Top 10 Serious Actors Who Are Hilarious in Interviews

WatchMojo

Talk about range! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at actors who are best-known and esteemed for their dramatic chops, but are surprisingly a cut-up in conversation.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at actors who are best known and esteemed

00:11for their dramatic chops, but are surprisingly a cut-up in conversation.

00:21Number 10.

00:22Oscar Isaac

00:23Oscar Isaac can immerse himself into tragic everymen and sterling figures alike, with

00:28the occasional detour into comic relief.

00:32His real-life persona mixes all of that behind surreally self-aware humor.

00:35Isaac stays deadpan when creating, or perfectly reacting to the weirdest moments in interviews.

00:51It's no surprise to fans that he's just that cool, well, maybe not so much when he performed

00:56a song about hippos that he wrote for his kids.

01:03This viral moment on Jimmy Fallon still just made everyone fall more in love with Isaac.

01:07You need only see him in interviews to understand his deadpan commitment to a bit, even when

01:11nobody else is able to keep a straight face.

01:22Number 9.

01:23Kate Winslet

01:24Very few can epitomize grace and grit on the screen like Kate Winslet.

01:27The Oscar-winning legend bears an exalted reputation, but has always kept it casual

01:31in conversation.

01:43She's very bombastic and chatty, with plenty of lively stories to tell.

01:47She still knows how to engage an interviewer with fun banter and the perfect response to

01:51any question.

01:52Oftentimes, that perfect response is a healthy dose of sass.

02:05The candid Winslet is nothing if not outspoken and strong-willed.

02:09This is surely what makes her such a masterful dramatist and an inspirational public figure.

02:14Her many admirers can count on it also makes her a riot in interviews.

02:25Number 8.

02:26Hugh Jackman

02:27Hugh Jackman is as great as any showman for his musical chops and visceral acting range.

02:32Even his superhero brand is one of the most brooding and tragic out there.

02:35Rest assured, that Wolverine is a lot fuzzier in person.

02:43Jackman is absurdly charming, to say nothing of friendly.

02:46He's always up for playing around or telling cute jokes in between insights into his dedicated

02:50work ethic.

02:57As remarkable as anything about this otherworldly talent is how genuinely relatable he seems

03:01to be.

03:02His chats are like sharing good laughs with a good friend.

03:04Like a friend just happens to be award-winning dramatic actor Hugh Jackman.

03:17Number 7.

03:18Meryl Streep

03:19Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep is considered the gold standard of a serious actor.

03:23She's also nailed comedy roles in recent years, though it was a natural progression

03:27interview style.

03:36The charismatic Streep is a deceptively jovial spirit and expressive storyteller.

03:41Her sheer presence is riveting, but her laugh is naturally infectious, and her sharp wit

03:45makes any chat more exuberant.

03:57If it's true that People told a producer for The Devil Wears Prada that Streep wasn't

04:00funny enough for her Golden Globe-winning turn, they must have not seen her in interviews.

04:04She's earned plenty of laughs in and out of character throughout her incomparable career.

04:14Number 6.

04:15Pedro Pascal

04:16Pedro Pascal has taken on drug kingpins, intergalactic criminals, and zombies.

04:21He's also taken on Shakespeare in the theater.

04:23The truth is that the prolific leading man is kind of a nerd, and proud of it.

04:32He's very earnest and self-aware, but confidently manages even the most awkward of banter.

04:37His good-natured interjections in group interviews always steal the spotlight.

04:50He's even mastered wholesome dad jokes, though that isn't how he got the flattering title

04:54of Daddy.

04:55Pascal brings up the internet's crush on him a lot in conversation.

05:02While founded as it is on his dramatic talents, his polite yet attention-grabbing antics always

05:07make for meme-worthy interviews.

05:09Number 5.

05:10Jennifer Lawrence

05:11Any performance from Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence can be called an event.

05:14Even the raunchy comedy No Hard Feelings was considered a revelation, though not so much

05:18for true fans.

