15 comedy actors who nailed serious roles 

There are certain actors who have developed a niche in comedy roles. They have simply mastered their comic timings, and facial expressions and have managed to put on an onstage persona. They can deliver a simple line with such precision and a well-crafted tone that it amplifies the humor level by a lot. In fact, the audience also loves seeing these actors in comic roles and their movies often turn out to be quite billable. But there are also cases when these actors have stepped out of their comfort zone and acted in some intense dramatic and serious roles and that too with absolute perfection. Here is a list of 15 comedy actors who nailed serious roles.

**Disclaimer: This article is entirely based on the writer's perspective. Reader's discretion is advised.**

15) Jason Segel

Jason Segel became a household name with his role in comedy sitcoms like – How I Met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and The Muppets. He has a knack for getting the attention on himself with his effortless sarcastic humour. He can present humour in a very realistic manner which makes it quite relevant to the audience. But he showcased his acting talent when he undertook roles in serious films. One such role was in the psychological movie – The End of the Tour. He managed to portray great emotional depth in this movie. Segel's portrayal was widely praised for its sensitivity and authenticity.

14) John Krasinski

John Krasinski became a popular actor for his portrayal of Jim Halpert in the hit television series – The Office. It is through this series that people got to know about his comic timing, ability to deliver dry humor, and effortless charisma. His transition from TV to movies happened with comedy roles like – License to Wed, Leatherheads, Away We Go and It's Complicated. But he proved that he is indeed a talented actor whose niche is not just comedy when he undertook the movie - 13 Hours in which he plays a CIA officer. He then moved on to star in horror films like – A Quiet Place. But his most career-defining role came in 2018 with the Amazon Prime series – Jack Ryan. Krasinski's ability to combine intellectual aspects of the character with physical action in the movie was highly commended.

13) Seth Rogen

Seth Rogan has been a pioneer of comedy since he was 13. He has worked with other famous comedy stars in the TV show – Freaks and Geeks. His other famous comedy projects include - The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Pineapple Express, and Superbad. In fact, he has even directed a lot of comedy movies too. He showcased his evolution as an actor with his role in the movies - Long Shot and The Fabelmans. In both these movies, he showcased that he possesses the emotional vulnerability and talent needed to portray serious roles.

12) Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick became a well-known name for children's comedy with her performance in movies like – Up in the Air and Pitch Perfect. She became famous among kids who loved her for her acting. In fact, her singing talent was an incredible addition to her comedy skills. But she was propelled out of the comedy star mold and entered the sector of dramatic roles with the movies – The Accountant and Into The Woods. Along with Blake Lively, she also starred in the movie – A Simple Favour, which is a thriller, and her acting was quite appreciated in that movie too.

11) Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy has a reputation in the sector of female comedy stars. She rose to popularity with her role as Sookie in the TV series – Gilmore Girls. She solidified her role as a comedy star with the 2011 movie – Bridesmaid. She is appreciated for having a knack for delivering solid one-liners which earned her other comedy movies like – Identity Thief, The Heat, and Spy. But she showed her talent as an actor in the 2018 movie – Can You Ever Forgive Me which is about a struggling author, who, in order to make a name for herself chooses fraud. She was appreciated for her portrayal of Lee Israel and her authentic acting.

10) Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx, with his combination of comedy and musicals, manages to convey humor in quite a subtle tone to the audience. This can be seen in his work on the series – In Living Colour. His performance was so good that it earned him a show after his own name – The Jamie Foxx Show. But he let the audience know that comedy is not the only great thing about him when he worked in the 2004 movie – Ray. Ray is the biography of a famous musician and Jamie Fox's work was so authentic that it earned him an Oscar for best actor for this movie. In fact, he then worked in the movie - Collateral, which is a thriller with Tom Cruise, and further expanded his work in dramatic roles in the 2012 movie – Django Unchained.

9) Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill with his role in the comedy movie - Super Bad has received wide appreciation and recognition. He can very well portray the role of an awkward person and manage to make the audience laugh. He continued this comedy run which works in movies like – 21 Jump Street, Get Him to the Greek, and a lot more. But we see a deep and profound side to him with his role in the movie like- Moneyball. It shows that he can be a versatile person who can play a funny person and an introspective one too.

