10 More Actors Who Gave Their Best Performances In Movies Nobody Saw

3. Arnold Schwarzenegger - Maggie

Aubrey Plaza Black Bear
Lionsgate

Arnold Schwarzenegger is as larger-than-life as actors get, and though it's basically impossible to imagine anyone else playing the part of the Terminator, few would go so far as to call him a genuinely great actor.

We've seen Arnie experiment around a little more in recent years as he's gotten up there in age and his action chops have unavoidably waned, leading to him starring in a most unexpected project in 2015.

An Arnie-led zombie film doesn't sound like the most unnatural of moves for Schwarzenegger, but Maggie is no normal undead horror romp.

This is more a post-apocalyptic drama than anything, with Arnie portraying Wade, a father who must comes to terms with his daughter's (Abigail Breslin) transformation into a zombie.

This is, more than anything else, Arnie like you've never seen him before - a vulnerable, hurting man pulled between knowing what he needs to do and the love for his daughter.

It's as subtle a performance as Arnie has ever given, and while the film itself isn't doing too much new for the genre, seeing the actor in this more dialled-down mode, lending shocking dramatic nuance to Wade, is a sure sight to behold.

It's a shame that Maggie didn't do much business either theatrically or on VOD, though, as we've seen few similar attempts from Schwarzenegger in the years since.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.