15 Best Movies With Lesser-Known Actors

Making films on a budget often requires hiring less-known actors to perform. But when projects like these are able to find the right actor to be paired with a director with lofty expectations, it creates a magnificent effect. Many of the films in this list are horror, and that’s because there is a long tradition of using relatively unknown actors to perform and allow the film to feel more realistic than it would with an A-List actor.

For projects like Blue Ruin, Elephant, and Tangerine the performances and filmmaking are what allow them to stand out in the way that they do. These are projects where some have broken into the mainstream and others deserve more attention. Make sure to queue these up for your next watch, and you won’t be disappointed.

15

Slacker (1990)

The acclaimed director of films like Before Sunset, School of Rock, and Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s second film Slacker is the film that first put him on the map. Slacker is an indie drama that explores the lives of young adults in Austin, Texas. Slacker is another low-budget film of just $23,000 and it was able to make over $1 million at the box office.

Prolific Director

While known to most solely as a director, Linklater was the star of this indie darling. Slacker explores various misfits through separate vignettes from mostly local and unknown actors. Just a few years later, Linklater went on to direct the wildly successful Dazed & Confused and made it clear he was a director on the rise.

14

The Novice (2021)

The Novice is a psychological sports drama that captures the same obsessive energy and determination as Whiplash. The film follows its lead Alex (Isabelle Fuhrman), a college freshman who joins the school’s rowing team with the hopes of becoming the best in her class.

An Obsession

The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival where Fuhrman took home the Best Actress award for her impressive performance. The director, Lauren Hadaway, presented this as her first feature film and took the festival circuit by storm with her shocking insight into obsession and how that manifests physically and mentally. Alex sees a full transformation in her quest for perfection and loses herself in this pursuit. It is a feature that displays so much talent that it is certain Fuhrman and Hadaway won’t be unknowns for long.

13

S#!%house (2020)

The coming-of-age college drama stars Cooper Raiff and Dylan Gelula as relative newcomers in this impressive first feature from lead actor, Raiff. Raiff’s tender examination of his character’s struggle to make friends and enjoy college life is what has made his work stand out and made him one of Variety’s directors to watch.

College Struggles

As Raiff’s character Alex struggles to find his group in college, he meets Maggie (Gelula), a sophomore residential advisor. The two of them spark a deep connection that builds slowly until they finally decide to be with one another at the end of the film. Raiff has already gone on to direct his second film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, and has a TV series with Mark Ruffalo and Lili Reinhart set to debut soon.

12

Mid90s (2018)

Jonah Hill’s directorial debut was this coming-of-age skateboarding drama starring an unknown cast of real skaters and teenagers bursting with energy and charisma. For the diminutive lead, Stevie (Sunny Suljic), his home life is extremely difficult with an abusive older brother and single mother holding down the household. Mid90s perfectly captures ’90s-era skating culture in what is considered to be one of the best skateboarding films of all time.

Actor Turned Director

The film loosely follows Hill’s own upbringing and merges skate culture and music with a score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Hill impressed many with his directorial craftsmanship and has since directed the documentary about his therapeutic experiences in the 2022 film, Stutz.

11

Happy Death Day (2017)

Happy Death Day is a recent horror-comedy that delighted fans of both genres in its 2017 premiere. The lead character, Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe), must experience the day of her murder over and over again until she is able to track down the killer and stop them. What follows is a hilarious amount of death signaled by an annoying ringtone that wakes her up every morning.

Same Thing Over and Over

The film makes use of past films like Groundhog Day and Palm Springs but with a more horrific effect. The blending of genres is what makes it one of the best films about characters being stuck in the same day. After the success of the first film, Happy Death Day had its own sequel but has yet to pick up steam for a third film. For fans of the first one, the hopes are still alive that they may be able to see the fantastic characters and hilarious plot once more.

10

Paris, Texas (1984)

Paris, Texas stars Harry Dean Stanton as wandering drifter Travis Henderson in this emotional drama. The story centers around Stanton’s character as he reconnects with his family after being presumed dead and leaving behind a son. As he becomes close with his son, he and his brother Walt (Dean Stockwell) track down the mother of Travis’s child.

A Quiet Beauty

Travis is mute for large swaths of the movie and moves about quietly in his existence. For Stanton, while having worked in Hollywood for years, he had rarely been on-screen in a lead role. This film displays yet another fantastic performance and ranks as one of Stanton’s best of all time.

9

Blue Ruin (2013)

Blue Ruin stars longtime friend and creative teammate of director Jeremy Saulnier, Macon Blair. The film depicts a challenging look at revenge and what it takes from you when you actually go through with the act. For the lead character, Dwight, he pursues the man who killed his parents. But after taking his revenge, he realizes the danger and pain have not stopped, but only gotten worse. It then spirals into a gruesome tale of survival and what taking a life really costs.

A Director On The Rise

For Saulnier, this was his second film after the horror-comedy Murder Party. The film debuted at Cannes to rave reviews and made him the face of the next best directors. Blue Ruin is the film that captured audiences’ attention due to his eye for scenery and impressive emotional insight. Saulnier went on to direct Green Room, Hold The Dark, and Netflix’s recent successful action film, Rebel Ridge.

