7. Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls (2006)
In the mid-2000s, it seemed that Eddie Murphy's career was on the skids, after a string of critical and commercial failures, including
Pluto Nash, I Spy, Daddy Day Care and
The Haunted Mansion. In fact, the only thing keeping Murphy in our good graces was his sublime vocal work on the
Shrek films, at least until 2006, when Murphy delivered a belter of a performance as James 'Thunder' Early in
Dreamgirls. It's a diverting turn for two reasons - initially, because it garnered Murphy an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor during his perceived period of creative stagnation, and secondly, because it was Murphy's first legitimate foray into "serious" acting in his entire career. Indeed, Murphy pretty much ends up stealing the show as Early, mixing together impressions of a number of soul legends - chiefly James Brown - into a deliriously entertaining package, combined with his own quick-fire wit and seemingly interminable energy. Perhaps what impresses most, however, is Murphy's strong vocal performance, coming seemingly out of nowhere, measuring up alongside the dramatic grip of his poignant storyline, ending in tragic circumstances as Early is found dead from a Heroin overdose. Nevertheless, Murphy wowed critics and audiences alike, and as his only notable dramatic role to date, its success is perhaps a sign he should give it another go.