It seems like many big actors and actresses are taking roles on television shows these days. Maybe it’s the steady paycheck or the fact that television sometimes offers them better roles than films. Whatever the case, we have noticed a trend and that trend involves actors and actresses flocking back to the small screen and finding great success. In this article, we are only going to focus on actors – big actors – who were pretty well established on the big screen and then made the brave leap to (or back to, in some cases) television. With actors like this on the small screen, it just might be the place to be!
7. Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson rose to fame on the sitcom “Cheers.” It didn’t take the actor long, however, to transition to the big screen. To date, he has been nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Actor for “The People vs. Larry Flint” and the other for Best Supporting Actor for “The Messenger.” While Harrelson currently has a supporting role in the “Hunger Games” movies, he has also found success on the small screen again in the HBO series “True Detective” where he earned an Emmy nomination for his incredible performance.
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6. Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon became a pop culture icon because of his role in “Footloose;” however, he also managed to secure a relatively successful career as a film actor thanks to his roles in films like “A Few Good Men,” “Apollo 13” and “Mystic River.” Since 2013, Bacon has been back on the small screen, starring in the FOX television series “The Following.” The show has received mostly favorable reviews and has been renewed for a third season.
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5. Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey achieved leading man status in the mid 90s thanks to his role in “A Time to Kill” however he didn’t establish himself as a critically acclaimed actor until his role in “Dallas Buyers Club.” McConaughey took home the Best Actor award at the 2014 Academy Awards and Golden Globes. This year, he also joined the HBO series “True Detective,” receiving a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor for his remarkable performance.
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4. Clive Owen
Clive Owen began his career on television and then worked his way onto the big screen. He received rave reviews for his performance in “Closer,” as well as a Golden Globe and BAFTA award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Owen recently went back to the small screen. He has a starring role in the historical medical drama “The Knick,” which has received favorable reviews and has been picked up for a second season.
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3. Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi has had starring and supporting roles in a number of successful Hollywood and indie films, including “Reservoir Dogs,” “Armageddon,” “The Big Lebowski” and “Ghost World.” He’s also found success on the small screen in critically acclaimed shows like “The Sopranos” and “Boardwalk Empire.” For the latter, he has received two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe, and two nominations for an Emmy Award.
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2. Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey was enormously successful on the big screen. He has won two Academy Awards, one for Best Supporting Actor for “The Usual Suspects” and the other for Best Actor for “American Beauty.” In 2013, Spacey made the switch to TV. He currently has a starring role on the Netflix series “House of Cards” where he has achieved great success, which includes nominations for an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe.
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1. Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle had carved out a successful career as a movie actor. He received critical acclaim for his roles in “Hotel Rwanda” and “Crash.” For the former, he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and for the latter he was nominated for a BAFTA and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor. Cheadle currently has a lead role in the Showtime TV series “House of Lies,” which has earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.