Posted on 1st November 2010 11:39AM
"There are no small roles, only small actors,” a wise actor once said. Every so often, we're graced by the performance of an actor that proves the old maxim true. Most of today's best actors started off by catching someone's attention with strong supporting roles.
These eight performances stole the show away from formidably prominent lead actors, despite the limitations of supporting roles.
Sam Worthington in Terminator Salvation
Christian Bale plays the iconic John Connor in this installment of the famed franchise, and it seemed that his lead role would overpower all others. That's not how it worked out, as Marcus Wright, played by Sam Worthington, stole the show.
One of the most anticipated blockbusters of this summer focused around his character; a man on death row who signs his body over to Cyberdyne Systems for medical research. He wakes up 15 years later to a world ravaged by nuclear holocaust, after Skynet eradicated most of humanity. His past haunts him throughout his journey, and when he ultimately discovers what he really is, he takes the audience with him down a grief-stricken path to sacrifice.
It's that sacrifice for the sake of the human race that made audiences love him, and the role gained respect for the actor himself. He is well on his way now after successful starring roles in Avatar and Clash of the Titans.
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Edward Norton in Primal Fear
This role earned him a nomination for an Academy Award -- and it was well deserved. The then-unknown actor managed to outshine Richard Gere and found himself quickly catapulted to fame and blockbuster roles.
Norton played Aaron, a young altar boy accused of murder, whose attorney, played by Gere, took the case to defend him. But nothing was what is seemed and Norton's performance carried the movie. His portrayal of a seemingly well-mannered altar boy took everyone by surprise as he took the audience down a mind-bending, insanity-laden path. Few saw this coming, and Norton himself is now known for his ability to play similarly dichotomous roles.
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Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino's instant cult classic launched Uma Thurman into career stardom. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Pulp Fiction, establishing herself as more than "just a pretty face".
She had been previously cast in films, but they were largely unknown and foreign. Her role as Mia Wallace, a gangster's wife, entrusted to a hitman (played by John Travolta), shines alongside more reputable talent. She surpassed the other actors in several scenes, and it struck a chord with audiences everywhere despite having a limited amount of screen time.
The synergy she had with Tarantino earned her the starring role in the Kill Bill movies.
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Justin Timberlake in Alpha Dog
We all know Justin Timberlake for his success in the music business, as he's become one of the biggest hip hop stars of our generation, but acting? Nobody could have predicted that he could pull it off, but he proved it with Alpha Dog.
Playing Frankie Ballenbacher, a drug dealer, he's ordered to keep watch on a boy who's been kidnapped as retaliation for non-payment. Frankie and the boy, Zach, form a fast friendship, and he inevitably begins to feel torn as to whether he should follow orders or release his new friend, because he knows how it will end for the boy. The audience is able to both see and feel the internal struggle going on in Frankie's mind and heart. The film shows that, deep down, Frankie is not a wholly bad person. Timberlake played this role very well, and proved his acting chops.
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Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
New to American films, Waltz made an impression in Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Inglorious Basterds. In the film, he plays Hans Landa, a Colonel in the Nazi Security Service, whose intelligent, cunning tactics gave him the unofficial nickname “The Jew Hunter.”
His relentless pursuit of his goals along with his heartless manipulation and mind-games are outstanding. He was truly one of this movie's gems in the rough, and audiences love to hate him. If there is one thing for certain, it's that he'll be given more roles in American cinema after this performance. Winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar makes it a certainty.
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Clifton Collins Jr. in Sunshine Cleaning
Collins Jr. plays Winston, a cleaning-supply store owner who helps a single mother, played by Amy Adams, in her new business endeavor cleaning up crime scenes. Winston, who with his one arm builds toy planes in the office of his store, becomes the single mother's confidant, baby sitter and inspiration.
His character is endearing and heartfelt, and the viewer can't help but have warm feelings for him. Whenever his character entered the scene, the audience was instantly captivated. This chameleon-like actor now has quite a few movies to his credit and we will definitely be seeing more of him.
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Lucas Black in Sling Blade
Yes, the Lucas Black who was in movies The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift and Jarhead was the child actor in the Oscar-winning Sling Blade. Black played Frank Wheatley, who befriended partially handicapped Karl Childers (Billy Bob Thorton), recently released from a mental hospital, who had murdered his mother and a another person many years earlier.
Karl is invited to stay in Frank's house with his mother Linda and her abusive boyfriend. The two form an unbreakable bond, and Frank's love for his young friend touched audiences' hearts and souls. He relates to Karl and struggles with the abuse that the boy and his mother endure from the boyfriend. His strength in the role proved that even as a child, he could make a movie shine.
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Kathryn Erbe in Stir of Echoes
Most took notice of Kathryn when she played Maggie Witzky in the supernatural thriller, Stir of Echoes, with Kevin Bacon, who played her husband, Tom. After her husband is hypnotized by her sister, he and their son become "receivers," and begin seeing and speaking with spirits. Throughout this, she plays the sympathetic wife who would do anything for her family. Her time on screen proved her to be a talented actor, later helping her to land a role on Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Detective Alexandria Eames.
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