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Top 20 Dramatic Performances by Comedians in Movies and TV

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Ignacio Weil

Entertainment - April 6th 2025, 17:00 GMT+2

Cropped Promising Young Woman — Bo Burnham – Promising Young Woman (2020)

Yes, Bo Burnham – the same guy who once performed musical comedy about existential dread in his bedroom – shows up in *Promising Young Woman* and does something wild: he plays it straight... kinda. As the charming, awkward, maybe-too-good-to-be-true love interest to Carey Mulligan’s revenge-fueled Cassie, Bo gives a nuanced performance that walks a tightrope between sincerity and suspicion. It’s a masterclass in restraint, with his natural likability weaponized to keep audiences guessing. Who knew the “Inside” guy could deliver this much tension without a piano? Also, the chemistry with Mulligan? Pitch perfect. Not bad for someone who once sang about burritos and anxiety. | © Focus Features

Cropped uncut gems — Adam Sandler – Uncut Gems (2019)

You’ve seen him scream in *Billy Madison*. You’ve seen him mumble through *The Waterboy*. But in *Uncut Gems*, Adam Sandler channels every ounce of his chaotic energy into something genuinely jaw-dropping: a full-on, pulse-pounding, anxiety-riddled performance as Howard Ratner, a diamond dealer with the worst luck (and choices) on Earth. Directed by the Safdie brothers, this role feels like someone weaponized Sandler’s comedic mania into a dramatic superpower. The result? A movie where you’ll spend two hours yelling at the screen while secretly rooting for this disaster of a human. Also featuring LaKeith Stanfield and a surprisingly intense Kevin Garnett (yes, *that* KG), this one changed the Sandman’s reputation overnight. | © A24

Cropped The Farewell — Awkwafina – The Farewell (2019)

Awkwafina made her name dropping comedic bars and stealing scenes in *Crazy Rich Asians*, but *The Farewell* is where she flipped the script – quietly, beautifully, heartbreakingly. Playing Billi, a Chinese-American woman grappling with her family's decision to hide a terminal diagnosis from her grandmother, she delivers a performance so real it almost feels like a documentary. Her eyes do half the acting, and the other half is wrapped up in cultural nuance, awkward hugs, and forced smiles. You don’t even miss the wisecracks because you’re too busy choking back tears. Also, shoutout to Zhao Shuzhen as Nai Nai – give her all the flowers. *The Farewell* is tender, funny, and devastating in equal measure. | © A24

Cropped Can you Ever Forgive Me — Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)

Melissa McCarthy, best known for falling hilariously out of things in *Bridesmaids*, takes a hard left turn in *Can You Ever Forgive Me? –* and absolutely nails it. As real-life author-turned-literary-forger Lee Israel, she dials down the physical comedy and turns up the raw humanity. Her Lee is bitter, broke, and biting, but also deeply, painfully relatable. This isn’t just a funny lady playing serious – this is full transformation, complete with whiskey-soaked voice and crusty loneliness. And when she teams up with a devilishly charming Richard E. Grant? Instant tragicomic magic. It’s funny, but not *haha* funny – it’s *oh no, that’s me* funny. | © Fox Searchlight Pictures

Cropped Jack Ryan — John Krasinski – Jack Ryan (2018)

Let’s be real: When we heard Jim from *The Office* was going full CIA action hero, a lot of us chuckled. Then *Jack Ryan* dropped, and suddenly John Krasinski was sprinting through explosions and cracking codes like a post-9/11 Jason Bourne. And you know what? It works. He brings just enough dad-next-door to make the techno-thriller stuff feel grounded, while also flexing serious dramatic chops. Sure, Wendell Pierce brings the grizzled gravitas, but Krasinski’s transformation is the real story here – he went from office prankster to geopolitical crisis manager without breaking a sweat (or that perfect hair). *Jack Ryan* isn’t subtle, but Krasinski’s performance? Surprisingly sharp. | © Amazon Studios

