# Stars that bucked your expectations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2014, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975 "2014-10-30T04:47:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/41 "2014-10-31T15:53:28Z")
> [@AnthonyElite](#): > > My contribution: John Lithgow. I had seen him in Third Rock as a kid and figured I had his number…but when he played the Trinity Killer on Dexter I realized this guy was an acting powerhouse. I mean I know he is big but I didn’t realize how many pans that guy has on the stove. He stays busy because he LOVES acting. I’d hate to be competing with him. I don’t think I can agree with this one. You may have first discovered Lithgow in _Third Rock_ due to your age but he was no unknown. It was a case of a well-established movie actor (he already had two Oscar nominations) taking the lead in a TV series. To me, the breakout star on _Third Rock_ was Joseph Gordon-Leavitt. ---
**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:** [October 31, 2014, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/42 "2014-10-31T16:19:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t think I can agree with this one. You may have first discovered Lithgow in _Third Rock_ due to your age but he was no unknown. It was a case of a well-established movie actor (he already had two Oscar nominations) taking the lead in a TV series. To me, the breakout star on _Third Rock_ was Joseph Gordon-Leavitt. It has to a generational thing. For us old farts, we recognized Lithgow as a breakout in The World According to Garp. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/43 "2014-10-31T16:55:10Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > It has to a generational thing. For us old farts, we recognized Lithgow as a breakout in The World According to Garp. When _3rd Rock From the Sun_ was announced (and I’d probably seen a preview or two) but not yet on the air, I was discussing it with a co-worker. He’d seen Lithgow in _Terms of Endearment_ and wasn’t sure he’d be able to play an over-the-top wacky alien. I knew him from _Garp_ and _Buckaroo Banzai_ and wasn’t sure he’d be able to tone his performance down enough for TV. Saw him several years ago reading one of his children’s books to a bunch of kids, and he was brilliant at that, too. ---
**Author:** ![JesterX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JesterX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JesterX)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/44 "2014-10-31T17:09:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > McGill put on weight after Animal House so his look changed. And he really is a good character actor so you see him more in the role than think of him as an actor. He also had memorable roles as the Sheriff in _My Cousin Vinny_ and as Edward Stanton in _Lincoln_. > > Richard Dean Anderson did pretty well. He was the star of Stargate which ran for 10 years. I recall hearing that at the end of the run he was semi-retiring to be a father. He had his kid late in life and didn’t want to miss her childhood. I don’t know if I am remembering correctly. You could actually argue that Mcgill’s one of the most prolific character actors working today. I knew Anderson did Stargate but I would’ve thought he’d go on to feature film roles ---
**Author:** ![AnthonyElite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/45 "2014-10-31T17:13:03Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t think I can agree with this one. You may have first discovered Lithgow in _Third Rock_ due to your age but he was no unknown. It was a case of a well-established movie actor (he already had two Oscar nominations) taking the lead in a TV series. To me, the breakout star on _Third Rock_ was Joseph Gordon-Leavitt. I was going with the OP’s description of actors that bucked our expectations. For me personally that was Lithgow. It may be obvious for someone who followed his career before Third Rock but as someone with only that as their exposure, I was amazed to read up on all he was involved with and his incredible range. The guy can ACT! I think once Joseph Gorden-Leavitt got over his awkward teens he had a great platform to be big. He paid his dues in Third Rock showing he could commit to the bit and be reliable. I didn’t expect it, but he certainly deserves it! On the polar opposite, thank god French Stuart didn’t make it. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/46 "2014-10-31T17:15:25Z")
I never thought HHH would amount to much in the WWF/E when he debuted as some rich snob ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/47 "2014-10-31T18:23:19Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > …He’d seen Lithgow in… Old fart data point…[Manhattan Project](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091472/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_75) was what cemented Lithgow into my memory as a superstar that I knew would get jobs forever. ---
**Author:** ![Nauplius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nauplius/32/51_2.png) [@Nauplius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nauplius)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/48 "2014-10-31T19:09:05Z")
Mark Wahlberg - Turns out Marky Mark could actually act. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/49 "2014-10-31T23:08:27Z")
