When performers are "known" for a particular performance or type of character, it's easy to brush them off as someone whose work you don't like. So you just don't watch most of the rest of their stuff, going about your life not even thinking about them.
Sometimes, that same actor turns out a performance that shakes up everything you thought you thought about them - and honestly it's one of my favorite things to happen. Having a performance show you someone in a totally different light opens up whole new worlds for you!
Reddit user HollynMagruder asked:
What role caused you to sit up and realize you underestimated an actor? And why?
So let's talk about those performances - the ones that shake up preconceptions, shake off old reputations, and flat out change people's minds.
Not Edward
new moon twilight GIFGiphy"Robert Pattinson in The Lighthouse. Going toe to toe with Willem Defoe is no small feat. Especially with no other supporting cast." - Justice-Gorsch
"Robert Pattinson is a treasure of an actor. Ignore the Twilight sh*t (or not if that's your thing) but what really turned me over to his work was Lost City of Z. I know it wasn't a huge part but it was that moment that I saw him and said 'That's the dude from Twilight?' " - NyetRifleIsFine47
"Came to say Robert as well, for me it was "Remember Me". I never saw Twilight but thought the role reflected his skill so wrote him off. I'm really excited for the new Batman." - Bolteus
"Aw, yeh...totally. Check out "The Devil All the Time". He was postively Earth shattering in that." - planetstarbux
"Just" Sketch Show Comedians
better call saul thread GIFGiphy"Bryan Cranston and Bob Odenkirk both blew me away in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, I previously thought of them as "just" sitcom/sketch show comedians but they did an amazing job there" - cunacademy
"I think it's a lot easier to go from comedy to drama than vice versa. A good comedian is usually trying to make light of some great pains." - tmmzc85
"I saw Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul and then I saw him in the Tim and Eric Awesome Show: Great Job. I was both in belief and disbelief. Just an astounding actor." - spicedshrub
Scared Of Her
party has GIFGiphy"Mo'Nique in Precious. I always loved her comedy and was curious to see her to a serious role. After watching it, I was actually afraid of her, not just the character." - xandrenia
Well Alright
Matthew Mcconaughey Crying GIFGiphy"Matthew McConaughey in True Detective. He was always in such lame romcoms, I didn't think he had it in him." - parodyofsincerity
"I thought his performance in Interstellar was absolutely amazing and heartbreaking." - jokiccheeseburgerclub
"Dallas Buyer's Club was even more of a revelation. Such a complex and conflicted character." - Robmox
"Do yourself a favor and watch his closing argument in A Time to Kill. He's incredible there." - AnnieAbattoir
"That Guy Can Really Act"
Im Out Bill Hader GIF by BarryGiphy"Bill Hader in Barry (the TV series). I was just used to seeing him as a funny man on SNL but damn that guy can really act." - greentofu402
"This was my answer too! Also, if you haven't seen Skeleton Twins, he's great in that as well. And Kirsten Wiig is amazing in it."
"I feel like comedians usually get underestimated, but honestly I think being genuinely funny and good at comedy (especially sketch comedy) is really difficult and it's probably easier for an actor who can do that well to also do drama well, whereas I feel like dramatic actors might have a harder time nailing comedy." - knm20
"The thing is that I didn't even think he was funny before! Barry was a real surprise." - SeniorBeing
Steve
Steve Carell Thumbs Up GIF by SAG AwardsGiphy"Steve Carrel in Fox Catcher and the Big Short, never knew he could make anything other than comedy (which he did pretty well)" - MuchCommittee_9355
"The Way Way Back made me really fall in love with Steve as an actor, because of how much I despised him in that movie."
"He plays that role with perfection. It's a movie that stays with you a long time after watching it." - thenutcracker_78
"I didn't even realize it was Steve Carrel in Fox Catcher until like halfway through the movie, because he walked, talked, and just overall acted different than other roles."
"I just thought 'huh, I wonder who that actor is, he looks so much like Steve Carrel! Wait... Man the resemblance is uncanny... Oh sh*t hold up thats him!' " - sSommy
Heath's Joker
the dark knight joker GIFGiphy"Heath Ledger as the Joker. I really didn't enjoy his previous rom coms and I didn't find anything particularly amazing about his performances in them."
