Once upon a time in Hollywood, there was the belief that a movie star was regarded with more prestige than a television actor. Being in movies were essentially considered to be the most impressive feat for any actor to achieve. As such, it was rare that an acclaimed movie star would star in TV productions, and if they did, it often came with the judgment that the shift towards television signaled a possible decline in their movie career.
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10 Dakota Fanning
TNT
Dakota Fanning rose to prominence as young movie actor when she performed the role of Lucy Dawson in the drama film, I Am Sam. She would then go on to enjoy a massively successful career as a child actor. Her success in movies continued into her adult life, with films like The Runaways, Oceans 8, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She made her transition into TV for her role in The Alienist, which centers around a team investigating a child-murderer. Fanning’s performance was well received and proved that she can succeed on the small screen too,
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Meryl Streep
HBO
Meryl Streep is a Hollywood legend, and her name needs absolutely no introduction. Her acting talents know no bounds. She has garnered countless awards throughout her career, including 21 Academy Award nominations (for which she won 3). She has also received 32 Golden Globe nominations, which has resulted in eight wins. Some of her most applauded roles include movies like Sophie’s Choice, for which she won an Oscar for Best Actress, and the same would be said for her role in Kramer vs. Kramer. Streep is truly an actor that can adapt to every medium, and she first took on the feat of TV acting when she starred in the HBO miniseries Angels in America, and once more returning for a role in the massively successful Big Little Lies opposite Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, and an ensemble cast of women characters.
8 Jude Law
HBO / FremantleMedia
Jude Law is an actor of many accolades, having been nominated twice for an Academy Award, as well as four Golden Globes. He gained critical success for starring in Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley and his success continued with huge blockbusters like Sherlock Holmes, The Holiday and Contagion. Moving into TV territory, Law took on the role of Pope Pius XIII in The Young Pope and then continued this role through the sequel series The New Pope. He was critically applauded for these performances, proving he can succeed in a variety of media.
7 Penélope Cruz
FX
Penélope Cruz is another actor who needs no introduction. She was already an Oscar-winner and featured in notable successful and critically applauded films such as Volver, Pain and Glory and Vicky Cristina Barcelona before she took on the role of Donatella Versace in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. She commanded the screen and was noted as one of the strongest points of the entire series, proving that her talent extends to the small screen as well as the big screen. IndieWire published a piece that called Cruz a “global star” and a “great character actress.”
6 Jessica Lange
Jessica Lange is a force in the world of cinema, and she became a household name for her acclaimed performances in films such as Tootsie, Frances, and Blue Sky. Lange would experience a resurgence in popularity when she started to collaborate with Ryan Murphy in the TV world, starring in the hugely successful American Horror Story series, which saw her awarded with several Emmy Awards.
5 Orlando Bloom
Orlando Bloom achieved huge levels of success through the 2000s and 2010s with both his role as Legolas in The Lord of the Rings franchise and his role as Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Bloom would enjoy a successful career after establishing himself as a household name as a certified film star. He made the transition to TV when he joined the neo-noir fantasy series Carnival Row in the leading role opposite Cara Delevingne. The series has been well received and has been renewed for a new season.
4 Amy Adams
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Amy Adams had already made name for herself well before she ventured into the field of TV acting. She made her film debut in Drop Dead Gorgeous and went on to become a household name with her role in Enchanted and starred in critical successes such as Nocturnal Animals. She was already a multi-Oscar-nominated actress when she took on the lead role in HBO Limited’s series Sharp Objects as Camille Preaker. Her performance was just as well received as her movie successes, proving she can easily move between both mediums.
3 Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman found renewed success in both film and TV, which began with her successful film career, starring in hits like Batman Forever, The Hours, and Moulin Rouge!. These roles cemented her place as a leading figure in Hollywood, and her transition into TV was no different. She starred in the hit series Big Little Lies and more recently Nine Perfect Strangers. Both roles found her even great success, earning her two Primetime Emmy Awards.
2 Winona Ryder
Stranger Things
Perhaps one of the most notable successes in transitioning from film to TV comes through the career of Winona Ryder. She became a household name after her role in Beetlejuice, and starred in countless iconic films such as Girl, Interrupted, Little Women and Edward Scissorhands. Her career faced a brief hiatus until she returned in Black Swan, however, she really found mainstream success again for her role in the hit TV series Stranger Things, which she continues to star in on Netflix.
