Movie Stars Who Cross the Most Genres

Touting rugged good looks and a dangerous persona, Rourke pursued challenging roles at the height of his fame in the 1980s. With a subsequent pivot toward professional boxing came a drastic change to his status and appearance alike. He launched a career comeback in the mid-2000s with films such as “Sin City” and “The Wrestler.”

Sarandon’s long-running career took off with a breakout role in the 1975 cult musical “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” She appeared in a number of major dramas and comedies over the subsequent decades, taking home an Academy Award for her role in 1995’s “Dead Man Walking.” Once named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she remains an active social and political activist to this day – and also a passionate Ping Pong player.

Hailing from a family of actors, Baldwin took Hollywood by storm in 1988 with a string of leading and supporting roles. He would deftly alternate between purely comedic or dramatic performances – or a blend of the two – over the decades that followed. His career has been set back by numerous controversies, including a recent accidental fatal shooting.

Ryder introduced a darkly comedic persona in 1980s classics such as “Beetlejuice” and “Heathers.” The following decade, she earned Oscar nominations for her dramatic roles in Martin Scorsese’s “The Age of Innocence” (1993) and Gillian Armstrong’s “Little Women” (1994). She currently stars in the blockbuster sci-fi series “Stranger Things” on Netflix.

This South African-born actress redefined her career with an Oscar-winning performance as serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 biopic “Monster.” In the time since, Theron has starred in everything from traditional romantic comedies to action-packed blockbusters. She recently appeared in the smash hits “The Old Guard” and “F9: The Fast Saga.”

Following a string of supporting film roles, Stewart became an overnight A-lister when she was cast as Bella Swan in the “Twilight” franchise. Rather than rest on her commercial laurels, she’s since tackled a number of different genres and challenging projects. Viewers can currently catch her in David Cronenberg’s body horror flick “crimes of the Future.”

Fassbender studied theater in London and took a number of odd jobs before finding regular work as an actor in TV and film. He followed a supporting role in the historical epic “300” with a breakout performance as Irish prisoner Bobby Sands in 2008’s “Hunger.” Always up for a challenge, he continues to migrate between serious drama and franchise fare.

McGregor shaved his head and reportedly lost 27 pounds for the role of drug addict Renton in the 1996 dramedy “Trainspotting.” It launched a steady but somewhat uneven career, which spans from indie dramas to the “Star Wars” franchise. He recently reprised the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi for a popular Disney+ TV mini-series.

Some of Hollywood’s best talents break free from their respective molds by playing against type and Anne Hathaway is no exception. On the heels of family-friendly fare like “The Princess Diaries” and “Ella Enchanted,” she starred in the searing crime drama “Havoc” and then the Oscar-winning “Brokeback Mountain.” Her upcoming projects keep the trend intact, ranging from a thriller called “Mothers’ Instinct” to a “Sesame Street” movie.

Upon moving to California from Nebraska at the age of 15, Swank channeled feelings of alienation toward the pursuit of acting. It’s no coincidence that her earliest lead roles were in films such as “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Million Dollar Baby,” where she played outsiders. She’s since tackled a variety of characters and genres.

As a cast member on sketch show “In Living Color,” Foxx initially distinguished himself as a comedic talent. He thus took audiences by surprise with an Oscar-winning performance as Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic “Ray.” Roles in films such as “Collateral” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” have also made him something of an action star.

With his recent Emmy-nominated performance in HBO’s “The Staircase,” actor Colin Firth continues to portray a diverse blend of TV and film characters. He came up as part of the 1980s “Brit Pack” and charmed local viewers as Mr. Darcy in the 1995 BBC TV adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice.” In 2011, he won an Academy Award for the role of King George VI in the historical drama “The King’s Speech.”

Scotland-born McAvoy was primarily a stage and TV actor until landing a part in the 2005 fantasy film “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” His career continues to touch down across a host of mediums and genres as it forges ahead into the 2020s. He recently played psychopath Kevin Wendell Crumb in 2016’s “Split” and its follow-up, “Glass,” in 2019.

