29 Actors Whose Crying On A TV Show Was So Raw And Authentic, They Deserved An Award

"Viola Davis without a shadow of a doubt. When she cries, she cries hard. Whenever she cries, you really feel like she's living those moments. Viola is one of the best actors ever, but only recently is she getting the respect she deserves after decades in the industry."

—creedbrattonishot

"When Klaus cried over losing Dave, it hurt my soul. The way Robert just fell to the ground and sobbed hit so hard."

—danalee989

"There were a lot of emotions on that show, but any scene she cried in, automatic tears from me."

—mccarvillecolton

"It’s rare that you see men on television shows express the level of vulnerability Paul was able to show. Connell's therapy scene where he talked about not feeling like he belongs always gets to me."

—taylorsunshine74

"Any scene where Brooke Davis is crying on One Tree Hill makes me instantly cry. Sophia has such a raw and powerful range of emotions as an actor. She will always be my all-time favorite, especially as Brooke."

—kristenchevrier

"Gina in any scene on Jane the Virgin, but especially when Jane found out that Michael was dead. The first time I watched that scene, my heart shattered along with hers and I found myself instantly crying because her cry was so authentic and painful."

—maverickchiefeditor

"Melanie is the best onscreen crier I have ever seen! She uses her tears at just the right moment, and it’s always heartbreaking. No matter what unbelievable supernatural things are happening on the show, her emotion is always so raw and real. One moment, she is cracking you up with a quick-witted dick joke, and the next, she is punching you right in the feels with her tears. It gets me every time. She deserves a lot more recognition for what she is doing onscreen."

—Lauren

"Her acting in 'Jolene' was phenomenal, and the happy tears in her eyes when Waverly proposed to Nicole were so convincing! She had me crying alongside her. She's incredibly underrated."

—noamh466d00bf9

"I don’t know about you, but Jensen in Supernatural when Dean was talking to Sam about being in hell gets me every time. You could tell it was building up to be an emotional statement and it felt so real, especially since Dean rarely lets his guard down."

—florabelm

"Every time she cries, it is SO REAL. She's given several amazing crying performances: The hospital shooting, and when she was trying to explain how depressed and defeated she felt to Ben, are next level. Bailey's such a strong character."

—dragonbunny

"Sandra can literally make me feel every emotion, and Cristina's breakdown scenes in Grey's Anatomy were just so raw and powerful, especially during Season 8 when Cristina found out the patient on her table who just died was Henry. Also in Season 8, when she and Owen stayed home to talk about him cheating on her. The fact that her character rarely cried just made it so much more powerful and heartbreaking when it happened."

—silverhera

"Honestly, Sarah in every season of AHS. I know she gets a lot of crap about how she sounds when she cries, but in Asylum, for example, Lana was being tortured, and her cries were raw and heart-wrenching. Every performance of hers is amazing."

—Lily McGhee

"I personally thought he was the best actor in the cast, and every scene he did was phenomenal. Any sad scene with him and Scott made me tear up."

—drearileylira

"Elizabeth Henstridge on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. gets me every damn time. It was always so real and raw, and she just NAILS it!"

—reaganw02

"She had to cry a lot while playing Elena, but she was so good at it."

—Zoe Payne-Carter

"When Jack died and Rebecca saw him just makes me weep. It's a crime that she wasn't nominated for an Emmy, let alone didn't win, for that performance."

—YitzyZRaven73

"Obviously, Sterling as Randall on This Is Us. Watching him break down gets me every single time."

—eowynoakheart

"Sarah had so many memorable moments where Buffy cried. There was when she had to kill Angel, when she sacrificed herself in Dawn's place, when her mom died, and when she revealed that she was in heaven. Buffy was always the strong one, so when something happened to her and it cracked her snarky armor, Sarah was always amazing."

—KittehRager

"Alyson made me cry in How I Met Your Mother, too, but Willow was next level. When she gets those big eyes and her lips tremble, your heart will break. She's one of the best criers I've ever seen."

—beemer723

"Nate's meltdown in the Season 1 finale felt really real. Amazing acting."

—Anya K.

"God, when Villanelle cries, it's always so gut-wrenching. In fact, both Jodie and Sandra Oh on Killing Eve are fantastic and brilliant at showing each and every emotion!"

—Cam

"Justina is incredible at fake crying. Her emotions seem so raw and vulnerable."

—broadwayismymiddlename

"She cries so much on The Handmaid's Tale, and every time it's so believable. She is a master of conveying emotion with very little dialogue."

—princesspea09

"Her crying scenes are absolutely flawless and make me emotional every time, especially during Fiona's big speech to Monica in Season 1. Just so much raw emotion."

—skelly34

"The Season 1 finale alone could make you start crying, but it’s truly in 'The Last Temptation of Barry Allen,' when Barry's standing over his daughter's crib and he’s trying to pick her up, but his hands keep going right through her, that seals the deal for me. He's such a good actor."

—missxosky

"Pretty much every time Lindsey cries on The 100. She’s such an underrated and phenomenal actor. Her acting skills should be talked about more."

—Ashlyntaylor

"Lauren on Lucifer, without a doubt! She MASTERED the art of anguish during Season 4."

—michelleh430be4d5b

"When Abraham and Glenn are brutally killed by Negan, and Rick's crying while he remembers it — Andrew had snot and everything during that moment. Chills."

—ellenf4ad8b6f61

"Kristen needs to be on this list! From the roof scene in the Season 2 finale of Veronica Mars to her last scenes with Chidi on The Good Place, she can make any moment more poignant and sad without seeming campy or over-the-top. Even though she excels at comedy, it’s crying scenes where you can really see how talented an actor she is."

—Campbell Stack