Cropped Ozark — Jason Bateman – Ozark (2017)

Remember when Jason Bateman was just the dry wit holding *Arrested Development* together with eye-rolls and passive-aggression? Well, in *Ozark*, he takes that same cool detachment and drowns it in money laundering, cartel threats, and family dysfunction. As Marty Byrde, Bateman is the picture of suburban panic wrapped in a poker face. His performance is quietly intense – he’s always calculating, always scheming, and somehow still likable while doing deeply unlikable things. Alongside a powerhouse Laura Linney (who proves she’s not just the "mom" character), Bateman gives the kind of controlled, brooding performance that sneaks up on you – and then explodes. He directs several episodes too, because why not be great at everything? | © Netflix

Cropped Brawl in Cell Block 99 — Vince Vaughn – Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)

Vince Vaughn, your favorite fast-talking wisecracker from *Wedding Crashers*, shaves his head, grows a terrifying stare, and becomes an unstoppable prison wrecking ball in *Brawl in Cell Block 99*. And yes, it’s as brutal as it sounds. Vaughn’s Bradley is a quiet man with fists like cinderblocks and a moral code buried under layers of grim resolve. His performance is intense, physical, and shockingly restrained – like if a bulldozer learned meditation. The movie itself is a grindhouse fever dream, and Vaughn anchors it with a kind of quiet menace that no one saw coming. This ain’t your rom-com Vince – it’s bone-breaking, silence-seething Vince. | © RLJE Films

Cropped The End of Tour — Jason Segel – The End of the Tour (2015)

Jason Segel: yes, the *How I Met Your Mother* guy, the *Forgetting Sarah Marshall* guy, the puppet musical guy – that Jason Segel – gives the performance of his career as David Foster Wallace in *The End of the Tour*. Playing opposite Jesse Eisenberg as Rolling Stone journalist David Lipsky, Segel embodies the brilliant, tortured writer with eerie softness and philosophical weight. Gone is the goofy charm – here, Segel is vulnerable, thoughtful, and genuinely moving. It’s a quiet film, but Segel fills every pause with emotional depth. Watching him pull this off feels like watching someone open a secret door in their soul. Who knew Marshall Eriksen could make us cry about postmodernism? | © A24

Cropped FOXCATCHER — Steve Carell – Foxcatcher (2014)

When people first saw Steve Carell’s prosthetic nose in *Foxcatcher*, the reaction was somewhere between confusion and concern. But then... he *acted*. And wow. As John du Pont, Carell sheds every last trace of Michael Scott and dives headfirst into unsettling obsession, cold privilege, and quiet madness. It’s a slow-burn performance that gets under your skin and stays there. Paired with Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo (both also excellent), Carell becomes a figure of eerie stillness – every whisper is loaded, every glance calculated. It’s the kind of performance that makes you forget he was ever funny... until you laugh nervously because you're uncomfortable. Which is, honestly, kind of perfect. | © Sony Pictures Classics

Cropped Philomena — Steve Coogan – Philomena (2013)

Steve Coogan is mostly known for playing buffoonish versions of himself (looking at you, Alan Partridge), but in *Philomena*, he trades irony for empathy – and nails it. Starring opposite the ever-magnificent Judi Dench, Coogan plays journalist Martin Sixsmith, a jaded ex-political spin doctor reluctantly helping an elderly Irish woman find her long-lost son. Coogan co-wrote the screenplay too, blending biting wit with genuine heart in a story that’s both tragic and uplifting. It’s not showy acting – it’s smart, layered, and refreshingly human. And when Judi Dench is your co-star, the best move is to keep up – and Coogan does just that. | © Pathé / BBC Films

Cropped Moneyball — Jonah Hill – Moneyball (2011)