Some of these names mentioned I was just thinking about. Most of mine have to do with music rather than actors. Pink: When I first heard her in 2000 I was sure that she would disappear soon. In fact she has been very consistent for nearly 15 years, with a single most years since then. Heck she does not get much press but she has been releasing more material than the likes of Beyoncé and other big names. Maroon 5: In 2002 with the song “Harder to Breathe”, they kind of fell off. It was from the album “Songs About Jane”, which took off in 2004 making it a sleeper hit. So the band and the album got off to a slow start. Rihanna: Upon hearing her first song “Pon the Replay” in 2005, I thought she would die quickly career wise. But she has had a#1 single every year from 2006-2013. Lady Gaga: She has been very successful and seemed to come out nowhere, and will be an icon. Yet she likely won’t see the same success she had in 2009-2011. Many predicted she will be the next Madonna, but I think she will on par to Cyndi Lauper. Always will be remembered as an icon, but the hey day was short. My current predictions, and feel free to agree or disagree. Lorde: I think her name will float around and she will may release another successful album. However in the long run she will not have longevity and will disappear in obscurity with “Royals” being her only identifiable hit. Adele: She will never again experience the massive success of “21”. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/50 "2014-10-31T23:41:48Z")
Go on, laugh at me… When I first saw Piper Perabo in _Coyote Ugly_, I thought that she would blow up into a huge star. The movie was a colossal turd, of course, but I just thought that the camera loved her and she’d go on to an A-list career. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/51 "2014-11-01T00:37:18Z")
**Bryan Cranston**. I enjoyed Malcolm in the Middle as a mild diversion back in the day, and thought the dad was fun/goofy. Never did I dream he had anything like Walter White within. mmm ---
**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:** [November 1, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/52 "2014-11-01T00:43:48Z")
I expected big things from a post-BACK-TO-THE-FUTURE Thomas F. Wilson. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/53 "2014-11-01T01:10:01Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > It has to a generational thing. For us old farts, we recognized Lithgow as a breakout in The World According to Garp. Old fart here. 😉_Garp_ was a breakout vehicle for many – it instantly made Glenn Close my favorite actress and Robin Williams my favorite actor. Of course Robin was well known for his comedy in _Mork and Mindy_, but _Garp_ revealed his serious acting talent. And it was Glenn Close’s _very first film_. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2014, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/54 "2014-11-01T01:19:08Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Leonardo di Caprio. I never liked him very much, never saw what anyone saw in him, thought he just didn’t have “leading man presence”, but he was absolutely drop dead fantastic in _The Departed_. I haven’t seen any of his newer films, so I’m not sure if I would continue to think that. I don’t know why Leonardo got such a bad rep. Must be Titanic. His track record before that was quite good. ---
**Author:** ![JesterX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JesterX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JesterX)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/55 "2014-11-02T00:04:04Z")
Gotta mention Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I first saw him in “Scent of a Woman”. I was wondering how he even got THAT part, let alone thinking his career would reach the heights it got. He became one of my favorite actors. ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/56 "2014-11-02T00:29:34Z")
Never appreciated Jimmy Fallon. Not as an actor, comedian, host, or anything. But now he’s host of the Tonight Show. After her initial success, I thought Debbie Gibson would be huge. C’est la vie. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/57 "2014-11-02T02:26:39Z")
> [@AnthonyElite](#): > > I was going with the OP’s description of actors that bucked our expectations. For me personally that was Lithgow. It may be obvious for someone who followed his career before Third Rock Understood, but you didn’t have to follow his career to know exactly who he was. Before 3rd Rock he was already well known among all demographics. Grown-ups knew him from World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment, teens knew him from Footloose and The Twilight Zone, and kids knew him from Harry and the Hendersons. Plus, half the country (100 million viewers!) saw him in the tv movie The Day After. He wasn’t the lead, but he was a featured player. For context, that’s a Superbowl size audience. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/58 "2014-11-02T03:44:29Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > West, Bruce and Laing, made up of Mountain lead guitarist Leslie West, and drummer Corky Laing, with ex-Cream bassist/singer Jack Bruce. Lasted about a year, 2nd album sucked. > > Focus, with hit single “_Hocus Pocus_”, bombed pretty quickly. One trick pony. Strange, because Akkerman (guitarist) was totally awesome, but, his taste in music was too jazz prog. I still remember Hocus Pocus because of the Cincinnati Reds 1975/76 seasons. They made a choreographed commercial to it that was awesome. I was surprised by Cher’s acting career. I thought she did surprisingly well. ---
**Author:** ![JesterX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JesterX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JesterX)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/59 "2014-11-02T04:21:34Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I was surprised by Cher’s acting career. I thought she did surprisingly well. I agree. I’m one of the few who think she’s a better actress than singer and was disappointed she seemed to gave it up. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2014, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975/60 "2014-11-02T04:41:23Z")
> [@JesterX](#): > > I agree. I’m one of the few who think she’s a better actress than singer and was disappointed she seemed to gave it up. Count me in, as well. She was great all the way back to the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour–good timing, excellent deadpan, not overbearing but didn’t get lost in the crowd, either. What’s her big line in Moonstruck?–“Aw, Ma, I love him awful.” Killer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stars-that-bucked-your-expectations/702975.md?page=4)