1. Matthew McConaughey as Killer Joe Cooper in Killer Joe (2011)
After making a name for himself starring in insipid romcoms that, oddly, seemed to almost universally feature a poster in which he was being physically propped up by his co-star (no, really, see How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, Failure To Launch and Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past for evidence), no one could've expected the U-turn that McConaugheys career would take. Imagine going back to 2010 and trying to convince your past self that, seriously, the pretty but rather vacant Southern gent from Sahara is absolutely going to prove himself Oscar-worthy, just you wait and see! Of course, in recent years, weve had it proven to us again and again that the man can act even if were still not sure why he refrained from doing so for so long. However, it was McConaugheys turn as the titular Killer Joe Cooper in William Friedkins adaptation of Tracy Letts crime thriller that first showed his hidden depths. In his role as a police detective who just so happens to moonlight as a contract killer, McConaughey was practically unrecognisable as the Texan smoothie hed been so routinely cast as. Whether he was cold-bloodedly shooting a man down or demanding a teenage girl as payment for his deadly services, this was Matt as wed never seen him before. Our view of him (and fried chicken) would be changed forever. Which other actors so unexpectedly played against type? Share any we missed down in the comments.
