From Big Screen to the Small One: 3 Actors who Have Achieved Success on TV, but not in the Movies

In the film industry it is difficult to be famous, stay in the public's favor and obtain prestigious awards. That is why many actors have migrated from the film set to television sets; such is the case with Hugh Laurie, Travis Fimmel and Bob Odenkirk. These three stars have achieved success in television series for their masterful portrayal of characters who develop complex guidelines. We tell you the case of these three, who have achieved success on television, but not in the movies.

Hugh Laurie

British actor Hugh Laurie is known internationally for his role as Gregory House. However, before becoming the protagonist of "Doctor House" (a series produced by the Fox television network), he kept a low profile in the film world. His career began in 1981; after a decade of playing unremarkable roles, he landed the supporting role of Sir Palmer in the film "Sense and Sensibility." Later, he lent his voice to Frederick Little in the "Stuart Little" saga. Despite having been part of the cast of big blockbuster productions, his career failed to take off.

In 2004, " Doctor House" premieres, a television series -created by David Shore- that tells the life of Gregory House, a doctor whose main characteristics are intelligence, misanthropy and sarcasm. This medical professional is virtuous in his daily work, he usually solves the most complex cases and saves patients with apparently incurable and unknown diseases. Thanks to this character, Hugh Laurie achieved success on television. His performance was acclaimed by the public and critics, to such an extent that he won – in 2006 and 2007 – two Golden Globes for Best Dramatic Actor.

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Travis Fimmel

Similar to the previous case, there is Travis Fimmel, who starred in one of the most popular series on television: "Vikings" (2013), this production made Australian actor Travis Fimmel famous . However, eleven years before Fimmel entered the world of acting, he did so in modeling. In 2002, he was recruited by the Calvin Klein fashion house. After his break into fashion campaigns, he began his career as a film actor. He landed minor roles in movies like "Surfer, Dude" (2008), "The Experiment" (2010), and "The Baytown Outlaws" (2012).

However, Fimmel established himself as an actor in the show "Vikings", produced and written by Michael Hirst. The first broadcast of this series was in 2013, through the History channel. In this production, the Australian actor plays Ragnar Lothbrok, a humble farmer who becomes a famous Viking capable of carrying out the most incredible expeditions and looting outside the Scandinavian region. Because of this, Ragnar stands as a legendary Norse hero; similarly to his histrionic role, Travis establishes himself as a benchmark in Viking-themed productions. In 2013, Fimmel was nominated for Best TV Hero at the IGN Awards. It has also been praised by a multitude of fans at the San Diego International Comics Convention (Comic-Con).

Bob Odenkirk

Another actor who has been praised for his performance in television series is Bob Odenkirk. The American actor entered the film scene in 1993, his first role was as an extra in the movie "Wayne's World 2"; after that, he broke into the world of dubbing in the film "Dr. Dolittle 2". However, his film success was limited; in the mid-1990s, he gained some recognition on the sitcom "Mr. Show with Bob and David." A couple of years later, he rose to fame on "Breaking Bad," a multi-award-winning television series aired on AMC.

On the aforementioned television show, Odenkirk played Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill; a corrupt, hilarious and cynical lawyer who defends cases of people who operate outside the law, including the protagonists of the series: Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), who were in charge of producing drugs. Due to his remarkable performance, Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould (creators of the series) decided to undertake a prequel to "Breaking Bad".

In 2015, the Breaking Bad spin-off "Better Call Saul" was first broadcast; the plot of this shows how Saul Goodman becomes a rogue dedicated to legally representing criminals. Odenkirk's acting skills led him, in 2013, to be awarded for his participation in Breaking Bad as Best Supporting Actor on television. Two years later, he received the Best Actor award for his work in Better Call Saul. Earlier this year, 2022, he received his star on the Hollywood walk of fame. Currently, he is nominated for an Emmy Award for his role in Better Call Saul.

For more than ten years, television series have catapulted a large number of actors to fame. In this way, television sets are becoming an important hotbed of talent and fame.