People On Twitter Share 15 Well-Known Actors Who Are Strangely Not That Famous Because They “Refuse” To Be
Being famous seems great and all, but it comes at a price. It gets tiring to always be in the public eye, minding what you say and what you do, representing your own brand and doing business. Besides this, it’s also all of the ceaseless attention from fans and whatnot, so it’s no surprise why some decide to be more subtle and discreet about it.
Hence, we have a number of famous people who seem like they "refuse to be famous", whether it’s deliberate or not. Twitter user Skoog pointed out how Patrick Wilson, who starred in Aquaman (2018), Watchmen (2009), and Insidious (2010), said he’ll be starring in millions of movies, but ends up absolutely refusing to be famous.
The thread soon began booming, gaining quite a bit of attention from the internet. It got over 315,000 likes with 27,000 retweets and a bunch of comments. While some tweeted about how Patrick Wilson looks like Will Arnett and a bunch of other similar looking actors, others began suggesting what other famous people are also avoiding fame.
While these actors are not believed to be famous in comparison to a number of other celebrities, everyone in the thread do agree that they are underrated and do deserve more credit than they are actually given.
Bored Panda has compiled a list of the celebrities that this thread deemed “absolutely refusing to be famous,” so check it out below and be sure to vote and comment on the entries you love the most.
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Patrick Wilson
Patrick Wilson is an American actor and singer who spent his early career days starring in Broadway musicals and started showing up in films and series in the early 2000s. He is best known for his roles in Aquaman (2018), Watchmen (2009), and Insidious (2010).
Fun Fact: Wilson himself saw this tweet and responded with "Dammit. My plan has been thwarted." His wife also joked in another tweet: “Dang it. You’ve quietly worked so hard to be in a million movies and NOT be famous...and now the secret is out.”
I really liked him in the "A Gifted Man" series. Sorry to see it end.
Thought I was the only one who liked that show a lot.
Load More Replies...How many times did I see him in a movie and thought "damn, I've seen that face before, how come I can't remember his name" ?
i think he is a really good actor. I really enjoyed his role in Phantom of the Opera.
Same here. I'm surprised that's not one of the roles he's known for.
Load More Replies...The new Aquaman movies. Totally took me out of the movie thinking that's that guy from .......
I love this man's talent. He was wonderful in the very scary The Conjuring movies and just saw on IMDB that there is another Conjuring movie in the works, called "The Devil Made Me DO It" CAN NOT WAIT!
William Fichtner
William Fichtner began his acting career as Josh Snyder in As the World Turns in 1987. The start was a bit slow, but in several years, Fichtner quickly became a common occurrence in movies, starring in at least a handful of movies annually ever since 1995. He is best known for his work in Armageddon (1998), Black Hawk Down (2001), and Crash (2004).
Sully Sullivan from the Perfect Storm! An excellent actor with a very distinctive look and way about him.
He is one of my favorite actors. Always know the show will be good if he is in it too! He seems to know how to pick the best jobs!
Isn`t he the boyfriend of Alison Janney`s character in the sitcom "Mom"?
OMG, I freaking LOVE him!!! He was amazing in Prison Break, and was also the bank manager in The Dark Knight!
LOOOVE HIM!!! He totally stole the movie "Drive Angry," hilarious as The Accountant!
David Morse
David Morse is an American actor, singer, director and writer. Morse kicked off his career back in the early 1980s and has since then been featured in films like The Negotiator (1998), The Green Mile (1999), and 12 Monkeys, among many others.
If you were to show his picture to most people, they would have no idea what his name is. He’s been in many movies over the years and I’ve always thought he was so underrated.
Load More Replies...And he was so gentle in that show. And has played so many heavies. Amazing range.
Load More Replies...his part in 'Long Kiss Goodnight' should have been in the mention somewhere here ...
One of my favourite actors. Watch him in Lars Von Trier's Dancing in the Dark ... he will blow you away!
I liked him in The Rock and The Green Mile. There is one movie/tv show he is in where he gives me the creeps but can’t remember which one.
World War Z as the CIA guy who had all his teeth pulled in Nth Korea (IIRC)
Load More Replies...While these actors are not believed to be famous in comparison to a number of other celebrities, everyone in the thread do agree that they are underrated and do deserve more credit than they are actually given.
While it is unknown why many of these actors don't get the love they truly deserve, with many it is speculated that they are simply focused on other things—not trying to be famous but rather enjoying the art of acting, or wanting to spend more time with their families and deliberately not going to interview and not dancing the "celebrity dance". It might also have something to do with Hollywood politics, but that is a story for another time.
Judy Greer
American-born actress Judy Greer has been very active in the movie scene ever since her debut in the movie Stricken in 1997. Her best known work is in movies like Jurassic World (2015), 13 going on 30 (2004, and Ant Man (2015), among many others.
