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1->''"I never knew the big son of a bitch could act!"''
2-->-- '''Creator/JohnFord''' after seeing Creator/JohnWayne's performance in ''Film/RedRiver''
3
4A FanSpeak phrase: this is what you say to yourself when a comedic performer, a non-acting entertainer, or somebody more known for athleticism or looks than in-depth acting ability gets [[PlayingAgainstType cast in a challenging dramatic role]], and you're at least half-expecting a train wreck, and then... wow! They pull it off! Who would've thunk?
5
6Sometimes this comes after they seemingly fail at dramatic acting. In hindsight, it may be more because of poor writing or directing than anything else.
7
8May result in TomHanksSyndrome. The in-universe version is MasterActor.
9
10----
11!!Examples:
12
13[[index]]
14* HeReallyCanAct/{{Film}}
15* HeReallyCanAct/LiveActionTV
16* HeReallyCanAct/VideoGames
17* HeReallyCanAct/WesternAnimation
18** ''HeReallyCanAct/StarWarsTheCloneWars''
19[[/index]]
20
21[[foldercontrol]]
22
23[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
24* Creator/JohnnyYongBosch is a bit typecast; he used to work on ''Franchise/PowerRangers'' and typically plays confident, outgoing heroes and as well as a variety of Swordsmen (ex.: Ichigo, Nero, Zero and others that we can name of which Swordsmen Bosch has ever voiced). Then comes... Well, this entry has been changed at least ''three times'', which tells you how good he is:
25** ...''Anime/FiveCentimetersPerSecond'', in which his character is a wistful young man who is no longer with his childhood love, who he still yearns for.
26** ...''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'', where he plays a wimpy, timid NonActionGuy with a bloodthirsty, vengeful SuperpoweredEvilSide, and carries both roles with ease.
27** ... ''VideoGame/FragileDreamsFarewellRuinsOfTheMoon'', in which he plays a man, sorrowfully narrating on his deathbed about his childhood days wandering through the post-apocalyptic world.
28** ...''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'': Orga was a character many mere ''not'' expecting Johnny to well in, due to the noticeable difference in the timbre of his voice and and that of Creator/YoshimasaHosoya. He changes his game by using a slightly lower, raspier voice than usual, and pulls Orga's charismatic bravado and (mostly) hidden uncertainties off like a champ.
29** Additionally, Lelouch Lamperouge in ''Anime/CodeGeass''. He pulls off insanely dramatic laughs, as well as absolutely heartbreaking and magnificently awesome lines. To the point that quite a few people may prefer him over Creator/JunFukuyama.
30** His voice work in ''VideoGame/BinaryDomain'' surprised a lot of people when he showed up as Sergeant Kurosawa, a ByTheBookCop ReasonableAuthorityFigure. Instead of his usual HotBlooded LargeHam characters, we got a relatively understated (but unsurprisingly awesome) character who actually had a Japanese accent as opposed to [[NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent a lot of of his other work.]]
31** His VA roles in ''VideoGame/Persona4'' and ''VideoGame/Persona4Arena'' have to count as this. In the first one, he does the voice-overs for the MC, but he also plays villain [[spoiler:Detective Adachi]], which requires him to switch from the persona[[note]]No pun intended[[/note]] of [[spoiler:a goofy, bumbling police officer]] to an AxCrazy sociopath. He pulls it off without skipping a beat. Then he dips back into the AxCrazy part for ''Arena'' by delivering the [[spoiler:illusory words]] of Yu Narukami, sounding for all the world like his [[spoiler:Adachi persona from the previous game.]] Anyone who doubts his acting talents after that [[InJoke can get stuffed!]]
32** He also gets to play AxCrazy in ''Literature/FateZero'' as Ryunosuke Uryu, and he sounds like he absolutely relishes it.
33** Zack from ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce's'' short-lived anime dub is a squat little nerd with some compassion problems. This is what we call PlayingAgainstType.
34* Creator/SteveBlum has always been a good actor, but his PlayingAgainstType in ''Anime/DigimonTamers'' sees him playing the lovable, childlike and squeaky Guilmon, as well as the dorky Kenta, both of whom are not his normal vocal type. He's also ''terrifying'' as [[BigBad Amon]] in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' as well as very charismatic, commanding the screen in every scene he was in, [[spoiler:and both he and Creator/DeeBradleyBaker had one of the most heartbreaking moments of the entire season at the end]].
35* ''Manga/VampireKnight'', ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'' and ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces'' convinced several anime and JRPG fans that Creator/BrycePapenbrook had a significant amount of promise, despite his less-than-stellar performances in earlier shows. ''Manga/BlueExorcist'' only solidified it- his performance as Rin has won unanimous praise from the show's fans. And then there's his reprisal performance as Makoto in ''Anime/Danganronpa3TheEndOfHopesPeakHighSchool'', where he really shines in showing Naegi's SurvivorGuilt. Just watch the scene where [[spoiler:[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFL3CO0BV6Q he nearly gives in to despair]]. His screams are absolutely visceral and heartbreaking all the same]].
