I often read something like “People forget that so-and-so is funny” or “such-and-such is a good comedic actor but also has dramatic chops.” Who do you feel should spread their wings more often and try something new?
Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell have both demonstrated on more than one occasion they can actually act if they want to.
Well, the problem with him “trying something new” is, even though I’ve heard this about Sandler, I’ve never watched one of his “serious” roles because I don’t want to take the risk of seeing him try to be “funny”, even for a moment. I hate his normal schtick soooo much, I basically won’t watch anything else of his just as a precaution.
Sandler in Uncut Gems surprised me. No humor at all.
Just had this conversation today. Keifer Sutherland is doing a new show.
He’s a spy
John Weir is a corporate spy adept at deception and ruining lives. In his last mission, a mysterious cabal turns the table on him and gives him a taste of his own medicine by framing him for a murder, and he finds himself in a cat-and-mouse game for gaining his freedom. (Wikipedia)
Sounds kind of similar to Burn Notice.
It could be that some of these actors would very much like to try something new–but they are typecast and those are the only roles they can get.
If Rowan Atkinson can play Inspector Maigret faultlessly, and Hugh Grant is apparently playing a miniature Oompa-Loompa in Wonka, then the field’s wide open.
Julia Roberts should try something fresh.
Steve Carrell as well.
Well, Steve Carrell is funny and can act. Neither Sandler nor Ferrell have ever been funny to me. I did like Ferrell in that non-comedic role in Stranger than Fiction.
Tom Cruise should try a new facial expression.
Xenu forbids it.
But jaw clenching is his thing. Without it he’s just another short, weird guy.
Did you see Designated Survivor? So different from 24…
or Dark City… the guy has range.
Id like to see Tom Hanks play Evil.
Well, he was pretty frightening in The Polar Express. 
Tom Cruise could try a Western movie. I dont think ive seen him in that, iirc?
Also, if im allowed to throw in a director, i always was curious about what Quentin Tarantino could do with a Sci-Fi space adventure…
Brawl in Cell Block 99 tells me Vince Vaughn needs to leave his ‘smarmy wise cracking’ demeanor behind permanently for roles.
Also Adam Sandler can bring it when he wants too.
But he was born to be that guy! No one can play the characters he played in Swingers or Made without actually being that guy IRL. Nobody is that good an actor.
But we’ve seen Swingers and Made. We don’t need to see Swingers II or Made Again.
I’d like to see Anthony Hopkins branch out into comedy roles. I find typically serious actors who do comedy to be especially funny, providing they have the chops for comedy—and I think Hopkins does.
Likewise, George C, Scott, a typically serious actor in many fine dramatic roles, knocked it out of the park as Gen. ‘Buck’ Turgidson in Dr. Strangelove. One of the funniest performances I’ve ever seen. Sterling Hayden did a great job in that film, too.