10 Dramatic Actors Who Have Surprisingly Hilarious Roles In Movies

It’s common Hollywood practice for a comedic actor to break out of their comfort zone and take on the gauntlet of a dramatic performance. Over the years, many hilarious actors have demonstrated their proficiency in this endeavor. Legendary comedian Steve Carell is a prime example of someone who excels at shifting between genres — after leaving the hit NBC sitcom The Office, which is now getting a reboot, he went on to deliver several stellar dramatic performances.

The opposite is a far less likely scenario. For the most part, actors who built their careers upon dramatic roles stay in their lane. Unless they’ve had previous experience with the comedy genre, their presence is generally unexpected. However, when a serious movie star gives comedy a try, it’s always hysterical, as the no-nonsense image that their prior roles have created is immediately and hilariously broken down.

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10

Morgan Freeman As God

Bruce Almighty (2003)

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Morgan Freeman has undoubtedly cemented himself as one of the most esteemed actors of all time. Appearing in many of the best movies ever made, he flourishes wherever he appears. First breaking onto the scene as the leading villain Fast Black in Street Smart, his career has predominantly been categorized by serious characters. Surprisingly, Freeman then took on the comical role of God in Tom Shadyac’s 2003 comedy Bruce Almighty​​​​.

Bruce Almighty

PG-13

Bruce Almighty is a 2003 comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac, featuring Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a discontented television reporter who challenges God’s competence. Morgan Freeman portrays God, who endows Bruce with divine powers to teach him a lesson. Jennifer Aniston co-stars as Bruce’s girlfriend, Grace. The film explores themes of responsibility and human frailty through a humorous and fantastical narrative.

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Release Date

May 23, 2003

Runtime

101 minutes

Cast

Jim Carrey
, Morgan Freeman
, Jennifer Aniston
, Philip Baker Hall
, Catherine Bell
, Lisa Ann Walter

Director

Tom Shadyac

In this lighthearted story, stuck-in-his-ways news reporter Bruce Nolan (Jim Carrey) blames God for his misfortunes. When God gives him his divine powers, Bruce realizes it isn’t such an easy gig. Freeman’s portrayal of the almighty being fits the tone of the film perfectly — dressed in an all-white suit, he’s like an overworked dad who’s happy to get a break from his job. The two leading actors have thorough chemistry, and their short but amusing exchanges round out the final product.

9

Daniel Craig As Benoit Blanc

Knives Out (2019)

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Nobody would expect the most intimidating and skilled spy of all time to be one for jokes. Even if Daniel Craig’s career wasn’t completely packed with dramatic roles, he just looks like someone who would have a serious demeanor. Since his early days in Hollywood, Craig has been dominating portrayals of heavy characters. It wasn’t until 2017 that the actor dipped his toe in comedy, playing the demolitions expert Joe Bang in Logan Lucky.

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Craig’s involvement in the comedic crime likely inspired him to give the genre another shot with Knives Out. In this critically acclaimed murder mystery, he masterfully plays Benoit Blanc, a private investigator tasked with solving the case of a murder mystery author’s death. It almost requires a double-take to realize that it’s the Bond actor, but Craig delivers a dynamic performance that takes the film from good to great. The beloved franchise will continue with Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

8

Ben Kingsley As The Mandarin

Iron Man 3 (2013)

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The MCU’s third addition to its series of Iron Man ​​​​​​movies poses a very distinctive example of a dramatic actor playing a more amusing role. Decorated film star Ben Kingsley portrays The Mandarin, one of the main antagonists of the plot. He’s allegedly a malicious terrorist with a foreboding presence, which seems like the perfect fit for any dramatic actor. However, the character has a different backstory than expected.

Iron Man 3

PG-13

Iron Man 3 pits genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist Tony Stark (Iron Man) against the Mandarin, an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his world destroyed by his mysterious antagonist, he embarks on a dangerous quest to find those responsible. His journey will test his character at every turn. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him and determine whether or not the suit makes the man or if Tony himself is the hero.

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Release Date

May 3, 2013

Runtime

130 Mins

Cast

Ben Kingsley
, Guy Pearce
, Paul Bettany
, Don Cheadle
, Gwyneth Paltrow
, Jon Favreau
, Robert Downey Jr.

Director

Shane Black

It turns out that The Mandarin is merely the ignorant figurehead of a larger operation, and he’s just the messenger. In reality, the assumed villain is a slow-witted British actor named Trevor Slattery who just did what he was told. Thus, Kingsley simultaneously embodies both “versions” of the character, which is a testament to his range. The Mandarin was made out to be a chilling threat, and he turned out to be an absolute bum. Although the character had potential as a villain, the comic relief brought by his presence is gold.