36* It's already been established that Creator/CheramiLeigh is quite a versatile voice actress, but she's also an example of "She Really Can Sing" with [[DoItYourselfThemeTune her performance]] of the English dub of the ''Manga/CellsAtWork'' opening theme.
37* Virtually everyone in the English dub of ''[[Manga/FullmetalAlchemist Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood]]'' got this reaction but special mention goes to Creator/CaitlinGlass as Winry Rockbell in S2 E10 ''Backs to the Distance'' (aka the episode where [[spoiler:Winry learns the truth about her parents' deaths and confronts their killer, Scar]].) Even more impressive? She directed not only herself (as the scene was very emotional for her) but also the other voice actors. Whoa.
38** From the same series, Creator/TravisWillingham as [[ColonelBadass Roy]] [[ByronicHero Mustang]]. Somewhat typecast as overtly masculine characters without a ton of depth, he had very little experience when cast in the 2003 anime at just 21 years old. While his performance in that version was still well received, he blew everyone's expectations out of the water with his return to the role six years later in Brotherhood. He gave Roy warmth, gravitas and depth beyond even what was seen in the sub and helped to make him one of the show's most emotionally complex characters, as well as nailing his comedic moments. Special mention goes to Part 5 Episode 2 in [[spoiler:the fight with Envy]], which has him giving one of the most [[HeroicBSOD terrifyingly furious screams]] in anime history, as well as the [[TearJerker positively heartwrenching]] [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone regret]] and [[LoveHurts tenderness]] he shows in the scene following that.
39* Alicyn Packard delivers a pretty emotional performance as Jibanyan in the episode "Jibanyan's Secret" in ''Anime/YokaiWatch''. Especially when he starts crying after learning about his past that he forgotten.
40* [[SmallReferencePools Most viewers know]] Creator/RachaelLillis as [[Franchise/{{Pokemon}} Jessie and Misty of Pokemon]]; yet since neither character has much nuance beyond {{Tsundere}} FieryRedhead and IneffectualSympatheticVillain FieryRedhead, there wasn't much potential for her to showcase her abilities there. Her voice-work for PluckyGirl [[Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena Utena]] likewise offered little opportunity for much serious acting... until [[WhamEpisode the episodes]] leading up to the GrandFinale. ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome And Ms. Lillis kills it]].'' [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments D'awws]] and [[TearJerker sniffles]] aplenty.
41* The anime for ''Manga/DragonBall'' in its various iterations has had this for many of the mainstay actors in both Japanese and English, more so in English. With the main Texas-based voice cast, they were only hired to mimic the Ocean actors from Canada at first, but then developed their own voices for the characters over time. Even then, they weren't really that good during the Z dub. Later dubs of the original Dragon Ball series and GT, they were ''much'' better at acting, since they'd gained more experience in the meantime. However, years later, when they were able to go back to the series during the dubbing of ''Kai,'' they proved they could hold their own when it came to voice acting against their Japanese counterparts.
42** Sean Schemmel in particular, though he always had a voice for screaming and his Goku voice is the most recognizable Goku voice in the English-speaking world if you never saw the Ocean dub, was never really that convincing as Goku until Kai, where he both got better scripts and voice direction than during ''Z'', his voice acting experience he gained in the intervening time didn't hurt either. As Goku now, he perfectly represents the character in English with a perfectly cool mix of his own more heroic portrayal from the old days, but with a more subtle and nuanced control over his acting that makes him more believable and sound more confident in the role. He's even picked up a few things that Masako Nozawa does in the Japanese version with his voice having a more up and down inflection with him going between high pitched and a more normal range to a more serious and lower register when things get more serious. His delivery of the "I am the Super Saiyan, Son Goku!" speech during the Frieza battle really seals the deal on how badass he can sound. Then, during the Buu Saga of ''Kai,'' Goku saying goodbye to Gohan when Gohan has to go back to Earth to fight Buu is ''very'' subtle in how he voice acted the lines, but distinctly sad. You can truly feel Goku apologizing to his son for not being a bigger part of his life in that moment because of his acting.
43** Chris Sabat is also much better in the three main characters he voices; Vegeta, Piccolo, and Yamcha. While his Yamcha voice hasn't really changed much, his acting has improved very much. His Vegeta and Piccolo voices on the other hand have evolved pretty well. His Vegeta now sounds deeper and less gruff while his Piccolo is much more close to his Zorro voice from the ''One Piece'' dub, which is more close to his natural speaking voice.
