Which actors have totally stole the spotlight from the main character?

Question

Ines Oster · Accepted Answer

"Obscure reference, but in the French film "A Very Long Engagement ", Jodie Foster has a bit part in which she plays very well and proves that her French is impeccable. Only problem is when she first appears on screen 2/3s of the way through the story, the entire cinema gasps out loud, does a double take and you can hear everyone whispering "Oh my GOD it's Jodie Foster!". But her role is honestly not even a secondary character/plot driving character. Almost ruined the entire film for me.  "

Emelda · Answer

Anything Christopher Walken has been in.

Bev · Answer

Melissa McCarthy stole the show in Bridesmaids

michella · Answer

Mahershala Ali in Moonlight. Can't wait to see him in the next season of True Detective.

Ros-Mari · Answer

Robin Williams in Aladdin. His part was supposed to be about 10 minutes total. But Robin Williams being Robin Williams performed.

Mandy Berg · Answer

Tom Hardy in Peaky Blinders. Don't get me wrong, Cillian Murphy is perfectly casted and absoloutley owns the role of Tommy Fucking Shelby, but he is more subtle and often gets enveloped by the charisma and pure insanity of Alfie whenever he graces the screen with his hypnotic presence

Heli · Answer

Micheal Cera stole the spotlight from Jessica Chastain's cleavage in Molly's Game. Dude nailed it playing an asshole actor for real this time, unlike that just for laughs turn in This is the End.

Zollie · Answer

BB8 stole the show from Finn and Rey in every scene they were in

Alissa · Answer

Anthony Hopkins in every film or series he's been in ever. No matter how small the part.

Britt · Answer

"Angelina Jolie stole the spotlight from Winona Ryder in "Girl, Interrupted". Heath ledger in "The Dark Knight". Allison Janney almost did the same to Margot Robbie in "I, Tonya".  "

Britt-Maj · Answer

The West Wing was supposed to be about the regular White House staff, but Martin Sheen was so good that they made President Bartlet into a much more central character.

Hamish · Answer

"1) Tim Curry as Cardinal Richelieu in "The Three Musketeers." 2) Tim Curry as Darkness in "Legend." "

liva · Answer

"Danny Mcbride in This is the End. "You've got iPods built into your walls, but you're still jerking your dick like a god dam pilgrim!" "If I catch your jerking off again, Mcbride, I'm gonna shoot your fucking dick off" "You don't have enough bullets, bitch!" "

Cristi · Answer

Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow in the first Pirates film  the other ones fucked up by trying to make him the main character.

Emra · Answer

Brad Pitt in True Romance. Every single time he was on screen he stole the show.

Daniela Kohler · Answer

Victorious - Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies both have more talent in their pinky fingers than Victoria Justice does in her whole body.

Stefanie Brandt · Answer

Bella Ramsey, who plays Lady Lyanna Mormont. She's 12, and absolutely steals every single scene she's in. She might be my favorite minor character in Game of Thrones.

Roselie · Answer

Viggo Mortensen essentially became the main character in LOTR when the majority of the story was supposed to be based around Elijah Wood.

Ania · Answer

This is probably a bit by design but Willem Dafoe totally dominates Boondock Saints.

MADLYN · Answer

"Gary Oldman as Stansfield in "The Professional". He was just so much fun. Anything Tim Curry is in.  "

Julia Muller · Answer

Schmidt

Dunc · Answer

R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket.

TANESHA · Answer

Joaquin Phoenix in Gladiator. Russell Crowe was amazing, but I hated Joaquin as Commodus, and loved his performance.

Petra Krueger · Answer

"Felicity. And not in a good "stole the spotlight" kinda way. "

Russell · Answer

Cristina Yang > Meredith Grey et al.

Ahmad · Answer

Pacey/Joshua Jackson on Dawson's Creek was about 100x more likable and dynamic than Dawson. The creator even changed the ending to Pacey getting the girl instead of Dawson.

Mehran · Answer

Bruce Lee. It wasn't The Green Hornet, it was The Kato Show.

Soleen · Answer

Judy Dench in just about anything she does.  Her performance in Shakespeare in Love made the movie.

cilla · Answer

Jesse Pinkman

Vivica · Answer

Kylo Ren's story line was pretty much the only interesting part of the latest star wars episodes.

AYESHA · Answer

I'll go by what I recently watched. From the Turbo Power Rangers movie, Jason totally stole the show, especially when he turned evil and beat the living shit out of Tommy, I go back to that scene constantly now.

Ludvig · Answer

Heath Ledger as Joker.

SEASON · Answer

Bart or Homer stole the spotlight from Bart or Homer. I'm not sure if it was Bart or Homer who was supposed to be the main star, but whoever the main star was either Bart or Homer stole the spotlight.