7

Ralph Fiennes As M. Gustave

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

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Ralph Fiennes has proven himself on the silver screen time and again. Appearing in several of the largest films of the generation, the actor’s career is packed with accolades. He is primarily known for his role as the dark Lord Voldemort in the best of the Harry Potter ​​​​​​movies. For someone who brilliantly portrayed one of cinema’s greatest villains, it doesn’t seem like Fiennes would be efficient in a comedic setting.

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The Grand Budapest Hotel

R

From director Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel stars Ralph Fiennes as Gustave H., the renowned concierge of the film’s titular hotel. Fiennes is joined by Tony Revolori as Zero, a newly hired bellhop who serves as Gustave’s partner-in-crime throughout the film. An older Zero, played by F. Murray Abraham, serves as the narrator for the story, which chronicles the adventures of Gustave and Zero after Gustave is framed for the murder of the wealthy Madame D., his patron and lover. 

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Release Date

March 28, 2014

Runtime

100 Minutes

Cast

Willem Dafoe
, Jude Law
, Edward Norton
, Jeff Goldblum
, Saoirse Ronan
, Adrien Brody
, Tilda Swinton
, Ralph Fiennes
, Tony Revolori

Director

Wes Anderson

Nevertheless, when he first collaborated with the eccentric director Wes Anderson, Fiennes proved he was equally comfortable in a different setting. In The Grand Budapest Hotel, Fiennes plays M. Gustave: a devious concierge set on securing his future by courting wealthy, elderly female guests. It’s a total change of pace compared to anything the actor has done before. Nevertheless, Fiennes perfectly captured Gustave’s witty and charismatic nature. Looking back, nobody else could’ve done the job quite like him.

6

Brad Pitt As Chad Feldheimer

Burn After Reading (2008)

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Brad Pitt is easily one of the most recognizable movie stars on the planet. Although his impressive career is predominantly characterized by drama, Pitt has never been afraid to try his hand at comedy. His first introduction to comedy came with the cult classic Snatch, wherein he plays Mickey O’Neil, a rambunctious bare-knuckle boxer. However, without a doubt, the actor’s funniest role is found in Ethan Coen’s Burn After Reading, a film that oftentimes doesn’t feel real.

Pitt plays Chad Feldheimer, a dimwitted gym employee who thinks he has struck gold after he and a colleague find a disk filled with classified CIA information. Feldheimer is completely oblivious to everything that’s happening around him, and Pitt manages to portray this ignorance flawlessly. It makes it even funnier that he has the face of a movie-star, but the on-screen presence of a side character that’s just there to have fun.

5

Jack Nicholson As Dr. Buddy Rydell

Anger Management (2003)

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When a skilled actor is cast alongside Adam Sandler in a leading role, it’s guaranteed to be funny. In 2003, the fabled Jack Nicholson collaborated with the comedian in Anger Management, and the results were priceless. This certainly wasn’t Nicholson’s first involvement in other genres. Before achieving his stardom status in Hollywood, the actor appeared in many B-list movies, some of which were comedies. However, his portrayal of anger management doctor Buddy Rydell is tough to beat.

Anger Management

PG-13

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Release Date

April 11, 2003

Runtime

106 minutes

Cast

Adam Sandler
, Jack Nicholson
, Marisa Tomei
, Luis Guzman
, Jonathan Loughran
, Kurt Fuller

Director

Peter Segal

Part of what makes Jack Nicholson shine in Anger Management is the dichotomy of his character. ​​​​​Audience members are used to seeing Nicholson as an angry, loose cannon-type. His character in the film doesn’t fit this description, but his irritating personality slowly brings these qualities out of his patient, Dave Buznik (Sandler). The leading actors have excellent on-screen chemistry, and it’s easily the film’s strongest attribute. It might not be at the top of the best Jack Nicholson movies list, but the role is unforgettable.

4

Jeff Bridges As The Dude

The Big Lebowski (1998)

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People who primarily know Jeff Bridges for his work in The Big Lebowski might be surprised to learn he is known for more serious roles. The Oscar-winning actor has plenty of accolades under his belt, and the majority of them come from projects completely dissimilar from this 1998 cult classic. Considering the nature of his resume, his presence in this movie was unexpected.