44** In the Japanese dub, Masako Nozawa got this reaction from fans who don't normally watch the sub, or like her voice for Goku, and most of his family members, for her portrayal of Goku Black in ''Super,'' as she sounds genuinely sadistic when voicing him. It's just her Goku voice, but deeper and more serious in tone and inflection, perfectly fitting Black's personality. It's gotten to the point where some people who prefer the dub are judging Sean's performance as the character from ''Xenoverse 2'' against hers and wishing he took more influence from her when it comes to the character for the ''Super'' dub.
45* ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' has one in episode 10 of the SoBadItsGood English dub of ''Sailor Moon S'', where Linda Ballantyne, often {{flanderized}} as a terrible actress, manages to nail an emotional scene with complete conviction and little of her usual LargeHam performance.
46[[/folder]]
47
48[[folder:Audio Drama]]
49* ''AudioPlay/BigFinishDoctorWho'':
50** Many critics -- and even the writers who worked on them -- have pointed out that one of the best things about the Creator/TomBaker audio dramas is that, between getting more emotional scenes to do and several decades of personality maturation, he makes a specific point of acting in them, rather than just relying on his own LargeHam natural personality and dramatic voice to carry everything like he frequently did in the old days. The character comes off more [[TookALevelInKindness subtle and kind]] as a result.
51** Creator/ColinBaker, aka the Sixth Doctor, was widely considered the worst from his short TV tenure on ''Doctor Who''. When Baker reprised the role for the Big Finish audio dramas, he was later voted the ''best''.
52** Creator/BonnieLangford as Mel had everything against her on television. She was an attempt at StuntCasting during the series's most awful AudienceAlienatingEra, and was widely disliked as a public figure to begin with; internal production team politics led to her being intentionally written as TheScrappy and directed to act as a ScreamingWoman in a stagey, {{Panto}} style in order to sabotage her. The audios give her much, ''much'' better material, altering her character from a one-note DamselScrappy into a DefiantCaptive DeadpanSnarker. This gives Langford full opportunity to show off what she's actually capable of as an actress, and she comes across like she's really enjoying the role.
53** The Big Finish audios also gave [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap pretty epic upgrades]] to some other [[TheScrappy scrappier]] companions, such as Peri.
54* The ''Focus on the Family Radio Theatre'' series by Focus on the Family have surprisingly good voice acting. Look to their renditions of ''Ben-Hur'', the story of Squanto and ''A Christmas Carol'' for proof of that. Their ''Adventures in Odyssey'' series also had great voice acting in its golden era (specifically from its early days to up until Whit's second voice actor Paul Herlinger sadly passed away), whether it be for comedy like the BTV episodes or for drama like the Novacom saga.
55* Geoffrey Whitehead's voice for Death in the BBC audio play of Literature/{{Mort}} is chillingly soft and understated. This may surprise listeners used to Whitehead's more bombastic (and hilarious) voice in Radio/BleakExpectations or Rigor Mortis. In Mort, however, Whitehead is almost unrecognisable and he makes Death very detached and aloof.
56[[/folder]]
57
58[[folder:Music]]
59* Music/{{Gorillaz}} bassist Murdoc is voiced by Phil Cornwell, who's a comedian by trade. Since the tone in the interviews and animated shorts is usually [[NonSequitur weird and light-hearted]], this works out pretty well. But in the iTunes session interviews, there are some surprisingly frightful parts, and Cornwell proves himself as an actor by bringing Murdoc across as [[{{Jerkass}} phenomenally scummy]], even intimidating. The brutal on-tape fights and [[spoiler:[[HoYay suggestive]] chloroform scene]] are played quite convincingly for the characters, adding a dark new layer to the Music/{{Gorillaz}} story development.
60* Music/KanyeWest in [[TearJerker We Were Once a Fairytale]]. ''Twice.'' Also him on ''WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow''.
61* Creator/MeganFox in Music/{{Eminem}}'s [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uelHwf8o7_U&feature=related "Love The Way You Lie" music video]].
62** Speaking of Eminem: while it's not acting, per se, his rapping as the title character in "Stan" is practically a performance in and of itself. His tone gets more frenzied as the song reaches its climax, and eventually the listener just loses themselves in the character. The song wouldn't be half as good if Em wasn't such a good actor as well (which ''8 Mile'' would go on to prove).
63** Eminem is also an unnecessarily good actor in the skit with Music/{{Rihanna}} that introduced The Monster Tour, playing a SerialKiller Slim in a GlassyPrison. He gives Slim mannerisms that are very different to his own, but that are also very mundane, reinforcing the humour of the scene.
64* The [[Music/SteamPoweredGiraffe Vice Quadrant]] album was a chance for David Michael Bennett and Isabella Bennett to show off their acting skills as the Astronaut and Commander Cosmo (David), and the Necrostar (Isabella). Compare [[TheComicallySerious The Spine]] to [[TragicVillain the Astronaut]], or [[CloudCuckoolander Rabbit]] to [[BigBad the Necrostar]]. Special mention should also go to the heartbreaking scene of the end of "Oh No", where the Astronaut [[spoiler:is separated from Cosmica, who lets him regain his sanity just long enough for him to see everything he did, before he dies]].
