# Surprising Career Arcs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958 "2012-07-02T02:08:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/1 "2012-07-02T02:08:27Z")
Which actors or actresses have had career arcs that just plain surprised you? Bruce Willis - from “Moonlighting” on TV to big-time movie star, in everything from classic action flicks to “Moonrise Kingdom”. surprised me. Matt Damon - mild mannered guy roles to ultimate fighting machine in Bourne movies. also surprised me. Elijah Wood - from child star to Frodo to starring in Wilfred with a guy in a dog suit. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/2 "2012-07-02T02:10:50Z")
Ed Norton’s performance in American History X definitely surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/3 "2012-07-02T02:45:22Z")
Ryan Gosling -from Mouseketeer to Lover Boy to Indie Darling to Badass Hunk. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/4 "2012-07-02T02:49:42Z")
Bryan Cranston - from sitcoms (Seinfeld, Malcolm in the Middle) straight to serious drama (Breaking Bad). ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/5 "2012-07-02T02:54:15Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Bryan Cranston - from sitcoms (Seinfeld, Malcolm in the Middle) straight to serious drama (Breaking Bad). Before that, Cranston was a voice actor. I remember being surprised to find out that he’d done the English dubbing of [The Wings of Honneamise](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wings_of_Honneamise), which was back in 1995. (Surprised, because the English dub fell flat and yet Cranston appears to be a great actor, now.) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/6 "2012-07-02T04:31:40Z")
I wouldn’t have pegged Shakespearean veteran and supporting actor on _I, Claudius_ Patrick Stewart to become a starship captain on a sci-fi series, let alone a cartoon voice actor playing such an obvious parody of himself on _Family Guy_. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/7 "2012-07-02T05:29:00Z")
I always thought the arc of Freddie Prinze Jr. and Chris Evans was pretty weird. In 2001 Prinze was a leading man and Evans biggest role was playing a parody of Prinze. Now Evans is freaking Captain America and Freddie hasn’t done anything big since 2004. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/8 "2012-07-02T06:16:06Z")
How about Hugh Jackman - From singing and dancing as Curly in _Oklahoma!_ to Action star as Wolverine in the various X-men movies. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/9 "2012-07-02T06:18:13Z")
Probably Evel Knievel jumping the Snake River Canyon. Oh. DiCaprio. Forgettable sitcom kid. Promising youngster. Tiger Beat Fodder. Serious actor for Scorsese, Nolan, Tarantino. ---
**Author:** ![MrDurden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ed655f/32.png) [@MrDurden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDurden)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/10 "2012-07-02T07:12:11Z")
Although the Borne movies were pretty good, I still don’t buy Matt Damon as an action star. Scrappy little Irish guy, sure… secret agent strong enough to kill people with magazines… dont think so. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/11 "2012-07-02T08:22:04Z")
Ian Gillan–fronted Deep Purple, sang the part of Jesus in the original recording of _Jesus Christ Superstar_, fronted Black Sabbath, did other stuff, returned to Deep Purple. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/12 "2012-07-02T08:25:05Z")
Leslie Nielsen. Up until _Airplane_, his roles were mainly dramatic. After that, he was known for comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/13 "2012-07-02T11:49:13Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I always thought the arc of Freddie Prinze Jr. and Chris Evans was pretty weird. In 2001 Prinze was a leading man and Evans biggest role was playing a parody of Prinze. Now Evans is freaking Captain America and Freddie hasn’t done anything big since 2004. I can’t remember what magazine I read it in, but Sarah Michelle Gellar gave an interview recently where this question came up and she actually replied with some variation of “He’s been doing me since 2004.” ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/14 "2012-07-02T12:11:22Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I can’t remember what magazine I read it in, but Sarah Michelle Gellar gave an interview recently where this question came up and she actually replied with some variation of “He’s been doing me since 2004.” New respect for SMG! When Melissa Gilbert was married to Bruce Boxleitner, an interviewer mentioned the title ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?’ and then asked ‘What’s eating Gilbert?’- Her reply- ‘Boxleitner!’ My first thought to the OP- Peter ‘Bad Taste/Meet the Feebles/BrainDead to LOTR/The Lovely Bones/King Kong’ Jackson. Christopher Lee: WWII British OSS agent to Movie Actor to Elderly Metal God. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/15 "2012-07-02T12:33:01Z")
Marky Mark Wahlberg. From a life of juvenile crime (including taking some guys eye out) - to rapper - to underwear model - to a very busy actor. What are the odds??? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/16 "2012-07-02T12:50:35Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Marky Mark Wahlberg. From a life of juvenile crime (including taking some guys eye out) - to rapper - to underwear model - to a very busy actor. What are the odds??? In his case, a constant level of personal assholery seems to have been maintained throughout. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/17 "2012-07-02T14:17:31Z")
I know, that’s the thing! 😕 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/18 "2012-07-02T14:25:35Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > In his case, a constant level of personal assholery seems to have been maintained throughout. AND a succesful TV show producer with a show loosely based on him. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/19 "2012-07-02T14:27:49Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Before that, Cranston was a voice actor. I remember being surprised to find out that he’d done the English dubbing of [The Wings of Honneamise](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wings_of_Honneamise), which was back in 1995. (Surprised, because the English dub fell flat and yet Cranston appears to be a great actor, now.) He also popped up as a guest star on _How I Met Your Mother_ in season 1 or 2 (I started watching the show for the first time from the beginning a couple months ago). Also making an appearance was Bob Odenkirk (“Call Saul!”) Seeing both was a delicious treat, as a _Breaking Bad_ super-fan/geek. My entree: Speaking of Leonardo DiCaprio … no thread of this nature is complete without the mention of Bosom Buddy Tom Hanks. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958/20 "2012-07-02T15:06:01Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I wouldn’t have pegged Shakespearean veteran and supporting actor on _I, Claudius_ Patrick Stewart to become a starship captain on a sci-fi series, let alone a cartoon voice actor playing such an obvious parody of himself on _Family Guy_. Shatner was a Shakespearean actor. As was Avery Brooks. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprising-career-arcs/626958.md?page=2)