27 Famous Faces We Always Recognize but Can’t Name
A character actor is someone who plays a wide range of interesting and unusual characters, usually in supporting roles. Viewers instantly recognize their familiar faces as “that guy” or “that woman” when they pop up on a TV show or in a movie but may not remember the actors’ names.
Some character actors such as J.K. Simmons have won Oscars and become household names. Others, such as Walton Goggins, have been turning out excellent work for years until they get an iconic role — such as playing the Ghoul on Fallout — that makes people finally commit their names to memory.
Be honest: of the following impressive character actors, how many of their names did you know from only looking at their pictures?
1. Jimmi Simpson
Jimmi Simpson is an American actor who made his film debut in 2000’s Loser. He also made an impression in David Fincher’s Zodiac and the better-than-it-sounds Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
On TV, Simpson is best known for his recurring role as the creepy Liam McPoyle on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. My favorite role by Simpson, however, is his turn as William — a first-time visitor to the nominal park populated by androids — on the sci-fi series Westworld.
Simpson currently voices the character of Drednok on Star Trek: Prodigy and has at least two upcoming films in the works.
2. John Turturro
John Turturro is a busy character actor who had his breakthrough role in 1987’s Five Corners. He frequently appears in the films of Spike Lee, Adam Sandler, and the Coen brothers.
Although probably most recognized as Seymour Simmons in the Transformers movies, nothing tops his unforgettable performance as the scene-stealing, trash-talking bowler Jesus Quintana in The Big Lebowski. He reprised the role in — as well as directed and wrote — the 2019 spin-off movie The Jesus Rolls.
Turturro currently plays Irving Bailiff on the Apple TV+ sci-fi thriller series Severance.
3. Margo Martindale
Margo Martindale is an Emmy-winning actress for her performance as Claudia on The Americans. She also won an Emmy for playing crime-family matriarch Mags Bennett on Justified.
In addition to her TV work, Martindale has made an impression in supporting roles in movies such as Orphan, Practical Magic, Million Dollar Baby, and The Firm. In the comedy-horror film Cocaine Bear, Martindale steals scenes as the hilariously randy Ranger Liz.
Martindale voiced a fictionalized version of “Character Actress Margo Martindale,” as she is credited, on Netflix’s animated series BoJack Horseman. Can we all agree to remember this talented lady’s name now?
4. Kate Micucci
Actress-comedian-musician Kate Micucci is one half of the folk musical-comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates.
Although most people remember Micucci as Shelley on the Fox sitcom Raising Hope or Lucy on The Big Bang Theory, I will never forget her as Stacey on “The Outside” episode of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities. Stacey is a socially awkward woman with a penchant for taxidermy who yearns to fit in with the other beautiful women at her workplace. She undergoes a complete transformation after trying the popular skincare lotion Alo Glo but loses everything that makes her unique in the process. Micucci plays Stacey as a hilariously tragic character who warrants an encore performance.
5. Melanie Lynskey
New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey was once married to Jimmi Simpson, the first character actor listed in this article. You would never know that Lynskey hails from New Zealand because she flawlessly serves American accents on-screen.
Lynskey made her film debut in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures opposite Kate Winslet, so she kicked off her career surrounded by the best of the best. Although known for her supporting parts in movies such as Sweet Home Alabama, The Informant!, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Lynskey is also recognized for playing Rose on Two and a Half Men.
More recently, Lynskey made an impression in darker material with her Emmy-nominated roles as Shauna on Yellowjackets and Kathleen on The Last of Us. I wish her character stuck around longer in the latter because she was fascinating to watch as an ice-cold resistance leader unafraid to make tough life-or-death decisions.
6. Michael Ealy
Michael Ealy and his striking blue eyes have appeared in movies such as Think Like a Man, The Intruder, Barbershop, Takers, and 2 Fast 2 Furious, but he is probably best known for his TV work on a variety of different series.
On the sci-fi series Almost Human, Ealy plays the android police detective partnered with Karl Urban’s character. Ealy was also part of the main cast of series such as Common Law, The Following, Stumptown, and Secrets and Lies.
