10 Actors Who Became Unlikely Action Stars

5. Robert Downey Jr.

We all heard the story that Robert Downey Jr. earned $50 million for The Avengers. But let's not forget that before Iron Man, he didn't look anything like a superhero. Starting out in theater, Downey had his first breakthrough in Tuff Turf, followed by The Pick-Up Artist. After a few coming-of-age stories, he moved onto the emotionally charged Less Than Zero. His high point was in Chaplin, which earned him an Academy Award nomination, before drug charges threatened to ruin his career. He persevered, though, and in 2008 took on his first proper blockbuster: Iron Man. You could make a case for him being the biggest surprise on this list. Watching Downey play Charlie Chaplin with such care and attention, how could you ever envision him soaring through the sky dodging missiles in that iconic red and gold suit? Iron Man quite literally changed Robert Downey Jr's career, and rocketed him into Hollywood's ultra-rich list. Now he has starred in 5 films that have all topped over $500 million. He's become the ultimate superhero - one with his own story arc taking him from the mire to the stars.