These 13 Comedians Took A Major Risk To Play Dramatic Characters, And They All Absolutely Paid Off

    Sofía Vergara is set to star in an upcoming Netflix miniseries as a real-life Colombian drug lord.

    Joseph Longo
    by Joseph Longo

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Sofía Vergara is set to star in one of her most dramatic roles to date. The actor, who is best known for her work in the long-running hit comedy series, Modern Family, will star in an upcoming Netflix miniseries inspired by the life of Griselda Blanco.

    closeup of sofia
    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic

    Griselda was a Colombian woman who became known as "the Godmother" for leading a Miami-based cartel in the '70s and '80s, and Sofía will play her in the series titled Griselda. Much more is still to come about the project, which drops on Jan. 25.

    closeup of sofia as griselda
    Courtesy of Netflix

    What's clear right now, though, is that Sofía transformed her appearance for this dramatic role, as evidenced by the teaser trailer below.

    View this video on YouTube
    Netflix/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    Check out the side-by-side of the Sofía in-and-out of character as Griselda:

    Steve Granitz / FilmMagic, Courtesy of Netflix

    Of course, Sofía is not nearly the first comedian to become pretty unrecognizable while throwing themselves into a serious project. So here are 13 other funny actors who went for broke physically (and often emotionally) to play a character in a dramatic TV show or movie:

    1. Niecy Nash-Betts in 2022:

    closeup of her
    Unique Nicole / WireImage

    Niecy Nash-Betts in Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story:

    closeup of her in character wearing no makeup and large framed glasses
    Courtesy Of Netflix

    Last year, Niecy Nash-Betts won a Critics' Choice award, and, received an Emmy nom (among other honors) for her portrayal of Jeffery Dhamer's neighbor in the biographic series, Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. "I was seen as a one-trick pony for a long time, and I just kept saying, ‘There is more.’ I think that maybe some of the views of me were just a bit narrow," Niecy told Variety earlier this year about taking on the dramatic role. "I don’t want to put words in people’s mouths, but it was just a bit narrow and I was happy to invite the industry and my peers to see me differently.”

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Unique Nicole / WireImage, Courtesy Of Netflix

    2. Adam Sandler in 2019:

    closeup of him in a suit
    Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for Film at Lincoln Center

    Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems:

    closeup of him wearing small tined glasses and studded earrings
    A24/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    In 2019, Adam Sandler generated major critical acclaim for his turn as an opportunistic jeweler in the Safdie brothers' film, Uncut Gems. He told NPR in 2019 that he was initially "nervous" to play such an unlikeable character. "...I do have a wife. I do have kids. I get nervous about even pretending to be a bad guy. I get nervous about that and what —  how it could affect my household and stuff like that. So I'm a little bit nuts like that. I don't think that's the way you should think in life. But this is kind of what I do think," he said.

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for Film at Lincoln Center, A24/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    3. Melissa McCarthy in 2018:

    closeup of her at an event
    Mike Marsland / Mike Marsland / WireImage

    Melissa McCarthy in Can You Ever Forgive Me?:

    closeup of her character with dull hair and bangs
    Searchlight Pictures/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    In 2018, Melissa McCarthy took on the role of Lee Israel, a real-life author who got involved in literary forgeries in the 1990s. "To me, the key is it’s not any different," Melissa told Deadline in 2018 about playing both comedic and dramatic characters. "I’ve done so much stage work that was dramatic. It’s still the same process. I’m a character actress. I connect to the character, and when you do that, all you can do is serve the character. It dictates everything; how they look, how they laugh, who they love."

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Mike Marsland / Mike Marsland / WireImage, Searchlight Pictures/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    4. Aubrey Plaza in 2017:

    closeup of her
    JB Lacroix / WireImage / Getty Images

    Aubrey Plaza in Legion:

    closeup of her character with short hair
    FX/Hulu

    Aubrey Plaza may have burst into mainstream notoriety in 2009 thanks to her deadpan humor in the series Parks and Recreation, but it wasn't long before she began showing off her serious acting abilities. In 2017, Aubrey told Collider she loved following up Parks and Rec with the more serious show, Legion, a trippy superhero Marvel series. "I don't really think about it in terms of comedy or drama so much, but I can say that I am really loving being in a show that's more of a drama. Really, just because I was on a comedy for so long. It's nice to switch it up," she said.

