15 Actors You Can Recognize, But You Can’t Name
You’ve seen that guy before. He was somebody’s boss in one movie, a suspicious neighbor in another, and probably a doctor in a television show you watched ten years ago. You know his face immediately, but his name is nowhere to be found in your memory. Hollywood is full of actors like that, the ones who make supporting characters memorable without always getting their names on the poster. Some have spent decades working in everything from sitcoms to Oscar-winning dramas. Others are so good at disappearing into different roles that you don’t realize you’ve watched them five times already. Here are 15 familiar faces you might finally be able to put a name to.
Stephen Tobolowsky
Remember the cheerful insurance salesman who won’t leave Bill Murray alone in Groundhog Day? That’s Stephen Tobolowsky, who also played Sammy Jankis in Memento and appeared in Glee.
Judy Greer
Judy Greer was Lucy in 13 Going on 30, Kitty Sanchez in Arrested Development, and Cheryl’s voice in Archer. Chances are she’s appeared in something you’ve watched recently.
William Fichtner
You might remember William Fichtner as the astronaut Willie Sharp in Armageddon or FBI agent Alexander Mahone in Prison Break. He’s also in The Dark Knight and Crash.
Beth Grant
Beth Grant played the intense dance mom Kitty Farmer in Donnie Darko and appeared in Speed and Little Miss Sunshine. She’s particularly good at making small roles unforgettable.
Luis Guzmán
Luis Guzmán has appeared in Boogie Nights, Carlito’s Way, and Punch-Drunk Love. More recently, he became Gomez Addams in Wednesday, making his familiar face even harder to miss.
Dale Dickey
Dale Dickey played the intimidating Merab in Winter’s Bone and Patty in My Name Is Earl. She’s also appeared in Breaking Bad, True Blood, and Justified.
Richard Kind
Richard Kind was Paul Lassiter on Spin City and Mark Devanow on Mad About You. He’s also recognizable from A Serious Man, Argo, and countless television appearances.
Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale played Mags Bennett in Justified and Claudia in The Americans. BoJack Horseman even made a running joke out of her reputation as a character actress.
John Carroll Lynch
John Carroll Lynch was Marge Gunderson’s husband in Fargo, a suspect in Zodiac, and the terrifying Twisty the Clown in American Horror Story. That’s quite a range of familiar faces.
Stephen Root
Stephen Root played Milton, the stapler-obsessed employee in Office Space, and Monroe Fuches in Barry. He was also Jimmy James on NewsRadio, making him familiar to several generations of viewers.
Shea Whigham
Shea Whigham played Eli Thompson in Boardwalk Empire, appeared in True Detective, and was a detective in Joker. If you’ve watched a crime drama recently, you’ve probably seen him.
Ann Dowd
Ann Dowd is Aunt Lydia in The Handmaid’s Tale, but you may also remember her from The Leftovers or Hereditary. She’s been giving unsettling performances for years.
Kurt Fuller
Kurt Fuller played the smug television executive in Wayne’s World and coroner Woody Strode in Psych. He also appeared in Ghostbusters II and Supernatural.
David Dastmalchian
David Dastmalchian appeared in The Dark Knight, played Kurt in Ant-Man, and became Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad. He later starred in Late Night with the Devil.
Željko Ivanek
Željko Ivanek played attorney Ray Fiske in Damages, Emile Danko in Heroes, and Russell Jackson in Madam Secretary. He’s a familiar presence in legal and political dramas.