65* Music/WeirdAlYankovic doesn't often do straight covers. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvPNfQV-FH0 When he does]], though, He Really Can Sing.
66** Also, his accordion is not there just for novelty; he really can put on a show with it. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0QbbnIYa0M Here he is performing the noted solo guitar piece "Classical Gas".]]
67[[/folder]]
68
69[[folder:Podcasts]]
70* Remember the goofy, lighthearted antics of the Creator/McElroyBrothers in ''Podcast/MyBrotherMyBrotherAndMe''? Prepare to have those same brothers (and their dad) rip out your heart in ''Podcast/TheAdventureZone'' without completely losing their humorous touch. Griffin, in particular, exhibits a vast range of creative world building and poetic monologues in contrast to his more crude and sarcastic performances in MBMBAM. Some fans have joked there might be two different Griffins, the contrast can be so stark.
71* ''Podcast/WoodenOvercoats'' is primarily a sitcom, so the actors get to show off their comedic chops constantly... meaning the emotional moments can sometimes take you by surprise.
72** Felix Trench as [[UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist Rudyard]] in particular has a real talent for making you roll your eyes at and want to comfort him at the same time. Rudyard is normally a {{jerkass}} to the nth degree, but when Felix Trench wants you to [[JerkassWoobie cry for him]], ''you will cry for him''. His genuine terror and sadness in the back half of "Rudyard Makes a Friend," and his gentle concern for Georgie in "Putting the Funn in Funerals" is palpable.
73** Speaking of "Putting the Funn in Funerals," holy ''hell'', did Ciara Baxendale deserve a reward for that one. Her character Georgie is normally a chill, laid-back girl with several [[DeadpanSnarker snarky]] [[OnlySaneEmployee remarks]] to keep the mood light. This only makes her grief in the episode where her grandmother dies that much more heartbreaking, especially the scene where she cries and rants at an empty house, wondering why she never told Nana how much she meant to her. The scene is the emotional climax of the episode, and Baxendale completely knocks it out of the park.
74* Many of the cast of ''Podcast/EighteenSixtyFive'' already had experience in the anime dubbing industry, but here they get a chance to show-off their voice acting skills outside the anime world. Special mention goes to Jeremy Schwartz and R. Bruce Elliott for their particularly emotional and heartfelt performances as Edwin Stanton and Andrew Johnson respectively.
75[[/folder]]
76
77[[folder:Theatre]]
78* People in general (and theatre critics in particular) were sceptical when Creator/LennyHenry (mostly known for his comedy performances and characters) announced he was taking on the lead role in a production of Creator/WilliamShakespeare's ''Theatre/{{Othello}}''. Against expectations he got pretty good reviews for the most part with most critics either praising his performance or at least conceding he did a decent if not outstanding job.
79* Although people already knew he was a great actor at this point, nobody was really prepared for how Creator/NeilPatrickHarris ''killed it'' as the title role of ''Theatre/HedwigAndTheAngryInch''. He set a new high standard for the character, molding himself physically and vocally into Hedwig and absolutely owning the stage, earning a well-deserved Tony Award in the process.
80** From the same production: Lena Hall's performance as Yitzhak. Up to that point, she mostly was known for being in lighter shows (''Kinky Boots'', ''Cats'', ''Tarzan''), but she delivered a crushing performance, playing resentment, devotion, and resignation perfectly while barely saying a word. Especially worthy of note: the look of pure joy she has when Hedwig gives her the dress at the end and she runs up the aisle before emerging again near the end of "Midnight Radio." She, too, won a well-deserved Tony, and a shit-ton of respect from the Broadway community.
81* Sutton Foster in ''Violet.'' She had already earned respect for her formidable singing and dancing in shows like ''Anything Goes'', ''Theater/TheDrowsyChaperone'', and ''Thoroughly Modern Millie.'' With ''Violet'', she showed that she could deliver a raw, emotional, and heart-wrenching performance without necessarily tapping her brains out. Her tragic naivete and eventual [[HeroicBSOD breakdown]] when she finds out [[spoiler:the TV preacher she idolized couldn't help fix her facial deformity]] were killer.
82* Nobody said the man couldn't act, but Creator/LinManuelMiranda's performance during the largely tragic middle of the second act of ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' comes way out of left field. Hamilton's bravado comes crashing down when [[spoiler:his son dies]], and his panic at the beginning of "Stay Alive (Reprise)" and resignation during "It's Quiet Uptown" show that Miranda can bring real gravitas to the character.