"So I was completely blown away by him in the dark knight (?). Like glued to the screen, utterly mesmerized by how compelling he made that character." - AnnieAbattoir
"Came to post this. He was a b-class pretty boy, although I did enjoy A Knights Tale."
"But specifically because of his casting as the joker, I had super low expectations for the Dark Knight and then HOLY F*CK IT WAS THE BEST BATMAN MOVIE EVER MADE and a huge part of that was Heath Ledger absolutely stunting the role in a way we'd never seen on the screen before" - Method8888
Split
james mcavoy flex GIF by GlassGiphy"James McAvoy, Split. I liked him but didn't know how brilliant he was until Split." - charlie_wonka
"My wife and I have always enjoyed movies with him, but when we saw Split, we were both just slack jawed the entire time. He should have won an Oscar for that role." - Frankensteins_Friend
A Strawberry In A Bald Cap
Scarlet Witch Disney GIF by Nerdist.comGiphy"Elizabeth Olson in Marvel movies because she really had to look tenderly and cry over a man who, behind the scenes, was dressed like a strawberry in a bald cap without laughing." - Loaf-Memes
"Oh yes, she totally knocked out out of the park in Wandavision. Not only in the early episodes, playing the perfect 50s/onwards housewife, but then all the later episodes as the reality and reasons for it all become clear." - Suisanahta
Mayfield
Awkward Bill Burr GIF by Disney+Giphy"Bill Burr in his second appearance as Mayfeld on the Mandalorian. Motherf*cker can act."
"Mayfeld's initial nonchalance and flippancy towards his situation, the Empire, everything, shown to be nothing more than his shield against the trauma he endured, the PTSD he still suffers from, thanks to Operation Cinder."
"And that moment where the facade cracks in the face of the stark reality that it could happen again, confronted by a man who is the personification of everything Mayfeld thought he was too jaded to hate. And all conveyed with tone of voice and mannerisms. F*cking blew me away." - Peregrine2976
Tombstone Should Have Been Called Doc Holiday
val kilmer tombstone GIFGiphy"While Val Kilmer was a 'good' actor, when I went to watch Tombstone and saw he was playing Doc Holiday, I almost turned it off."
"I told myself 'he can't play Doc!' I thought for sure he didn't have the chops. By the time the movie was over I was screaming that they should have called it Doc Holiday!" - ecdolphins
Generic White Actress
Emma Stone Fashion GIF by Walt Disney StudiosGiphy"Emma Stone in Cruella. I've disliked her for so many years (always thought she was just kind of a generic white actress) but she was absolutely incredible in Cruella" - EssenceOfEspresso
Now that you've seen what Reddit has to say, it's your turn. What performances absolutely blew your mind and changed how you saw someone?
Redditor enginearz was eager to hear about historical figures people were surprised to learn were still alive, leading them to ask:
"What famous person from history is still alive?"
Forever Leaving His Name In Science
"Yuri Oganessian."
"He's the only currently living man with an element on the periodic table named after him."- snowflake247
Quite The Story To Tell
"Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha."
"Last human to hold the title of Tsar, as leader of the Kingdom of Bulgaria."
"He was exiled along with his family when the Soviets invaded Bulgaria in 1944."
"In 1990, after the fall of the Soviet Union, Simeon returned from exile to Bulgaria and July 2001, was democratically elected prime minister."
"The private citizen is now 85."- DirectionNew5328
Making Nature Cool For Decades
"Jane Goodall."
"David Attenborough."- random_username_96
You Can Do It Uoftartsci GIF by U of T Faculty of Arts & ScienceGiphyThe Fought For Freedom And Justice
"John Hemingway."
"The last surviving airman of the battle of Britain."
"He is 103 years old."
"Ivan Martynushkin."
"He helped with the liberation of Auschwitz."
"He is 99 years old."
"Benjamin Ferencz."
"He was a prosecutor at the Nuremberg trials."
"He is 102 years old."- Ashtar-the-Squid
"Traute Lafrenz."
"The last living member of the german anti-nazi resistance group 'White Rose".
