20 Most Underrated Actors Working Today

2. Doug Jones

Pan's Labyrinth Pale Man
Warner Bros. Pictures

You may not know Doug Jones. If you saw him, you'd probably be hard-pressed to put a name to the face, because it's a face audiences rarely see. 

A crucial ingredient to countless Guillermo Del Toro films, Jones is best known for vanishing behind heavy prosthetics to portray mythical creatures, gods, monsters, and demonic superheroes. He was the majestic Faun in Pan's Labyrinth, a genius crime-fighter in Hellboy and its sequel, and a ghost in Crimson Peak.

A successful contortionist and mime artist, Jones' ability to bring humanity and personality to so many weird and wonderful creatures has helped breathe so much life into Del Toro's work that his name should be uttered alongside the director's whenever their collaborations are brought up. 

This is especially true of The Shape of Water, where he portrays the romantic and lonesome Amphibian Man - a mute fish who forms a relationship with a lonely woman - as achingly human. He's given so many films their heart and soul, offered audiences so many iconic characters, and yet too few know his name, or his face. 

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