10 Actors Who Were Surprisingly Good In Rom-Coms

Summary

• Romcoms benefit from unexpected casting choices, adding a fresh twist to the genre and attracting new audiences.
• Actors like Adam Sandler, Kristen Stewart, and Emilia Clarke have all successfully challenged their usual roles in romcoms.
• A good performance in a romcom can change the way audiences see an actor.

Romcoms tend to go for the same kinds of actors, so it’s refreshing to see a new face in the genre, especially one which fans would never have expected. This could either be when a dramatic actor tries out their comedy skills, or when a different type of comedian fancies themselves as a romantic lead. The humor of romcoms is a peculiar genre, so cynical or overly crude comedians don’t often fit in.

Because of all the tropes which define the genre, it’s a pleasant surprise to see romcoms which shake things up. One of the easiest ways to do this is by casting an unexpected actor. This immediately gives a romcom a hook that can help it stand out from the competition, as fans are keen to see how the actor might blend their style with the format of a romcom. Although this can be disastrous, it can also yield some surprisingly positive results.

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Related 10 Classic Rom-Com Movies That Need Modern Reboots

Rom-coms are often timeless in nature, but there are some classic films from the genre that appear to be due a reboot for modern audiences.

10 Adam Sandler

The Wedding Singer (1998)

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Director Frank Coraci Release Date February 13, 1998 Cast Adam Sandler , Drew Barrymore , Christine Taylor , Allen Covert , Angela Featherstone , Matthew Glave , Alexis Arquette

Adam Sandler’s signature brand of comedy has always relied on slapstick, profanity and anger. However, he has also shown that he can be a wonderful romantic lead, starting with 1998’s The Wedding Singer. Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore make for a delightful pair, and they teamed up for two more movies after The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended.

Sandler is known for his overgrown man-child characters, like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, so it’s refreshing to see him putting a twist on these roles.

Sandler is known for his overgrown man-child characters, like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore, so it’s refreshing to see him putting a twist on these roles. His character in The Wedding Singer is still emotionally stunted and quick to anger, but he has much more heart. Barrymore turned out to be the perfect choice to play opposite Sandler, as she can adapt to his comedic style easily, while still being a more conventional romcom star.

9 Kristen Stewart

Happiest Season (2020)

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Director Clea DuVall Release Date November 26, 2020 Cast Victor Garber , Mackenzie Davis , Dan Levy , Mary Holland , Aubrey Plaza , Kristen Stewart , Alison Brie , Mary Steenburgen

The early years of Kristen Stewart’s career were dominated by the Twilight franchise, but since moving on from the young-adult vampire movies, she has gone on to star in more interesting dramatic roles. Stewart earned an Oscar nomination for Spencer, and she has been receiving positive reviews more recently for her performance in Love Lies Bleeding. However, one of her most surprising performances comes in Hulu’s Christmas romcom Happiest Season.

Happiest Season
takes a simple premise and spins it into plenty of comedic misunderstandings and social blunders. Stewart is perfectly awkward throughout.

In Happiest Season, Stewart plays a woman who has to keep her relationship a secret while she visits her girlfriend’s family for Christmas. She gets a rare chance to show off her comedic timing, and her performance suggests that she should consider more comedy roles in the future. Happiest Season takes a simple premise and spins it into plenty of comedic misunderstandings and social blunders. Stewart is perfectly awkward throughout.

8 Liam Neeson

Love Actually (2003)

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Director Richard Curtis Release Date November 14, 2003 Cast Colin Firth , Emma Thompson , Liam Neeson , Keira Knightley , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Laura Linney , Alan Rickman , Hugh Grant , Bill Nighy , Andrew Lincoln

Richard Curtis proved that he was a master of romcoms with hits like Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. Love Actually was his most ambitious project yet, using the quirks of the genre to depict all kinds of love. Love Actually has a great ensemble cast, which it uses to tell several loosely interconnected stories about romance, familial love and friendship.