ROSETTE · Answer

Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men

TINISHA · Answer

"Kieran Culkin as Wallace Wells in "Scott Pilgrim Vs The World" is the greatest thing in any scene he's in. "

Ute Herman · Answer

jack sparrow in pirates of the carribean. he literally stole the spot of main character in the sequels

Kerstin Keller · Answer

liam neeson ted 2

Sebastien · Answer

Ewan Mcgregor

Ulrick · Answer

Neal Patrick Harris playing Barney in How I Met Your Mother

Micheline · Answer

Agent coluson in the mcu

Ute Hofmann · Answer

Harrison Ford in Star Wars and Empire Strikes back totally stole the thunder from the main character Luke.

Jennina · Answer

"Angelina Jolie in "Girl, Interrupted". Winona was great in that movie, Angelina had a showier role and went all out. "

SHERELL · Answer

"Mark Wahlberg as Sgt. Dignam in The Departed. "Who am I? I'm the guy who does his fucking job! You must be the other guy!" "

Voltaire · Answer

Zach woods in silicon valley makes Thomas middletech look like a side actor

SHAKIA · Answer

Jennifer Hudson in Dreamgirls, it was supposed to be a Queen Bey film.

narin · Answer

Jack Black in High Fidelity. I sometimes re-watch the movie but skip any scene that doesn't include him.  Link

Constantia · Answer

Peter Sarsgaard in Shattered Glass. Hayden Christiansen proved he could act, but waiting for Sarsgaard's character to finally erupt is THE reason to watch the movie.

Antonie · Answer

If anyone has ever watched the Aladdin broadway/west end musical, the genie steals the show and makes the aladdin/jasmine actors look like chump novice actors, which arguably has some detriment to the show since every scene where the genie doesn't appear feels like a waste of time.

jing · Answer

Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction

Auvo · Answer

Rogue One might be my favorite Star Wars movie. It had a diverse cast of likeable (if morally compromised) underdogs trying to do the right thing.  With that it mind, Admiral Raddus is my favorite character. He had the alien charm of Ackbar with better design and a ton more competence (Ackbar tried so hard to retreat).

Manuela Kluge · Answer

I don't see these two here probably because they're old, like me. But Fonsey wasn't meant to be a main character in Happy Days, but he stole the show. Alex Keaton was just supposed to be one of the kids in Family Ties, but he broke out.

Beryle · Answer

The Captain in 21 and 22 Jump Street.

Riya · Answer

Adam Scott or Aubrey Plaza on parks and rec.  Anytime either of them would come on screen Amy Poehler wouldn't exist anymore

Hewitt · Answer

Val kilmer tombstone

Garnette · Answer

Loki steals the show in every Thor movie.

Harlan · Answer

Heath ledger in dark knight

Marie Gruenewald · Answer

Pretty much every character on Gilmore Girls except for Rory. She's got the personality and acting ability of a brick wall.

Rhodora · Answer

Kato

Ceylin · Answer

Jack Donaghy / Liz lemmon

Enid · Answer

Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, and Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things. It was pretty obvious at first that Winona Ryder was supposed to be the selling point (look an iconic 80's/90's actress playing the Mom in a show set in the 80's it's full circle!). But man it quickly became the Eleven, Hopper, and Dustin show.

Nihaal · Answer

Alec Baldwin has about 8 minutes of screen time in Glengarry Glen Ross, and pretty much steals the show.

NGUYET · Answer

Jeremy Piven (Ari Gold) in Entourage.

DOMENICA · Answer

Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Along Came Polly

Fatmah · Answer

Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek TOS Data (Brent Spiner) in Star Trek TNG

Marie Herzog · Answer

"Barkhad Abdi in Captain Phillips. "I'm the captain now." "

MARVIS · Answer

Tom Cruise as Les Grossman

Leda · Answer

Poe the AI hotel owner from Altered Carbon. He just stole every scene he was in.

Anna-Laura · Answer

The Fonz was supposed to be a secondary character

Nida · Answer

Angelina Jolie's character in Girl, Interrupted outshone Winona Ryder's.

Kirsikka · Answer

Christian Bale in the Fighter. He may have gotten best supporting actor for the role but he was the main story, everything with him was way more interesting that Marky Mark

Riikka-Mari · Answer

Bob Odenkirk in Breaking Bad. He was awesome and hilarious almost every second he was on screen. So glad Saul Goodman ended up getting his own show.

Thad · Answer

David Hyde Pierce as Niles, Moose the dog as Eddie and John Mahoney as the father on Frasier.

Sylvi · Answer

Barney Stinson

Barbara Trommler · Answer

Tom Hiddleston as Loki

JANETT · Answer

I'm not sure if this counts but David Tenant stole the show in Jessica Jones imo.

Myra · Answer

Even though Parks and Rec was supposed to be all about Leslie Knope, I think most people would name at least one other character as their favorite.  Probably true of the Office, too.

CARISA · Answer

Sam Rockwell in anything... especially galaxy quest!

Jeri · Answer

Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder. Everyone was great in that movie, but Tom was on another level.

Praveena · Answer

Mr. T. as B.A.

Yasra · Answer

Garak and Gul Dukat in Star Trek Deep Space 9.

