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Actors who are the epitome of 'supporting actor' and nothing more

posted a year ago by Ticketsplease (4024)
20 replies | jump to latest

I'll start.

Michael Rooker.

You might need to search his name to see what he looks like, but you will recognize him. You will however not recall him ever being a leading man.

He does a great job as a supporting actor, but to my knowledge, has not been a lead actor in a big studio movie (he has perhaps for low budget movies.)

[–] AndyKing1967 (39849) a year ago

Karl Malden.

[–] Ticketsplease (4024) a year ago

Please only reference contemporary actors.

[–] AndyKing1967 (39849) a year ago

To be fair, your OP didn’t state this.

[–] StoneKeeper (28343) a year ago

Yeah man… please!! 🙄

[–] StoneKeeper (28343) a year ago

John Leguizamo

Steve Buscemi

Giovanni Ribisi

[–] Ticketsplease (4024) a year ago

I can't argue with those.

John Leguizamo would like the attention of a lead actor, therefore he keeps making political comments about representation.

[–] MaximRecoil (4848) a year ago

They are known as "character actors" and there are tons of them; far more of them than leading actors. "The Roberts" (Culp and Vaughan) were prominent examples in their day. Between the two of them they had over 400 acting role credits.

[–] nyctc7 (44104) a year ago

^This

[–] mikethemartian (6998) a year ago

Claude Rains seemed to appear mostly in supporting roles but he is probably one of the best actors in Hollywood history.

[–] MaximRecoil (4848) a year ago

Being a character actor doesn't in any way suggest a lack of acting ability.

[–] bellington83 (3293) a year ago

Steve Zahn
Richard Jenkins
Michael Pena

[–] chilone (18322) a year ago

J.K. Simmons. Great in everything he does.

[–] Ticketsplease (4024) a year ago

I know him from Spiderman and that music movie.

[–] mtxmind (3296) a year ago

Leland Orser

Mark Margolis

[–] Vastuntitled (5699) a year ago

Thelma Ritter

[–] sslssg (35179) a year ago

Michael Rooker was really good in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

[–] Frodrick (223) a year ago

I remember his painful ball squeezing scene in Mississippi Burning.

[–] Ticketsplease (4024) a year ago

I'm not saying he can't be a lead actor, he obviously was in that 1986 independent movie, but his career is that of a supporting actor.

[–] sslssg (35179) a year ago

I was just pointing out a movie where he was the lead and did really well. I agree that his career is mostly supporting roles.