19 Talented Actors Whom Hollywood Has Sadly Slept On For A Long, Long Time

    Parminder Nagra from Bend It Like Beckham deserves better.

    Kayla Yandoli
    by Kayla Yandoli

    BuzzFeed Staff

    We asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which talented actors in Hollywood deserve bigger careers and better roles. Here are the amazing results.

    Potential movie and TV spoilers ahead! 🚨

    1. Lana Condor

    Lara Jean telling Peter she's scared to fall in love because "The more people that you let into your life, the more that can just walk right out"
    Netflix

    Where you might know her from: The To All the Boys I've Loved Before movies and Deadly Class

    "It's always bothered me that Noah Centineo has basically become Netflix’s new boyfriend, but Lana Condor hasn’t really gotten as much recognition despite literally starring in the same movie as him 🥴." —ccosmiclattee

    2. Mena Massoud

    Aladdin asking Jasmin "Do you trust me?"
    Disney

    Where you might know him from: Aladdin and Run This Town

    "Mena Massoud, who played Aladdin in the live-action remake. He got cast as the lead role in a Disney movie and hasn’t had major work since. He even spoke out about it and about how starring in a Disney movie hasn’t opened the doors it would have for other actors. It’s really sad to see someone who had such a big opportunity not get anything else from it." —morganelle18

    3. Mo'Nique

    Mary telling Ms. Weiss it was Precious' "fault" for being raped by her partner
    Lionsgate

    Where you might know her from: The Parkers, Precious, and Bessie

    "Mo'Nique — she was so good in Precious. Like, I don't see any famous actors, like George Clooney, Johnny Depp, or Julia Roberts, in roles that powerful and moving. Playing Precious's mother was probably a lot of pressure for Mo'Nique, considering the events in the movie." —sguy

    4. Patrick Fugit

    William defending Penny Lane and yelling at Stillwater on the plane as it's about to crash
    DreamWorks Pictures

    Where you might know him from: Almost Famous, Saved, and We Bought a Zoo

    "Patrick Fugit! Almost Famous is literally my favorite movie, and he was perfection in it, yet I rarely see him in anything else. It was an Oscar-winning movie, and so many other actors in it have gone on to do so many other projects, except for him." —Psychobellyfreakout

    5. Nikki Blonsky

    Tracy singing "Good Morning, Baltimore!" in the beginning of the movie
    New Line Cinema

    Where you might know her from: Hairspray (2007) and Waiting for Forever

    "Nikki Blonsky! She was phenomenal as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray (2007), and as far as I know, she hasn’t been in anything as well known since. It’s such a shame, since she’s an amazing actor and singer." —sariw

    6. Parminder Nagra

    Jess crying, saying: "If i can't tell you what I want now, then I'll never be happy, whatever I do"
    Helkon SK

    Where you might know her from: Bend It Like Beckham, Ella Enchanted, and ER

    "Parminder Nagra from Bend It Like Beckham — it’s interesting how Keira Knightley's career completely took off from that movie, considering that she was the supporting character. Parminder's career was in kind of a lull, and she only got random acting jobs — she deserves better." —sdoseau

    7. Taylor Kitsch

    Tim telling Lyla he loves her
    NBC

    Where you might know him from: Friday Night Lights (2006–2011), X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Battleship

    "How did Taylor Kitsch not turn into a full-blown movie/TV star? He had a starring role on Friday Night Lights, Disney tried to make him happen with John Carter, and he was in the Battleship movie. He has the looks and talent but has never gained a bigger status." —achasse02

    8. Lisa Bonet

    Denise giving a speech during a mock debate, saying: "One person should not have to give up their ambitions or their aspirations just so the other person can get theirs"
    NBC

    Where you might know her from: The Cosby Show, Angel Heart, and High Fidelity

    "I really wish Lisa Bonet had a bigger career — she talked about her relationship with acting in an interview a few years ago with Net-a-Porter, and she said the main reason she didn't become a 'star' was that 'it's slim pickings out there — there aren’t endless opportunities for women of color.' Hopefully more opportunities come her way, because she has a unique talent the world deserves to see more of." —Kayla Yandoli

    9. Eliza Dushku

    Faith upset, saying: "Everybody's looking to me, trusting me to lead them -- and I've never felt so alone in my entire life"
    The WB

    Where you might know her from: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Bring It On, Dollhouse, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

    "She was amazing on Buffy and Angel as Faith and was so much fun in the first Bring It On film. She has the range to play all sorts of roles and would DEFINITELY kick ass in a female remake of Indiana Jones or James Bond." —qpatti2