Jonah Hill was fresh off a streak of F-bombs and fast food in *Superbad* when *Moneyball* rolled in and said, “Hey, wanna be Oscar-nominated?” And just like that, Hill stepped into the shoes of Peter Brand – a soft-spoken, number-crunching economics nerd who helps Brad Pitt’s Billy Beane revolutionize baseball. Hill trades wild energy for subtle intelligence, proving that behind the jokes is a sharp, surprisingly sensitive actor. His chemistry with Pitt is quietly charming, and their scenes together feel like low-key buddy comedy hidden inside a sports drama. It’s the first time audiences said, “Wait, Jonah Hill can act?” but definitely not the last. | © Columbia Pictures

Cropped Stranger Than Fiction — Will Ferrell – Stranger Than Fiction (2006)

Will Ferrell in *Stranger Than Fiction* is like someone turned the volume way down on Ron Burgundy and gave him a book about existentialism. Playing Harold Crick, an IRS auditor who discovers his life is being narrated by an author (Emma Thompson, delightfully neurotic), Ferrell gives us something rare: a still, thoughtful, genuinely touching performance. He’s sweet. He’s awkward. He learns to play guitar (thanks to Maggie Gyllenhaal’s bakery-owning anarchist). It’s a film about mortality, art, and fate – and somehow, Ferrell makes all that go down easy. You’ll cry a little, smile a lot, and still quote *Anchorman* afterward. Balance. | © Columbia Pictures

Cropped dreamgirls — Eddie Murphy – Dreamgirls (2006)

If you only knew Eddie Murphy as the guy behind Donkey and *Beverly Hills Cop*, *Dreamgirls* hits like a soulful sucker punch. As James “Thunder” Early, Murphy delivers a performance that’s magnetic, manic, and absolutely heartbreaking. He sings. He struts. He self-destructs. And through it all, Murphy gives the role such raw charisma and sadness that you almost forget you’re watching a musical – and then he hits that falsetto and reminds you. Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, and Jamie Foxx may dominate the screen, but Murphy is the electric current running through the whole thing. It should’ve been his Oscar. We’re still not over it. | © DreamWorks Pictures / Paramount Pictures

Cropped Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind — Jim Carrey – Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Jim Carrey, master of rubber-faced absurdity, turned in *Ace Ventura* for aching vulnerability in *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*. As Joel Barish, a quiet guy trying to erase his memories of a failed relationship with the unpredictable Clementine (played to rainbow-haired perfection by Kate Winslet), Carrey dials it all the way down – and finds something beautiful. Gone are the wild expressions and catchphrases; in their place is a man quietly unraveling under the weight of lost love. Directed by Michel Gondry with a script by Charlie Kaufman, the film is dreamy and disjointed, and Carrey anchors it with stunning emotional weight. It’s funny, surreal, and soul-punching all at once. | © Focus Features

Cropped Lost in Translation — Bill Murray – Lost in Translation (2003)

Bill Murray, king of the deadpan one-liner, delivers a hauntingly subtle performance in *Lost in Translation* that still makes emotionally repressed millennials cry in Tokyo hotels. As Bob Harris, an aging actor adrift in a city he doesn’t understand, Murray barely raises his voice – but somehow says *everything*. His chemistry with Scarlett Johansson’s equally lost Charlotte is delicate and deeply human, toeing the line between friendship and something more with aching honesty. Sofia Coppola’s direction lets the silences breathe, and Murray fills them with soul. It’s a reminder that under all the snark and sarcasm is an actor with profound depth – and a surprisingly poetic whisper. | © Focus Features

Cropped The Good Girl — Jennifer Aniston – The Good Girl (2002)

Before she became America's favorite coffee-sipping bestie on *Friends*, Jennifer Aniston took a daring left turn in *The Good Girl*. As Justine, a bored retail worker in a dead-end Texas town, Aniston sheds all her Rachel Green charm and dives deep into quiet desperation. Her performance is raw, subdued, and refreshingly unglamorous – she’s a woman trapped by circumstance and aching for something more (even if “more” looks like Jake Gyllenhaal in full brooding teen poet mode). It’s not flashy, but it’s real – and a serious “hello, range!” moment for Aniston. You don’t root for Justine exactly… but you absolutely *get* her. | © Fox Searchlight Pictures