    Here's a side-by-side:

    JB Lacroix / WireImage / Getty Images, FX/Hulu

    5. Jennifer Aniston in 2014:

    Monica Schipper / Getty Images

    Jennifer Aniston in Cake:

    her character with no makeup on and shorter hair
    Warner Bros. UK & Ireland/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    Jennifer Aniston is best known for her work in comedy, including the seminal TV series Friends. However, in 2015, she received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her portrayal of a woman with chronic pain in the film Cake. "You have to do something really dark to be taken seriously, I guess," she told the New York Times in 2015 of her career post-Friends. “If you’re in someone’s living room every week for 10 years and every day on God knows what network, people are going to have a hard time saying, ‘O.K., we’re going to see you do what now?’ without making associations. It’s a Catch-22. It’s like: ‘I know I can play this part, you just have to let me.’ And then it’s ‘I can’t let you play that part, because I’ve never seen you do it.’ There were jobs that I really wanted and would fight and fight for and then the obvious previous Oscar winners would get them.”

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Monica Schipper / Getty Images for Variety, Warner Bros. UK & Ireland/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    6. Seth Rogen in 2015:

    closeup of him in a suit
    Vera Anderson / WireImage

    Seth Rogen in Steve Jobs:

    his character wearing a jacket with his hair a little longer and wire framed glasses
    Universal Pictures/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    In 2015, Seth Rogen played Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs biopic. How much did he know about the co-founder, who also dated Kathy Griffin in the 2000s? "Almost nothing," Seth told GQ in 2015. "I’d seen him on that Kathy Griffin reality show. I can’t honestly tell you that I knew there was a co-founder of Apple. I think I thought it was just Steve Jobs."

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Vera Anderson / WireImage

    7. Steve Carell in 2014:

    closeup of him in a suit
    Walter Mcbride / Corbis via Getty Images

    Steve Carell in Foxcatcher:

    steve's character with a different face structure and gray hair
    Sony Pictures Classics/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    In 2014, Steve Carell took on the role of John du Pont in the biopic and thriller Foxcatcher. The film chronicled Olympic wrestlers Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) as they began to work with wealthy benefactor and wrestling fan John du Pont in the 1980s. Their relationship ended in tragedy as John was convicted in 1997 of murdering Dave the year prior. As for his approach to a dramatic role after years in comedy, it seems Steve didn't overthink it. "I’ve never cared about being taken seriously – I just see myself as an actor," he told the Guardian in 2015. "Most of my career, I’ve just taken what I’ve been offered. I always feel most comfortable as part of a ensemble. Whether it’s a comedy or a drama, I like to fit in. It’s best not to stick out.”

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Walter Mcbride / Corbis via Getty Images, Sony Pictures Classics/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    8. Jack Black in 2012:

    closeup of him
    Kevin Winter / Getty Images

    Jack Black in Bernie:

    his character holding a gift basket wearing a button down and hair combed down and a mustache
    Millennium Entertainment/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    In 2012, Jack Black starred in Bernie, Richard Linklater's biopic about Bernie Tiede, a mortician who was convicted of murdering a widow in 1996 with whom he'd been a companion. In 2012, Jack opened up to the AV Club about starring in a dramatic role based on a real person. "I played characters that are loosely based on someone, sure, but this one was just straight up, this is the guy and this is his actual name and this could actually conceivably have some ramifications. That’s a different kind of pressure than I felt before," he said. You can stream Bernie on Peacock.

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Kevin Winter / Getty Images, Millennium Entertainment/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    9. Mo'Nique in 2009:

    closeup of her in a sleeveless dress
    Vera Anderson / WireImage

    Mo'Nique in Precious:

    her character with no makeup and a wrap on her head
    Lionsgate/Fandango/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    Prior to her role in Precious, Mo'Nique was perhaps best known as a stand-up comic and actor in comedy projects like the series The Parks and the film Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. In 2009, though, she received rave reviews for her role opposite Gabourey Sidibe in the drama film Precious, winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. In 2009, Mo'Nique told the Associated Press taking on the role was "rewarding." "It was excited [sic]. It was challenging because I love to laugh, baby, I love to laugh. But it was appreciated because I don't know of any other director that would have given two fat, black women the opportunity to do what we did...," she said of working with Lee Daniels.