    10. Josh Hartnett

    Ethan storming off, saying: "At the end of the day, the only thing we have is the people we trust"
    Showtime

    Where you might know him from: Pearl Harbor, 40 Days and 40 Nights, and Penny Dreadful

    "I never understood why Josh Hartnett was gone all of a sudden — like, he completely disappeared! He was back in Penny Dreadful in 2014 and was pretty darn good in it. It's such a shame the show got canceled." —Amsterdaniel

    11. Amber Riley

    Mercedes defending herself against Rachel in the principal's office
    Fox

    Where you might know her from: Glee, The Wiz Live, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

    "Amber Riley!!! I know she won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Dreamgirls, but I wish her career blew up more. She’s one of the best talents on this planet." —3contactval3

    12. Danny Pudi

    Abed telling Jeff TV makes more sense than real life
    NBC

    Suggested by: christine61390

    Where you might know him from: Community, Smurfs: The Lost Village, and DuckTales

    Danny Pudi was hilarious as Abed Nadir — no other actor could've pulled this character off but him. He was able to tackle serious episodes in the most brilliant way, and after he killed it on Community for six seasons, I'm surprised he wasn't offered bigger roles. He really deserves a thriving career in Hollywood.

    13. Alexandra Daddario

    Jade and Taylor telling each other they make them feel magical
    CBS

    Where you might know her from: Percy Jackson, Why Women Kill, and American Horror Story

    "Alexandra Daddario just seems really beautiful and strong to me, and she has such a big presence onscreen. As a Percy Jackson fan, I was surprised not to see her in more leading roles after those movies." —abbeyy47fce0c28

    14. Freida Pinto

    Jamal and Latika kissing at the end of "Slumdog Millionaire"
    Celador Films / Film4 Productions

    Where you might know her from: Slumdog Millionaire, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Knight of Cups

    "Freida Pinto was incredible in Slumdog Millionaire, but I’m genuinely struggling to think of many high-profile projects that she’s done since." —sunshine193

    15. Leon Thomas III

    Andre telling Tori "Who has two thumbs and knows how to help a friend write a song? This guy!"
    Nickelodeon

    Where you might know him from: Victorious and August Rush

    "Leon Thomas III was easily one of the most talented members of Victorious, and I expected him to be one of the breakout people, like Ariana Grande, and yet..." —monikap6

    16. Michaela Watkins

    Valerie sitting on the floor against a wall, saying: "Sometimes I get very angry and I don't know where it comes from"
    IFC Films

    Where you might know her from: Saturday Night Live, New Girl, and Trophy Wife

    "She’s one of those actors you can’t name right away but who has been in everything and always kills it. She went on to be the lead in Hulu’s first real original series, Casual, which was criminally underrated 'cause no one cared about Hulu at the time. She is honestly so good." —faceghostta

    17. Sendhil Ramamurthy

    Devi's dad reading to her as a child, showing her a tennis racket, and playing ping pong in the garage
    Netflix

    Where you might know him from: Heroes, Blind Dating, and Never Have I Ever

    "After he got his big break in Heroes, he really should have taken off, but I guess at that time, Hollywood didn’t care as much about diversity and he didn’t get as many roles. He is so good-looking and is such a great actor. He played the dad on Never Have I Ever, which I hope opens more doors for him, but it was more than a decade between those two roles." —sr4

    18. Ki Hong Lee

    Minho being trapped back into the maze, being attacked
    20th Century Fox

    Where you might know him from: The Nine Lives of Chloe King, the Maze Runner movies, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

    "I saw Dylan O’Brien in the comments, but can we talk about Ki Hong Lee? I really wish he was in more movies and TV shows, and not just a few cameos." —munchkin06

    19. And Judy Greer

    Casey telling Jane: "The only reason to wear this monstrous dress is so some drunken groomsman can rip it to shreds with his teeth"
    20th Century Fox

    Where you might know her from: 27 Dresses, 13 Going On 30, The Wedding Planner, and Arrested Development

    "Judy Greer is hilarious but only gets cast as side characters. She does serious roles really well, too, and deserves to have a 'leading lady' type of career." —malamama

    "Judy Greer! She's always the quirky best friend and never the leading lady, but she always steals the show, in my opinion. Justice for Judy Greer." —resilientxmoon

    Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.

    Which actor do you think deserves a bigger career in Hollywood? Let us know in the comments below!