8

Primer (2004)

Primer is one of the best sci-fi films of this century and was made under a shoestring budget of a mere $7000. To most fans of the film, it depicts the most realistic depiction of time travel. For writer-director-actor of the cult classic, Shane Carruth explores time travel through an intellectual lens, coming at the topic from his own background as an engineer. The film’s two relatively unknown leads grapple with how to handle the effects of time travel and the moral questions that come with it.

Inventive Sci-Fi

Abe (David Sullivan) and Aaron (Carruth) begin to argue over how to use the new machine and grow to distrust one another, leading to an impressive amount of tension and twists. Carruth went on to direct and star in another film, Upstream Color, but has remained fairly quiet after the breakthrough success of Primer.

7

Krisha (2016)

Krisha is a family drama unlike any other. It comes off as more of a psychological drama as it explores the chaotic character, Krisha (Krisha Fairchild), and her return from estrangement for Thanksgiving dinner with her family. Krisha is the real-life aunt of director Trey Edward Shults, who also stars in the film.

Family Drama

Krisha is a character who has long struggled with addiction and her presence at the family dinner adds a unique tension that is amplified by the provocative filmmaking of Shults. The Thanksgiving dinner only gets worse as Krisha’s demons get the worst of her and is confronted by Shults’ character. The debut film of Trey Edward Shults cast him as a clear director to watch for and he has since directed two equally impressive films, It Comes At Night and Waves.

6

Bicycle Thieves (1949)

The quintessential Italian Neorealism film features a father and son as they journey around Italy searching for the father’s bicycle. The film made use of a cast of largely regular people, including the lead actor Lamberto Maggiorani who had most recently been a factory worker. The remarkable filmmaking of director Vittorio De Sica led it to being listed as number one on Sight & Sound’s 1952 list of best movies of all time.

A Man And His Bike

Maggiorani’s character, Antonio displays the hardships of the time through this simple journey for a bicycle which means everything to him and his family. Without it, he is unable to work which compounds the stress of the situation. The mix of filmmaking and subtle storytelling is what allowed it to receive an Academy Honorary Award.

5

Elephant (2003)

Elephant is a psychological indie drama that follows the unfolding of events leading to a school shooting. Loosely based on the 1999 Columbine shooting, the film was controversial at the time for the depiction of such horrific events. Despite that, it went on to win the Palme d’Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.

A Horrific Tale

Gus Van Sant’s film explores the devastation of school shootings and the effects they have on each character involved in the massacre. Filled with a cast of unknowns, the film manages a realistic depiction of what has become commonplace in today’s society. It presents an unflinching eye on a difficult topic and has sparked conversation since its premiere over twenty years ago.

4

Talk to Me (2023)

The Australian horror film Talk to Me, revolves around a group of friends attempting to contact the dead through a mysterious mummified hand. But what takes place is a dangerous phenomenon with addictive qualities pursued by the deeply depressed Mia (Sophie Wilde). Already slated for a sequel, here are 10 movies to watch if you love this one.

Talk To The Hand

The film is filled with jump scares and scenes that left fans’ hearts racing. That comes from the largely unknown Australian cast and their ability to make the horror feel real. Renowned director, Peter Jackson even calls it ‘The best horror movie in years.’ The film made waves on the horror movie circuit and made successes out of the film’s similarly unknown directing duo.

3

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The 1999 supernatural horror film reinvented the genre and popularized what is now known as found footage filmmaking. The film surrounds three student filmmakers as they explore the woods on a quest for the Blair Witch. The Blair Witch Project had viewers believing the tale to be true which helped draw out more viewers and raise their box office to over $200 million.

Inventive Filmmaking

The journey of the three filmmakers becomes horrific as they get lost in the sprawling and seemingly endless Maryland woods. After becoming one of the most successful independent films of all time, the fresh concept spawned two sequels and inspired countless other horror films. There is even a reboot in the works which for fans of the first film, will hopefully capture the same excitement and horror of the first.

2

Paranormal Activity (2009)

Like many of the other films on this list, Paranormal Activity became a massive success. The film follows a young couple who believe they are being haunted as they videotape themselves in hopes of capturing the events taking place. It was the first hit for the now-renowned horror production company, Blumhouse.

Starting A Franchise

Paranormal activity has gone on to spawn seven sequels based on the success alone of the first film. While none of the sequels have matched the first, it is clear that fans can’t get enough of this project. Fans looking to learn more about the sequels and see where each one ranks, can check out this comprehensive list.

1

Tangerine (2015)

The acclaimed 2015 feature from indie director Sean Baker follows two transgender sex workers Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Mya Taylor). The events take place after Sin-Dee is released from prison and discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her with a cisgender woman.

Impressive Performances

Tangerine is what put Sean Baker on the map as a masterful director of small moments and ranks as one of Baker’s best films. Baker has long been known for casting unknowns, but this film’s ability to highlight a subsection of the LGBTQ community in this pure and honest manner is what made it truly stand out. The performances and beautiful filmmaking make this a film worth queuing up immediately for any film buff.