This is really just a roundabout way of asking what lesser-known actors and actresses you feel deserve to be far more famous than they are.

Please employ a reasonable definition of "lesser-known."

Dina Meyers. That girl needs to do more scenes akin to "Starship Troopers" before it's too late!

Rosario Dawson.

I'd help her in so many ways..

Jake Gyllenhal -already on the rise, but hasnt hit Tobey level
Eliza Dushku -still carrying the Buffy torch, enuff said

Well, she will now be chased by inbred cannibals in the upcoming film Wrong Turn.

Could change her life.

I'd help out a few of the has-been's who have been out of the picture as of late or who's careers have simply faded away...

For example,

Terence Hill
David Naughton
Eddie Deezen
Ralph Macchio
Sylvester Stallone
William Katt
Jason Beghe
Steve Guttenberg

Luis Guzman

Anyone involved with "The Adventures of Pete & Pete."

I think Bruce Campbell should be a much bigger star than he currently is.

One of my favorite guys I don't think is in enough films is William H. Macy. I can't think of a movie or role he has been in that I just didn't like. Ron Livingston would be another guy I would bring into any movie that needed a guy to bring some humor. Damien Lewis and Willem Dafoe as well.

I'd be too busy keeping people like Ja Rule and Tom Green out of Hollywood to help anyone.

Jason Statham
Seth Green
Barry Pepper
Matthew McConnaghey
Ice Cube
LL Cool J

and

Jennifer Lopez (i'd make sure she wouldn't end up in any more films)

oops, forgot one...

Omar Epps

First name that came to mind when I saw this thread.

Yikes, my underrated and overrated examples have both already been mentioned!

Anyways, I'd make sure Eliza Dushku had the leading role in an intelligently-written movie at least a couple times a year, got a record deal resulting in her being on MTV and VH-1 nonstop, and was THE main topic of TV / magazine "entertainment 'news'" material. She decides to cut her hair 1/2 inch shorter than usual? I want a front page article in People to cover this important development.

In other words, I wish Eliza had at least half the hype that Jennifer Lopez gets.

Amen to that

I don't think I'd help any lesser known actors, but I'd greenlight a sequel to The Real Cancun ASAP.

I know it probably cost squat to make, but you'd be happy with a $2 M opening?

I would cast Chevy Chase into a sequel (rather than the Jason Lee prequel) of Fletch again.

Robin Williams does some great dramatic work now, but I would love to see him return to the Good Morning, Vietnam type of comedy he's so good at.

Luiz Guzman, William H. Macy, and although he's not really "lesser known," Gary Oldman. Haven't seen him in a while.

Thora Birch

She was great in Ghost World. Since then she's been relegated to doing gum commercials and made-for-TV movies on Lifetime channel. I just don't understand that fall-off.

Already mentioned: Barry Pepper

Jason Schwartzman
Steve Buscemi
Alysson Hannigan-Seriously, she can act!
Jason Lee
Eliza Dushku

Timothy Olyphant - if someone has to actually have an excuse to watch Doug Liman's Go, Olyphant is it. His portrayal of drug dealer Todd Gaines is amazing.


I have always loved Catherine McCormack (Braveheart, Dangerous Beauty, Tailor of Panama, Spy Game), so I would definitely try to boost her career stateside.

Rick Gomez all the way.