12 Movie Stars Who Successfully Transitioned to TV (PHOTOS)
12. Dakota Fanning
The actress — who has appeared alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest stars as a child and continued a successful movie career — made the leap to TV for TNT’s The Alienist. Her perfomance, along with her costars’, was intriguing enough for audiences to earn a second season. The Alienist, Certified Fresh at 65%
11. Chris Pine
The actor, who has appeared in big screen hits like Wonder Woman and Star Trek, teamed up with Patty Jenkins to bring I Am the Night to the small screen. Pine nailed his role as reporter Jay Singletary who wouldn’t let a nagging mystery go unsolved. I Am the Night, Certified Fresh at 74%
10. Jude Law
In a suprising turn as Lenny Belardo, Law brought The Young Pope to life in a way viewers may not have anticipated. Thankfully the blockbuster star has decided to stick with TV, as he’ll appear in the sequel season of the show titled The New Pope. The Young Pope, Certified Fresh at 78%
8 & 9: Emma Stone and Jonah Hill
The former Superbad costars reunited in Netflix’s limited series Maniac as Annie and Owen — two people who enter an experimental drug trial while also dealing with their own personal demons. Their shift from comedy to drama reminds viewers why they’ve become such sought-after stars. Maniac, Certified Fresh at 84%
7. Mahershala Ali
This A-lister lead Season 3 of True Detective and didn’t let up on his acting in the process, proving he’s well adapted to perform in both film and TV. He deftly explored his character Detective Wayne Hays through various points in his life. True Detective, Season 3 Certified Fresh at 85%
5 & 6: Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson
This dynamic duo played partners in the first season of HBO’s anthology series True Detective and set a benchmark by which all other seasons of the show are measured. Both actors even received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for their turns. True Detective, Season 1 Certified Fresh at 87%
4. Penelope Cruz
After a stellar first season, American Crime Story recruited the Oscar-winning actress to play Donatella Versace. Needless to say, Cruz commanded the screen in any scene she was a part of, proving she’s just as captivating on the small screen as she is on the big screen. American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Certified Fresh at 88%
3. Amy Adams
The multi Oscar-nominated actress lead HBO’s limited series Sharp Objects as Camille Preaker and brought her usual A-game. Her transition to TV was as seamless as her ability to disappear into a character. Sharp Objects, Certified Fresh at 92%
2. Winona Ryder
When a little show called Stranger Things debuted on Netflix, it was star power like Ryder’s that brought it to people’s attention. Add a good story and great ensemble acting and the hit took on a life of its own — with Ryder acting her heart out. Stranger Things, Certified Fresh at 96% for Season 1 and 94% for Season 2
1. Julia Roberts
In her first series regular role, Julia Roberts quickly captured audiences as Heidi Bergman in Sam Esmail’s Homecoming. The series was quickly picked up for Season 2, although Roberts will reportedly only serve as an executive producer moving forward. Homecoming, Certified Fresh at 98%
The TV landscape has slowly been changing in recent years as more and more movie stars make the leap from the big screen to the small screen.
HBO’s Big Little Lies is a perfect example of this, as its entire leading cast is comprised of A-Listers like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and more. But the previously limited series is poised to return for a second season on June 9 and has added another high-caliber star to its ranks — Meryl Streep.
Meryl Streep in Big Little Lies Season 2 (Credit: HBO)
While we can already envision an Emmy nomination in Streep’s future, we’re taking a look at some of the movie stars that have successfully transitioned from film to television or even from television to film and back again. Click through the gallery above for the ranking of 12 stars who have seen the most success from their TV ventures based on their show’s Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer” score.
Click through the gallery above and see the rankings, ending with a big movie star at No. 1.
