10 Big Time Actors Who Are Way Better On TV

Dominic West is another English actor who went across the pond and blew minds as an American. There's a sort of ragamuffin, cheekiness to him and his characters tend to be irascible and mean, but they're often likeable.

On The Big Screen:

Having said that, West is deplorable as the turncoat Theron, in 300. The film is mad as a bag of cats, and while Xerxes brings the threat, Theron brings the real evil, inspired by insidious lust. Aside from that most of his film roles are entirely forgettable, as with his Italian teacher in Mona Lisa Smile.

In Your Living Room:

So what isn't forgettable? Well, how about Appropriate Adult? This is the disturbing account of Fred and Rose West, executed chillingly by the main man. How about Burton and Taylor? For a man who neither looks, nor especially sounds like the force of nature from Wales, West handles the role with verve. How about The Wire? West is Jimmy McNulty, the risk-taking, hard-drinking, potty-mouthed jerk, who was universally loved.

Best TV Moment:

A drunken McNulty tells the barman he won't drive, cut to McNulty crashing his car twice, IN THE SAME PLACE. Cut to a Diner where he comes to, talks to a waitress, then ends up in her bed. Dumb, loveable mutt.