Juliane Weiss · Answer

Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk in Netflix's Daredevil season 1. He was so much better than Charlie Cox or DD, so good that I actually rooted for the main villain instead of the hero.

sumaya · Answer

Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. You can easily be forgiven for thinking it wasn't a Batman movie.

Christorpher · Answer

Billy Murray as the groundskeeper in Caddy Shack.

nickoline · Answer

Tom Hiddleston as Loki in the Thor movies. Fans loved Thor, they went insane for Loki

Arlene · Answer

Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy (the first one). Motherfucker only says three words the whole movie but you derive comedy, plot and even emotion through them. When he sacrifices himself at the end, WE are Groot.

DARNELL · Answer

Monica was supposed to be the main character on Friends

TU · Answer

Steve McQueen in both The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape. It is said that Yule Brenner was pissed because Steve was trying to steal every scene they were in together. Watch the Mag 7 and notce Steve when Yule is driving the wagon and Steve is riding shotgun.

Abbi · Answer

Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in Tombstone that movie never gets old to me.

Ann Helene · Answer

"I just saw the live action "Beauty and the Beast" and I personally think that Ewan and the actor who played Gaston stole the spotlight and outshined the leads "

Jennifer Neustadt · Answer

I guess the argument can be made that he is a main character but, Peter Dinklage. The scene when he was on trial is one of the greatest scenes I have ever seen.

Elianore · Answer

Zach Galifianakis in the Hangover movie.

go min si · Answer

Dylan O'brien in Teen Wolf

Dulci · Answer

mark wahlberg smashed it in the departed. he wasn't afraid to rip you a new one.

Dalton · Answer

Rebel Wilson in Pitch Perfect The Third movie was just basically all about Fat Amy and Beca(Anna Kendrick) and Chloe(Brittany Snow) where the side characters even though Beca and Chloe were the main characters.

Anniken · Answer

Inglorious Basterds, Christoph Waltz. Considering the movie title, Waltz stole the spotlight IMO

Evita · Answer

Michael Fassbender as David in Prometheus.

Annikaisa · Answer

Adam Scott maneuvered Ben Wyatt to deuteragonist on Parks and Rec even though it wasn't planned for his character

Roderic · Answer

How I Met Your Mother's Neil Patrick Harris is a prime example.

Liinu · Answer

Colin Farrell in Fantastic Beasts. He was amazing as Grindelwald. Such a shame he was replaced with Johnny Depp (who's no longer the brilliant actor he once was)

Sandra Metzger · Answer

Tom cruise in tropic thunder. That was such a strange roll for him to play but it was absolutely fucking hilarious

Vellamo · Answer

Harrison Ford as Han Solo.

hakima · Answer

Jack black as a teenage girl in the new jumanji movie. I know he's part of the main 4 but he stole every scene that also had Karen Gillian's bare stomach and the Rock's smoldering intensity.

Heike Achen · Answer

Andrew Scott in Sherlock

Kevin · Answer

Joe Pesci in Goodfellas

Mandy Schweizer · Answer

I'm not 100% sure about this, but I think Ron Swanson is more iconic than Leslie Knope

Magnum · Answer

The niffler in fantastic beasts and where to find them

Harwell · Answer

Tituss Burgess in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Sarah Winkel · Answer

Hannibal Lecter.

MYRL · Answer

Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

Laura-Maria · Answer

Johnny Depp(Jack Sparrow) was not aimed to be the main character in the Pirates of the Caribbean Curse of the Black Pearl but Orlando Bloom(Will Turner). But Sparrow became a fan favorite and people thought he was the main character.

Martina Vogel · Answer

Cronk is the best part of Emperor's New Groove. I don't think that can be challenged by anyone.

Heike Vogel · Answer

Brad Pitt as the Pikey boxer in Snatch.

Ute Eiffel · Answer

Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds and Django. He should have won Best Actor Oscars for those performances, not Best Supporting. Waltz stole the show in both those films.

Janet · Answer

Virtually every secondary actor in the Harry Potter series (Dumbledore(s), Hagrid, Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Umbridge, Bellatrix, etc) were all so well-played, but I have to give it to Alan Rickman as Snape.

Ann · Answer

J.K. Simmons / Whiplash

Siril · Answer

Left Shark

Emmanuel · Answer

Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday in Tombstone

Annett Herzog · Answer

Anything Alan Tudyk is in. Firefly. Moana. Anything.

Nicole Naumann · Answer

Hannibal Lecter only has about fifteen minutes of screentime in The Silence of the Lambs. It remains the shortest role ever to win a Best Actor Oscar (which is convenient, because it means that The Silence of the Lambs is one of only three movies to ever win the Grand Slam at the Oscars: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Screenplay, either Original or Adapted).

Margarethe · Answer

Jaleel White in Family Matters. Urkel was supposed to be a one-episode character. then he became a recurring character. then he became a main character. then the show became all about him with the family taking the rear

Which actors have totally stole the spotlight from the main character?

Blue Bird

Nehir

Alena

Bernadina

Bunny

Cherilyn

Chicky

Cindra

Codee

Corella