According to the New York Post, Greer doesn’t want more stardom, but she does want the attention that opens doors professionally. As a director she said asked herself why should she play the role when she can get someone else, like Jennifer Garner to do it.
Besides that, she wouldn't want to see herself in the editing room all the time: “I don’t have that kind of self-esteem. I could not ever watch a performance of my own while doing it and be like: ‘Oh, that was an awesome take. We can move on, I really nailed that.’”
My crush on her cannot be measured by current scientific standards.
Judy Greer can be the most versatile actress ever, too bad she lands always the same role of the nagging, lovingly mother in career or ex-wife. After "Jurassic World", "Ant Man" and "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes" sincerely didn't know anymore if she played the same role in different movies (to name a few).
Vera Farmiga
Vera Farmiga is an American movie and TV actress, director, and producer, who began her professional acting career on stage in the original Broadway production of Taking Sides (1996). She is best known for her work in The Conjuring series, Bates Motel, and Orphan.
Most of them were brilliant in that... Freddie Highmore especially.
Load More Replies...And there is this lovely lass, Patrick's Conjuring wife! Love her to bits! Her Netflix show based on Bates Motel was just out of this world!
Same as Patrick Wlison. When I saw them both in a movie (the Conjuring) I got confused af.
Her name sounds so familiar but when I see her she's like a chameleon, I don't recognise her anywhere.
Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne is an Australian-born actress debuting her career in the comedy movie Dallas Doll (1994) She is best known for her roles in Spy (2015), Insidious (2010), and Bridesmaids (2011).
Right...she was so good in instant family..crouch stomping and all🤣🤣🤣😂😂
Load More Replies...one of my favourites. She was amazing in Spy, her comic timing was impeccable.
TROY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams is a Canadian actress who is best known for being in that “It’s never gonna happen” meme ripped straight out of Mean Girls (2004). Besides that, she also starred in the Notebook (2004), Red Eye (2005), and Sherlock Holmes (2009), just to name a few.
In an interview with LA Times, she was asked whether McAdams herself even wants to be a movie star, to which she responded: “I think it was sort of a vague idea in my mind when I was a kid, when you think, ‘What would that be like?’ But it wasn’t something I really meditated on or planned for in any way. I really thought I’d be doing theater in Canada. I’d grown up doing children’s theater there, and I always imagined myself being artistic director of a children’s theater company.”
I think she's pretty well known tbh - maybe just not with the younger generation
no she definitely is. i'm young and i've seen her in a lot of stuff. pretty much anyone who's seen mean girls knows her
Load More Replies...Can't agree with this one. She's possibly my favorite actress and I've known her name for years.
Oh is *that* who she is. I remember that character anyway, hahaha.
Load More Replies...she's well known but definitely is underrated though, most people know her from Mean Girls, but she has so many more amazing movies. I really liked her in The Time Traveller's Wife.
George Wyner
George Wyner is a Boston-born actor who started off in television in the early 1970s but later also started appearing in a number of movies, including Spaceballs (1987, A Serious Man (2009), and The Postman (1997).
He's great! I always enjoy seeing him in a movie. He was Dr Goldberg in "How to be a Serial Killer" and did a fantastic job!
How is he NOT famous? I know everybody on this list, all pretty famous.
The point is that their face is not in the media - they do a job and want to go have a relatively normal life outside of that and not make a scene to push an additional agenda, etc.
Load More Replies...Aaron Eckhart
Actor and producer Aaron Eckhart was born in Cupertino, California, but has lived in a number of other places around the globe, including the UK and Australia. He has been acting since the early 1990s with his most notable work being in The Dark Knight (2008), Thank You for Smoking (2005) and In the Company of Men (1997).
People are speculating that he is underrated only because she just chooses to do more films in the vein of “Battle For Los Angeles,” which is an action war film, rather than “Thank You For Smoking” and “The Black Dahlia,” which are dramas.
What? This guy is super famous, isn't he? At least where I live / in my social circle he's got face and name recognition.
It’s not about them being well known or recognised for their talent. But being a ‘quiet’ or private person and not a celeb who’s always in the media and being photographed everywhere
Load More Replies...I Harvey think so. Please iDentify the character he played. Did he gave Two face Batman in a fight? Ok, that's all I got. Good night
Load More Replies...I was an extra in his first movie, directed by Neil Labute who is from my hometown. He laughed at me, I was 15 and cocky as hell and was complaining that I wasn't pretty enough to be in the airplane scene, I was only airport pretty.
Does not belong. Very well known. First time I saw him was in Erin Brokovich. (The biker boyfriend)
Jason Clarke
Jason Clarke is an Australian-born actor known for often being cast as an antagonist in a number of feature films. He is best known for his work in movies like Terminator Genisys (2015), Mudhound (2017), and Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Clark himself explained in this interview that he enjoys the craft, and not the celebrity—he never really wanted to be a big Marvel movie actor as he wants a life outside of the acting business, which might explain things.
