Actors who deserve more fame than they have:
 

I mean Fame in a....they should be bigger household names kind of way because they have the potential.

Justin Hartley (Green Arrow from Smallville)
Judy Reyes (Carla from Scrubs)
John C McGinley (Dr Cox from Scrubs)
Kerr Smith (Jack from Dawsons Creek also in Final Destination)
Mitch Hewer (Maxxie from Skins series 1)
Amy Smart (Was in Butterfly Effect and a lot of other things, but deserves more recognition)
Heather Graham (I know people know who she is, but doesn't get the credit she deserves)

I know of all the actors you mentioned and i personally don't believe them to be more deserving than they are, except Amy Smart, who got lost in her career at some point.

I think you can blame the actors as well their public for their limited success. They got their breakthrough roles but chose consequent part that were irrevelant, unequal or a discredit to their ability.

Peter Capaldi, though he seems to be getting better parts since he started in The Thick Of It.
His performance in the final series last year was phenomenal- I'm still upset about it. :o

His performance in Chilrden of Earth was incredible too totally heartbreaking.

Some actors/actresses are not in it for the long haul. Others may go off the radar for stagework.

Thirding Peter Capaldi, who was also excellent in series 2 of The Hour. I suspect that his rather unconventional looks may have prevented him getting leading roles when he was younger, but he's really coming into his own now.

Lily Rabe. Absolutely mesmerising actress.

He looked pretty good in Poirot Wasps Nest in 1991.

Josh Radnor.

Though he is probably to blame. You look at the rest of the HIMYM cast, and they all have done quite a bit of work to make themselves more known. You go on Radnor's wiki page and they're is almost NOTHING. His role as Ted plus a couple of unknown, mediocre films that he directed.

I think it's a shame, because I think he's a really good actor.

Peter Capaldi has always been on my 'shouldn't but would' list. I remember seeing him when I worked at Glasgow Airport, and coming over all unnecessary.:o:D

AHS is brilliant.

Mercedes McNab - totally nailed the comedy role of Harmony in Buffy and in Angel. Tons more talent than Jennifer Aniston who reprises Rachel from Friends over and over again in her films!

Yup! And she was excellent in both of her roles.

Samantha Barks.

Stephan Graham anyone? Fantastic in Boardwalk Empire, This Is England and lots of little rollls to.

:mad: Oh i can't stand Aniston. Always get shouted down for it too. Can't act to save her life. Cox & Kudrow much, much better. Nice to know someone else doesn't like her either :D Liked Harmony much more in Angel.

Anna Torv

Jennifer Aniston is a good actress in my opinion. She and Matthew Perry (and Lisa Kudrow) always delivered during the more serious moments of Friends, particularly when Rachel confided in Chandler about the separation of her parents at her birthday party. That, for me, is a stand out Friends moment. Just because you don't like her for whatever reason, doesn't mean she cannot act. And how unpleasant to say "Nice to know someone else doesn't like her".

I think JA is a great comedy actress too. She might not have a huge amount of range - who knows? She does tend to stick to the same type of roles, but so do lots of actors. I like her a lot though.

I suspect that many actors are more than happy to do what they love and not necessarily have lots of recognition. Too much fame could be a nightmare, I imagine.

I used to think that Gary Oldman was not given the credit he deserves but since Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy that has altered and deservedly so.

Me.:D

Christina Ricci- looked like she was going to be big but has faded a bit in recent years
Jennifer Connelly- beautiful and talented actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh- very versatile and little known
Lori Petty- looked like she was going to be big in the 90s (Point Break, A League of their own, Free Willy) but than Tank Girl ruined it for her
Thora Birch- looked set for big things after Ghost World and American Beauty and squandered her success on rubbish
Mira Sorvino
Vinessa Shaw
Martha Plimpton - great in everything she has done but not conventionally attractive enough to be a leading lady
Karen Allen- so good in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Scrooged
Phoebe Cates- sort of her own fault for retiring but she was great in the 80s

Half of those you mention probably don't qualify for this thread. Jennifer Jason Leigh is very well known.

Mark Heap from Spaced, Friday Night Dinner and Green Wing. Very underrated.

David Hayman