Ealy currently plays Damon Cooke — a former inmate — on the Hulu legal drama Reasonable Doubt.
7. Néstor Carbonell
Néstor Carbonell is known as the “eyeliner guy” because his thick eyelashes make it look as if he is wearing dramatic makeup. The American actor of Cuban descent had his breakout role as Luis Rivera on the sitcom Suddenly Susan.
On the big screen, Carbonell played Gotham City Mayor Anthony Garcia in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. On TV, he is best known for playing Richard Alpert on Lost and Sheriff Alex Romero on Bates Motel. Carbonell also recently won an Emmy for his role in the acclaimed series Shōgun.
Carbonell currently plays meteorologist Yanko Flores on the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show. The forecast calls for lots of luscious lashes!
8. Beth Grant
Beth Grant has played memorable characters in a number of movies and TV shows, so it’s a shame that not enough people know the easy-to-remember name of this fine American character actress.
Grant is probably best known for her role as Beverly Janoszewski on The Mindy Project. She has also stolen scenes in movies such as No Country for Old Men, Speed, Sordid Lives, and Little Miss Sunshine. In the cult favorite Donnie Darko, Grant plays the uptight and misguided coach Kitty Farmer — a woman who seriously doubts your commitment to the school dance group Sparkle Motion.
9. Keith David
Keith David’s face and deep voice are instantly recognizable. One of his first roles was as Childs in John Carpenter’s The Thing. He also starred in Carpenter’s They Live, in which he has a notoriously long fistfight with Roddy Piper’s character. David also had memorable parts in movies such as Pitch Black, Requiem for a Dream, The Quick and the Dead, Nope, and American Fiction, to name a few of his more than 300 roles.
Some of David’s voice roles are in movies such as The Princess and the Frog and Coraline, as well as various animated TV shows and video games. David currently voices characters on the animated TV series Rick and Morty and Krapopolis.
10. John Carroll Lynch
People first noticed John Carroll Lynch as Norm Gunderson, the husband of Chief Marge Gunderson, in 1996’s Fargo. He also had memorable roles in Zodiac, Shutter Island, Gran Torino, and Ted 2, to name a few.
Lynch appeared on several seasons of American Horror Story, most notably as the terrifying Twisty the Clown character, which has become a Halloween-costume favorite. He also played serial killer John Wayne Gacy on AHS: Hotel and Mr. Jingles on AHS: 1984.
Lynch made his directorial debut with the acclaimed 2017 drama Lucky, featuring one of the final performances by Harry Dean Stanton.
11. Jim Rash
Jim Rash is best known for playing the ultra-PC Dean Craig Pelton on Community. He also co-wrote the 2011 movie The Descendants, for which he won an Academy Award.
In addition to playing diverse characters in movies such as Bros and Fly Me to the Moon, Rash also currently lends his voice as the Riddler on the animated series Harley Quinn, Mayor Dave on Velma, and the Greek god Dionysus on Krapopolis.
12. Titus Welliver
Titus Welliver has popped up in several fan-favorite TV series, including Lost, Deadwood, and Sons of Anarchy. The American actor also collaborated with Ben Affleck on several films, including Gone Baby Gone, The Town, Argo, and Live by Night.
Although Welliver has mostly played supporting parts in movies and TV shows since 1990, the actor has graduated to leading-man status. He played Detective Hieronymus ‘Harry’ Bosch on Bosch from 2014 to 2021, a role he continues to play in Bosch: Legacy.
13. Lance Reddick
Character actor Lance Reddick is best remembered as Cedric Daniels on The Wire, Phillip Broyles on Fringe, and Chief Irvin Irving on the aforementioned Bosch. More recently, he played Zeus on the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
On the big screen, Reddick shined as The Continental‘s hotel manager, Charon, in the John Wick franchise. Sadly, Reddick passed away in 2023 at age 60.
14. J.P. Manoux
Actor-writer-director J.P. Manoux kick-started his career as a contestant on game shows such as Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and Family Feud. Millennials remember him for his roles on several Disney TV shows, including the android S.T.A.N. on Aaron Stone, the characters Curtis the Caveman and Vice Principal Hackett on Phil of the Future, and the voice of Kuzco on The Emperor’s New School.