8) Bill Murray

Bill Murray is another actor whose comedy manages to resonate with the audience. Like other successful names on this list, he too started his career on Saturday Night Live. Some of his best comedy roles were in the movies – Stripes, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, Scrooged and others. But he displayed his emotional depth in acting when he worked in the movie – Lost in Translation. It was a very intense role where he portrays the role of Bob Harris an old actor who finds love in a young woman (Scarlett Johansson) in a different country. Since then he has worked in other serious movies to showcase his versatility as an actor.

7) Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy is another talented comedian. The audience loves him especially because of his performances on Saturday Night Live during the 1980s. He has done stand-up comedy for a long time and then went on to work in movies like – Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America, Dr Dolittle, and The Nutty Professor. But he broke all the notions associated with fitting the mold of a comedy actor with his role in the 2006 movie – Dreamgirls. In this movie, he portrays the role of an old singer and he did so with such authenticity that he won a Golden Globe for it.

6) Adam Sandler

Adam Sandler and slapstick comedy movies go hand-in-hand. He has dominated Hollywood in the comedy sector for a number of decades. Some of his great, classic comic films include - Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Waterboy, The Wedding Singer, Just Go With It, and others. But he showcased his versatility in the 2002 movie – Reign Over Me, where he plays a lonely and vulnerable man, and in the movie Uncut Gems, which is an intense thriller.

5) Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart is another actor who is considered a powerhouse of comedy. He is full of energy and his humor is sharp and observational. He started his career with stand-up comedy and has made his appearance in a lot of shows. He has also worked in a number of comedy films, like – Right Along, Central Intelligence, Jumanji, The Secret Life of Pets, and others. Imagining him in dramatic roles was almost impossible for the audience. But he proved them wrong with his performance in movies like – The Upside where he plays an ex-convict and Fatherhood where he plays a widowed father who is now a single parent. These roles proved that while he can make the audience laugh, he is also talented enough to make them cry.

4) Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston became a household name with her role in the hit comedy series Friends as Rachel Green. She was especially appreciated for her comedic timing and her witty remarks. She has earned a lot of awards for this series and it has also earned her a number of other hit romantic comedy films like – Just Go With It, We Are the Millers, The Break Up, and Horrible Bosses. People had started getting used to seeing her in comedy roles, but she showcased her dramatic and emotional abilities when she worked in movies like The Good Girl and Cake. In both movies, we can see a certain depth and authenticity in her performance which she portrays quite subtly and earns worldwide applause.

3) Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey is another legendary comedian who is especially appreciated for his facial expressions. He became a comedy icon with his roles in films, like – Dumb and Dumber, Ace Ventura: Pet, Detective, The Mask, Liar Liar, and Bruce Almighty. But he surprised the audience when he undertook many serious and dramatic roles like those in the movies – The Truman Show and Man on the Moon. His best dramatic performance came in the movie – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where he plays a man undergoing a procedure to erase his memory for his loved one. This film earned him a lot of praise from the audience and also filled his inventory with many awards.

2) Robin Williams

Robin Williams is another much-loved actor. He is especially appreciated for his comic improvisations and his great delivery which always manages to make the audience laugh. He built this reputation for himself as a great comic actor with his work in series like – Mork and Mindy, and in movies like – Mrs Doubtfire, Aladdin, Good Morning Vietnam, and others. But he proved that he is much more than just a comedian, with his emotionally vulnerable roles in movies like – Good Will Hunting, Dead Poets Society, Awakenings, The Fisher King, and others.

1) Charlie Chaplin

When we think about comedy legends, the first name that comes to one's mind is Charlie Chaplin. He is considered one of the best comedy actors and has worked in films like – The Kid, The Gold Rush, City Light, Modern Times, and others. He had cemented his position as a legendary actor during the silent film phase. But we get to see a much more mature acting of Charlie Chaplin in the 1952 movie – limelight. This movie is about failure and is an introspection of one's own self about why those failures happened and how they can be avoided. Charlie Chaplin has given an incredibly deep emotional performance in this movie.