Top 20 Movie Actors Who Are Better On TV

In recent years, the quality, creativity, and popularity of TV shows have fiercely rivalled the world of film. Due to the emergence of multiple streaming platforms, a number of internationally renowned actors (whom we’re used to seeing on the big screen) are now turning up on the small screen. Here are some of the biggest film actors who’ve reinvented themselves as TV stars.

Nicole Kidman

Having starred in films such as Eyes Wide Shut, Practical Magic, and Moulin Rouge, Nicole Kidman boasts an impressive resumé. But in recent years, she has mainly starred in excellent series such as Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers.

Idris Elba

After taking on the role of Heimdall in Thor: Ragnarok and participating in that awful big-screen adaptation of the Broadway play Cats, this charismatic English actor stole our hearts in Luther—an excellent cult series in which he plays a detective.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Although this actor has nothing but successes under his belt, such as The Power of the Dog and his recurring role as Doctor Strange in the very popular Marvel Cinematic Universe, his brilliant performance as Sherlock Holmes has no doubt been his best.

Melissa McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy has been in a variety of films, such as Bridesmaids, Spy, and Ghostbusters. But never has she been more endearing than in her television roles as the lovable Sookie in Gilmore Girls and the astonishing Frances in Nine Perfect Strangers.

Reese Witherspoon

Thanks to her roles in films such as Legally Blonde, Cruel Intentions, and Wild, Reese Witherspoon has enjoyed tremendous success over the course of her career. That being said, her roles in Big Little Lies, The Morning Show, and Little Fires Everywhere have allowed her to stand out like never before.

Claire Danes

Who could ever forget a young Claire Danes playing Juliet alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet? And yet, the full extent of her acting talent was never really showcased until her leading role in Homeland, where she plays a CIA agent corrupted by the Taliban.

Ewan McGregor

Handsome movie star Ewan McGregor has never really played a bad role. We’ve certainly enjoyed his performances in films like Trainspotting and Big Fish, not to mention his portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars TV mini series. More recently, we got to see him on the small screen in Netflix’s Halston, and he also picked up his lightsaber again in the TV mini series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which was released on Disney+ on June 15, 2022.

Zendaya

Although this actor and singer tends to collect awards everywhere she goes—especially on the silver screen, where she has acted in films like Spider-Man and Dune—everyone agrees that her best performance has been in the HBO series Euphoria. In fact, this role earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making her the youngest actor in history to ever receive the award.

Amy Adams

We all know Amy Adams for her role as the beautiful princess in Enchanted and for her performance in the biographical drama Julie & Julia. But her acting talents were never so brightly showcased as in the disturbing yet extraordinary mini series Sharp Objects, directed by the late Jean-Marc Vallée.

Sandra Oh

Korean-Canadian actor Sandra Oh is extremely talented, and we’ve had the pleasure of watching her in movies like Hard Candy, Sideways, and Under the Tuscan Sun. After being propelled into fame following her role in the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, she dazzled us in the excellent series Killing Eve, where she delivered a truly unforgettable performance.

Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder’s career soared in the 1980s and 1990s when she starred in films such as Heathers, Beetlejuice, and Edward Scissorhands, but it recently took off again with the release of the Netflix series Stranger Things.

Jessica Lange

Jessica Lange was in high demand throughout the 1980s and 1990s, when she starred in films such as Tootsie, Blue Sky, and Frances (to name a few). Her popularity got a renewed boost as a result of her participation in the TV series American Horror Story, created by Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, where she was given a chance to reinvent herself season after season from 2011 to 2018.

Patricia Arquette

Patricia Arquette’s career has been marked by roles in films such as True Romance, Stigmata, and Lost Highway, but she is best known for her role in the series Medium. More recently, she also caught our attention in her role as Harmony Cobel in Severance alongside Adam Scott and John Turturro.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s big-screen career has definitely had its moments, most notably in the films Southland Tales, Scooby-Doo, and Cruel Intentions. But nothing will surpass her performance in the cult fantasy TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Christina Applegate

We’ll never forget Christina Applegate’s roles in films like Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead and Mars Attacks! On television, she stars in the series Dead to Me alongside Linda Cardellini (Freaks and Geeks).

Meryl Streep

No one can deny Meryl Streep’s outstanding talent. A true legend of the silver screen, she has starred in films such as Sophie’s Choice, Out of Africa, The Bridges of Madison County, The Devil Wears Prada, and Mamma Mia! Recently, she delivered a breakthrough performance as the unsympathetic and disturbing Mary Louise Wright in the TV series Big Little Lies, where we got to see her in a new light.

Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman, whom we know from films such as Casper and Independence Day, recently came back in full force with a brilliant performance as the lead actor in the TV series The Sinner, where he plays tortured detective Harry Ambrose.

Mark Ruffalo

Actor Mark Ruffalo has had a successful career on the big screen with films like The Avengers, We Don’t Live Here Anymore, and The Kids Are All Right. But many agree that his best work has been in 2020’s heartbreaking TV series I Know This Much Is True, in which he plays twins Dominick and Thomas Birdsey.

Toni Collette

Toni Collette is an extraordinary actor who has captivated us in the TV series The Staircase, Pieces of Her, and United States of Tara. But we’ve also had a chance to see her shine on the big screen in excellent feature films like Hereditary, About a Boy, and Little Miss Sunshine.

Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel is an actor and producer. She has appeared in several films on the big screen, including The A-Team and Valentine’s Day. But she truly outdid herself as murderer Cora Tannetti in the first season of the acclaimed police anthology series The Sinner—which she also happened to produce.