On the big screen, Manoux has had supporting parts in Knocked Up, Gridlocked, and Nobody. He also works as a voice actor in movies such as Bolt and in numerous video games.
People sometimes confuse Manoux with fellow character actor Jim Rash because they are both White, bald, and about the same age, but perhaps that will change as both of their careers evolve. Or maybe viewers will mistake both of them for Moby — the jury is still out!
15. Annabeth Gish
Annabeth Gish is best known for her recurring role as FBI Special Agent Monica Reyes on The X-Files. She also had supporting roles on TV series such as The West Wing, Halt and Catch Fire, Brotherhood, and as the sheriff on the final season of Sons of Anarchy.
In the season 11 The X-Files finale in 2018, Reyes is shot and killed during a confrontation with Skinner, ending Reyes’ character arc that began in season 8 of the sci-fi series. More recently, Gish has returned to genre roles on sci-fi and horror TV series such as The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, Mayfair Witches, and The Fall of the House of Usher.
16. Jason Isaacs
Although chameleon-like actor Jason Isaacs is probably best known for playing the evil wizard Lucious Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, he doesn’t normally walk around with long blond tresses. Because of this, Harry Potter fans might walk right past Isaacs and not recognize him, let alone remember his name.
Aside from playing a wicked wizard, Isaacs has played Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot, and the historical figures James Wolfe, Antonio Pérez, Georgy Zhukov, and John Godfrey in the movies Battle of the Brave, The Escorial Conspiracy, The Death of Stalin, and Operation Mincemeat, respectively.
On Star Trek: Discovery, Isaacs played Captain Gabriel Lorca and won an Empire Award for Best Actor in a TV Series.
17. Stephen Tobolowsky
Career character actor Stephen Tobolowsky has a face you will immediately recognize even if you don’t know his name. Although he has played small parts in more than 200 films, he is probably best known for the big-screen roles of insurance agent Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, the memory-challenged Sammy Jankis in Memento, and the teacher who misquotes Shakespeare in Freaky Friday.
On TV, Tobolowsky has popped up on numerous series since the early 1980s, including Blue Skies, Dweebs, Mr. Rhodes, CSI: Miami, Deadwood, Heroes, Glee, and One Day at a Time, to name just a few. He currently plays the recurring part of Sam Van Bryan on Lopez vs Lopez.
18. Ann Dowd
Emmy winner Ann Dowd is quietly terrifying as Aunt Lydia Clements, the government tool in charge of the reeducation of handmaids, on The Handmaid’s Tale. She is also known for her role as Patricia “Patti” Levin, the leader of the Mapleton chapter of the Guilty Remnant, on The Leftovers.
On the big screen, Dowd often shows up in horror and thriller films such as Hereditary, Compliance, and Side Effects. Her performance as Ann, a nurse who was once a prospective nun who had an abortion, is the best acting on display in The Exorcist: Believer.
Dowd will return on the sixth and final season of The Handmaid’s Tale in 2025.
19. Clark Gregg
For some reason, people can’t commit Clark Gregg’s name to memory even though he has played Phil Coulson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe TV series and in movies since 2008’s Iron Man.
In addition to appearing on TV shows such as The West Wing and The New Adventures of Christine as well as in movies such as One Hour Photo, When a Stranger Calls, and 500 Days of Summer, Gregg wrote and directed the 2008 black comedy Choke and the 2013 comedy-drama Trust Me.
Gregg recently wrapped up his memorable role as the tragically misguided Admiral Milius on Snowpiercer, the finale of which aired in September 2024.
20. Sam McMurray
One of Sam McMurray’s memorable early roles is the annoying dad Glen in Raising Arizona. He is also known for playing Chandler’s boss on Friends, Supervisor Patrick O’Boyle on The King of Queens, and Ned on Mom.
Although the dark comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous is challenging to watch unless you own the movie on disc, the 1999 movie features a hilarious performance by McMurray as obnoxious, wealthy furniture salesman Lester Leeman. Between Raising Arizona and Drop Dead Gorgeous, McMurray has demonstrated a unique mastery of playing cringey cinematic father figures.