05:19Lawrence is a total blast in interviews, with high energy and a brash sense of humor.

05:32The glamour icon has no problem getting shockingly candid in her anecdotes.

05:36She regularly makes headlines for her outspoken views and relatable quips.

05:47Such unpredictability has made her one of the big names to look for in talk shows.

05:51While that public image doesn't take away from Lawrence's esteem in drama, her giddy

05:54chats also have to be seen to be believed.

06:07Number 4.

06:08Willem Dafoe

06:09Willem Dafoe has to be one of the most intimidating figures on the screen.

06:12It may be hard to believe that he can put people at ease in conversation.

06:24The versatile character actor is by all reports a sweetheart, who looks enthusiastic about

06:29discussing his craft in interviews.

06:31He's also quick with a one-liner or quirky banter.

06:42As blood-curdling as his iconic cackling is, it's quite infectious when he's out of character.

06:47Certainly, a wide range of roles and accolades suggest how great of an actor Dafoe is, but

06:51you really have no idea until you see him light up an interview with his warm, playful

06:55humor.

07:01Number 3.

07:02Timothy Olyphant

07:03Classic TV dramas like Deadwood and Justified suggest that Timothy Olyphant is strictly

07:08no-nonsense.

07:09In interviews, however, he's pretty much all nonsense.

07:20He is an off-the-wall personality, hemming up absurd banter and gags in the most delightful

07:25way.

07:26He makes even the most crass exchanges sound wholesome, especially when playing off of

07:29his good friend Conan O'Brien.

07:30Some even consider Olyphant to be one of the talk show legend's funnest recurring guests.

07:44Seeing him act that extravagant humor in Santa Clarita Diet was probably one of the dark

07:47comedy's biggest shocks to casual viewers.

07:50But the truth is that Olyphant is always a scream behind that signature steely charisma.

08:08Number 2.

08:09Denzel Washington

08:10It doesn't get more charismatic than Denzel Washington, a larger-than-life force in dramas

08:14and thrillers.

08:15And yet, he's an unexpectedly relatable riot to talk to.

08:29Known for downplaying his movie star status, Washington keeps interviewers on their toes

08:33with folksy charm and wit.

08:35When he starts in with a hearty laugh, it's hard to not join in.

08:45At least it's on brand for him to improvise charming one-liners with impeccable delivery.

08:49Washington remains a classic professional who knows when to get down to business with

08:53his work and social issues.

08:54But in his casual, naturally hilarious moments, one of Hollywood's most commanding leading

08:58men becomes one of the most lovable.

09:08Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

09:11Jake Gyllenhaal, the intense method actor is also committed to deadpan, oddball antics.

09:26George Clooney, one of the suavest men in Hollywood can be refreshingly self-aware.

09:38Russell Crowe, the intimidating acting titan knows how to entertain with his wild anecdotes.

09:51Benedict Cumberbatch, a debonair dramatist who sincerely tries to make his chats fun.

10:02Giancarlo Esposito, when not playing terrifying villains, he's a cordial and naturally clever

10:07guest.

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10:36Harrison Ford

10:44Harrison Ford's raw, rugged screen persona perfectly fits any serious genre.

10:48At the same time, hilarious self-awareness is part of what makes Han Solo and Indiana

10:52Jones such iconic action heroes.

10:55It's definitely what makes Ford so great to interview.

11:04He's effortlessly cool, even when he leans into the absurd.

11:07He doesn't need to ham it up when he's so strikingly direct.

11:10If anything, his grumpy disposition makes the trolling even funnier.

11:20His outspoken deadpan shows the difference between playing things straight and playing

11:24around.

11:25As riveting in character as he is unpredictable in interviews, Ford himself shows that serious

11:29talents don't have to take their public image too seriously.

11:32Which actors consistently move you to tears, even with laughter, during interviews?

11:35Share some banter in the comments!

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