Comedy and drama are two distinct genres that require different skills and approaches from actors. While some performers specialize in one or the other, others are capable of seamlessly transitioning between the two. From unexpected turns to critically acclaimed performances, these actors have demonstrated their range and versatility, and we'll explore how they made the transition from comedy to drama.
1. Robin Williams, Good Will Hunting (1997)
For an actor whose stardom is so inextricably linked to his comedy, films like Dead Poets Society, Insomnia, and Good Will Hunting prove that Robin Williams was very much in touch with the spectrum of human emotion.
The 1997 drama film follows a young, working-class genius named Will Hunting who, with the help of a therapist and his friends, confronts his past and embraces his future.
2. Steve Carrell, Foxcatcher (2014)
Known by most for his comedic roles as Michael Scott in The Office, Brick Tamland in Anchorman, and the 40-year-old virgin named Andy, Carell's chilling role in Foxcatcher caught many of his fans by surprise.
Foxcatcher is a biographical drama film that tells the story of Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz and his relationship with wealthy benefactor John du Pont, who becomes his coach and mentor but eventually leads to tragedy.
3. Vince Vaughn, Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)
Vince Vaughn was once a steady-as-they-come cleanup hitter in classic comedies like Old School, Dodgeball, and Wedding Crashers, but he has not shied away from grittier roles, especially later in his career. Brawl in Cell Block 99 casts Vaughn as a drug runner who has to fend for himself in prison, a role for which he received critical acclaim.
4. Adam Sandler, Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
Adam Sandler's popular brand of comedy has never been described as highbrow, which made his captivating role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love so unexpected. While technically a comedy, Sandler played a far more layered character than he had ever before, displaying a range that his early comedy films never hinted at.
The film follows Sandler's character, a lonely small-business owner who falls in love with a woman — played by Emily Watson — while dealing with various personal and professional challenges. The film received critical acclaim for its unique blend of humor and pathos, as well as Sandler's atypical and nuanced performance.
5. Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Sacha Baron Cohen catapulted into stardom as Ali G, Borat, and even Bruno. His trademark over-the-top comedic style is a stark contrast to his role in The Trial of the Chicago 7, a film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin.
This legal drama is based on the real-life trial of seven defendants who were accused of inciting riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The movie follows the trial and the political and social tensions of the time.
6. Jonah Hill, Moneyball (2011)
Jonah Hill left his indelible mark on cinema through his role as Seth in Superbad, and also played memorable parts in films like Knocked Up and This Is the End. With Moneyball, Hill crushed his turn in an Oscar-nominated sports drama, establishing that he could play roles well outside of his comedy niche.
The film is a 2011 biographical sports drama based on the true story of how Oakland Athletics' general manager Billy Beane and his assistant Peter Brand used advanced statistics to build a competitive baseball team on a limited budget.
7. Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
It's a common theme: Massive comedic stars make a few blockbuster films, then get the leeway to try more dramatic roles. Jim Carrey followed this formula on his way to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a Charlie Kaufman-penned film that explores the complexity of love in a wholly unconventional way.
This romantic science-fiction drama follows a man who undergoes a procedure to erase memories of his ex-girlfriend but soon realizes he still loves her and tries to stop the process.
8. Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (2015-2022)
One of the rare shows that captures much of the public's attention during the streaming saturation era of television, Bob Odenkirk and Saul Goodman (or Jimmy McGill) are synonymous. But fans of his semi-dramatic roles in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul may be unaware of Odenkirk's illustrious comedy background on programs like Mr. Show.
This television series serves as a prequel to the hit show Breaking Bad, following the transformation of Jimmy McGill into the morally questionable lawyer, Saul Goodman. The show explores the backstory of the character and provides a deeper understanding of the world in which Breaking Bad is set.
9. Whoopi Goldberg, The Color Purple (1985)
Before she was a mainstay on The View, Whoopi Goldberg was a comic. That is, until she played Celie Johnson in the period drama The Color Purple. The movie follows the life of Celie, an African American woman in the early 1900s who struggles with abuse, racism, and sexism while searching for her identity and independence.
The critically acclaimed film from Steven Spielberg grapples with stomach-turning themes and earned Goldberg an Oscar nomination.
10. Seth Rogen, Steve Jobs (2015)
Danny Boyle's take on Apple founder Steve Jobs' life story was far more serious and effective than a prior biopic, and Seth Rogen's turn as Steve Wozniak was a critical piece of the film. It was a far cry from Pineapple Express and The Green Hornet, that is for certain.
11. Will Ferrell, Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Stranger Than Fiction constituted a hard break from Will Ferrell's run of late 90s-early 2000s comedies. Even if there were comedic elements to the film, Ferrell's role as an IRS employee, Harold Crick, tested the limits of his range as a thespian. Though those used to Ferrell's outrageous comedy did not love this movie, Stranger Than Fiction was generally well-received by critics.
12. John Goodman, 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
John Goodman has flexed his comedic chops time and again, playing bombastic characters in The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and The Flinstones. And while 10 Cloverfield Lane was hardly Goodman's first serious role, his unsettling role as a disaster prepper is distinctly unique from his prior roles.
This psychological thriller follows a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) who wakes up in an underground bunker with two men who claim that a chemical attack has made the outside world uninhabitable. As tensions rise and she begins to uncover the truth about her captivity, she must decide who to trust and how to escape.
13. Bill Murray, Lost in Translation (2003)
Bill Murray has carved out an illustrious comedy career with roots in the heyday of Saturday Night Live. Murray's role as an aging movie star who finds himself in an unexpected dalliance with a young Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation remains a standout within his vast filmography.
The movie follows the unlikely friendship between an aging actor and a young woman as they navigate the complexities of culture shock and loneliness in Tokyo.
14. Eddie Murphy, Dreamgirls (2006)
A consummate showman throughout his career as a standup comedian, Eddie Murphy's role as James “Thunder” Early in Showgirls was a logical progression. Murphy plays the founder of a record label that falls on hard times and holds his own alongside fellow scene-stealer Jamie Foxx.
15. Chris Rock, Fargo (2020)
One of the most respected stand-ups of his era, Chris Rock added 1950s-era gangster to his list of acting roles in Season 4 of Fargo. It was a far cry from Rock's usual comedic roles, but he absolutely owned it.
16. Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
Far from the big-budget blockbuster spinoffs you'll find playing at a cinema near you, Can You Ever Forgive Me is a slow-burn biopic featuring Melissa McCarthy as disgraced author Lee Israel.
A portrait of self-destruction and the domino effect of deceit, McCarthy expertly exuded the desperation of a past-their-prime writer struggling to afford living in New York City.
17. Steve Coogan, Philomena (2013)
British funnyman Steve Coogan is a living legend across the pond, and his role in 2013's Philomena showed that he can hold his own in a dramatic role. Starring alongside Judi Dench, Coogan plays a disgraced politician who returns to his journalistic roots in the name of reuniting long-lost loved ones.
18. Aubrey Plaza, The White Lotus (2022)
White Lotus has become one of the best television shows of 2022, and its casting of established stars in unconventional roles is no small part of its winning formula. Plaza kept viewers on their toes in Season 2, displaying her trademark coyness while exposing a vulnerability that led to serious drama.
