Highly succesful TV actors that couldn't become succseful movie stars

Some people just have a better overall presence suited for a wider range of movies than others do which I suspect is why some who hit it big on TV don't transition to movies as well because while their presence etc might have fit their TV show quite well it does not transition to random movies all that well and then they are limited to supporting roles etc.

also, while I know the OP specifically said 'highly successful' actors, I think just looking at TV in general the standards are lower than they are for movies. so a random actor/actress on TV does not require as strong of a presence as those in movies.

p.s. in general... I place movies above TV. sure, you can find a quality TV show once in a while but on average movies are better especially given movies take up much less of ones time as if I am going to spend time on TV shows, like ones I would compare to movies, I typically expect a bit more from them because they can burn up many hours of your time. so basically... while I can and do re-watch movies I mildly like, that's not going to be the case with TV shows I mildly like and they would get shoved into the 'decent enough for a viewing but has no re-watch value' category. so in other words... with TV shows the 6/10 score would not really apply as TV shows pretty much have to hit a 7/10 or higher status for me to re-watch them where as with movies I only require a 6/10 or higher as it's simply about enjoyment levels to time spent on it. but in general... the bulk of TV related stuff I watch is disposable entertainment even though I do try to find some quality drama-ish types of shows here and there as, if I can, I want to find shows that are worth re-watching as the years pass just like I do with movies.

Archelaus



Yeah. but I see him more of a good supporting actor than a leading role in movies in general.

but then again, come to think of it... while I have not seen Mad Men I suspect that's one of those roles that suited Jon Hamm well. so assuming that's right... even on shows I am a huge fan of like The Sopranos/Breaking Bad (those are the gold standard of quality drama TV), I think even in these cases James Gandolfini(the lead in The Sopranos)/Byran Cranston(the lead in Breaking Bad) are almost guaranteed to not have that level of success in movies as they will likely always be known for those two roles for many, if not most, people. so ask you can see you can basically apply this to quite a few others who hit it big by landing in one TV show that people seem to praise but never really have all that much success outside of it. like the OP said, the cast of Seinfeld you could basically say is inline with this to.

I'm quoting my post so you can read it again, because I don't think you did. Otherwise, you wouldn't have replied that.

Rashida Jones

I guess I'm gonna start again as well. Other users were talking about Bryan. I don't know whether he's a successful movie star, but I do know he's a movie star because he received top billing in studio movies and was nominated for Best Lead Actor, so I wanted to make my case for that.

Eric Estrada
Bonnie Hunt
Bill Cosby
Michael Chiklis

David Duchovny comes to mind immediately. He left the X-Files to become a movie star, made one forgettable movie, and was never heard from again until Californication. Gillian Anderson didn't fare any better after she left.

Sitcom actors run into this all the time. I remember Jonathan Taylor Thomas leaving Home Improvement to be a movie star after which he faded into obscurity. Tim Allen is the only one from that show who gained any remote level of fame.

It did suit him well. I can't imagine another person playing the part of Draper, but that has more to do with his look which is very classic. 

However, I don't think he's acted in anything that mirrored his character in Mad Men and that is possibly the problem.

To avoid playing the leading man when you are that great at it is odd and especially since it can transfer to so many roles in the same way Tom Cruise can transition a very similar persona across just about any genre.

But again, I think he is simply way more quirky than people assume him to be because of his looks.

I doubt Stewart has ever been that concerned about becoming a major film star, considering that he's a phenomenally successful British stage actor. The money might be nice, but he doesn't need it in terms of prestige.

He also starred in a "STAR TREK" TV Series that lasted 7 Seasons and 4 "STAR TREK" Movies and Now he is coming back for Another New "STAR TREK" Series.