9 Great Film Performances From Non-Actors

These guys made acting look like child's play.

Actors often venture into other fields. Some play it safe and limit themselves to film, going on to become screenwriters and directors. Surprisingly some of the best films of the past thirty years have had actors behind the camera instead of in front. Then there are actors who aren€™t just content with Hollywood. Since the sixties, actors have tried to tackle the world of music and literature. While some have managed to pull of something resembling decent, you can count them on one hand. Yes, most of them have been that bad. Then there€™s the flipside. There are musicians, athletes, and other non-thespians that take a crack at acting with surprisingly good results. Sometimes they€™re so good that people are left wondering why they never pursued acting on a full time basis. And sometimes they even win awards for it. Maybe acting isn€™t as hard as it looks or maybe these following performances are just that good.

9. John Matuszak - The Goonies

On the football field, John "The Tooz" Matuszak was a two time Super Bowl winning defensive lineman. Off the field, he was a reckless partygoer who annoyed his teammates with consistent drug abuse. On the screen, however, Matuszak delivered one of the only performances that can consistently bring a grown man to tears as the deformed but lovable Sloth in the 80's classic The Goonies. The Goonies may be about a band of kids saving their homes by finding pirate treasure, but the growing friendship between Sloth and Chunk is the real heart of the movie. Nobody can hide their smile watching the two offbeat characters awkwardly bonding over Baby Ruths or when they save the day on the pirate ship. However, that climax on the beach where they declare their love for one another is when the water works start.
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Contributor

Just like Patrick Swayze in Roadhouse, Mickey Galie is the best friend a good time ever had.