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MORE EMPIRE FEATURES ›
They Could Be Heroes?
The actors who transformed into action stars
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They Could Be Heroes?
Tobey Maguire

Previous form: A man of words more than actions, Maguire was better known for coming-of-age and other dramas where he'd worry more about girls or life than whether a car was going to come flying at his head. The closest he came was Ang Lee's Ride With The Devil and his performance as a Civil War soldier.

The action role:
Spider-Man (2002)
Sam Raimi needed a geeky type to play high-school nerd Peter Parker and Maguire hit that mark perfectly. While he largely left the action beats up to a combination of CG wizardry and talent stunt folk, he still managed to change up his image - and physique - in the process. Since then, he's worked on two sequels, but hasn't done a lot else in the genre.

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Have Your Say
Which other actors do you consider unlikely action heroes? Register or login now to have your say.

Your Comments
1 TOM HANKS!!!!!
Posted on Monday February 22, 2010, 03:36 by iainrwalker
Bachelor party, Big, The Burbs, Sleepless In Seattle, Forrest Gump, Toy Story & then all of a sudden Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan, World War II action hero!!!!!!! Read More

2 Hello....
Posted on Saturday February 20, 2010, 16:07 by mozzy_gal
Fresh Prince to Bad Boys??!! The juxtaposition couldn't be greater Empire. And I agree with the names already mentioned. Nic Cage, John Travolta and even RDJ! Read More

3 What about?
Posted on Saturday February 20, 2010, 02:10 by eastmav
No mention of Michael Keaton in here? He might not have been the BEST Batman, but he was a very good one - a major coup for Mr. Mom. Read More

4 Broadsword calling Danny Boy...
Posted on Friday February 19, 2010, 23:41 by Ulmaceae
How could you leave out Richard Burton in Where Eagles Dare? Read More

5
Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010, 22:41 by xzynomorpher
Empire: youre going to need a bigger list Read More

6 How about ...?
Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010, 16:54 by theforbidden1
Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Jake Gyllenhaal, bringing it bang up to date! Read More

7
Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010, 13:14 by spark1
counter casting of superheroes goes back to reeve in 'superman' and keaton in 'batman'. mayb even west in the tv show. Read More

8 Empire Losing It
Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010, 12:49 by Hillsman
I think most people are agreed that RDJ, Travolta and especially Nic Cage SHOULD be on this list. Sigourney Weaver didn't get a mention either. Read More

9 Switch?
Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010, 12:10 by ThisWeeksPromethean
Fresh Prince of Bel Air to I Am Legend, Independence Day, I, Robot, Ali, Men in Black, Bad Boys... Surely Big Will tops the list? Read More

10 what about....
Posted on Thursday February 18, 2010, 09:31 by davidjthomson
Nic Cage and John Travolta. Both oscar nominated for films that could never be considered as action, they both appeared in one of THE action films of the last 20 years, FACE/OFF. Robert Downey Jr as well. Again, seen as being a SERIOUS actor (rehab aside) he then jumps into the superhero mode as IRON MAN. Read More

11 Hey ladies!
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 16:45 by Ichi1
The girls on this list kick so much more ass than the men. Read More

12 What about Simon Pegg?
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 16:30 by pawsey
He certainly put himself through the wringer to prepare for Hot Fuzz Read More

13 More
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 16:05 by Bigcheeseben
This needed more. Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Robert Downey Jr, Elijah wood (Or all the Hobbits for that matter!) Read More

14 RE: eh?
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 11:56 by Scruffybobby
As with others I'm a bit surprised at the omission of Nic Cage. Going from from quirky leading man roles in the likes of Arizona]Honeymoon in Vegasp;knd fery bit as impressive as Matt Damon's transformation to action star and predated it by a good few years. Read More

15 eh?
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 10:06 by 7eke
Seth Rogen??? are you taking the piss Read More

16
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 08:58 by philshepp
Nic Cage, never previously an action star, made some of the best action movies of the 90s! Read More

17 RDJ, JD, HJ, etc
Posted on Wednesday February 17, 2010, 08:49 by MOnkeyboy1138
Well someone has already mentioned Robert Downey jr. Iron Man kicked him into action. But also, Johnny Depp wasn't really an action man until Pirates and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Also, want to point out the Hugh Jackman was a song and dance man until X-Men came a calling Read More

18 Keanu Reeves
Posted on Tuesday February 16, 2010, 23:14 by Ash
He went from Bill & Ted to Speed and The Matrix, "I Know Kung Fu!" Read More

19 Robert Downey Jr.
Posted on Tuesday February 16, 2010, 22:35 by xzynomorpher
You all completely forgot about Robert Downey Jr.! Surely going from playing Charlie Chaplin to Iron Man is as big as it gets. For shame Empire. Read More

20 Taken ?
Posted on Tuesday February 16, 2010, 22:23 by mbcUK
Gotta say Liam Neeson was awesome in Taken, hadn't seen him do a role like that before. Read More

21 May I also suggest
Posted on Tuesday February 16, 2010, 17:40 by Dr Science
Bruce Willis: before Die Hard he was 'that dude from Moonlighting and Blind Date'? Nic Cage: he'd done more than 20 films before Con Air Will Smith: Seriously. The dude was famous for sit-coms and family-friendly hip-hop. Read More


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