15 Actors We Wish Were Bigger Stars

Brittany Murphy We start off with this list’s most devastating inclusion. Brittany was on the cusp of superstardom when she became possessed by the spirit of collagen and allowed her svengali/con artist manager/boyfriend to direct her career. He chose south. Recommendation: A life coach and a restraining order.

Timothy Olyphant Out of everyone on this list, Timothy is closest to the A-list at present. His TV work — “Damages,” “Deadwood” — is always well-received, but his movies have a tougher time finding fans. “A Perfect Getaway” opened in seventh place with $5 million this past weekend. Recommendation: Franchise film … that doesn’t end with his death.

Rachel Dratch In 2006 Rachel left “Saturday Night Live” to co-star on BFF Tina Fey’s show, “30 Rock.” Then NBC execs thought Jane Krakowski would make a better Jenna — they were definitely right, but still, sucks for Rachel. Now she’s stuck in limbo, playing bit parts in lame movies when she should be the star of a hit sitcom! Recommendation: “30 Rock” spin-off!

Jesse Bradford He holds a special place in my heart thanks to two roles, “Bring It on” and “Hackers,” and one costume. But enough about “Swimfan’s” Speedo — anyone who saw Jesse in “The West Wing,” “Happy Endings” or “Flags of Our Fathers” knows that his acting chops are just as defined as his abs. Recommendation: Lead on a new HBO drama!

Ari Graynor Although her role on “Fringe” was rather thankless, at least it kept Ari in people’s minds post-“Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” Now with “Whip It” on the horizon, one of the nicest people I’ve ever had the chance to interview [read it] is poised to take over Hollywood. Recommendation: Keep on keepin’ on!

Kerry Washington I don’t really know why Kerry’s never hit — she’s starred in brainless blockbusters (“Fantastic Four”), art house hits (“Last King of Scotland), comedies (“I Think I Love My Wife”) and thrillers (“Lakeview Terrace”), yet has almost nothing to show for it. On the other hand, she is heavily involved in charity work, so there’s that. Recommendation: Two genres remain untapped, torture porn and musical. I’d prefer to see her sing and dance than hack and slash!

Eion Bailey After he saved poor Maureen an her eating disorder in “Center Stage,” Eion could have disappeared forever and I’d still carry a torch for him. Sadly, aside from “Band of Brothers,” “Fight Club” and bit parts on every network procedural, he kinda has vanished. Recommendation: Star in something, anything, that gets shown on a movie screen.

Amy Acker If you’ve never entered the Whedonverse, there’s a great chance Amy’s name rings no bells. But after emotionally crippling audience on “Angel” and making their jaws drop on “Dollhouse,” we know what she’s capable of. Recommendation: Let other people in on the secret.

Alessandro Nivola After making a splash in “Face/Off,” Alessandro went big budget with “Jurassic Park 3.” A move he clearly hated because his next film, the fiercely indie “Laurel Canyon,” was a brilliant, but mostly unseen gem. Since then, Alessandro’s lacked the A-list drive he once had, but it’d be nice to still see his work every once and a while. Recommendation: Ain’t nothing wrong with independent cinema, we’ll take more of that!

Missi Pyle If you’ve ever seen Missi in a movie, then there’s a good chance you’ve also said, “oh, where do I know her from?” The answers may vary — “Galaxy Quest,” “Dodgeball,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” — but the laughs are always the same. Recommendation: Get in with one of Hollywood’s two leading comedy troupes, Judd “Knocked Up” Apatow or David “Role Models” Wain.

Ivana Milicevic She may not have been “the sexy one” in “Love Actually” but she certainly was in “Casino Royale.” Recommendation: A role that requires more than the casting directive, must look good in a dress.

Justin Theroux A true acting chameleon, Justin has played a jacked Irish mobster in “Charlie’s Angels 2,” the meekest man ever on “Six Feet Under,” Jesus Christ in “The Ten” and two different roles on “Sex and the City.” But it’s his latest role, as the screenwriter of “Iron Man 2” that might vault him onto the A-list. Recommendation: Use the superhero street cred to nab his own role in the franchise.

Jennifer Westfeldt Most of America knows Jennifer as Jon Hamm’s girlfriend, but I prefer to think of her as the accoutrement loving Jessica Stein. Here’s hoping her role as a driven journalist on “24” next season has us finally just calling her Jennifer. Recommendation: Keep being fabulous.

Chris Messina Chris first caught my eye back in 2005 as the only man worthy of Claire Fisher on “Six Feet Under.” Since then he’s wooed lots of lovely ladies in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” “Away We Go” and “Julie & Julia.” But something tells me if his long delayed “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men” ever comes out, women will be fighting to play his girlfriend. Recommendation: Get the John Krasinski-directed “Interviews” a distribution deal already!

Melissa George It’s amazing that even after arcs on “Alias,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “In Treatment,” people solely think of Melissa as a fashionista. And that’s when they think about her at all. Her upcoming Bermuda Triangle thriller has good buzz so maybe it’s just the ticket to keep her out of Hollywood’s dead zone. Recommendation: If you’re going to be associated with style, then get a contract as the face of a label.