Sitcom actors who became dramatic stars

Hanks first rose to fame, or at least notability, on the sitcom “Bosom Buddies.” Very much a product of its era, it involved Hanks and Peter Scolari playing men pretending to be women to live in an all-woman building. At first, he was getting starring roles in comedies like “Splash.” Eventually, he would be such a venerated dramatic actor he would win back-to-back Oscars for Best Actor.

It notoriously took Clooney a while to get his career going. In addition to terrible horror movie sequels, Clooney would pop up in shows like “The Facts of Life” and “Roseanne.” Then, well into his career, he finally hit, but with the TV show “ER.” From there, though, he would move onto movie stardom, and he too has an Oscar for acting in the very dramatic “Syriana.”

Lawrence was so successful so young – not even 21 when she starred in “Winter’s Bone” – you might think she has been a movie star from the beginning. Clearly, you don’t remember “The Bill Engvall Show.” Don’t worry, most of us don’t. However, Lawrence had a role in that show as Engvall’s daughter as a teenager.

Cranston was doing sitcoms so long that he first rose to prominence as a TV dad in “Malcolm in the Middle.” Of course, we don’t want to forget his time as Tim Whatley on “Seinfeld.” He was a notorious re-gifter who converted to Judaism for the jokes. Then, he became maybe the most-venerated TV actor of his generation thanks to “Breaking Bad.” That led to some notable movie roles, including starring as Dalton Trumbo in the biopic “Trumbo.”

We, of course, know Carell from “The Office.” However, even before that, he starred in a short-lived, definitely not beloved sitcom called “Over the Top” in 1997. By the time he was starring in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” that failed sitcom felt like a distant memory. Since his breakout as a comedy film star, Carell has also found success in dramatic turns. We think he was quite good in “The Big Short,” but it’s “Foxcatcher” that got him an Oscar nomination.

Moore is a sitcom legend, be it as Laura Petrie in “The Dıck Van Dyke Show” or as Mary Richards in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” Both are iconic, and both made her a television mainstay. She did not have as much film success as others on this list, but Moore got an Oscar nomination for the grim drama “Ordinary People,” which definitely earns her a spot here.

There was a lot of drama woven into “MASH,” what with it being set during a war and all, which may have helped Alda when it came to getting serious in films. While Alda is probably still best remembered for playing Hawkeye, he’s definitely had some significant movie roles. We’re talking films like “Crimes and Misdemeanors” to “The Aviator” all the way to 2019’s “Marriage Story.”

If you don’t remember Travolta on “Welcome Back, Kotter” all we have to say to you is, “Up your nose with a rubber hose!” His potential stardom was clear, and before the show even ended Travolta was off making movies like “Saturday Night Fever,” which was the start of a booming dramatic acting career. We have to mention “Pulp Fiction,” of course. And don’t forget that “Battlefield Earth” isn’t supposed to be funny.

When Williams was starring on “Mork and Mindy,” it seemed impossible to imagine Williams ever doing drama. The man was a whirlwind of comedy and bits. The late actor proved us wrong, though. In addition to winning an Oscar for “Good Will Hunting,” Williams played murderers on multiple occasions, and he was convincing too!

DeVito had some small film roles before playing Louie De Palma in “Taxi,” but that’s the role that made him famous. If anybody pegged him as merely a sitcom star, they had another thing coming. DeVito has gone on to star in several dramatic films, and he even directed “Hoffa.” Let’s not forget the fact he played the Penguin in “Batman Returns,” which is both a dramatic movie and a blockbuster.

Hunt had some drama early in her career, including when she played a girl on PCP who threw herself through a window. While she admittedly had success earlier in her life, she really emerged as a star when he got her role in “Mad About You.” While on that successful sitcom, Hunt had roles in “Twister,” a major action flick, as well as “As Good as it Gets,” for which she won an Oscar.

“Angels in the Outfield” may have come before “3rd Rock From the Sun,” but he was still a teenager when he started on that show. By the time it was ending, JGL was older, and he was involved in the show less to break into films. He and Rian Johnson have found some dramatic success together, starting with “Brick” and continuing with “Looper.”

Grace was ostensibly the lead of “That ‘70s Show,” an ensemble that has had quite a bit of success. As a dramatic actor, Grace has probably had the most success. “Spider-Man 3” technically counts, though that movie isn’t terribly good. However, he made an impression in “Traffic,” and recently some thought he did Oscar-worthy work in Spike Lee’s “BlakKklansman.”

Plaza’s deadpan deliveries made April Ludgate a legend on “Parks and Recreation.” However, there is more to Plaza as a performer than sarcastic quips. She’s quite good in dramas like “Ned Rifle” and “Ingrid Goes West.” She hasn’t had a big dramatic film yet, but she did co-star in the reboot of “Child’s Play,” arguably her biggest movie role yet.

Is “Girls” a sitcom? It’s close enough for us to count it. While Driver is not one of the titular girls, he definitely made an impact on that show. Since then, he’s stolen the show in movies like “Inside Llewyn Davis” and become part of the “Star Wars” universe as Kylo Ren. Driver also got an Oscar nomination for “Marriage Story,” and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him get a win someday.

Jacobs was part of an impressive cast on “Community.” Alison Brie and Donald Glover have gone on to big things, mostly in television. Jacobs, who played Britta on “Community,” has been in a few quite good comedy-dramas that definitely let her do some dramatic acting, like “Life Partners” and “Dean.” In 2020, she starred in a horror film called “Come Play” that received positive reviews.

We don’t really need to tell you about DiCaprio’s film career, right? The dude did everything he could to win an Oscar, and then he did it with “The Revenant.” Then, he was even better in “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.” DiCaprio has been acting since he was a kid, and for many, we first saw him when he was added to the cast of “Growing Pains” in the early ‘90s.

You may remember that Bob Denver, aka Gilligan, played Maynard G. Krebs on “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” However, did you know that in the first season there was a rich jock named Milton Armitage who was Dobie’s rival? It’s true, and he was played by Beatty. Beatty would go on to not only be a successful dramatic actor, but he also won Best Director for “Reds.”

Place won an Emmy for playing the titular role in “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.” Her first notable movie role was in the comedy-drama “Private Benjamin,” but she would eventually move onto more dramatic parts. This includes “The Rainmaker” and “Being John Malkovich.” In 2018, she starred in the movie “Diane,” which actually won her the Best Actress award from the National Society of Film Critics.

Smith took his Fresh Prince persona from music to TV, and his charisma made movie stardom seem possible. However. He became the biggest movie star in the world, thanks to action flicks like “Independence Day.” Smith also wanted to be taken seriously as a dramatic actor, which he has earned. Maybe “Seven Pounds” didn’t land, but “Ali” did, and so did thrillers like “Enemy of the State.”