8. Ron Perlman
Nowadays Ron Perlman is best known for donning the red makeup of Hellboy and the leathers of Clay Morrow in Sons Of Anarchy, but for a long time he had to trudge through a career of poorly-received films. It wasn't really until Guillermo Del Toro decided he was his favourite actor that his career really took off - but even in light of that, he has remained something of a marginalised figure. Initially, Perlman appeared (often briefly) in TV films and independent movies that never found an audience. Even after Del Toro selected him for Cronos he remained hidden from public view. The exception, of course, was Beauty And The Beast - a TV adaptation of the famous story, in which Perlman played the monstrous figure and won a Golden Globe for Best Actor. Sadly, the make-up that he wore seemed to mask the man behind it, meaning that his star remained covered up. After taking on the role of Hellboy in Del Toro's adaptations of the comics, though, his star rose. That character was tailor-made for Perlman, and he didn't disappoint. Those cult fans that had been following his work intently finally got to see their hero on a more visible platform, and further televisual (Sons Of Anarchy) and cinematic (Pacific Rim) roles have followed. Perlman is finally reaping the rewards that his hard work and talents have deserved for years.