"Most well-known members were the sibling Sophie and Hans Scholl, who were executed by the Nazis when they were identified."- ChrisTinnef
The One Who Made One Giant Leap For Mankind
"Buzz Aldrin, and I’m not even American."- mukaltin
State Of The Union Salute GIF by MSNBCGiphyOpening Doors For So Many Others
"Ruby Bridges."
"She was one of the first black kids to go to an all-white school."
"There is a famous picture of that first day."- mumwifealcoholic
He Continues To Surprise Us
"Ozzy Osbourne."- CaptinDerpI
Admirably Defying So Many Odds
"Jimmy Carter."
"98 years old."- Back2Bach
Jimmy Carter Drilling GIF by GIPHY NewsGiphyWe've Still Got Two Out Of Four
"Paul and Ringo"- HMKingHenryIX
Inching Close To The Big One Double Oh...
"Kissinger."- LucyVialli
julie andrews snap GIFWho Could Forget About Dick Van Dyke ?!?!?!?!
"Everyone just forgetting about Dick Van Dyke, he's like 97 and still going."
"If you've never heard of him, he played in Marry Poppins, along with a bunch more movies"- Longjumping_Drag2752
And Still Stunning
"Sophia Loren is still kicking."- The_REAL_McWeasel
Continuing To Go Where No Man Has Gone Before
"William Shatner doesn't look it but that dude is in his 90s wtf."- flubberF*ck
William Shatner Fun GIF by Shark WeekGiphyPerhaps what's most admirable, is that even when these astonishing people do eventually pass, they will continue to live on and change the world with the remarkable work they did.
Redditor BungOnMimosas was curious to hear what people considered to be the most overhyped fast food chains around, leading them to ask:
"What do you think are the most overrated fast-food chains? Why?"
"Food As It Should Be"... Or Not...
"I know it's not technically 'fast food', but Panera Bread pisses me off."
"Insanely expensive for extremely average food." - Reddit
"Panera."
"Their quality has decreased so much in the past few years and they’ve added weird sh*t to their menu like pizza and chicken sandwiches."
"Massive identity crisis and crap food."- asm233
Things Ain't What They Used To Be...
"All of them, now that they charge real restaurant prices."- P00pf4rt5
Golden Arches
"As much as I hate to say it, McDonald's is the only place that I can think of that the quality hasn't changed much."
"I mean, that's a pretty low bar, but it is what it is."- gnatman66
happy ronald mcdonald GIF by McDonald's CZ/SKGiphy"The majority of them, especially the really big ones (McDonald's, Wendy's, BK, Pizza Hut, etc)."
"The prices are no longer fast food prices and the quality is not there like it used to be."
"Far better local options that cost roughly the same at the end of the day."- senorita_diablo
Consistency Is Key...
"Dunkin."
"You can go to the same location three separate times, have the food made by the same staff, and receive 3 wildly different results."- AndrewLampart
Not So Popular Anywhere, It seems...
"KFC in France became so bad."- SterBout
fried chicken animation GIF by octavioterolLikely Won't Go National...
"Idk how wide spread they are, but in the Buffalo NY area there is a chain called Mighty Taco."
"They were even voted best tacos a few years ago."
"It is absolutely terrible food."
"I’ve tried to like it and given them 3 chances."
"Each time I couldn’t eat more than a couple bites."
"Absolutely terrible and I’m disgusted even thinking about their sour vomit in a tortilla."- aa-2020
"Eat Fresh"...
"I think I’ve answered this question before but definitely for me, it’s Subway."
"Nothing but a giant hunk of bread."
"I’m editing this to add that part of my anger about Subway is how good it used to be."
"I can remember the days of nearly a whole can of tuna salad delicious sub."
"And a Veggie sub with Swiss cheese and piles of yummy veggies and the sweet Vidalia onion sauce."
"It’s all gone to sh*t."
"I would’ve been perfectly OK with increasing price but the big drop in quality pissed me off."
"Oh woe is me with my first world problems."- Mysterious-Region640
football ok GIF by Subway ColombiaGiphyQuantity Doesn't Guarantee Quality...
"Starbucks is a scam."- cmkeller62
Tasty, But Not Worth It...
"I’m going to say Five Guys."
"Not because the food isn’t good, but because I’m not paying $20 for a burger meal."- 2PacTookMyLunchMoney
"Dairy queen grill and Chill for sure."