83* Though his ''Film/CoolAsIce'' performance was panned, Music/VanillaIce earned appraisal for his performance in the Captain Hook in the Chatham, Kent Central Theatre pantomime production of ''Theatre/PeterPan''.
84* Broadway actress Lesli Margherita is mostly famous for her [[CloudCuckoolander wacky backstage vlogs]] and for originating Mrs. Wormwood in the Broadway cast of ''Theatre/{{Matilda}}''. Got that image in your head? Here she is [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40rDjGK9Slo singing "God Help the Outcasts"]] as [[WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney Esmeralda]]. There's a reason she has an (unrelated) Olivier.
85** A subtler example is in one of the vlogs, where she has a [[ActingForTwo conversation with Wormwood]]. She (herself) calls Wormwood a bad parent, to which Wormwood replies, "I'm not a bad ''parent'', I have a bad ''daughter."'' A line that shows she clearly knows Wormwood inside and out.
86* ''8'', the play based on the Prop 8 trial, had two odd examples in that both actors were best known for the same work: ''Series/{{Glee}}''.
87** Matthew Morrison certainly hasn't been bad on ''Glee'', but his turn as co-plaintiff Paul Katami was fantastic. He conveys his character's hurt over being considered a threat to children perfectly.
88** Creator/ChrisColfer's acting on ''Glee'' has always been praised (he received a Golden Globe), but his [[OneSceneWonder short but memorable scene]] in ''8'' left no doubt how talented he is. Can be seen [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kwBzbd9bHQ here]].
89* Ben Platt was known for years as Benji, the nerdy roommate from ''Film/PitchPerfect''. Then he gave an absolutely ''heartwrenching'' performance as the title character in ''Theatre/DearEvanHansen'', which won him universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike, and he became one of the youngest people ever to win the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
90* Corey Cott was best known for playing Jack Kelly in ''Theatre/{{Newsies}}'', who, while having a few dramatic moments, is still a mostly comedic character, and on top of that, a Creator/{{Disney}} character. So imagine theatergoers surprise when they saw Cott in ''Theatre/{{Bandstand}}'', delivering a heart-breakingly realistic and nuanced performance as Donny Novitski, a recently-returned [=WW2=] vet suffering from PTSD. The range of emotions he shows onstage, from grief to guilt to bitter determination to having a ''full on panic attack'' showed a depth to Cott's acting that surprised and delighted both audiences and critics.
91* A retroactive example with Creator/JamesCorden. Before working as a late night host and starring in the likes of WesternAnimation/TheEmojiMovie, Film/PeterRabbit, and Film/{{Cats}}, many are shocked to see how excellent he was in ''One Man Two Guvnors'', where he expertly and hilariously holds the entire thing together, making an incredibly difficult task look far easier than it really is. How good was Corden? His Tony competitors that year were Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman, Creator/FrankLangella, Creator/JohnLithgow, and Creator/JamesEarlJones. Corden won.
92* Creator/ChristianBorle had already proven himself to be an incredible musical comedy talent, having earned two Tony Awards for [[LargeHam his grandiose and hilarious work]] in ''Theatre/PeterAndTheStarcatcher'' and ''Theatre/SomethingRotten''. Then he played Marvin in ''Theatre/{{Falsettos}}'', [[PlayingAgainstType where he got to put his dramatic talents to work]], [[JerkassWoobie giving much pathos and heartbreak to a highly troubled man]] that left many audiences weeping.
93* Creator/EthelMerman was a legend of Broadway and film in the first half of the twentieth century, but her reputation was centered in comic musicals like ''Call Me Madam'' and ''Flora and the Red Menace.'' It was a surprise, then, when she decided to take on the role of Mama Rose in ''Theatre/{{Gypsy}}'', a part written specifically for her. Merman herself expressed doubts about some of the numbers, remarking that the finale, "Rose's Turn," was more aria than musical theatre piece. All doubt vanished, though, when Merman appeared on opening night and ''destroyed'' audiences with her nuanced, dramatic portrayal of Rose, the ultimate StageMom and, according to famous critic Clive Barnes, "one of the few truly complex characters in the American musical." Though many great performers--including Patti [=LuPone=], Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly, Bernadette Peters, and Bette Midler--have all played Mama Rose, Merman's performance has gone down in history as incomparable, partially ''because'' it was such a major departure from her previous work and thus proof of her unmatched talent.
94* Music/MelanieC is best known as a fluffy pop singer and member of the insanely popular Music/SpiceGirls, so her casting as Mary Magdalene in the arena tour of ''Theatre/JesusChristSuperstar'' was met with some eyebrow-raising, to say the least. But she absolutely blew the roof off the arena with her [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8azdnR2fQus stunning vocals]] and powerful-yet-vulnerable interpretation of the role, and earned undying respect from musical theatre fans.