Following a breakout performance in the 1998 British gambling thriller “Croupier,” Owen alternated between mainstream films and indie classics. His ability to lead major tentpoles and also sink into supporting roles has made him one of the more versatile working actors of the last two decades. He remains best-known for his performances in “Closer,” “Children of Men,” “Inside Man,” and the historical drama series “The Knick.”

With a career spanning multiple decades, Donald Sutherland has delivered no shortage of iconic roles across a slew of genres. One of his earliest breakout performances was in the 1970 war dramedy “M*A*S*H,” followed by horror classics such as 1973’s “Don’t Look Now” and the 1978 remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” His best-known performance in recent years was for the role of supervillain President Snow in “The Hunger Games” film series.

Goodman played beloved family man Dan Connor on the ABC sitcom “Roseanne” around the same time that he was appearing in Coen Brothers classics and studio tentpoles. His zany performance in “The Big Lebowski” is singular but also indicative of his ability to migrate between comedy and drama. Viewers can currently catch him in the sitcom sequel “The Connors” as well as the HBO series “The Righteous Gemstones.”

One of Hollywood’s most accomplished character actors, Rockwell has been steadily alternating between genres and mediums since the late 1980s. He recently won an Academy Award for his supporting role in 2017’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” in which he played a racist police deputy. In the last five years alone, he’s been nominated for another Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award.

Watching Michelle Pfeiffer in early films such as “Grease 2” and “Scarface” doesn’t prepare one for the expansive career that followed. Ever the versatile actress, she’s played vulnerable romantic leads and tough-as-nails characters and everything in between. She also performs her own singing in movies like “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and 2007’s “Hairspray,” to name two examples.

Bacon’s decades-spanning career is so prolific that it spawned a game, in which players must link him to another actor in six films or less. Breakout performances in 1982’s “Diner” and 1984’s “Footloose” gave way to a unique filmography, which consists of both leading parts and high-profile supporting roles. Most commonly associated with comedy and drama, he’s also appeared in horror movies such as 1999’s “Stir of Echoes.”

A man of multiple passions and talents, Sean Penn remains best known as an award-winning actor who’s not afraid to play against type. From his breakout role as Jeff Spicoli in 1982’s “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to his Oscar-winning turn in the 2008 biopic “Milk,” his career is nothing if not versatile. He’s also an established director, writer, and geo-political activist.

This talented actress and model has been spanning multiple genres and mediums since her earliest days as a child star. The very same year she headlined the raunchy comedy “Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising,” she appeared in the sci-fi action thriller “The Fifth Wave.” From romantic drama to straight horror to voiceover work in animated family fare, Moretz has built up a truly impressive resume in relatively little time.

A masterful talent, Close has won numerous awards across every major medium. She followed early film roles in “The World According to Garp” and “The Big Chill” with a bold and iconic performance in 1987’s “Fatal Attraction.” Her eight Academy Award nominations and zero wins ties a record with actor Peter O’Toole.

Kicking off his career around the same time as his brother River, Joaquin Phoenix initially appeared under the self-assigned name of Leaf. He began using his birth name by the early 1990s and broke out with supporting roles in films such as “To Die For” and “8MM.” The 2020 blockbuster “Joker” brought him into new sub-genre territory and earned him his first Oscar.

Portman first turned heads as a 12-year-old aspiring assassin in the seminal 1994 thriller “Léon: The Professional.” She later won an Academy Award for the role of a tormented ballerina dancer in the 2010 psychological horror “Black Swan.” No stranger to franchise fare, she makes up part of both the “Star Wars” franchise and the MCU.

This British actor followed a thriving stage career with his breakout performance in the 1986 biopic “Sid & Nancy.” He continued to demonstrate boundless range in 1990s films such as “Léon: The Professional,” “True Romance,” and “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” His recent turn as Winston Churchill in 2017’s “Darkest Hour” earned him a long-overdue Academy Award.