ENTER | TV & Media Avatar Contest: I'm Serious

[Orac]

Welcome to the all new TV & Media Avatar Contest!

This weeks theme is I'm Serious or Comedic Actors in Dramatic Roles

Sometimes actors known for their comedic roles attempt to take on serious dramatic acting to varying degrees of success. Lets see some of the best and worst example of this.

Well what are you waiting for? Enter now!

Rules:

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Maximum file size: 1mb

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[Orac]

I'll start -- Rowan Atkinson's critically criticized portrayal of Chief Inspector Maigret:

 

[auntiehill]

Robin Williams in some of the many great "serious" roles he took on.

 

[Avro Arrow]

Just to check... the intent is that the dramatic role should be *after* they're already well-known as a comedic actor?

 

[Orac]

Yes.

 

[dahj]

Just to check... the intent is that the dramatic role should be *after* they're already well-known as a comedic actor?

You were thinking of Leslie Nielsen, weren't you

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Robin Williams in some of the many great "serious" roles he took on.

Winner! Next!

 

[Starkers]

Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

 

[Kai "the spy"]

Jerry Lewis in "The King of Comedy"

 

[od0_ital]

Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan in A League of Their Own

 

[Owain Taggart]

Robin Williams was my first thought, so that gets my vote

 

[od0_ital]

^

Mine, too, but Tom Hanks was the second one that came to mind.

 

[Avro Arrow]

You were thinking of Leslie Nielsen, weren't you

Guilty as charged!

 

[Owain Taggart]

^

Mine, too, but Tom Hanks was the second one that came to mind.

The ironic thing is, I think he's now done more serious stuff than comedy. His comedy was mostly in his early career. Would love to see him return to comedy at some point though.

 

[od0_ital]

Well, yeah, but he was the star of Bosom Buddies, Splash, Bachelor Party, The Money Pit, Volunteers, Dragnet, Punchline, Big, The 'Burbs, and Turner & Hooch before telling his agent that he didn't want to play nice guys so much, and A League of Their Own was his first real success in a more dramatic role.

But he's still done romantic comedies with Meg Ryan (Sleepless in Seattle & You've Got Mail), cartoons (the Toy Story trilogy, The Polar Express), and dramatic comedies (The Ladykillers, The Terminal, and Charlie Wilson's War).

 

[Aragorn]

Steve Carell in Foxcatcher.

 

[auntiehill]

^Good one.

 

[Avro Arrow]

First thought was fellow Canadian Leslie Nielsen... not eligible.
Second thought was fellow Canadian Jim Carrey... already entered.
So here's fellow Canadian John Candy in Oliver Stone's JFK.

According to Wikipedia, both Carrey and Candy were born in Newmarket. I had no idea. Newmarket's population is less than 80 000 people.

 

[J.T.B.]

Jackie Gleason, The Hustler, 1961.

 

[auntiehill]

^Nice one.