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jason statham spy.jpg

The 10 Funniest Performances from Non-Comedic Actors in the Past 10 Years

By Rebecca Pahle | Lists | November 6, 2015 |

By Rebecca Pahle | Lists | November 6, 2015 |


It’s Friday! Let’s have a laugh with actors who we didn’t think would be funny, but were. Intentionally funny, even! Sit down, Elizabeth Berkley in Showgirls.


Ralph Fiennes - In Bruges
Say it with me now: “YOU’RE AN INANIMATE FUCKING OBJECT!” Bonus mention goes to Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Actually, both he and his Bruges co-star Colin Farrell are generally non-comedic actors who are really good at getting wacky when the situation calls for it.


Tom Cruise - Tropic Thunder
Who thought that animatronic movie star masquerading as a human being Tom Cruise would be this willing to make himself look and act completely disgusting? Granted, Rock of Ages did happen four years later.


Dave Bautista - Guardians of the Galaxy
Though Dave Bautista is a professional wrestler, and professional wrestling is a sort of acting to begin with, no one really expected him to be this good right out the gate. Guardians is the man’s first film [No it’s not, I don’t know what I’m talking about. I stand by his inclusion on this list, though.], and he had, like… comedic timing and shit! At this point in The Rock’s career, he was doing The Mummy Returns!


Liam Neeson - The Lego Movie
There’s a joke about a “particular set of skills” here, but I’m not going to make it. Instead, have a chair kick!

the lego movie chair kick.gif


Jason Statham - Spy
The comedy in Statham’s Spy performance comes from the fact that he is basically just playing Jason Statham. And god dammit, it works. “Not the car, I was on fire.”


Rose Byrne - Bridesmaids
Jason Statham’s Spy co-star Byrne was also fricking hilarious, but everyone already knew she could be thanks to a little movie called Bridesmaids. Before that it was serious stuff like Damages and Insidious and Attack of the Clones (“…SAND”), but then thankfully Hollywood realized, wait, she’s hot and funny. It’s bullshit, frankly. Completely unfair.


James Marsden - Enchanted
I cannot—C A N N O T—have a list of people who are so God damned attractive that you think they couldn’t possibly be funny, too without including James Marsden, specifically his turn as the well-meaning but buffoonish Prince Edward in Enchanted. I’d resent the man for getting all the world’s good genes, but he’s just so nice.


Chris Pine - Into the Woods
Speaking of Marsden, Chris Pine is another one of those actors whom Hollywood tries to pigeonhole into big-budget leading man-type stuff, but he’s secretly a gigantic weirdo. He’d probably have zero problem making it as a well-respected character actor if he didn’t… well, look like Chris Pine. Into the Woods wasn’t that great, but Pine’s Prince Charming, ripping his shirt and singing about his AAAAGGGGONNNNYYYYYY, was a definite highlight.


Carey Mulligan - The Spoils of Babylon
OK, OK, I’m cheating and adding a TV entry, because Carey Mulligan lending her sophisticated British tones to a literal mannequin was hilarious. I’m pretty sure an entire TV list could be devoted to guest appearances on 30 Rock, right?


Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada
Drama, comedy, action… I’m pretty sure the only genre Blunt hasn’t proven herself adept at is weird German experimental erotica.