20 Most Underrated Actors Working Today

20. Gina Torres

Despite a leading role on recent hit 911: Lone Star, an otherwise abysmal procedural that she injects with real heart and power, Gina Torres has almost always shone brightest as a supporting player.

As both hardened former soldier Zoe Washburne in the short-lived sci-fi thriller Firefly and tough lawyer Jessica Pearson on the legal drama Suits, Torres's strength has always been her ability to play characters able to ground the more volatile male personalities in her immediate orbit; she takes challenges head-on, keeping her friends steady. 

Adept at playing capable characters unwavering in a crisis, she's always seen her best work through with an unshakable resolve, an uncanny ability to portray strong women who hold their heads high but are always willing, where needed, to let their guard down.

We've not seen a lot of her over the years, but what we have seen has been exemplary - the work of a soulful performer who brings real heart and emotion to every role she's tackled. With Lone Star out of the way, hopefully she can land another great role worthy of her talents.