Although
Love Actually
has some of Richard Curtis’ romcom regulars like Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, there are also some more unexpected performers.

Although Love Actually has some of Richard Curtis’ romcom regulars like Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, there are also some more unexpected performers. Liam Neeson sheds his action-star persona for a tender and relatable performance as a grieving widower trying to counsel his son through his first love. He develops a charming on-screen relationship with a young Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

7 Emilia Clarke

Last Christmas (2019)

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Director Paul Feig Release Date November 8, 2019 Cast Patti LuPone , Emma Thompson , Rebecca Root , Lydia Leonard , Henry Golding , Ingrid Oliver , Emilia Clarke , Michelle Yeoh

With her role as Daenerys Targaryen on Game of Thrones, Emilia Clarke became one of Hollywood’s go-to actors for roles as fiercely strong women. She played similarly fighty characters in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Terminator Genisys. Just when it seemed as though she might have a post-Game of Thrones career as an action star, she surprised many by starring in the holiday romcom Last Christmas.

Last Christmas
has more than its fair share of eye-rolling moments, especially with its big twist, but Clarke’s performance makes her character instantly likable.

Although Last Christmas received mixed reviews, critics were mostly positive about Clarke’s performance alongside Henry Golding. She displays an unexpected knack for comedy in Last Christmas, which is surprising given how many dramtic roles she had played previously. Last Christmas has more than its fair share of eye-rolling moments, especially with its big twist, but Clarke’s performance makes her character instantly likable.

6 Jack Nicholson

As Good As It Gets (1997)

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Although he’s one of the best actors of his generation, Jack Nicholson didn’t play very many comedic roles throughout his career. Even when he did, he was usually a villain, or he was playing up his grouchy persona. Although this style of comedy doesn’t normally suit a leading man in a romcom, As Good as It Gets is not a typical romcom. Nicholson won an Oscar for his portrayal of a misanthropic novelist.

The script allows him to do what he does best, so he is full of cynicism and snark even in the throes of a truly touching love story.

As Good as It Gets is one of Jack Nicholson’s best movies, even though it marked a departure from his typical style. The script allows him to do what he does best, so he is full of cynicism and snark even in the throes of a truly touching love story. Nicholson struck romcom gold once again in 2003’s Something’s Gotta Give, a somewhat more traditional story with romcom icon Diane Keaton.

5 Kumail Nanjiani

The Big Sick (2017)

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Director Michael Showalter Release Date July 14, 2017 Cast Zoe Kazan , Ray Romano , Kumail Nanjiani , Holly Hunter , Adeel Akhtar

The Big Sick takes inspiration from Kumail Nanjiani’s own life. He wrote the script with his wife Emily V. Gordon based on their own love story, so Nanjiani was obviously the best person for the role, even if he isn’t a typical romcom star. Nanjiani’s humor is usually more awkward and self-effacing. The Big Sick is an atypical romcom, so Nanjiani doesn’t have to change what makes him so funny.

Nanjiani shows an impressive emotional depth in
The Big Sick,
but he balances this out well with his humor.

Nanjiani shows an impressive emotional depth in The Big Sick, but he balances this out well with his humor. His dynamic with Ray Romano is a joy to watch. Romano plays the father of Nanjiani’s hospitalized love interest, and his skeptical assessment of the new man in his daughter’s life gives way to a familial bantering relationship between the two men. Nanjiani bends the genre to his own sensibilities.

4 Ali Wong

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

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Director Nahnatchka Khan Release Date May 31, 2019 Cast Karan Soni , Charlyne Yi , Randall Park , Vivian Bang , Daniel Dae Kim , Susan Park , Michelle Buteau , Casey Wilson , Lyrics Born , Keanu Reeves , James Saito , Ali Wong

Before Always Be My Maybe, Ali Wong’s acting roles had been few and far between. She had some notable voice-acting roles to her credit, but she was mostly known as a stand-up comedian. She and Randall Park still produced a charming and hilarious romcom, bringing the comedic chemistry they developed by working together on Fresh Off the Boat into Always Be My Maybe.

