10 Actors Who Deserve More Recognition

There’s no doubt that Hollywood has some of the best actors in the world—and plenty of the most popular stars are known by just about everybody around the world. But there are also plenty of lesser-known celebrities who deserve some attention, and here we’ll give you our top 10 list of underrated actors in Hollywood.

1) Leonardo DiCaprio

He’s been nominated for a staggering five Academy Awards—but has only won once, for his role in The Aviator. Though he’s arguably one of Hollywood’s most talented actors, DiCaprio has never been recognized with a golden statuette at an Oscars ceremony. It’s long past time that he finally gets recognized for his remarkable acting abilities.

2) Paul Walker

Paul William Walker IV (September 12, 1973 – November 30, 2013) was an American actor best known for his role as Brian O'Conner in The Fast and The Furious franchise. Walker began his career guest-starring on TV shows such as The Young and the Restless and Touched by an Angel.

3) Christian Bale

Bale has been around since 1999 and there are still a lot of people who don’t know him. He recently played Moses in Ridley Scott’s Exodus: Gods and Kings, but his early breakthrough came in 2005 when he was nominated for an Oscar for playing Patrick Bateman, a charismatic serial killer, in American Psycho. Most recently he’s starred in The Big Short as Michael Burry and in Terrence Malick’s Knight of Cups as Rick.

4) John Cena

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar John Cena has one of those faces that always looks like he’s doing a hilarious impression of someone else. He’s been in movies and TV shows since 2005, but many people still don’t know who he is. He deserves more recognition for his dedication to entertaining his fans. His work outside WWE has included a lot of self-parody, but he can also be serious when need be.

5) Benedict Cumberbatch

Cumberbatch, whose name is pronounced Cumber-batch, is most famous for his work as Sherlock Holmes in BBC series Sherlock. Cumberbatch has also starred in other BBC series including Parade’s End and Doctor Strange. The talented actor has already won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes. There may not be a more talented actor around these days than Benedict Cumberbatch.

6) Denzel Washington

Washington began his career as a stage actor and has since become one of Hollywood’s most iconic leading men. While he’s also known for films like The Equalizer and Safe House, it is his work in films like Glory, Malcolm X, Training Day and American Gangster that remind us why we love him. He was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in 2001! We can’t wait to see what he does next.

7) Ryan Reynolds

With notable performances in films like The Proposal and Buried, Ryan Reynolds deserves more recognition for his consistent work as a leading man in Hollywood. Since landing on our screens as Van Wilder in National Lampoon’s Van Wilder and continuing to impress with memorable performances in movies such as, Maybe, Green Lantern and Safe House, Reynolds should be considered one of Hollywood’s elite actors.

8) Vin Diesel

You may not know Vin Diesel by name, but you know his face: he’s starred in Fast & Furious 6, Pitch Black and xXx, among others.