Actors who have moved from TV to Film

Actors who have moved from TV to Film

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Discussion

eeLee

753 posts

80 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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Idris Elba is worth an addition to the list smile

I enjoyed Longshot, a very good movie, great entertainment. I heart Cameron Diaz smile

Beati Dogu

8,883 posts

139 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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WonkeyDonkey said:
elanfan said:
That guy That was in Shameless - brain fade!
James Mcavoy.

He's a strange one as I didn't find him particularly great in shameless then he started turning up in big budget films alongside Angelina Jolie. Done alright for himself.
Also another who was in Band of Brothers and went on to a successful film career: Michael Fassbender

alfan

12 posts

140 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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Steve McQueen

pincher

8,537 posts

217 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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Denzel Washington. Think he started off in St. Elsewhere?

SpudLink

5,748 posts

192 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. I first remember Branagh in a series of BBC plays about a lad in Northern Ireland. Thompson was given her own series in the mid-80s. They became British media darlings before becoming Hollywood stars.

irocfan

40,388 posts

190 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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alfan said:
Steve McQueen
to be fair acting on TV was nowhere near the worst job that he had eek

hebangsthedrums

86 posts

171 months

Sunday 7th March 2021
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Olivia Colman - watching Peep Show from scratch and mad to think how big a career 'Sophie' would have

BadBull

1,924 posts

72 months

Sunday 7th March 2021
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Just watching IT Crowd. Roy has done some Hollywood stuff.

Didn't Jonny Depp start in 21 Jump Street?

Eric Mc

121,958 posts

265 months

Sunday 7th March 2021
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98elise said:
I would guess the OP means successful/lead TV actors, who then went on to be successful/lead film actors.

As you say most actors will grab whatever they can in their early years, and I'm sure lots of TV actors have had later minor roles in movies.
Maybe that is what he meant - but in the UK, many famous actors will happilly switch between all the acting mediums - stage, screen or TV.

LeadFarmer

7,411 posts

131 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Simon Pegg & Nick Frost
Both utterly brilliant on Spaced (on TV), and again in Shaun of the Dead & Hot Fuzz, but after that not so much.

Martin Feeman
Brilliant in The Office, then out of nowhere he was catapulted to mega stardom with The Hobbit etc.

I think actors reach their peak in TV & films that really suit them (above), but then sell themselves out to any script that comes along just because they can get big £££

Edited by LeadFarmer on Monday 8th March 08:58

DuckAvenger

324 posts

133 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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George Clooney

StreetHawk, ER

Oakey

27,561 posts

216 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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I'm not sure that Mission Impossible, Star Trek or The Hobbit is 'any script'.

P-Jay

10,563 posts

191 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Dr Jekyll said:
Jenna Coleman.
Has she made a film?

P-Jay

10,563 posts

191 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Eric Mc said:
Too many to list.

Actors, especially early in their careers, take whatever work they can get - so they will take parts in stage productions, TV, film bit parts, media events, working in museums, galas, re-enactors etc etc.

Virtually every UK actor who has become a major film star has appeared on TV - and on stage - because it's what you do.
Agreed,

I think the real question though is who made a successful TV career before making a leap to films. For example I wouldn't say Tom Hanks falls into that category, he made a couple of one-off appearances in Love Boat, Happy Days, Taxi and Family Ties and had a starring role in a series for a few years before he was in Splash.

Will Smith though was well known for the Fresh Prince, Chris Pratt for Parks and Rec, Benedict Cumberbatch for Sherlock Holmes.

TTmonkey

20,911 posts

247 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Dame Judi Dench was a TV show stalwart for years before she became pretty big in film.


There was a woman actor can’t remember her name, was in casualty for years, did a film, won an Oscar.

InitialDave

11,881 posts

119 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Mark Strong

SpudLink

5,748 posts

192 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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P-Jay said:
... Happy Days ...
Talking of which, has Robin Williams been mentioned yet?

Halmyre

11,183 posts

139 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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MX5Biologist said:
Peter Sellers
Daniel Craig
Patrick Stewart; sure he was in some BBC Play for the Day type things before a bit part in Excalibur (and stage parts)
Karen Gillan
Pierce Brosnan
Sean Bean
Ewan McGregor
Catherine Zeta Jones
Anna Friel
I don't think Peter Sellers did a lot of TV. He more or less went from The Goons to film roles.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

261 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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P-Jay said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Jenna Coleman.
Has she made a film?
I saw her in one of the Avengers films but on checking, not as big a film star as I'd thought.

droopsnoot

11,902 posts

242 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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TTmonkey said:
There was a woman actor can’t remember her name, was in casualty for years, did a film, won an Oscar.
Brenda Fricker, wasn't it?