Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

People Break Down Which Actors Seemed Miscast But Absolutely Nailed Their Role

People Break Down Which Actors Seemed Miscast But Absolutely Nailed Their Role
AMC/YouTube

Few people bought the idea of Bryan Cranston in the role of Walter White before Breaking Bad premiered. But anyone who sat through that entire show had to admit that the man's talent is undeniable––and that no one else could have played that role to such brilliant effect. Much of the initial pushback came from the fact that before Breaking Bad, Cranston, who is also a highly accomplished stage actor, was largely known to audiences as the dad from Malcolm in the Middle. That's the thing about good actors––they surprise you.

People told us all about the actors who didn't seem right for the roles but quickly changed theirs minds when Redditor wfpbgoals asked the online community,

"Which actor seemed miscast in a role but ended up killing it?"

"I think I was of the opinion..."

"I think I was of the opinion that Joaquin Phoenix was an odd choice for the role of Johnny Cash until I saw his acting and heard his phenomenal voice sing these classics."

PoliticsEnthusiast

He sang his way to an Oscar nomination! He was pretty damn good––and at the time, probably an unconventional choice.

"Tarantino breathed new life..."

"Everyone thought Travolta had been miscast in Pulp Fiction because at the time his career was on its knees. And he hadn't been cast in anything noteworthy in a very long time.

Tarantino breathed new life into it his career by giving him the role."

bulbhed

This is true! His role in that film revived his career and catapulted him to stardom, though it's safe to say that at this point he might need another role of similar caliber if he wants to headline major projects again.

"Really came out of nowhere..."

"Patrick Warburton as Lemony Snicket. Really came out of nowhere for me."

angrytomato98

I wasn't feeling it at first––and to be fair, I don't particularly care for the 2004 version of A Series of Unfortunate Events––but Warburton was excellent.

"Based on some of his other work..."

"Rob Lowe in Parks and Recreation. Based on some of his other work it didn't seem like the role of an enthusiastic health nut fit him but he killed it."

-notjosh-

"She was fantastic..."

"I remember going to the theatre to see Silkwood in 1983 with Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell. When they showed Cher's name at the beginning, people audibly laughed. She was fantastic in the movie and went on to a very respectable film career. I had always thought she was a good actor from her days on The Sonny & Cher show so why not go dramatic? Anyway, I LOVE all her work."

femsci-nerd

The fact that people slept on Cher's work in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean... Jimmy Dean a year earlier is CRIMINAL. Criminal, I tell you!

"I'll always refer..."

"I'll always refer to the pushback that Dark Knight got when it was first revealed they cast 'that blonde dude from "A Knight's Tale," and that "10 Things..." "teen romance"' and the Internet collectively went "WTF???".

Wow. That was a huge error on our part."

Happy8Day

911 Operators Break Down The Strangest Call They've Ever Received | George Takei’s Oh Myyy

Bet people regret their reactions. Wonder what Heath Ledger's career would look like right now had he not died before The Dark Knight was released?

"In 2002..."

"In 2002, nobody could imagine Matt Damon playing a CIA assassin with amnesia. I saw the preview on TV and was like, "the dude from Good Will Hunting?.

The Jason Bourne movies are among my all-time faves now and I can't picture anyone else in that role."

yossarian1943

"She was the most believable..."

"Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. She was the most believable Dylan in that movie by far."

WhiskyTangoNovember

"In the books..."

"I was skeptical of Pedro Pascal as Oberyn Martel in Game of Thrones. In the books, the character has a darker, more commanding type of charisma, but Pedro's version was terrific."

Propagandave

"Yes!"

" Robin Williams in One Hour Photo.

He already showed with Good Will Hunting and Bicentennial Man that he can also do drama, but a thriller with him as the main actor?

Yes!"

treverios

A bad actor can take a miscast role and turn it into an utterly painful mess. But a decent actor can really work wonders with a seemingly miscast role and wow audiences to the point that they can't imagine anyone else in the role. Now, that's talent.

Have some opinions of your own? Feel free to tell us all about them in the comments below!

Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Ken Jennings; Timothee Chalamet
Robin L Marshall/Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

'Jeopardy!' Just Threw Some Epic Shade At Timothée Chalamet Over His Claim 'No One Cares' About Opera Or Ballet

If you've been anywhere near the internet lately you've like heard about the uproar over Timothée Chalamet's recent comments about how "no one cares" about ballet and opera.

The comments were not taken kindly, and now the ire has reached such a fever pitch it even made it onto Jeopardy!or the gameshow's Instagram, at least.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshots of Megyn Kelly and Lindsey Graham
The Megyn Kelly Show; Fox News

Megyn Kelly Tells 'Homicidal Maniac' Lindsey Graham To 'STFU' About Iran War In Brutal Rant

Conservative pundit Megyn Kelly criticized South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on Tuesday, calling him a "homicidal maniac" and demanding he "shut the f**k up" following his calls for intervention in Cuba and for President Donald Trump to join Israel in attacking the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In particular, Graham urged Middle Eastern partners to do more to support the U.S. war effort, telling countries such as Saudi Arabia to “up your game.” He also criticized Spain after its leadership strongly opposed the attacks on Iran. Graham said Spain had “lost your way,” and called on the U.S. to cut ties with the country and withdraw its military air base from Spanish territory.

Keep Reading Show less
Gen Z couple
Olga Pankova/Getty Images

New Study Finds Alarmingly High Percentage Of Gen Z Men Think Women Should Be Submissive

As of 2026, members of Generation Z (typically defined as born 1996/97–2012) will be approximately 14 to 30 years old. They are the first generation in the developed world to have no recollection of a time before widespread internet access, cellphones, and social media.

They're also the first generation—in the United States—to grow up with women on the Supreme Court and the last major milestone of the women's rights movement, the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA), signed into law.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshot of Joe Rogan; Donald Trump
The Joe Rogan Experience; Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images

Joe Rogan Explains Why So Many MAGA Voters 'Feel Betrayed' By Trump—And He's Got A Point

Conservative podcaster Joe Rogan criticized President Donald Trump for campaigning on "no more wars" before attacking Iran late last month, remarking that "this is why a lot of people"—MAGA voters—"feel betrayed."

Rogan, along with guest Michael Shellenberger, criticized the Trump administration's intervention in the Middle East that has already resulted in the deaths of at least seven U.S. service members and heightened global tensions.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshot of Lindsey Graham; Donald Trump
Fox News; Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images

Lindsey Graham Dragged After His Latest Claim About Iran Directly Contradicts Trump's From Last Summer—And Oops

South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was called out after he predicted on Fox News that the U.S. is "gonna obliterate" Iran's nuclear program by the time the recently-initiated war with the country is over, prompting critics to point out that he directly contradicted President Donald Trump's own claim from last summer.

Graham, discussing the war that began after the U.S., with the joint coordination of Israel, launched strikes against Iran on February 28, claimed Trump is “the right guy at the right time” because of Tehran’s supposed nuclear program.

Keep Reading Show less