Some actors are versatile to their core. They can fit the mold of the characters they are required to play quite perfectly. Every role demands certain characteristics and certain qualities which are significantly different from each other. Most of the time these actors develop a particular niche acting style in which they are adept. But when required they can skilfully adapt to other acting styles too.
Here is a list of 20 times an action star nailed comic roles.
20) Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba is a very talented actress. She has starred in numerous action movies and TV shows like - Mechanic: Resurrection and Fantastic Four. Her roles are fierce and she has delivered them with utmost conviction. Be it intense fight sequences or survival scenes, she is excellent. But her talent is not limited to this genre. She has mastered many comic roles too, like in the movie - Good Luck Chuck and Valentine’s Day.
19) Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson is a name well associated with many action-packed thrillers like - Mad Max Series, Lethal Weapon, Braveheart, The Patriot, and more. But quite notably he broke off the stereotype of being just an action hero with fantastic performances in comic roles. These include movies like - What Women Want and Daddy’s Home 2. His versatility as an actor is perfectly visible with how he tackles these roles.
18) Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme is a skillful trained martial artist. Putting his skills to good use, he has been a part of many action movies like - Kickboxer, Lionheart, Double Impact, Universal Soldier, Time Cop, and others. While he was loved in these roles, he earned even more affection from the audience when he ventured out of the action genre and nailed comic roles too, like in the movies The Last Mercenary and Welcome to the Jungle.
17) Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis is a legendary action star with stellar performances in a lot of notable movies. Perhaps the most popular out of these remains Die Hard in which he portrays the role of John McClane, a troubled cop. He is a very well-established action hero but still hasn’t succumbed to being just an action star. He has branched out to comedy and nailed the roles with performances in movies like - A Whole Nine Yards and Death Becomes Her.
16) Tobey Maguire
Tobey Maguire, our very own British Spider-Man is an action star loved not only for his fight sequences but also for his British Accent. He has acted as an iconic superhero but he also deserves appreciation besides his stunts, for his comedy skills. The movies - Pleasantville and Tropic Thunder are two stellar examples of his comic timing.
15) Al Pacino
Al Pacino is a name quite popular in America. The majority of the classics have his name associated with them. Crime and Action movies were his niche. He has acted in movies like - The Godfather, Scarface, Scent of a Woman, and many more. While these roles were emotionally exhausting and physically demanding, it cannot be denied that Al Pacino also has a knack for comedy and it is perfectly displayed in his roles in movies like - Jack and Jill, and Author! Author!
14) Vin Diesel
Vin Diesel is an action star through and through. The Fast and The Furious Franchise, xXx Series, Pitch Black, and others are a testament to the same. But he has also mastered light-hearted roles. For example, in the movie - The Pacifier (2005), despite his tough exterior he manages to nail the comic role of a Navy Seal who has to babysit kids.
13) Megan Fox
Megan Fox with her aura, charisma, and beauty doesn’t exactly fit the stereotype of an action star but she has quite a few notable action movies to her name. Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a few of them. Making a name for herself with such roles, she surprised the audience when she starred in comedy movies and managed to ace those roles too. Few of these projects include - This is 40, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, and Big Gold Brick.
12) John Cena
John Cena was a professional wrestler before he transitioned into an action hero of Hollywood. He has acted in movies like - The Marine, 12 Rounds, Bumblebee, and others which make good use of his fighting skills. But John Cena has also masterfully performed in many comic roles, too, like in the movie Trainwreck where he portrays a fitness-obsessed boyfriend, or in Blockers where he acts as an awkward dad.
11) Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck is filled to the brim with talent. His career is marked by many prominent roles. Some of these include movies like - Armageddon, The Batman, and others. But when presented with the opportunity to step out of the action genre and venture into comedy, he did so with perfectionism. Some of these comic roles are in the movies - Shakespeare in Love and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
10) Idris Elba
Idris Elba is an example of an action actor nailing comic roles not only on the big screen but also on Television screens. Starting with action roles in series like The Wire and The Suicide Squad, Elba had managed to create a reputation for himself as an action star. But he broke stereotypes when he portrayed the role of Charles Miner in the memorable comedy series - The Office.
9) Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill also known as Man of Steel with his physical appearance and unrelenting charisma has rightly earned a reputation for portraying our kryptonite savior - Superman. If this wasn't enough, he also plays the role of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter in the series The Witcher. For him, to do lighthearted roles was truly a challenge but he managed to do that surprisingly well in movies like - Argylle and Whatever Works.
8) Ryan Gosling
Drive, Blade Runner, The Grey Man, Only God Forgives and Gangster Squad are a few examples of Ryan Gosling’s action-packed filmography. But being the versatile actor that he is, he has managed to nail not only these action roles but also lighthearted comedic roles with perfectionism. Some of his notable comedy works include - The Notebook, The Nice Guys, and none other than his iconic role as Ken in the movie Barbie.
7) Chris Evans
Chris Evans has given the industry action-packed hits after hits. Firstly, as Captain America in Marvel’s Avengers, then moving on to movies like - Snowpiercer, The Grey Man, and Fantastic Four, he sure had established himself as an action star. His work is so intense and convincing that people find it hard to believe that he is the same person who has acted in comedy movies like - What’s Your Number, and Not Another Teen Movie.
6) Jennifer Lawrence
As Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games Series, Jennifer Lawrence made a name for herself in Hollywood’s acclaimed action stars list. She further solidified her place with roles in movies like Red Sparrow and X-Men. Her training and screen presence made her such a master of these intense roles that people were amazed when she undertook comic roles. No Hard Feelings, Don’t Look Up and American Hustle are a few examples of her versatility as an actor.
5) Keanu Reeves
Can you imagine Keanu Reeves in comic roles? With his performances in Matrix, John Wick, Speed, Point Break, Constantine, and others he has etched himself in the mind of the audience as a serious dedicated hero. But he managed to shed this image with his performance in lighthearted comic movies like - Always Be My Maybe, Parenthood, and The Replacement.
4) Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is one of the most well-known actors in the world. Fight Club, Troy, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, World War Z, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Bullet Train are a few of his blockbuster action hits. But there is a reason besides his stunts that the audience loves him so much, and that is his versatility. As perfectly as he delivers his intense roles, with that perfectionism he also delivers his comic roles in movies such as Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Ocean’s Series.
3) Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro has been a part of many classic action movies like - Taxi Driver, The Godfather, Midnight Run, The Deer Hunt, and more. His performances are powerful and captivating. But not limited to this niche. He has also mastered many comic roles in successful movies like - Meet the Parents, The Intern, The King of Comedy, and others.
2) Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson with his 6ft 5in height and wrestling training has established himself as an action hero. The Fast and the Furious Franchise, Jumanji, San Andreas, Rampage, The Scorpion King, and Hercules all exhibit his talent in the genre of violence. But he has a soft side to him too which is kinder, funnier, and affectionate. This other side can be seen in movies like - The Game Plan, Tooth Fairy, Baywatch, and others.
1) Tom Cruise
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With Mission Impossible, Jack Reacher, Top Gun, Knight and Day, Valkyrie, and others, Tom Cruise is a name well-known in the action side of the industry. At 62 he still does his own stunts and is always bringing in new ideas about innovative action sequences. But he too can master a comic role as and when needed. This can be rightfully seen in the rom-com Jerry Maguire in which he portrays an ambitious sports manager whose life changes after he has an epiphany.
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