McMurray recently made an appearance as Judge Steve Nelson on season 23 of Law & Order.
21. Michael Kelly
Michael Kelly is best known for playing White House Chief of Staff Douglas “Doug” Stamper on House of Cards. On the big screen, Kelly has made memorable appearances in films such as the Dawn of the Dead remake, The Adjustment Bureau, Man of Steel, Everest, and Chronicle.
Although he appeared as a different character in Man of Steel, Kelly revisits the DC universe with his performance as mobster Johnny Vitti on the HBO miniseries The Penguin, a spin-off and sequel to 2022’s The Batman.
22. Jaime Pressly
Comedic actress Jaime Pressly is best known for playing the Emmy-winning role of Joy Turner on My Name Is Earl. Her part as recovering alcoholic Jill Kendall on Mom earned her a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Originally a model, Pressly made her TV debut as “Beach Girl” on an episode of Baywatch. She then quickly transitioned to comedy, making us laugh in movies and on TV series such as Not Another Teen Movie, Joe Dirt, Can’t Hardly Wait, Welcome to Flatch, and I Love You, Man.
Pressly’s most recent big-screen appearance was as Brenda in the 2023 comedy The Re-Education of Molly Singer.
23. David Koechner
David Koechner is proof that a character actor can make a solid, lengthy career out of playing goofballs and idiots. Koechner is best known for playing Champ Kind in both Anchorman movies and Todd Packer on The Office.
After a one-season stint as a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1995, Koechner appeared on TV shows such as American Dad!, Hank, The Goldbergs, F Is for Family, and Bless This Mess. On the big screen, Koechner often steals scenes in supporting roles such as the obnoxious father who finds himself battling demonic gingerbread men in the horror-comedy Krampus.
24. Clea DuVall
Clea DuVall’s breakout role was as the goth high school student in the horror film The Faculty. She also made an impression as a young lesbian forced to undergo conversion therapy in But I’m a Cheerleader — a fan-favorite LGBTQ film.
In addition to supporting roles in movies such as Zodiac, Ghosts of Mars, and Argo, DuVall is known for her work on TV series such as Better Call Saul, Heroes, American Horror Story, Veep, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
DuVall has branched out in the past decade, directing the 2016 dramedy The Intervention and the 2020 rom-com Happiest Season. She also voiced Elsa on the animated Fox sitcom HouseBroken, which she co-created.
25. Roger Bart
Roger Bart is a Tony Award-winning actor-singer best known for his theater work and singing roles. He sang the song “Go the Distance,” which was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe, from the 1997 animated movie Hercules.
Not all of his acting roles involve singing, however. He had supporting parts in movies such as The Stepford Wives, Hostel: Part II, American Gangster, and Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. He also had recurring roles on TV series such as Desperate Housewives, The Event, Political Animals, Revenge, How I Met Your Mother, and Grace and Frankie.
In 2024, Bart played the iconic part of Dr. Emmett Brown in the Broadway production Back to the Future: The Musical. Great Scott!
26. Lauren Lapkus
Actress-comedian Lauren Lapkus is probably best known for playing Susan Fischer on Orange Is the New Black. She also played Jess on the HBO comedy-drama Crashing.
In addition to playing recurring roles such as Denise on The Big Bang Theory, Lapkus has lent her voice to characters on animated series such as Bob’s Burgers, Adventure Time, Clarence, Ginger Snaps, Harvey Girls Forever!, and Star Trek: Lower Decks, to name just a few. She also hosts her own podcasts, including With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus.
27. Jim O’Heir
Jim O’Heir is best known for playing clumsy government parks employee Jerry Gergich on Parks and Recreation. His coworkers constantly mock him, referring to him by one of four names: Jerry, Larry, Terry, or Garry.
O’Heir has played fun supporting parts on TV shows such as Friends, Malcolm in the Middle, Star Trek: Voyager, 3rd Rock From the Sun, ER, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Better Call Saul, to name just a few. Since he played a character on Parks and Recreation whose name no one could get right, it makes sense that most viewers don’t know O’Heir by his name either.
