Anna Torv delivered a standout performance in the first two episodes of HBO's new Sunday-night sensation, The Last of Us. The talented actor has played leading roles in shows like Fringe and Mindhunter, and while fans might recognize her easily, she remains somewhat overlooked.
Like Torv, many other actors might be familiar to audiences thanks to their standout and scene-stealing work on television. Still, they remain underrated, with their performances attracting little critical attention despite being consistently great. Similarly, audiences might recognize these actors, even if they can't quite describe where they've seen them.
1 Anna Torv
Australian actor Anna Torv rose to prominence with her leading role in the sci-fi show Fringe. Her performance earned her rave reviews, including a nomination for the Critics Choice Awards, among multiple other mentions. She then went on to star as FBI consultant Wendy Carr in David Fincher's underrated Netflix crime show Mindhunter.
Although Mindhunter hasn't been officially canceled, it's on indefinite hold, allowing Torv to pursue other projects. The actor recently played Tess in The Last of Us' first two episodes. Her performance attracted praise from critics and fans of the game, cementing her reputation as an always-reliable television performer.
2 Scott Caan
The son of the late screen legend James Caan, Scott Caan has been acting since the mid-90s. One of his first major roles was Charlie Tweeder in the now-iconic teen movie Varsity Blues before playing a key supporting role in Steven Soderberg's Ocean's trilogy.
Caan earned further prominence thanks to his role as Danny Williams in the decade-long CBS cop procedural Hawaii Five-O. His work earned him a Golden Globe nomination and kept him on audiences' radar throughout the 2010s. Caan returned to television this year on Fox's Alert: Missing Persons Unit.
3 Adina Porter
If there's one thing Ryan Murphy does right, it's providing underrated actors with opportunities to showcase their talents; such was the case with Adina Porter. The actor rose to prominence with her work on HBO's True Blood before playing roles in The Newsroom and The 100.
However, Porter received further notoriety and critical acclaim thanks to her work in Murphy's horror anthology American Horror Story. For her performance in the show's seventh season, Cult, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Porter starred in two further seasons and will next be seen in the upcoming horror-fantasy show The Changeling opposite Oscar nominee Lakeith Stanfield.
4 Matthew Rhys
Emmy winner Matthew Rhys has been a constant presence on television since the mid-noughties. He was part of the large ensemble in the ABC family drama Brothers & Sisters for five years, attracting positive reviews. However, his role as a KGB agent posing as an American husband in FX's spy thriller The Americans turned him into a TV sensation. He won the Emmy for his performance in the show's last season, which aired in 2018.
Since 2020, Rhys has played the title character in HBO's period drama Perry Mason. His work on the show resulted in nominations for the Golden Globes and Emmy Awards. Perry Mason will return for a second season in March of this year.
5 Yvette Nicole Brown
Yvette Nicole Brown has played guest roles in countless shows since the early 2000s. However, she became a familiar and beloved TV icon thanks to her work in NBC's cult-classic sitcom Community. Following the show's conclusion, Brown played roles in the short-lived shows The Odd Couple and The Mayor while playing guest roles in multiple other shows.
In 2021, Brown received her first Emmy nomination for her guest stint on A Black Lady Sketch Show. Along with the show's original cast, she will reprise her role in the upcoming Community movie, set to premiere on Peacock.
6 Daniel Sunjata
After playing several guest roles in shows like Sex and the City and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Daniel Sunjata became a main cast member in FX's comedy-drama Rescue Me. The actor played firefighter Franco Rivera throughout the show's seven seasons, staying until its conclusion in 2011.
Sunjata remained on television, playing main roles in the short-lived series Graceland and Notorious. Recently, he appeared in Netflix's mini-series Echoes, although he has remained active with guest roles in multiple shows like Manifest and The Twilight Zone.
7 Jayma Mays
The hilarious Jayma Mays became a familiar face in the early 2000s thanks to her villainous guest role in Ugly Betty and her recurring bit in Heroes. Mays then went on to play what remains arguably her most famous role, germophobic student counselor Emma Pillsbury in Fox's musical sensation Glee. She was a main cast member in the show for three seasons, becoming a recurring player for the remaining three. Glee had its highs and lows, but the show remains beloved, despite its many controversies.
Mays played lead roles in the short-lived shows The Millers and Trial & Error. Recently, she played a prominent recurring role in season 2 of CBS' sitcom United States of Al.
8 Glenn Howerton
He's the golden god! After rising to prominence by playing the lead character in the short-lived sitcom That '80s Show, Glenn Howerton began playing the role that would define his career: the psychopathic Dennis Reynolds in FX's long-running subversive sitcom, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Sunny aired its fifteenth season in 2021, with three more seasons already greenlit. Howerton also played the charming and egotistic Jack Griffin in NBC's sitcom A.P. Bio, which lasted four seasons, ending in 2021. He currently voices Fred Jones in HBO Max's animated horror-comedy Velma.
9 Marin Hinkle
Marin Hinkle became known to TV audiences thanks to her role in the long-running CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men. Hinkle played Judith, Alan Harper's overbearing, selfish ex-wife, staying with the show throughout its twelve seasons, all the way to its now-infamous and awful series finale.
However, Hinkle achieved critical acclaim and further notoriety thanks to her role in Amy Sherman-Palladino's period comedy-drama The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. For her work as housewife-turned-matchmaker Rose Weissman, Hinkle received back-to-back Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy. She will reprise her role for the upcoming fifth and final season.
10 Dulé Hill
For his supporting work on the acclaimed NBC drama The West Wing, Dulé Hill earned an Emmy Award nomination. Starting in 2006, Hill played "Gus" Guster in the USA Network's popular detective comedy, Psych. Now considered a cult classic, Psych lasted eight seasons, becoming one of its network's most successful shows.
Following Psych's conclusion, Hill played memorable recurring roles in Ballers and Suits. He currently plays Bill Williams in Disney+'s 2021 remake of the beloved 1988 coming-of-age comedy The Wonder Years. The show will return for a second season.