Wong and Park write their characters to suit their comedic sensibilities.

Wong and Park write their characters to suit their comedic sensibilities. Park’s Marcus is a laidback goofball who probably needs to take his life a little more seriously, and Wong’s Sasha is a more neurotic character who needs to realign her priorities. Netflix has had a patchy record with original comedy movies, but Always Be My Maybe should be considered a win for the streaming platform, and Wong’s performance is a key factor.

3 LeBron James

Trainwreck (2015)

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Director Judd Apatow Release Date July 17, 2015 Cast amy schumer , LeBron James , Tilda Swinton , Colin Quinn , Brie Larson , Bill Hader

Judd Apatow’s movies have helped define raunchier, R-rated romcoms in the 21st century. With a script written by Amy Schumer, Trainwreck flips the genre on its head in more ways than one. Schumer herself was an unlikely romcom star at the time, as was her on-screen love interest Bill Hader. Both actors had more success with different styles of comedy. Trainwreck is an unorthodox romcom, and nothing is more unorthodox than LeBron James’ role.

LeBron James buys into the self-deprecating joke of his character, and he is surprisingly funny in his scenes with Bill Hader.

LeBron James plays a fictionalized version of himself in Trainwreck, and he has the role of the leading man’s best friend. This is a standard romcom trope, but this character archetype is usually just a sounding board for the leading man to voice his feelings, or a more adjusted character who can give advice. Since LeBron James is impossible to relate to, he isn’t very useful in either way. He buys into the self-deprecating joke, and he is surprisingly funny in his scenes with Bill Hader.

2 Rebel Wilson

Isn’t It Romantic (2019)

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Director Todd Strauss-Schulson Release Date February 14, 2019 Cast Sawandi Wilson , Priyanka Chopra , Betty Gilpin , Rebel Wilson , Adam Devine , Liam Hemsworth

Isn’t It Romantic sells itself as a satirical send-up of romcoms, but it also shows a reverence for the genre’s inherent optimism and joy. While Rebel Wilson’s deadpan, unimpressed persona is perfect for spoofing other movies, she’s a less likely actor to deal with Isn’t It Romantic‘s more earnest sentimental moments.Isn’t It Romantic questions the idea of what a typical romantic lead in a movie is supposed to look like, and why.

Rebel Wilson’s casting is deliberately eye-catching, since
Isn’t It Romantic
‘s conceit would make no sense with a more traditional romcom star.

Rebel Wilson’s casting is deliberately eye-catching, since Isn’t It Romantic‘s conceit would make no sense with a more traditional romcom star. Her character represents the women who don’t see themselves represented in the genre, and she asks why it has to be that way. Ultimately, Isn’t It Romantic does deliver a crowd-pleasing happy ending, but it does so with the message that the idle fantasies of the romcom genre have real-world effects on the audience.

1 Jack Black

The Holiday (2006)

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The Holiday

Director Nancy Meyers Release Date December 14, 2006 Cast Cameron Diaz , Jude Law , Jack Black , Kate Winslet

Jack Black has always shown a flair for big, expressive performances, both as a musician with Tenacious D and in his film roles. School of Rock, Tropic Thunder and Nacho Libre all showcase his hilarious comedy chops without much subtlety to his performances. This may make him seem like an unlikely romcom star, since the genre generally uses more relatable characters, but The Holiday shows that Black has the ability to tone things down.

Jack Black and Kate Winslet make one of the most unexpected couples in any romcom, but their conflicting personalities work wonders in
The Holiday
‘s culture-clash comedy.

Jack Black’s performance in The Holiday isn’t as splashy as some of his other comedy movies, but it’s still unmistakably building off of his goofy slacker persona. The Holiday allows audiences to see him in a completely new way by showing just how aware he is of his own appeal. He and Kate Winslet make one of the most unexpected couples in any romcom, but their conflicting personalities work wonders in The Holiday‘s culture-clash comedy.

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