Cropped Requiem for a Dream — Marlon Wayans – Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Marlon Wayans – best known at the time for spoofing horror movies and pulling faces – shocked absolutely everyone with his devastating turn in *Requiem for a Dream*. As Tyrone, a heroin addict spiraling alongside Jared Leto’s Harry, Wayans brings gut-wrenching vulnerability to a film that’s already a symphony of emotional chaos. Darren Aronofsky’s direction doesn’t hold back (neither should you if you're watching this – brace yourself), and Wayans holds his own in a cast full of powerhouse breakdowns, including Ellen Burstyn’s Oscar-nominated performance. It's tragic, tender, and brutally real. Who knew the guy from *Scary Movie* had this kind of depth? Turns out – he always did. | © Artisan Entertainment

Cropped Good Will Hunting — Robin Williams – Good Will Hunting (1997)

Robin Williams winning the Oscar for *Good Will Hunting* wasn’t just a career milestone – it was a universal moment of “yes, obviously.” As Sean Maguire, the tough-love therapist helping Matt Damon’s troubled genius figure out life, Williams trades in manic energy for deeply grounded warmth. Sure, there’s humor (that farting wife story is peak Robin), but it’s delivered through a lens of heartbreak and wisdom. When he says “It’s not your fault,” and keeps repeating it? Goosebumps. Tears. Emotional annihilation. His scenes with Damon and Stellan Skarsgård are master classes in restraint and soul. Williams showed us that comedy and pain often come from the same place – and that he could wield both with grace. | © Miramax Films

Cropped The Color Purple — Whoopi Goldberg – The Color Purple (1985)

Long before she was cracking jokes on talk shows and hosting awards shows with sass and sparkle, Whoopi Goldberg made her film debut in *The Color Purple –* and absolutely floored everyone. As Celie, a woman enduring unimaginable hardship and rising with quiet resilience, Goldberg gives a performance so intimate and unflinching, it's hard to believe this was her *first* movie. Opposite Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, and Margaret Avery, she carries the emotional weight of the film like a pro. Spielberg’s direction is tender and epic, but it’s Goldberg who gives it heart. Her expressive eyes do half the talking – and they say *everything*. | © Warner Bros. Pictures

Cropped Blue Collar — Richard Pryor – Blue Collar (1978)

Richard Pryor, comedy revolutionary and cultural lightning rod, delivers a ferociously grounded performance in *Blue Collar –* a gritty labor drama about Detroit auto workers caught between unions, management, and desperation. Pryor plays Zeke, a charismatic yet weary man trying to do right in a system built to break him. The film (directed by Paul Schrader) doesn’t go easy on anyone, and Pryor meets the moment with a rawness that’s both unexpected and unforgettable. Alongside Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto, he goes toe-to-toe in some explosively tense scenes – no punchlines, just pure fire. It’s a stark reminder that Pryor’s brilliance wasn’t limited to stand-up – he could burn the screen, too. | © Universal Pictures

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When comedians step away from punchlines and into powerful dramatic roles, the results can be nothing short of unforgettable. From heart-wrenching performances to Oscar-worthy transformations, these comedic actors prove they’re more than just funny – they're versatile, layered, and deeply compelling. In this list, we highlight 20 standout dramatic performances by comedians who stunned audiences and critics alike. Whether you're a fan of comedy, drama, or simply great acting, these roles showcase the surprising depth behind some of Hollywood’s most beloved funny people.

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When comedians step away from punchlines and into powerful dramatic roles, the results can be nothing short of unforgettable. From heart-wrenching performances to Oscar-worthy transformations, these comedic actors prove they’re more than just funny – they're versatile, layered, and deeply compelling. In this list, we highlight 20 standout dramatic performances by comedians who stunned audiences and critics alike. Whether you're a fan of comedy, drama, or simply great acting, these roles showcase the surprising depth behind some of Hollywood’s most beloved funny people.