10 Best Unsung Actors From Each Movie Genre

It can't be easy being Hollywood royalty, particularly if your family name sits next to Barrymore, Coppola or Huston. The latter is the least recognizable today, but long ago it was revered as one of the most important in the industry: Walter, John and Anjelica and, for some reason, her less-known brother Danny.

"The name Huston got us into doors, but it didn't automatically get us the money we needed. It just meant that people were very polite when they turned us down," said Danny. It's not that Danny Huston's roles haven't had the gravitas necessary to merit the same awards and prestige as his half-sister, nor is he less-talented. Like Anjelica, he has a good track record playing historical figures, most notably in The Aviator, Marie Antionette and Fade to Black.

But Huston has stood out from his family by not opting for prestige parts, taking supporting roles in arthouse films and genre fiction with potential. He's found the best success in science fiction, playing the steely-eyed, cold-blooded political cousin of Theo in Children of Men and the silent, stalking predator vampire in 30 Days of Night. The roles are far from glamorous, but without much screentime, Huston brought an unpredictable menace.

He's often been the best part of lesser science fiction films, lending more to the role of Stryker in X-Men Origins: Wolverine than written. It's a common trend with character actors: no matter the film, the work is solid.