Actors/Actresses who Surprisingly Became Bigger than their Co-Stars

[TMC1982]

I got inspired by the "Who'd have guess THEY would become famous?!?" thread. In other words, I'm wondering about the any actors who were positioned to be the breakout star (or was placed on an equal playing field) only to have somebody in the end, surprass them. Off the top of my head:
*Brittney Murphy over Alicia Silverstone ("Clueless")

*Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx over the Wayans ("In Living Color")

*Eddie Murphy over Charles Rocket (the 1980-1981 season of "Saturday Night Live")

*Bill Murray over Chevy Chase (1970s era "Saturday Night Live") - Bill Murray is being nominated for Academy Awards while Chevy Chase (who was poised to be a major movie star when he left "SNL" and Murray came in) became a laughing stock after his failed talk show.

*George Clooney over Val Kilmer - Clooney is arguably a more recognizable and more relevant actor than his Batman predecessor despite the fact that Clooney's Batman film is generally considered to be worse than Kilmer's. It's even more surprising since during the 1980s, Kilmer was appearing in "Top Gun" and "Willow" while Clooney was on "The Facts of Life" while that show was on its last legs.

*Tom Hanks over Peter Scorlari ("Bosom Buddies")

*Keanu Reeves over Alex Winter (the "Bill and Ted" movies)

*Harrison Ford over Mark Hamill (the original "Star Wars" trilogy)

*Elizabeth Shue over Ralph Macchio ("The Karate Kid")

*Hillary Swank over virtually everybody on "Beverly Hills 90210" during the time that she was on.

*Drew Barrymore over Henry Thomas ("E.T.") - Especially considering Barrymore's much publicized personal problems.

*Raven-Symone over the other "Cosby Show" kids

[J. Robb]

I was hoping Thomas Haden Church would win best supporting actor for "Sideways" (he didn't) just so I could build a time machine, go back ten years and tell everyone "In ten years the 'I'm gon' rock yo world" guy from 'In Living Colour' and Lowell from 'Wings' are Academy Award winners!!"

[EZMOHR]

Some good ones given so far....her are some I could think of off the top of my head......


Jason Lee over which ever London that was in Mallrats- Hey in the 90's the London twins were in tons of things, and were supposed to be on their ways to stardom. Now, Jason Lee might be one of the funniest men on TV and will definetly be around in more quality programs than the London's.

Matthew McCounaughey over The Cast of Dazed and Confused-Hey, another London, or the same one.... I'm confused. Anyway, who would've thought that with all the supposed A+++ talent in that movie, the guy that had the least acting to do, and the bully (Affleck), would become the big shots from the movie.

And not really an over shadow....but after American Beauty Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, and Mena Suvari were supposed to become the next big things....and to this point, Birch and Suvari only get supporting bit parts, and Wes Bentley does a movie once in a blue moon.

[DubipR]

I was hoping Thomas Haden Church would win best supporting actor for "Sideways" (he didn't) just so I could build a time machine, go back ten years and tell everyone "In ten years the 'I'm gon' rock yo world" guy from 'In Living Colour' and Lowell from 'Wings' are Academy Award winners!!"

You can add Tony Shaloub over Thomas Hayden Church and the rest of Wings. As he's won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.

Included on the list:
- Johnny Depp over the cast of A Nightmare on Elm Street
- The Olson Twins over the cast of Full House: Sure most of them went on to have careers, but these two are bazillionaires.
- Kevin Bacon over the cast of Animal House: See example of The Olson Twins but without the big ass bank account.
- Bruce Lee over Van Williams in the Green Hornet
- Marissa Tomei over the cast of A Different World: Who would've thunk that the token white girl in an all black college sitcom would win an Academy Award?
- George Clooney over the cast of Facts of Life
- Kiefer Sutherland over the cast of Lost Boys: Yeah the Coreys were popular at the time and Jason Patric was good until his attitude killed his career, but 24 made him cooler than before.

[IamtheRock3]

Jim carrye
Eddie Murphy
and Billy murray

actully wasnt a surprise. They always seems stand out. Also they were given great skit where they basicly started in them


Jamie Foxx though was SHOCKEd..dude got an oscar and he was basicly a DJ on living color.

and to be fair took a LONG time for chevy chase to hit bottom. He had a bunch of classic movies before a the Chevy chase show.

[TMC1982]

You can add Tony Shaloub over Thomas Hayden Church and the rest of Wings. As he's won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.

Included on the list:
- Johnny Depp over the cast of A Nightmare on Elm Street
- The Olson Twins over the cast of Full House: Sure most of them went on to have careers, but these two are bazillionaires.
- Kevin Bacon over the cast of Animal House: See example of The Olson Twins but without the big ass bank account.
- Bruce Lee over Van Williams in the Green Hornet
- Marissa Tomei over the cast of A Different World: Who would've thunk that the token white girl in an all black college sitcom would win an Academy Award?
- George Clooney over the cast of Facts of Life
- Kiefer Sutherland over the cast of Lost Boys: Yeah the Coreys were popular at the time and Jason Patric was good until his attitude killed his career, but 24 made him cooler than before.

