Walton Goggins, Hiam Abbas and the other best “character actors” in Hollywood

There has been a lot of excitement online this week over the announcement that Walton Goggins will be joining the third season of the popular TV show White lotus.

Although he can’t be described as a true Hollywood star, the American actor has garnered a legion of fans and garnered critical acclaim since his appearance as career criminal Boyd Crowder on the TV show. justification.

In industry terminology, “personal actor” is the phrase used to describe stars like Goggins. Character actors constantly act in popular movies and shows alongside A-list names, but never achieve leading status as a man or woman. Most of them prefer it that way.

Here are some of the best character actors working today…

1. Hiam Abbas

The multilingual Palestinian actress and director has worked heavily in Arab and French cinema since the 1980s, and made her first appearance in a television film Miracle night.

She most recently played the complex and multi-layered Marcia Roy, the third wife of media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox) in the multi-Emmy award-winning film. Succession Reach Abbas to a wider audience.

From her role in the Palestinian film, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2005 Heaven now To play the role of Ramy Youssef’s mother archerAbbas likes to mix things up. “Don’t stagnate,” she said. Watchman About her style of work. “Don’t be sure about things, you never know. There’s still a long way to go.”

While it flourished in

2. Luis Guzman

With an instantly recognizable face and accent, the Puerto Rican actor has parlayed his natural, scene-stealing presence into a career that spans four decades and shows no signs of slowing down.

Transforms into award-winning films, including Carlito’s method, Boogie nights, Out of sight, passage And Magnolia It showcases Guzman’s dramatic acting skills, but there’s also plenty of comedy on his resume, including his role as Gomez Addams in the recent Netflix film Wednesday.

“I’m really committed to the work,” he told the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. “I’m there to complete the work and to complete the people I work with.”

3. Jane Lynch

Her role as winner-at-all-costs gym teacher Sue Sylvester came on the musical comedy show cheerful This is what really put Lynch on the map, even though he had been working for over 20 years.

She is a favorite of director Christopher Guest, and has appeared in his mockumentaries Best in show, Great wind And For your respect.

The five-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner is a star of the small screen, with recurring roles on Two and a half men, L word And Criminal Minds.

More than holding her own opposite Meryl Streep as Dorothy Cousins ​​in 2009 Julie and JuliaLynch can now be found in the role of the feisty Saz Pataky Murders only in the building.

4. Poorna Jagannathan

Although she trained as an actor when she was younger, the Indian-American actress did not move into the entertainment industry until her early 30s, after an early career in advertising.

Since its appearance on Law and order In 2004, Jagannathan became a familiar face on the small screen, earning credits in shows like house of cards, Black list, Better Call Saul, archer And Big little lies.

He was introduced to Gen Z audiences as Devi Vishwakumar’s mother Nalini in Mindy Kaling’s Netflix show I’ve never done that beforeHer role as the matriarch of the family has been described as a “revelation”. mashable, To which she added, “She presents one of the best images of Indian-American mothers we’ve seen.”

5. Benedict Wong

The actor started out in classic British shows The last wine of summer And project of lawHe did not step onto the global film stage until later as the wizard Wong in the 2016 film. Doctor Strange. He went on to reprise the role six more times in MCU sequels and spin-offs.

Despite having Marvel on his resume, Wong remains committed to putting his preferences first, and pursuing film roles Black mirror episode Hated in the nation And like Wallace the Necromancer in the vampire comics What do we do in the shadows?.

6. Allison Janney

From roles in teen classics 10 things I hate about you And Juno To famous hit shows such as West wing And Oscar-winning films I’m Tonya And American beautyJanie was rarely unemployed.

An actress who is just a T away from being an Egot winner, she has maintained character actress status for decades, constantly working but remaining under the radar.

The American, who stands 1.83 meters tall, says her height is due to her coveted status in Hollywood NPR“It helped me in certain parts. It definitely made me more of an actress in terms of my love for doing comedy.

7. Colman Domingo

The American will be familiar to fans of the bombastic Gen Z show trance, For which he won an Emmy in 2022 for his role as Ali Muhammad, Rue’s (Zendaya) AA sponsor and mentor.

However, theater – Shakespeare in particular – remains the actor and playwright’s first love and he portrayed Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet And Lysander V A Midsummer Night’s Dream Among other things.

One of his recent nominations for a Golden Globe Award Rustin“I feel like all the lights are on me now in this industry and they see me for what I do,” Domingo said.

8. Jennifer Coolidge

Depending on who you ask, Coolidge will forever be “Stifler’s mom” from the 1999 film American Pie; Elle Woods’ favorite manicurist, Paulette Bonafonte, in Legally blonde; Or soup-loving trophy wife Sherri Ann Cabot Best in show.

More recently, she received accolades for her role as self-absorbed heiress Tanya McQuaid in White lotus.

“She is often labeled a ‘character actress,’ a term that can have a lot of subtext in the entertainment business but almost always means ‘rarely, if ever,'” he said. Los Angeles Times. “But Coolidge’s cultural footprint is even larger than that, competing with many artists considered pioneers.”

9. Patterson Joseph

Acting almost feels like a hobby for the English actor, who recently played the evil chocolatier Arthur Slugworth in a movie Wonka.

Award-winning author and Fans can chart the development of Joseph, a chancellor at Oxford Brookes University in the UK, from his beginnings as Alan Johnson on the surreal sitcom. Peep show via Doctor Who to Flea bag.

Roles opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the 2000s the beach And Charlize Theron in 2005 Ion Flux Sitting easily on his resume, along with theatrical roles, incl Othello And King Lear With the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Updated: January 21, 2024 at 4:57 am