Basically, actors that tend to only get cast in genre roles but really do have some decent range.

Examples:

Michael Shannon-always playing creepy psycho guys, but I think he's going to be able to shed this image soon.

Kate Beckinsale- either plays some bad ass chick or love interest in a comedy, but I remember her from Much Ado About Nothing and it seems her skills are greater

Melissa George- I just watched A Lonely Place to Die and was quite impressed with her. She has made a name for herself with horror movies, but I think she really could do well with a role in something outside of that genre.

Jim Carrey- Okay, I know this is a long shot, but after Truman Show and Man on the Moon I do feel this guy is better for more than just goofball comedy.

David Morse. I've never seen him in anything and felt like he didn't add to it. Really good actor, whenever I see him in a movie it's usually a pleasant surprise.

Going by general public I would go with Gary Oldman.

Warren Oates

Let me also add Powers Boothe. He's got a rep as a character actor, but I remember him in The Emerald Forest and being impressed at him playing someone that was actually honorable.

Brandon Routh

Fuck to the Yeah.

Laura Linney

Stellan Skarsgard

Clancy Brown

Lance Henriksen

Some pretty good ones listed already. I'll add William Fichtner.

For how good he is, I think Guy Pearce doesn't get all that he deserves.

He's an overrated celeb, but a wayyyy underrated actor. Regardless of how he got there, he's turned into an amazing actor, IMO.

Why Alexis Denisof from Buffy/Angel struggles to find work just astounds me. He was convincing as smarmy, then as a comedy sidekick, to lastly a strong romantic and badass lead role. The guy stole every scene he was in and remains one of my favorite TV characters of all time.



Terry O'Quinn character Locke was another surprisingly effective badass character on Lost. Looking backward on his career it is a bit surprising he wasn't bigger before Lost, and a lot more surprising he wasn't huge after Lost.



From 21 Jumpstreet to the X-Files, Steven Williams was fantastic. Why he just went from bit part to bit part surprised me. He could make a scene just by knowing when to pause... great timing and delivery. Can't say enough good things about the guy.

While she is good at the niche stuff she does, I think Mary Elizabeth Winstead deserves more than she gets as well. Then again, her career is still in its early stages.

Harry Dean Stanton
John Hawkes
Harvey Keitel
Ethan Hawke
Giovanni Ribisi
Samantha Morton
Ray Winstone
Laura Dern
Tim Roth
Tom Wilkinson
Elias Koteas

Bruce McGill

Agreed completely with all three of these.

Let me also add Enver Gjokaj

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2222175/

Everything he did on Dollhouse was great, and I hope he gets more visible parts again some day.

I would say:

Kate Beckinsale - was generally thought to be an up and coming great actress, until she starting choosing more mainstream roles like Underworld. Has the unfortunate luck of her worst films and her weaker performances being seen by everyone, and her better films and performances since by relatively nobody. Much, much better actress than she gets credit for. She either has poor judgement or a terrible agent.

Guy Pearce - He is not as big as he should be. He shuns the celebrity lifestyle and hasn't gotten the roles he's deserved. Memento should have done much more for him than it did.

Michael Sheen - A lot of small films, but nothing that's truly taken him to the next level.

Harrison Ford - Considered one of the biggest stars of all times, but has never gotten his a due as a very, very good actor.

Let me add Clancy Brown to my list. He is just as convincing as a good guy as a bad guy IMO, and that kind of versatility is the mark of a good actor.

Brandon Routh

I'm going to approach this question two ways.

First, two superstars that never get the credit they deserve are Bruce Willis and Tom Cruise. They're both incredible actors but because of some of the types of movies they do (Willis does a lot of "big paycheck" movies) and their personal lives (Cruise is ALWAYS going to be that "scientologist wacko"), people tend not to credit them with their craft.

Second, are the "unsung" heroes...actors that should be huge stars, but (for the most part) seem to always get character bits: Bruce McGill, Michael Rooker, Brad Dourif, and Gary Oldman (although he finally seems to be getting his due)