95[[/folder]]
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97[[folder:Web Animation]]
98* The cast of ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' have proved that, for a group that initially just consisted of a few guys screwing around on a web production, they can really act. For Burnie Burns, that's whenever Church is breaking down or the rare moments when he acknowledges his creator's influence as an Ai, for Joel Heyman it's when [[spoiler:Caboose is sobbing because he's lost his best friend]], and for Gus Sorola and Geoff Ramsey it's when it looks like Grif might die. And then there's Matt Hullum, who [[ManOfAThousandVoices has a lot of characters and they all sound different from each other]].
99** On that note, Creator/ElijahWood deserves a mention. He'd been praised for his performance in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'', but it was mainly subdued praise. Then he played Kevin in ''Film/SinCity'' and scared the shit out of everyone. When he got into ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' as [[AIIsACrapshoot Sigma]], and he steals every scene he's in, making you simultaneously detest and love him at the same time.
100** Creator/MilesLuna was hardly bad as Felix in the opening arc of ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlueTheChorusTrilogy'', but the fact that Luna was head writer got him flack at the time, with others considering him a little generic. Come Season 12 and TheReveal [[spoiler:that Felix is the biggest KnightOfCerebus in the entire show, a terrifying sociopath and ManipulativeBastard]] has won him a ''lot'' of praise.
101** Gray Haddock was previously known as just the voice of Roman Torchwick from ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'', a role he did alright in but didn't really push himself with. Then he got the role of Locus and got a lot of praise, particularly for the character's NotSoStoic moments.
102** Dan Godwin basically only had to make Donut a funny AmbiguouslyGay character. So when Season 17 made him the central character, many viewers were very impressed with his voicework as Donut has taken charge and become a more assertive character (along with forming an OddFriendship with Wash).
103* From the same people as above, ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' also pushed its cast further:
104** Creator/JessicaNigri, more well-known as a cosplay model, was very highly praised for her voice-acting role as Cinder Fall, cementing Cinder as a terrifying and badass villain with only a few lines. She continues to deliver as Cinder takes a more active role in in Volume 3, culminating with her epic villain speech [[spoiler:addressed to the crowd in the Vytal stadium to discredit Ozpin, Ironwood, the Huntsmen and the kingdoms.]]
105** In a similar vein, Creator/MichaelJones of RageQuit fame definitely proved his chops for his portrayal of Sun Wukong. As a result, he managed to land another role with a similar character: Sting Eucliffe of ''Manga/FairyTail''.
106** [[Creator/RoosterTeeth Barbara Dunkelman]] did a fairly good job voicing [[CoolBigSis Yang Xiao Long]] all through the first series run, but she was especially praised by the viewership for her convincing delivery of a [[AngerBornOfWorry highly emotionally-charged]] scene between Yang and Blake in Episode 6, Volume 2. In Volume 3, she does an even better job [[spoiler:as the events of Volume 3 very quickly turn Yang into a BrokenBird.]]
107** Fans were quick to respond positively to Neath Oum's portayal of Lie Ren for Volume 3. Even more in Volume 4, where Ren had a lot of screentime. And he has no acting background, only falling into the role because [[Creator/MontyOum his brother who created the series]] died and Neath wanted to honor him.
108** Another non-actor who got praised by the FNDM is Emerald voice actress Katie Newville, specially with the character's emotionally charged scenes in Volume 5.
109** Though Garrett Hunter's role of Adam [[{{Narm}} wasn't always very well-received]], fans absolutely ''loved'' his extended scene in "Heroes and Monsters", where he plays a [[NightmareFuel terrifyingly]] AxCrazy [[DomesticAbuser abusive ex-boyfriend]] to Blake.
110** As mentioned briefly below, Miles Luna has been absolutely NAILING Jaune's most broken moments since the end of Volume 3. Special shout-out goes to his sobbing verbal smack down of Cinder in Volume 5, and the moment when he gets ''very mad'' at Ozpin/Oscar in Volume 6. He's come a very long way from Vomit Boy.
111* ''WebAnimation/PuffinForest'' is known primarily as a channel based around the hijinks in the creator's ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' games. Then he released a short named [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAstnfyZPZ0 "Secrets in the Skeleton Town"]] which details a ''TabletopGame/CallOfCthulhu'' one-shot his group did. For many fans this video not only showed that Ben could do something other than wacky D&D comedy, but also that he actually understood horror and moody atmosphere ''very'' well.
112[[/folder]]
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114[[folder:Web Original]]
115* ''WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic'':
116** It might not have been intentional, but the Critic's "nasty-wasties" speech in WebVideo/{{Kickassia}} proved to a lot of people that Creator/DougWalker can act legitimately terrifying whenever he wants to be.
117** While most of the Critic's proper woobie moments are just Doug putting his natural-born PuppyDogEyes to good use, his breakdown before the SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome in the "Commercials Special" wasn't just shouting, screaming or OTT crying, it was... genuinely sad.