I was about to add Bruce Lee over Van Williams on "The Green Hornet." I'll also add:
*Samuel L. Jackson and Cuba Gooding, Jr. over Arsenio Hall in "Coming to America"

*Jennifer Love Hewitt over Neve Campbell on "Party of Five"

*Jessica Alba over Leelee Sobeski in "Never Been Kissed"

*Jennifer Aniston over Charlie Schlatter in the "Ferris Beuller's Day Off" TV series

*Amanda Bynes over everbody else on "All That"

*Benicio del Toro over Timothy Dalton in "Licence to Kill"

*Chris Rock over the Wayans and Kadeem Hardison in "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka"

*Angelina Joile over Winona Ryder in "Girl, Interupted"

[Chiasm]

Alyson Hanigan over Sarah Michelle Gellar. Since Buffy ended Alyson has expanded her role in the American Pie Movies, was the lead in Date Movie, has a recurring role on Veronica Mars, and is one of the main stars of the TV show How I Met Your Mother. Sarah meanwhile has done The Grudge and has what amounts to a cameo in its sequel and has done pretty much nothing else unless you count repeating her role as Buffy, er Daphne, in Scooby Doo.

Same argument can be made of David Boreanaz over Sarah Michelle Gellar. He got his own spinoff which was pretty successful in its own right and is now on another hit show.

[Ontir]

Michael J Fox blew up, and re-directed the course of Family Ties, which was supposed to be Meredith Baxter(Birney)'s show.

Pierce Brosnan stole the show from Stephanie Zimbalist over on Remington Steele, and the reports of bad-blood made the Moonlighting set sound placid.

Christine Baranski was multiply Emmy nominated, and won at least once, for Cybill for which, Ms. Shepherd NEVER forgave her. It was so bad, that Christine Baranski still can't talk about it.

[Your Imaginary Pal]

Michael J Fox blew up, and re-directed the course of Family Matters, which was supposed to be Meredith Baxter(Birney)'s show.


That would be Family Ties, Family Matters was supposed to be a spin off of Perfect Strangers about Harriette Winslow & her family, but it became the Urkle Show.(not literally, but in the hearts & minds of the viewers & producers)
Did I do Thaaat?
Jaleel White stole the show.

[Ontir]

That's what I said!!! :p

I'm falling asleep, as I type this. Thank God for the Stalinist Revisionism button!

[Your Imaginary Pal]

Never underestimate Ontir. He's from the Ministry of Information.
Quite Orwellian of you sir!

[Your Imaginary Pal]

Kelsey Grammer of Cheers fame managed to dominate TV as the star of his own spin off, Fraiser. Essentially playing the same character on television for 20 years. The rest of the cast is essentially the stuff of where are they now. sure Woody Harelson, and Kristi Alley(sp) have had their successes, but he(KG) was the friggin Beast. you can't really beat that.

[Tien Long]

Christina Applegate over the rest of the cast of Married with Children. Who knew that the blonde, ai-headed bimbo would become the most successful?

[Tien Long]

Oh, yeah, Steve Carrell from the Daily Show. From reporting on the devil in Florida and Mr. T's tiff over Best Buy commercials to being nominated for an Emmy, incredible!

[SnowTrooper]

Sean William Scott over the American Pie cast. Most of them are working and are successfull but he is the most famous.

Jennifer Anniston over the rest of all the Friends. Jennifer is the more famous of the 6 and probably has the most money because shes the biggest movie star. You dont really see alot of Ross and Joey in movies, which is wierd to me.

[bugmenot]

Dennis Franz > every other higher-profile leading man dude on NYPD Blue

Heather Locklear > casts of TJ Hooker and Dynasty

[DonC]

Christina Applegate over the rest of the cast of Married with Children. Who knew that the blonde, ai-headed bimbo would become the most successful?


I disagree with that. Katy Segal has starred in two TV series that both lasted longer than anything Applegate has done.

[davids]

Some refuge from grade b quickie westerns apears in a clasic western with a great cast. He plays the ringo kid and does not even show up for the first half hour of the film.

Andy Devine .... Buck
John Carradine .... Hatfield
Thomas Mitchell .... Doc Boone
Louise Platt .... Lucy Mallory
George Bancroft .... Marshal Curly Wilcox
Donald Meek .... Samuel Peacock

The refuge= Some guy named John wayne.:evilsmile

[Buzz Dixon]

Well, virtually everybody, since it's the rare performer who comes in as a lead. Even Brando, Newman, and Dean had extensive Broadway and off-Broadway chops before hitting the silver screen in starring roles (and in Newman and Dean's case, a whole lotta live TV work as well). Of all people, I'd say Andy Griffith is closest to coming in at the top without any co-stars simply because he started his career solo as an announcer and stand-up comedian before getting tapped for the Broadway stage version of NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS (sidebar: Those who are familiar with him only in his upbeat homespun roles ala THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW should check out A FACE IN THE CROWD -- yowza!).

Here are a couple of extreme examples, bit player/extra division: Bruce Lee kicked both Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung's posteriors in the same fight in ENTER THE DRAGON, and Bela Lugosi was one of the clowns tormenting Lon Chaney Sr. in HE WHO GETS SLAPPED.

