Things haven’t always been easy for Josh Brolin. He shot to success as a teen actor but suffered a rather rocky transition into adulthood. Fortunately Brolin “glowed up” in his 40s and got a real second chance in the biz. Ever since he has been nabbing up some super meaty roles earning him the status as one of Hollywood’s most impressive comebacks.
He has given a number of outstanding performances in films such as “Milk,” True Grit,” and “American Gangster.” He also wowed audiences as the formidable Marvel mutant villain, Cable, but his best performance yet was as the lead in the iconic “No Country for Old Men.”
Billy Bob Thornton
Throughout his decades-long career, Thornton has proved he can do just about anything. From box-office hits to writing, directing, and acting in cult indie favorites to obscure and ridiculous comedies, it's hard to pick a Thornton performance that didn't make an impact.
Though it does seem that the actor thrives when he's doing his own material and his classic cult film "Slingblade" that he wrote and directed shows the best of Thornton. Both funny and disturbing, the actor plays a mentally ill man who comes back to his town after 25 years in prison. Soon his urges reemerge.
Andy Samberg
This list has some heavyweight dramatic actors, but Hollywood is filled with some outstanding comedians, too, and one of them is none other Andy Samberg. The SNL alumnus hasn't always nailed it. While "Lonely Island" sketches and Netflix's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" brought him major commercial success, films like "Grown Ups 2" and "Space Chimps" did not serve him so well.
That being said as Hollywood's cute funny guy, he's had a string of hits, mostly musical comedy type films and sketches. This is why fans were moved by his tender performance in the comedy-drama "Celeste & Jesse Forever" a film about breaking up with your best friend.
Idris Elba
British actor Idris Elba has received endless praise for every single performance, especially in top shows like HBO’s "The Wire" and BBC’s "Luther." It's no wonder that he's been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film, taking home one.
He was also a major contender for becoming the next James Bond. Did you know that Elba is also a DJ and performs under the moniker DJ Big Driis? Still, with all that success, his most celebrated role will forever be as David Simon in "The Wire."
Oscar Isaac
Oscar Isaac popped up on our screens over the two decades in relatively insignificant ways, but it was when he appeared in "The Nativity Story" and "Balibo" that the critical acclaim began to grow. It was with his breakout role in "Inside Llewyn Davis" however that to some serious buzz.
The emotional film directed by the Coen Brothers showcases his impressive dramatic skills as well as musical skills, too. These days he has nabbed some impressive block-busting movie credits to his name including "Star Wars, " Ex Machina," and "Dune"