Many times in film and television, audiences get used to seeing the same big name actors. While they are considered big names for their acting talent and beloved characters, new faces and talents are still welcomed. Some newcomers are small actors who make their big break, while some are people that just happened to be in the right place at the right time. This serendipitous casting has made for the best performances and fan favorite characters.
6 Kathy C. An - Grey's Anatomy
Scrub Nurse Bokhee is an absolute fan-favorite character, that has been an integral part of the long-running Grey's Anatomy. She has appeared in more than 200 episodes since the show premiered in 2005. Kathy C. An, who plays Bokhee, is actually a real surgical nurse who knew Linda Klein, the registered nurse that was hired as the shows medical advisor. Klein wanted everything on set to be as medically and technically accurate as possible. With that accuracy in mind, An was brought on board for her years of medical experience in the exact situation being portrayed.
5 Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips
The 2013 action thriller Captain Phillips is based on the true story about the U.S. container ship, Maersk Alabama, as it is taken hostage. The captain, Richard Phillips, played by Tom Hanks, must keep his crew safe as the Somalian pirates look for their riches.
Barkhad Abdi had auditioned for a background role when the film put out a worldwide casting search. The Somalia native was selected for the lead pirate because he stood out among all the applicants. His performance was so well-known that he became an audience-favorite villain. His famous line "I am the captain now" took the internet by storm, making Abdi's performance known even by those who had not seen the movie.
4 Richard Dawson - The Running Man
The Running Man takes place in a dystopian 2019 where America is in a totalitarian state due to a massive economic collapse and food shortages. In the country's favorite television program, prisoners are placed in a gladiatorial race to their freedom in which they must avoid mercenaries plotting brutal deaths. The charismatic host of the game show, played by Richard Dawson, coerces falsely accused Ben Richards to run the race in exchange for a full pardon.
While Richard Dawson is an actor, his resume only has a couple of well-known roles. Dawson is mainly known as a celebrity personality during his work on game shows. His work experience is tailored to self-appearances, which is the reason he is included in this list. His performance as Damon Killian in The Running Man was an incredible feat. While half of the character was much like himself, a charismatic host, Dawson was able to put on a great portrayal of a master manipulator.
3 Harry Styles - Dunkirk
The 2017 war film Dunkirk follows the story of the evacuation of the beaches of Dunkirk, when Allied troops were pinned down by German forces. The film showed the forces on land, in the air, and on sea as they all worked together and utilized every naval and civilian vessel in the area to successfully evacuate 300,000 French, British, Belgian, and Dutch soldiers. While director Christopher Nolan has said Harry Styles was cast due to his old-fashioned looks, the singer was surprisingly good in his role. With Nolan's vision being created with little dialogue and pure visuals, pressure fell on the actors' performances. Styles was able to hold his own in the midst of an ensemble cast full of talent.
2 Vinnie Jones - Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
The 1998 dark humor crime film Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels follows a group of longtime friends that buy into a rigged, high-stakes card game. When they end up owing the local crime boss, they decide to rob their neighbors after they had just robbed some drug dealers. Vinnie Jones was known for being an aggressive footballer before he was cast in Guy Ritchie's film. Playing Big Chris in the film was everything Jones was, loud and intimidating. However, he gave a great performance as a father to a young son that demonstrated Jones is a great actor that led to more roles.
1 R. Lee Ermey - Full Metal Jacket
Stanley Kubrick's 1987 war film Full Metal Jacket follows the story of a group of recruits as they go through Marine Corp boot camp on Parris Island. As they go through training, they must endure the harsh drill instructor Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, played by R. Lee Ermey. Then, once graduated, the film shows them being deployed and working overseas during the Vietnam War.
R. Lee Ermey was only meant to be hired as a technical advisor as he was a former U.S. Marine drill instructor during the Vietnam War. After being told he was too soft to play such a vicious character, the Marine improvised some insulting dialogue that made Kubrick realize he was perfect for the role. Most of Hartman's dialogue was unscripted, and was thanks to Ermey's past military experiences. This performance is probably the most famous non-actor performance because of how good it was, even among military members and Marines.