118** And he does it yet again in ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights''. From Ma-Ti's [[spoiler:death]] to Linkara giving him an idea for another quest, the Critic looks and acts like his whole world has been destroyed. And not just common review suffering, he's 100% broken. Doug should be proud of himself.
119** ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' once again brings his acting chops to the fore as he breaks down and begs the other reviewers to help him [[spoiler:save Ma-ti]]. It's not over the top, it's not wimpy or heartbroken, it's just him owning up to his mistakes and genuinely asking for help for the first time.
120*** His performance in the Creator/Critic scene was so good that he got a SoProudOfYou from his dad and the cast commentary even stopped talking so they could enjoy it again.
121** His scenes in the latter and {{cerebus syndrome}}d half of WebVideo/DemoReel can be exhausting on one's emotions. One commenter even said they could have desperately used some ''WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}}'' birds after Donnie numbly and sarcastically apologizes to the family for giving a bad performance [[spoiler:after hearing that his mother '''killed herself''']], and they think he's kidding.
122** Even people who couldn't stand the writing or the plot of "The Review Must Go On" freely admit he did a great job playing a terrified Donnie, a dominating Critic who is just loving calling the shots for once, himself having a breakdown, and [[ItMakesSenseInContext the last ten minutes when Donnie is still mostly Donnie, but Critic's traits are and eventually do win out completely]].
123** Rob got to show off in WebVideo/DemoReel too, as Karl was completely unlike his usual ham; funny, but also a tortured ShellShockedVeteran with a increasing affection for his ReplacementGoldfish family and with plenty of sad moments of his own. And Rob pulled it off wonderfully.
124** Doug was one of the best things about the not-exactly-liked WebVideo/{{Sonic|EddieLebron}} fan movie, playing a ''[[PlayingAgainstType silent]]'' stoic soldier who was ready to FaceDeathWithDignity.
125** While WebVideo/AskThatGuyWithTheGlasses is usually hammy and somewhat terrifying, Doug's reenactment of the final speech from ''Literature/OfMiceAndMen'' is legitimately well-acted.
126* WebVideo/{{Todd in the Shadows}}' breakdown during the "Hoedown Throwdown" in the ''Hannah Montana: The Movie'' review. While it's mostly played for somewhat goofy reasons (it's just a song), Todd does sound genuinely panicked and upset, and some of the things he says ("I'm sad all the time...I can't sleep at night") are pretty nightmare-inducing. It's certainly a lot more dramatic than his usual freak-outs.
127** Similarly, his discussing a traumatic high school experience in his [[Music/TaylorSwift "Fifteen"]] review. He later revealed [[spoiler:he wasn't really acting as much as he thought]], but as a turning point for Todd's character in-universe, it's handled masterfully.
128* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'':
129** Lewis Lovhaug had a "holy shit, he can act!" moment, too, when he's nearly DrivenToSuicide in the last Silent Hill: Dead Or Alive review. Unlike most times on the site when it was SuicideAsComedy, the [[http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g8/NotABadKissa/5.gif crushed look on his face]] is terrifying.
130** Lewis is amazing at portraying fear and sadness, portraying these in Cry For Justice 5-7 and Care Bears 13.
131** 90's Kid [[spoiler:possessed/replaced by the Entity]] is easily the high point.
132** Lewis really shows his acting chops in the ''ComicBook/BatmanNoel'' review, when Harvey Finevoice [[spoiler:has to confront his son's death]]. Never has so much anguish been portrayed on the show.
133** Lewis' acting skills as Mechakara ends up at their best during the Clone Saga, when [[spoiler: Mechakara has an absolute FreakOut over the revelation that he's been turned into a human.]] His ranting, screaming and sheer madness is conveyed so well that most people have outright considered this one of the scariest moments for the villain ''period''.
134* "8-Bit" Mickey Paradis surprised a lot of people with his acting chops in ''WebVideo/SuburbanKnights''. Known more for his wacky dancing and willingness to lose his clothes, his range of emotions was a big change.
135* Nella in WebVideo/TheNostalgiaChick's "Dark Nella Saga". Scary but funny, hammy but menacing and in the last two reviews she could go between fangirl and evil quickly and awesomely.
136* Ashly Burch of ''WebVideo/HeyAshWhatchaPlayin'' also has another, less-frequently updated series called ''Baked Goods''. The episode "Automatonic Asphyxiation" lets her show genuine fear and rage.