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Vera Anderson / WireImage / Getty Images, Lionsgate/Fandango/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    10. Drew Barrymore in 2009:

    closeup of drew with platinum blonde hair and a beaded shirt
    Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

    Drew Barrymore in Grey Gardens:

    drew with shorter eyebrows and scarf around her head wearing a fur coat
    HBO/HBOMax

    While Drew Barrymore has always dabbled in dramatic roles, she's largely praised for her successful line of comedies and rom-coms in the late 1990s and early 2000s, like Never Been Kissed, Charlie's Angles, and 50 First Dates. However, she saw her career as a dramatic actor reach new heights in 2009 with the TV film biopic, Grey Gardens, based on the life of East Coast mother-and-daughter socialites Big Edie Beale and Little Edie Beale. As Little Edie, Drew won a Golden Globe and SAG award and was nominated for an Emmy. In 2009, Drew told Reuters that she became a bit reclusive while filming, which required 13 prosthetic devices and up to six hours in the makeup chair. “I was so fraught with fear,” she said. “I couldn’t eat or function and felt I was totally losing my mind."

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images, HBO/HBOMax

    11. Sacha Baron Cohen in 2007:

    closeup of him wearing glasses and a baseball cap
    Vera Anderson / WireImage

    Sacha Baron Cohen in Sweeney Todd:

    his character with a thin mustache and longer hair slicked down and curled out
    DreamWorks/Movieclips/YouTue / Via youtube.com

    In 2007, Sacha Baron Cohen received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for co-writing the mockumentary film Borat. Though he's continued his run of eccentric original characters in films like Brüno and The Dictator, Sacha followed Borat with a more serious supporting role in Tim Burton's adaption of the musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Sacha played a rival barber, Adolfo Pirelli, in the movie and looked nearly unrecognizable in the role. Sacha opened up in 2020 about his occasional dramatic acting while promoting the drama series The Spy in which he plays real-life spy Eli Cohen. "For me to make the transition from comedy to drama was something that I’ve been reluctant to do. I’ve dabbled in it in Hugo and Les Misérables and a little bit in Sweeney Todd, but to actually take a lead role where the character was essentially relatable was something that I was not used to doing," he told the Hollywood Reporter.

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Vera Anderson / WireImage / Getty Images, DreamWorks/Movieclips/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    12. Eddie Murphy in 2006:

    closeup of him in a suit
    Steve Granitz / WireImage / Getty Images

    Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls:

    his character with bigger hair, wearing a colorful suit and gold jewelry
    Paramount Movies/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    Eddie Murphy scored some of his career-best reviews for his portrayal of a slick R&B performer in Dreamgirls. Eddie, who at the time was coming off comedy roles in franchises like Shrek and Dr. Dolittle, garnered an Oscar nomination for his work in the film adaption of the hit Broadway musical. In 2007, Dreamgirls director Bill Condon told Variety about a conversation he once had with Eddie regarding the role, saying the actor "didn’t want people to be watching Eddie. He wanted to disappear into someone completely different from any character he’d ever done before.”

    Here's a side-by-side:

    Steve Granitz / WireImage, Paramount Movies/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    13. Jamie Foxx in 2004:

    closeup of him in a suit
    George Pimentel / WireImage / Getty Images

    Jamie Foxx in Ray:

    his character wearing a suit with a bowtie and thin sunglasses
    Universal Pictures/Movieclips/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    While Jamie Foxx may be well-known for his ability to bounce between dramatic and comedy roles, that wasn't always a given. Having come up as an actor in the comedy series In Living Color and The Jamie Foxx Show, Jamie dabbled in serious acting with films like Ali and Redemption. However, it was in 2004 that he proved himself to be a true serious actor with the films Collateral and, more notably, the Ray Charles biopic Ray. Jamie was Oscar-nominated for both films, winning for his portrayal of Ray Charles. Ray director Taylor Hackford told the New York Times in 2004, "I would not be telling the truth if I said I knew he could do it, but I had to roll the dice and, fortunately, Jamie reached down in himself and pulled out an incredible performance."

    Here's a side-by-side:

    George Pimentel / WireImage, Universal Pictures/Movieclips/YouTube / Via youtube.com

    Of course, we couldn't fit every single great example of a comedian giving it all they've got in a dramatic role, so tell us who we missed in the comments below!