"I worked at one for a lil' while and 1 burger combo is $14.56 CAD."- lolidk13
Ice Cream Miracle Treat Day GIF by Children's Miracle Network HospitalsGiphyAnd Not In A Good Way...
Big Kahuna Burger, it kills you."-Darklock2022
No two people have the same taste in food.
Some people know to avoid crappy food, while others eat literally nothing else.
Redditor Jacale1 wanted to discuss all the movies we wish we could experience new all over again, so they asked:
"What is one movie that you wish you could watch again for the first time?"
There are a lot of mystery movies I'd love to redo, just to figure out the killer sooner.
Gasps!
Raining The Shawshank Redemption GIFGiphy"The Shawshank Redemption."
MisOlga26
"A great nominee. Will never forget gasping when that rock went through the poster, and again when the warden pushed his arm through and ripped it down.... wow."
GalavantingRhino
Over and Over
"Edge of Tomorrow."
jeanrbel
"Is it bad that I got enjoyment knowing Tom Cruise died a lot in that movie. Never on screen, but it happened. Over and over. I hate that guy. How the hell was he the same height as Nichole Kidman in the movies they acted in together. Rhetorical question."
monrovista
"Honestly the whole reason I watched the movie to begin with is that he kept dying over and over."
AutomaticMethod2437
Swooned Away
“'Stardust'- if you don’t know you’ll never know."
jthekoker
"I’m surprised that a fantasy romcom can be so enjoyable, for a straight guy. It’s just the right balance between fantasy, comedy, drama, and romance. Most of the female cast are very easy on the eyes too."
"I swooned when Yvaine glows while dancing on the ship, and when she talks emphatically to the mouse in the caravan. This movie has a lot of A listers, and they deliver. I’m not gonna lie, I have probably watched it half a dozen times."
Redcarborundum
"The book has so much more in it, even having seen the movie you'll feel like a child again."
Beowulf33232
Hail Sigourney
"Alien."
NearDeafExperience
"I watched this with my wife, who has never seen it, and that's about as close as you can get to watching it for the first time. It really displayed just how good the movie is. Also I love Aliens just as much for different reasons."
QueafyGreens
"Came here looking for this! I watched it for the first time with my dad when I was 11, and it’s one of my favorite childhood memories. Amazing movie."
_shes_a_jar
Hey Arnold
sci-fi GIFGiphy"Terminator 2."
lobotomek
"I first watched this as a kid when I knew Arnold was the good guy in movies, and I had not seen T1. I wish I watched T2 for the first time after having watched T1. The mall scene would have been even more mind blowing."
Volvulus
T2 was definitely bada**!! I'd redo that.
Brilliant
rat GIFGiphy"The Departed."
Lineworker2448
"Bro, I'll go further. If I could watch the Nicholson covered in blood scene or the final scene between Damon and Wahlberg, I would be so freaking happy. The sheer acting clout on display for the first is near a masterclass while the last scene was just so business like, I'd love to relive that scene with fresh eyes. I love this freaking movie."
DaBearsMan_72
Originality
"The original Star Wars. Man, that blew our minds! It totally changed movies from then on. We'd never seen such incredible special effects. The story was so fun and the experience was amazing."
Raggmommy
"Even though I’m not a franchise fan, I can get behind this answer. Because when I saw it first run, I was fourteen, and nothing like it had ever been done. I think it was the first movie where the special effects were the movie? Now that’s standard. It’s a reason people see many films now."
"So, for sheer originality, I’d watch it again, but only for the first time. I barely recall the second movie."
Alexbmac
SURPRISE!!
"The 6th Sense. I audibly gasped in the theater. All the clues are obvious on rewatch but that first time, before anyone knew M. Knight Shyamalan was a twist guy... wow."
GalavantingRhino
"I never got to see it the first time. My girlfriend at the time (now wife) inadvertently let slip the ending thinking I had already seen it. I have never seen the point in watching it knowing the ending. But I did enjoy The Village."
failurebeatssuccess
"I watched it again and it was more of a sad film than a thriller."
anotherbarry
Just Beautiful!
"Spirited Away. I was blown away by how beautiful and bonkers it is."