Terminator Genisys was GODAWFUL! even that stupid mispelt name makes me angry
Seriously! I hadn't heard of the movie before this, but I had to just GLARE at that stupid misspelled name for a good minute.
Load More Replies...Josh Lucas
Josh Lucas is an American actor who has been credited for various roles in over 80 movies and TV shows. He is best known for his work in Glory Road (2006), A Beautiful Mind (2001), American Psycho (2000), Sweet Home Alabama (2002) and the recent Ford v Ferrari (2019).
I cannot read the title of the film without singing.
Load More Replies...James Marsden
James Marsden is an American actor, singer, and former model. If you think you’ve seen him somewhere but can’t recall where, he’s Cyclops from Marvel’s X-Men series. Besides that, he also starred in Superman Returns (2006), The Notebook (2004), 10th & Wolf (2006), and The Alibi (2006).
It is speculated that Marsden is not that famous because of supposed Hollywood politics, while others think he just made bad choices in where he wanted to go, which pushed him away from stardom.
What about Enchanted? I thought he did a brilliant job of hamming it up as a Disney prince
I'm surprised he's not well known. I get that x-men and Superman Returns were a while ago, but I instantly recognised him in westworld.
Kyle Chandler
Kyle Chandler is an American actor who’s made his screen acting debut back in 1988 after being signed up for ABC and starting off as a supporting actor in Quiet Victory: The Charlie Wedemeyer Story, but he is best known for his work in Super 8 (2011), Argo (2012), Manchester by the Sea (2016), and Friday Night Lights (2006-2011).
He was in The Wolf of Wall Street as the agent that investigating Balfour.
He looks like a cross between George Clooney and Seth Macfarland.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Maggie Gyllenhaal is an American actress and film producer, who has starred in a number of films, most notably in Secretary (2002), The Dark Knight (2008), Crazy Heart (2009), and Frank (2014).
I took note of her way back in Donnie Darko (for playing the sister of, and actually *being* the sister of, Jake Gyllenhall) and I'm glad I did. I like her.
To me it is clearly the other way around. He is her brother. He name and repertoire has stuck with me more than he brother's.
Load More Replies...Shea Whigham
Actor and producer Shea Whigham was born in Tallahassee, Florida. Though his acting debut was in one 1997 episode of the television series Ghost Stories, his first starring role was just three years later in Tigerland (2000). He’s now best known for his work in Take Shelter (2011), Death Note (2017), Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006), and American Hustle (2013).
I thought the same exact thing!!! BTW...I love Hodor!! Lol
Load More Replies...Wristcutters is a PHENOMENAL film! Tom Waits playing God? Yes, please. Fun fact: the character that Shea plays (Eugene) is based on the real life singer from Gogol Bordello (Eugene Hütz).
All these people are famous, they just aren't ever in the media or tabloids
Things I noticed: Most came up singing, dancing as well as acting. So they have TALENT. The other thing I noticed: Not one is a Media Whore.
BINGO. their focus is always on their craft, not on the media machine surrounding it. They can be A-list, B-list, whatever, but their TALENT is what speaks for them, not the media attention they get.
Load More Replies...There are so many more of these, but fittingly I cannot remember their names. Every time I'm on IMDB going "I know I know who this is!" and it turns out I don't remember them from any of their 150 films even though I do recognize most of the films.
Same here! I know I have several that I’ve seen in many movies and have no idea who they are
Load More Replies...As someone who don't actually follow Hollywood news and just like to watch good movies, I assumed all of these people would have been famous. But I'm thankful that beyond the international borders only their acting skills are what truly matters.
I think one of the reasons for talented actors being not so famous could also be their ability to blend into the role so well, you can't actually recognise them. You feel something familiar, but can't tell who they are. Unlike the big names who look immediately recognisable in each role.
All these people are famous, they just aren't ever in the media or tabloids
Things I noticed: Most came up singing, dancing as well as acting. So they have TALENT. The other thing I noticed: Not one is a Media Whore.
BINGO. their focus is always on their craft, not on the media machine surrounding it. They can be A-list, B-list, whatever, but their TALENT is what speaks for them, not the media attention they get.
Load More Replies...There are so many more of these, but fittingly I cannot remember their names. Every time I'm on IMDB going "I know I know who this is!" and it turns out I don't remember them from any of their 150 films even though I do recognize most of the films.
Same here! I know I have several that I’ve seen in many movies and have no idea who they are
Load More Replies...As someone who don't actually follow Hollywood news and just like to watch good movies, I assumed all of these people would have been famous. But I'm thankful that beyond the international borders only their acting skills are what truly matters.
I think one of the reasons for talented actors being not so famous could also be their ability to blend into the role so well, you can't actually recognise them. You feel something familiar, but can't tell who they are. Unlike the big names who look immediately recognisable in each role.