The Big Lebowski

R

One of Joel and Ethan Coen’s most successful crime comedies, The Big Lebowski follows Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) after he is assaulted in a case of mistaken identity. After becoming tangled with the millionaire who shares his name, the Dude is tasked with delivering a ransom in order to save Lebowski’s wife from a group of hardened criminals. The Dude is joined by his bowling buddies Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi), who complicate Lebowski’s plans.

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Release Date

March 6, 1998

Runtime

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117 Minutes

Cast

Julianne Moore
, Jeff Bridges
, Steve Buscemi
, John Turturro
, John Goodman
, David Huddleston
, Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Director

Joel Coen
, Ethan Coen

Nevertheless, Jeff Bridges is and will always be The Dude. The Coen Brothers created a true masterpiece, and they built the entire film around the spectacle of the role. From the nonchalant delivery to the carefree demeanor, Bridges’ embodiment of the mellow bowler is effortless. His character alone has elevated the film to cult status after its less-than-stellar initial reception. It’s hilarious to watch The Dude move unbothered through a string of wild situations.

3

Russell Crowe As Jackson Healy

The Nice Guys (2016)

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It’s a shame that Shane Black’s 2016 action comedy The Nice Guys was a box office flop considering how well-crafted of a film it was. The leading character duo of Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe is a unique combination, given that both actors are generally recognized for dramatic work. Yet, the two have an oddly hilarious dynamic that works perfectly in the context of the plot.

The Nice Guys

R

Directed by Shane Black and starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys tells the story of a private investigator and a hired enforcer who team up to investigate the disappearance of a young woman. Set in 1970s Los Angeles, the 2016 comedy thriller puts a modern spin on the noir genre.

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Release Date

May 20, 2016

Runtime

116minutes

Cast

Ryan Gosling
, Ty Simpkins
, Rachele Brooke Smith
, Russell Crowe
, Yaya DaCosta
, Margaret Qualley
, Kim Basinger
, Keith David
, Matt Bomer
, Yvonne Zima

Director

Shane Black

Crowe plays Jackson Healy, a tough guy enforcer who crosses paths with PI Holland March (Gosling) while searching for a porn star named Misty Mountains (Murielle Telio). The two end up joining forces to search for another missing girl, and their unlikely collaboration is hilarious. To put it simply, Healy is a sleeping bear, and March is a kid with a stick. Crowe’s serious demeanor carries over into this character, but it’s made fragile by Gosling’s irritation. The underrated comedy is also rumored to be getting a sequel with The Nice Guys 2.

2

Robert De Niro As Jack Byrnes

Meet The Parents (2000)

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When it comes to dramatic performances, there aren’t many who can top the fabled Robert De Niro. Starring in some of the most influential movies ever created, he is easily among the best actors of all time. In the early days of his career, his appearances were predominantly filled with serious roles. Since then, De Niro has carved out a strong position within the comedy scene.

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Although Neil Jordan’s 1989 We’re No Angels featured De Niro as a comical character, his portrayal of Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents was the real catalyst for his entrance into the genre. It’s an iconic movie on all levels, and the dynamic between him and Ben Stiller brings it home. De Niro’s Scorsese tough guy energy works in his favor, as he plays a strict father-in-law with a rough exterior. It’s the perfect contrast to Stiller’s clumsy nature and is one of many reasons why the film is so beloved.

1

Tom Cruise As Les Grossman

Tropic Thunder (2008)

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Tom Cruise is arguably the biggest movie star to ever come out of Hollywood, and it isn’t because of his ability to make people laugh. The Mission Impossible actor is nearly always in an action role, which makes his random presence in Tropic Thunder priceless. Cruise plays the character Les Grossman, a short-fused and unpredictable film studio executive. Although his screen time is limited, he crushes the role.

Tropic Thunder

R

Written and directed by Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder follows a group of bumbling actors attempting to make a Vietnam War film, who find themselves dropped into a real-life warzone when they are abandoned in the middle of the jungle they are shooting the film in. Stiller also stars in the film, with an ensemble cast that includes Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., and Jay Baruchel. 

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Release Date

August 13, 2008

Runtime

107 minutes

Cast

Ben Stiller
, Robert Downey Jr.
, Matthew McConaughey
, Tom Cruise
, Jack Black

Director

Ben Stiller

Cruise was attracted to the idea of playing Les, but on two conditions. He wanted to have fat hands, and he wanted to dance (via The Independent). Sure enough, Cruise takes to the screen with a bald cap, a fat suit, and colossal prosthetic hands. The fact that the whole thing was his idea makes it even funnier. At first glance, the actor is almost unrecognizable behind his hilarious disguise. Cruise is perhaps the least likely person one would expect to see in this position, and it’s pure comedic genius.

Source: The Independent

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