated it much outside of comedy. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/99 "2022-04-10T13:32:31Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > How about Val Kilmer? He was in **Top Secret!** and **Real Genius** and then was in **Thunderheart**. Kilmer seems like a better fit for the [Serious actors, or non-actors, doing comedy later on…](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/serious-actors-or-non-actors-doing-comedy-later-on/962529) thread. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2022, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515/100 "2022-04-10T13:43:15Z")
Pat Morita went from stand-up comedy to memorable sitcom work, and then all of a sudden he’s up on the big screen as the iconic wise mentor who’ll alternately solve problems as the calm voice of reason or by reluctantly but expertly resorting to the use of force — and, granted, he probably earned the Oscar nomination just on the strength of that one scene where he talks about doing some Medal-of-Honor soldiering overseas while his wife and child were dying in an internment camp; but, well, he simply nailed it, is all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comedians-who-turn-out-to-have-good-dramatic-acting-skills/962515.md?page=6)