137* Creator/MatthewMercer was generally well-received as a voice actor in video games and anime, but he was known for two things: generic baritone voices ([[VideoGame/TalesOfXillia Alvin]], [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil6 Leon Kennedy]], [[Manga/AttackOnTitan Levi]] and the like) and [[VideoGame/Persona4 replacing]] [[VideoGame/Disgaea4 the]] [[VisualNovel/ZeroTimeDilemma more]] [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight widely-known]] actor Creator/TroyBaker. That changed completely with ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'', where he acts as Dungeon Master for a group of voice actors and reveals himself to be an insanely talented ManOfAThousandVoices. He plays everything from {{Adorkable}} geeks to CampGay wizards to gravelly-voiced vampires and dragons to a [[EnsembleDarkhorse crazy-prospector-esque black powder merchant]], along with a variety of [[CrossDressingVoices female characters]] who each sound distinct and convincing. Even the other players -- all of them professional voice actors -- are in awe of his range.
138* Slightly invoked by Thomas "Creator/TomSka" Ridgewell in his video [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=masJatBOsMU&t=0s The Confession 2]]. Most of the video is him, as a police rookie, trying to get a confession out of a criminal. His superior (Alice Ann Stacey) has assigned him to be the "bad cop" to her "good cop," which he misinterprets in several pun-y ways (Dad Cop, Sad Cop, etc.). However, the brief moment when he actually manages to intimidate the criminal with an extensive dive into his records and conclusive evidence that nobody else could have committed the crime is very well-done, and acknowledged by Stacey as so in-universe ([[spoiler:before he dons a tutu and begins rambling about how the government is bees - he's a Mad Cop now, you see]]).
139* Khail Anonymous received universal acclaim for his voice acting as the sociopathic Adam in WebVideo/ArbyNTheChief, particularly in the episode "Cradle To Grave".
140* WebVideo/ScottTheWoz usually is very wacky and upbeat, even during his more negative reviews, but the ''Chibi-Robo Zip-Lash'' video, while still generally keeping the tone as positive as he can, brings out very genuine anger and disappointment that he sells very well. Of particular note is when he finishes up the review portion and explains why he holds such disdain over a game that is technically functional and finished, and what makes him so bitter about its existence and how insulted he felt over Nintendo betting the franchise's future on its success. His aside for this has genuine heart and soul put into it, and that's even with the wisecracks his friends regularly make throughout the video in place, which arguably help keep it from being {{Narm}}.
141* WebVideo/JennyNicholson's voice over performance as the vindictive and self righteous fanfic author, Addison Cain, in Creator/LindsayEllis' epic [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhWWcWtAUoY video essay about how a fanfiction trope led several people into court]] received a lot of praise from fans in the comment section.
142* WebVideo/{{Kitboga}} has grown considerably from the beginning in his acting skills, which coupled with the voice changer make it really easy to fool unsuspecting scammers. It's even more evident in the rare cases where his characters start crying, which sounds ''extremely'' convincing.
143* Creator/LianaK is best known for her [=YouTube=] videos and past work as a TV host and presenter - but she has several years of experience in acting and improv theatre as well. She puts these to good use in ''WebVideo/{{Bossfight}}'' - playing [[ActingForTwo about ten different characters]] and making them all feel like distinct people. She also earned praise for both comic timing and Princess Sparklemuffin's RousingSpeech - which viewers admitted moved them to tears.
144* ''WebVideo/TheNutters'' ended up being mostly a showcase for Jordan Lennon and Greg Young, but its supporting cast members would earn their own acclaim a couple of years later when they properly entered the industry (the aforementioned two were already in it).
145** Adam Douglas's role was as TheGenericGuy, being remembered for the "organise a sesh" quote (which he grew sick of). In ''WebVideo/MrPeterson'', he played TheDitz to perfection, got some of the funniest lines and was noted to be one of the standout performances. He then earned his dramatic chops in ''{{Film/Fallen 2021}}'', playing a shell shocked World War I soldier trying to hold onto his idealism - and nailing [[FakeBrit an English accent to boot]].
146** Liam Gaynor had showed some good comic timing in ''The Nutters'' ChristmasSpecial, but later admitted to feeling like a LesserStar compared to his peers. In the short ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYAmQJCv4FM Family Painting]]'', despite the three-minute run time, he impressed a lot of people with his restrained performance as a grieving brother reluctant to be there for his family. He also provides a brilliant bit of acting at the end, where [[ChildrenAreInnocent an innocent comment]] from his little brother causes him to break into [[WhenSheSmiles a smile that lights up the entire frame]].
147** Mason Creedy likewise just popped up as TheBully or showed up in Jordan Lennon's other shorts as a SpearCarrier or SacrificialLamb. In the music video for "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQMsUBoYJDM Poisoned City]]", and the short ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niNAPZp-CBo Vultures]]'' he pulls off some impressive work as a young drug dealer in the former, and a conflicted mugger in the second.
148* WebVideo/JoueurDuGrenier: Both Fred and Seb usually parody whichever franchise is being tested, but when they allow themselves to work on more serious storylines, they can be genuinely gut-wrenching, most notably in the Frostpunk narrative LP.
149[[/folder]]

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