Lizziebunnypie
"Saaaaame! Every single Studio Ghibli film, but Spirited Away especially! I’ve still watched it a million times though, and it’s always special. If I’m in a bad mood that film always cheers me up!"
"Also, Avatar-the last air bender. I know it’s not a movie, but I felt like it deserved a mention. I’ve watched the whole thing several times, and it’s always great, but I do wish I could forget it and rewatch it. I’m 35 btw... lol."
Mimi_315
Great Scott!
Doc Brown Shock GIF by Back to the Future TrilogyGiphy"Back to the Future."
dwkindig
"I'd love to watch that in the cinemas... Now from the future."
billieboop
Now I want to go to the movies.
Redditor asexyjohn18 wanted to hear about all the things that get people in the mood, so they asked:
"What is a non sexual trait that turns you on?"
I love a walk. A little strut. Nothing like getting the heart racing.
Tingles
hair GIF by SB NationGiphy"Getting my head scratched or having someone run their fingers through my hair."
SensitiveDolphin55
"Same. It’s so pleasant when the tingles run down your spine... ;-) "
PumpkinSpiceMaster
LOLOL
"When a girl genuinely laughs at jokes I make."
Realistic_Practice16
"I remember being on a first date with a beautiful woman and I made a bit of corny joke/comment and she laughed at it. I remember thinking, damn, wait till I get to my good stuff. I did get to my good material apparently as we were married. She gives me as many laughs as I give her."
CarlJustCarl
Do Right
"Kindness. When I see someone going out of their way to help others for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do… that is some truly attractive vibes."
Electrical-Bid-9577
"Apparently it's vanishing from this world really fast. People who show kindness often end up in losses (of course not everytime but most of the time yes). It really breaks my heart."
Walker1798
"Probably the sexiest thing out there. Someone can be smoking hot, funny, talented, etc. But if they're not kind, they're unattractive."
sravll
Oh Yes...
"Smiling right at me, and men stretching. LAWD HAVE MERCY!!"
Skwiddling
"I have trouble smiling at women. Is this a turnoff for them? And ones I like are really hard to smile at. Because I know it's always going to be some really weird big smile if I am crushing which makes me feel like a super duper creep."
Maximum_Knee_4622
Simplicity
Happy I Love You GIF by Warner Bros. DeutschlandGiphy"Sorry if this is too kinky but i like it when they care about me."
SirReal10000
"Too far man. You need to rethink your choices."
Funkeysismychildhood
Sometimes it's all about the heart.
Eye 2 Eye
i see you GIF by VH1Giphy"When a guy explains something to you in a calm and understanding voice. Bonus points for gentle eye contact."
Belphiespillow666
GENIUS!!
"Being crazily intelligent. Screw dirty talk, I want you to explain some unexplainable s**t in my ear."
-F**KINGUSERNAME
"Heck yes. My best connections have been with a philosophy/history professor turned chancellor, an environmental engineer, and a neurosurgeon, all 3 Summa cum laude grads and conference speakers in their fields. The downside to genius though is complete absorption in their fields leaving little time for in person connection."
__trezora__
Yummies
"Everyone should know how to cook. Hunger knows no gender. I like to eat good food so I learned how to cook. I asked my mom one day and she reacted surprised. She was more than grateful to have an opportunity to teach me the ‘finer’ aspects of cooking, as she called it. Lol. I love food."
"My girlfriend, now wife, likes to jokingly say I got her into bed with a well seasoned steak and homemade fries. I mean we did sleep together almost immediately after we finished dinner so maybe she’s right. That old saying comes to mind. 'The quickest way to the heart is though the stomach.'"
SaiyanGodKing
Getting Green
"When I ask my husband for help when I repot my plants and he delicately cleans and moves the leaves. He is a mechanical engineer and he works with huge pieces of industrial equipment, seeing him so tenderly caring for my plants just makes me melt."
BoysenberryNo3877
Limbs A Lot
Excited Thomas Lennon GIF by ABC NetworkGiphy"Men doing intricate work with their hands."
GooglePixel69
"I second this, also someone who can play guitar/bass real real well... just watching their hands, whoa mama."
squeaky-mcgee
Well, it seems that just about anything can get someone in the mood, especially if you're kind, courteous, and especially a good cook.
Anything to add? Let us know in the comments below!