Only a few actors can excel in both comedy and drama movies, since it’s more common to favor one or the other. While most actors will appear in a range of different genres throughout their careers, they won’t necessarily shine in any role that comes their way.

It’s always a pleasant surprise when an actor shows a different side to themselves. This helps them avoid becoming too predictable or being typecast. A change of genre is the best way to achieve this, and it can reveal a comedic actor with hidden dramatic chops, or vice versa.

12

Olivia Colman

Colman First Made A Name For Her In British Comedy Shows

To some people, Olivia Colman will always be ᴀssociated with the role of Sophie in Peep Show, the popular British sitcom that helped define her as one of the country’s funniest performers on TV. She had several other memorable TV roles before making her Hollywood breakthrough.

To some people, Olivia Colman will always be ᴀssociated with the role of Sophie in Peep Show.

Since Colman won an Oscar for her darkly funny but emotionally intense performance in The Favourite, she has moved between comedy and drama with ease. She shows off her dramatic chops in The Father and The Lost Daughter, but she’s as funny as ever in other movies like Paddington in Peru and Wicked Little Letters. Her next project is a comedy with Benedict Cumberbatch, The Roses.

11

John C. Reilly

Reilly Has Starred In Several Oscar-Nominated Dramas As Well As Goofball Comedies

John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell are one of the funniest comedy duos of the 21st century, with hits like Talladega Nights and Step Brothers. Reilly also delivers hilarious performances in goofy comedies like Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Stan & Ollie. Despite this reputation for silly comedy, he’s also known for supporting roles in Oscar-nominated dramas.

There’s a reason that Reilly has enjoyed long working relationships with the likes of Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson. He excels at playing oddball characters, but this doesn’t necessarily have to be comedic. Even though he’s rarely in the spotlight, Reilly is often a memorable presence.

10

Ryan Gosling

Gosling’s Charms Work Well In Many Genres

Many of Ryan Gosling’s best movies demonstrate his natural talent for comedy, with his charm operating at full capacity in The Nice Guys, Barbie and Crazy, Stupid, Love. This makes it all the more surprising when he decides to remind audiences that he can also handle himself in more dramatic roles.

While Gosling first made a name for himself with The Notebook, he’s received praise for plenty of dramas. Drive and Blade Runner 2049 are two shining examples of his ability to ditch comedy without losing a step. In these cases, his innate affability gives him a mysterious allure.

9

Will Smith

Smith First Broke Through As A Sitcom Star

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air introduced the world to the comedic talents of Will Smith, and he quickly made the transition to the big screen with a long list of other comedy hits like Bad Boys and Men in Black in the ’90s. Gradually, he became more comfortable with dramas too.

Smith is now an Oscar winner for his performance in King Richard, although this is far from his only dramatic role. He’s also garnered praise for his performances in Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness and I, Robot. His upcoming sequel to I Am Legend will see him reprise one of his most popular dramatic roles.

8

Robin Williams

Williams Balanced Comedy And Drama Like Few Other Actors

Robin Williams set the standard for actors who can excel in both comedy and drama. Although he mostly appeared in comedies, he delivered several profoundly moving drama performances throughout his career. Each one is a unique surprise.

Mrs. Doubtfire, Aladdin and Jumanji showcase Williams’ energetic, freewheeling style of comedy, with plenty of improvisation. Movies like Good Morning, Vietnam strike a balance between humor and deep pathos, acting as a halfway point between his comedies and darker dramas like Insomnia and One Hour PH๏τo.

7

Frances McDormand

McDormand Has Won Oscars For Comedy And Drama

Due to her relationship with Joel Coen, Frances McDormand appears in many of the best Coen brothers movies, such as Fargo, Burn After Reading and Hail, Caesar! These are just some of her memorable comedy roles, but she’s also worked with Martin McDonagh and Wes Anderson on multiple occasions.

McDormand has just as many great dramatic roles as comedic ones. Her husband’s first solo directorial project, The Tragedy of Macbeth, gave her a platform as a tragic icon. Of course, she shines as Lady Macbeth, which is no surprise considering she won an Oscar for Nomandland to go with her awards for Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

6

Jim Carrey

Carrey Often Blends Humor And Drama

Most of Jim Carrey’s best movies are proudly silly comedies like Ace Ventura, Liar Liar and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. However, he has often shown that he has a more thoughtful, profound side too. What makes him interesting is that he can inject humor into dramatic works without ruining the tone.

His surprisingly hefty biopic about Andy Kauffman, Man on the Moon, perfectly demonstrates his ability to blend comedy and drama. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Truman Show are two more great examples, as Carrey’s inherent charms make his characters easy to connect with.

5

Sandra Bullock

Bullock Has Mastered A Variety Of Genres

Sandra Bullock’s career has seen her tackle a variety of different genres, from the thrilling action of Speed to the sci-fi spectacle of Gravity. She’s also known as a great comedic actor, thanks to roles in Miss Congeniality, The Proposal and The Lost City.

Bullock won an Oscar for The Blind Side, making it her most critically-revered performance to date, but her fans will know that she’s just as good in some of her comedic roles. Whether she’s alongside Melissa McCarthy in The Heat or an all-star cast in Ocean’s 8, she always manages to shine.

4

Dustin Hoffman

Hoffman Has The Ability To Disappear Into His Characters

The Graduate was one of Dustin Hoffman’s earliest hits, and it became an instant comedy classic. Hoffman has continued to appear in comedies throughout his career including notable works like the ’80s gender satire Tootsie and the Kung Fu Panda franchise.

Hoffman has refused to be nailed down throughout his career. He has balanced his comedy roles with heartbreaking dramas like Midnight Cowboy and poignant emotional stories like Rain Man. He has an impressive range, and he can vanish into his characters.

3

Meryl Streep

Streep Has Been Getting More Into Comedy Later In Her Career

Meryl Streep was already one of her generation’s greatest actors by the time she started taking on more comedy roles. One of her early comedic hits was the dark comedy Death Becomes Her, which has gone on to become a cult classic. This provided a refreshing change of pace after dark dramas like Sophie’s Choice and The Deer Hunter.

In the 21st century, Streep has taken on more comedic roles, like her fun-loving performance in the musical romp Mamma Mia and her scene-stealing role in the comedy series Only Murders in the Building. Her most iconic comedy role is probably Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, which stands alongside any of her Oscar-nominated dramatic performances.

2

Tom Hanks

Hanks Often Returns To Comedy

For the first few years of Tom Hanks’ career, he almost exclusively played comedy characters. His hits from this era include Big, A League of Their Own and Sleepless in Seattle, but Philadelphia proved that Hanks was just as capable of delivering a stirring dramatic performance.

Although Hanks has since become recognized as a superb dramatic actor, with credits such as Saving Private Ryan, Captain Phillips and The Post, he still returns to comedy fairly often. He has recently joined Wes Anderson’s cast of regulars, and he is set to appear in The Phoenician Scheme.

1

Emma Stone

Stone Is A Unique Comedic Talent

A case could be made for Emma Stone as the best comedic actor of her generation, ever since her early hits like Superbad and especially Easy A. She has shown a willingness to put her considerable dramatic skills to work in the comedy genre time and time again.

La La Land, Birdman and The Favourite are all comedies, but they simultaneously showcase Stone’s talents as a dramatic actor.

La La Land, Birdman and The Favourite are all comedies, but they simultaneously showcase Stone’s talents as a dramatic actor. Her second Oscar-winning performance in Poor Things skews more toward drama, although her ongoing collaboration with Yorgos Lanthimos is a fascinating exploration of absurd comedy.