Robert Mitchum's first credited role was in HOPPY SERVES A WRIT.

True story: One of Forrest Tucker's earliest roles was in a B-western starring Bob Steele. Tucker was a little nervous as a tyro film actor, but to his surprise Steele, a minor yet popular B-western star at the time, was affable and friendly to him, treating him like an equal and giving him a few tips along the way.

Jump ahead several decades; Steele's B-western stardom had faded though he continued doing small roles in various films and TV shows, and Tucker was the star of F-TROOP. To Tucker's delight, Steele got the role of Trooper Duffy, the oldest man in the fort.

One Monday at the initial script read through, Tucker noticed Steele wasn't in the group. The producers explained that if Steele's character didn't say anything they could save a couple of hundred dollars by paying him as an extra, not as a supporting player.

Tucker laid his script down and said, "I'm going to the golf course. Come and get me when Bob Steele has a line."

Steele had dialog in every F-TROOP script after that.

[superion]

Some good ones given so far....her are some I could think of off the top of my head......


Jason Lee over which ever London that was in Mallrats- Hey in the 90's the London twins were in tons of things, and were supposed to be on their ways to stardom. Now, Jason Lee might be one of the funniest men on TV and will definetly be around in more quality programs than the London's.

Matthew McCounaughey over The Cast of Dazed and Confused-Hey, another London, or the same one.... I'm confused. Anyway, who would've thought that with all the supposed A+++ talent in that movie, the guy that had the least acting to do, and the bully (Affleck), would become the big shots from the movie.

And not really an over shadow....but after American Beauty Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, and Mena Suvari were supposed to become the next big things....and to this point, Birch and Suvari only get supporting bit parts, and Wes Bentley does a movie once in a blue moon.

Speaking of Thora Birch. How about Scarett Johanssen over Thora Birch in Ghost World. This was supposed to Thora Birch's big follow up to American Beauty but Johanssen stole the movie from her playing her best friend.

[LordEd1976]

Justine Bateman from Family Ties starred in a film called Satisfaction. She had top billing but it was co-stars Julia Roberts and Liam Neeson who went on to bigger and better things.

Speaking of Liam Neeson, he and Robbie Coltrane were part of the cast of the fantasy movie Krull. Neeson was also a bit player in the movie Excalibur.

And speaking of Excalibur, Patrick Stewart has a small role in that film as well.

[Ontir]

Never underestimate Ontir. He's from the Ministry of Information.
Quite Orwellian of you sir!


Yes, I am an Inner Party worker for MiniTru.

I'm here to help, you have nowhere to run... :evilsmile

RE: Satisfaction

When it was aired on TV, it was re-packaged as a Julia Roberts film, with no mention of Justine Bateman, and re-titled the Girls of Summer.

[Jared]

Dennis Franz > every other higher-profile leading man dude on NYPD Blue

Heather Locklear > casts of TJ Hooker and Dynasty

She's still below TJ Hooker himself.

[scottv]

some one might have already said this but Thomas Haden Church over the other cast members of Wings. He hasn't done too much since then but I think that he stole the show for only being a supporting cast member. PLUS... SPIDER-MAN 3!!! I can't wait

[Super Hero Guy]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet: Ashton Kutcher over the rest of That's 70's Show.

[ambush bug]

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet: Ashton Kutcher over the rest of That's 70's Show.

Not really. Wilmer Valderrama has a popular show on MTV(Yo Momma) and Topher Grace being in the Spider-man as Venom will probably increase his popularity.

[Magneto_X]

Not really. Wilmer Valderrama has a popular show on MTV(Yo Momma) and Topher Grace being in the Spider-man as Venom will probably increase his popularity.

Neither of which have had Kutcher's amount of fame and money that along with it.

I'm glad Grace is getting some time in the spotlight now. He's very under-rated. I'm looking forward to see his version of Eddie Brock.

Spiderman 3 is going to pwn every other movie next year! :D

Vilderamma gets points for being the real life Kelso. He's dated/had sex with JLH, Mandy Moore, Lindsay Lohan (when she was at her peak in hotness) and other beautiful actresses. He's a frickin *god*.

[slayer2005]

Jennifer Anniston over the rest of all the Friends. Jennifer is the more famous of the 6 and probably has the most money because shes the biggest movie star. You dont really see alot of Ross and Joey in movies, which is wierd to me.


Correct me if I'm wrong here but the one factor that catapulted her into A-List status was her marriage and divorce with Brad Pitt?

[Athena Bast]

Justine Bateman from Family Ties starred in a film called Satisfaction. She had top billing but it was co-stars Julia Roberts and Liam Neeson who went on to bigger and better things.

Speaking of Liam Neeson, he and Robbie Coltrane were part of the cast of the fantasy movie Krull. Neeson was also a bit player in the movie Excalibur.

And speaking of Excalibur, Patrick Stewart has a small role in that film as well.

Hello Darkman!

[Athena Bast]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but the one factor that catapulted her into A-List status was her marriage and divorce with Brad Pitt?

I think it was her haircut.

[StoneGold]

http://www.adamwade.com/humor/coffee/fonz.jpg