16 Movie Actors That Successfully Transitioned To TV

These stars don't know how many movies they got left, so they're gonna get real weird with it on TV.
16 Movie Actors That Successfully Transitioned To TV

When you think about famous movie actors that successfully transitioned to TV, who comes to mind? Probably someone like Clint Eastwood or Meryl Streep – both of whom starred in hit Westerns on television in the 1960s. But what about more recent examples? In this blog post, we'll take a look at some modern-day movie stars who made the jump to TV and succeeded. So without further ado, let's get started!

We all know that some movie actors make the jump to TV and totally kill it. But then there are those who try and fail miserably. Let's take a look at some of the biggest success stories, as well as a few of the biggest flops. Spoiler alert: there will be some definite eye-rolls here. But first, a word from our sponsors...okay, maybe we don’t have sponsors, but who needs em anyway! (Ed note: please sponsor us). Anyway, moving on!

The real end objective of stardom-hungry actors used to be movies, and TV used to be the launching pad for them. Actors who previously built a name for themselves in theaters are returning to the small screen in the golden age of television, with prestige shows dominating the cultural zeitgeist in a way that only huge films could do in the past. Not every star can pull it off, but here are our top 16:

JANE FONDA GRACE AND FRANKIE CRACKED.COM Barbarella herself, Jane Fonda, was a powerhouse in the 70's and 80's with movies like Fun with Dick and Jane and 9 to 5. She was out of the limelight for the 90's and then made a triumphant return in the early 2000's most notably in the highly rated Grace and Frankie.

Source: EW

GEENA DAVIS GLOW CRACKED Best known for her roles in movies like A League of Their Own and The Fly, Davis had a hard time breaking into the small screen in the early 2000s when her appearances were either panned or short lived, or in the case of The Geena Davis Show, both. Finally in 2019's GLOW she was able to showcase her talents, and brought pathos to her small role.

Source: EW

PAUL GIAMATTI BILLIONS CRACKED.COM One of the greatest actors of our generation, Big Fat Liar's own Paul Giamatti, stepped into the silver screen with his series Billions, opposite Damian Lewis and a domination fetish. With powerful performances from Giamatti and his co-stars, this Showtime series is elevated to the level of a really good movie from 2003.

Source: GQ

WILLIAM H. MACY SHAMELESS CRACKED.COM The brilliant, 71 year old character actor plays average and meek regular-guys SO well that it was a shock to see him as the grimey addict Frank Gallagher on Shameless. That shock didn't last long as Macy does what he does best, and disappears into the role on this acclaimed series.

Source: EW

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