10 Blockbuster Stars We Don't Give Enough Credit As Actors

2. Tom Cruise

Regardless of how you feel about Tom Cruise as a person, he's one of the last remaining movie stars of his generation, in a sense that whenever he makes a movie, it is more or less guaranteed to make money. And one of the reasons for that is because he makes surprising choices, where a lot of other actors are content to keep doing the same old thing over and over again. Sure, he'll do the Mission Impossible movies until they stop paying for his mansions, but he's equally comfortable stepping away from the action genre. Back in the 80s and early 90s, he went on an Oscar-baity tear, starring in films like Rain Man, Born on the Fourth of July, and A Few Good Men. For every Minority Report, he's got a generally well-received dramatic film to equal it out. That's not even taking into account his surprising comedic abilities. His role as Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder was brilliant, and a perfect example of how he manages to stay relevant in Hollywood. A lot of actors with his level of fame wouldn't be on board for filming a minor supporting role like that, but he takes it and runs with it. Kudos to him.