Warning: The following list contains an assortment of strange, seemingly random acting roles from talented comedians. The author of this article recognizes the fact that some of these performances make him look like a hipster that is purposely excluding classic roles by comedian-turned-actors, but that is not the case. He would like it to be made clear that these choices are based entirely on his own personal preference. Also, yeah, he may be a bit of a hipster. Thank you for your time. For whatever reason, it's always interesting to see comedians, more specifically stand-ups, acting in films. But why? Maybe it's because we're all innocent little boys and girls at heart, and we love having the opportunity to yell out "Hey! I saw them on a stage telling jokes! And now they're in this movie!" while enjoying a nice flick with our friends. Or, perhaps it's something else entirely, I don't know. What I do know is that incredible acting performances from comedians are becoming more and more common these days, and that is extremely beneficial for the world of stand-up, as well as the magical lands of film and television. Of course, some of these roles are more famous than others. An example would be Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting, but for the sake of making this an interesting list, some of my picks will be lesser recognized film and television performances. Don't worry, though, they're all awesome. Enjoy the article, and write some words for me to read in the comments sections.
10. Seth Rogen - 50/50
It's pretty much a widely known fact at this point, but in case you aren't privy, the always hilarious Seth Rogen got his start in the entertainment industry via stand-up comedy. Beginning when he was just 12 years old, a young Rogen would perform around Canada, and he somehow managed to get paid for it. This eventually led to him auditioning for (and getting a part in) Freaks and Geeks, and the rest, as they say, is history. The actor now has a fantastic catalogue of comedy films, and to be honest, there are a plethora of other movies I could have chosen for Rogen. I ended up settling on 50/50. Now, yes, Rogen basically plays an exaggerated version of himself in the movie, but something about the role sticks out. Perhaps it has to do with the heavy emotional aspect of the film, and just how relieving it was to have comic relief throughout. Without Rogen's character, this film would essentially be a drama, and not nearly as good as it turned out.