It seems like every day another movie actor is making the jump to TV. Example No. 1? Susan Sarandon, seen here with her actress daughter, Eva Amurri. Sarandon, who is known for films such as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Thelma & Louise" and "Bull Durham," is set to star with Amurri in a new NBC sitcom. And they're far from alone: Here are several other actors known for their big-screen work who've decided to tackle TV.
Meg Ryan has spent the past 10 years sporadically appearing in movies. Now the actress is planning to make her grand return on TV, not at the box office. She has signed on to produce and star in an NBC comedy about a single mom who decides to return to work at a New York City publishing house.
Oscar winner Halle Berry is going to star in "Extant," a new space drama from Steven Spielberg's production company that is slated to premiere next year on CBS.
Anna Faris, right, was becoming a comedy queen almost solely on the big screen, thanks to parts in "The Hot Chick," "The House Bunny" and "Just Friends." But Faris switched it up this fall with "Mom," a new comedy on CBS that stars the actress as a single mother and recovering alcoholic trying to put her life back together.
Don Cheadle's acting career is pretty legendary thanks to film credits like "Hotel Rwanda" and "Crash." But in 2012, Cheadle reminded anyone who'd forgotten just how funny he could be -- and how well he could lead a TV series -- with Showtime's "House of Lies."
Australian actress Rebel Wilson, second from right, is beloved by American audiences for her hilarious presence in movies "Bridesmaids" and "Pitch Perfect." But Wilson has some small-screen experience, too, and she's proving it with the new ABC comedy "Super Fun Night."
After "Mork & Mindy" ended in 1982, Robin Williams left TV behind for a road filled with big-screen players like "Dead Poets Society," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Birdcage." But Williams, right, moved back to TV this fall with a new comedy on CBS called "The Crazy Ones," which also stars film actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.
"Sleepy Hollow" is one of the fall TV season's earliest hits, and it stars two actors known more for movies. British actor Tom Mison is known for movies "One Day" and "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," while Nicole Beharie has shined in movies "Shame," "The Last Fall" and "42."
J.J. Abrams flexes his creative muscle on the big and small screens, and his newest TV project reflects that crossover. This fall's "Almost Human" stars "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Trek" actor Karl Urban, seen here, and Michael Ealy, who has also made a name for himself at the movies.
Vampires and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have been all over the cineplex, but in 2014's "Dracula," both are popping up on the small screen yet again. Meyers, who has built his career with films "Match Point" and "August Rush" and the TV series "The Tudors," will be playing the suave bloodsucker in NBC's take on the classic story.
There was a time when you could only see Kevin Bacon on your TV screen if one of the cable channels was airing "Footloose." But last year, Bacon followed in the footsteps of his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, and made TV appearances a weekly thing with Fox's "The Following."
Kevin Spacey is a man notably devoted to theater, but the TV format has even ensnared the "American Beauty" actor. It's true that "House of Cards" doesn't *quite* count as TV -- it's original programming from Netflix that can be watched like a really, really long movie rather than in episodes -- but it was also nominated for a bunch of Emmys.
You might have seen Vera Farmiga on TV early in her career, but most came to know the actress when she transitioned to films such as "The Departed" and "Up in the Air." In 2013, Farmiga took a classic movie role and stretched it out to fill a TV series with A&E's "Bates Motel."
Prior to her barrier-breaking and Emmy-nominated role in "Scandal," Kerry Washington was better known for her film work. But in 2012, she became the first African-American actress to lead a prime-time network drama in almost 40 years.
Kat Dennings' first credited role was on TV ("Sex and the City," to be exact), but by the mid-2000s she was recognized from movies like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." In 2011, Dennings hit paydirt on TV with CBS' "2 Broke Girls."
Ashton Kutcher, too, was a TV star who at one point tried to break out into movies -- what used to be the typical sign of "making it" in Hollywood. While Kutcher, center, still works in movies like many others on this list, it was telling when he decided to return to TV for another comedy, replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men" in 2011.
Although Claire Danes' early TV work on "My So-Called Life" is seminal to her career, her prestigious reputation was built with films such as "Romeo + Juliet," "The Hours" and "Shopgirl." So by the time she came full circle in 2011 and returned to TV with Showtime's "Homeland," it seemed like a big star had come home to roost on the small screen.
These days, Zooey Deschanel is easily recognizable as the quirky teacher Jess Day on Fox's hit sitcom "New Girl." But before that, she was better known for her film work in "(500) Days of Summer," "Almost Famous" and "Elf."
Showtime's "Masters of Sex" has lured film star Michael Sheen to TV. Prior to this fall's freshman hit, Sheen was best known for work in movies such as "Underworld," "Frost/Nixon" and "Midnight in Paris." His co-star, Lizzy Caplan, has played across both mediums, starring in cult TV favorites like "Freaks and Geeks" and "Party Down" as well as big-screen blockbusters like "Mean Girls."
We think there's little James Spader can't do, and his recent resume is proof. In addition to playing a mysterious criminal on NBC's "The Blacklist," Spader, right, has also signed up to appear as Ultron in Joss Whedon's "Avengers" sequel.
Yes, that's James Caan from "The Godfather" rocking that baseball cap. The 73-year-old actor is staying plenty busy, and not just with movie work. This fall, Caan is playing a TV dad on ABC's comedy "Back in the Game."
It seems like every day another movie actor is making the jump to TV. Example No. 1? Susan Sarandon, seen here with her actress daughter, Eva Amurri. Sarandon, who is known for films such as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Thelma & Louise" and "Bull Durham," is set to star with Amurri in a new NBC sitcom. And they're far from alone: Here are several other actors known for their big-screen work who've decided to tackle TV.
Meg Ryan has spent the past 10 years sporadically appearing in movies. Now the actress is planning to make her grand return on TV, not at the box office. She has signed on to produce and star in an NBC comedy about a single mom who decides to return to work at a New York City publishing house.
Oscar winner Halle Berry is going to star in "Extant," a new space drama from Steven Spielberg's production company that is slated to premiere next year on CBS.
Anna Faris, right, was becoming a comedy queen almost solely on the big screen, thanks to parts in "The Hot Chick," "The House Bunny" and "Just Friends." But Faris switched it up this fall with "Mom," a new comedy on CBS that stars the actress as a single mother and recovering alcoholic trying to put her life back together.
Don Cheadle's acting career is pretty legendary thanks to film credits like "Hotel Rwanda" and "Crash." But in 2012, Cheadle reminded anyone who'd forgotten just how funny he could be -- and how well he could lead a TV series -- with Showtime's "House of Lies."
Australian actress Rebel Wilson, second from right, is beloved by American audiences for her hilarious presence in movies "Bridesmaids" and "Pitch Perfect." But Wilson has some small-screen experience, too, and she's proving it with the new ABC comedy "Super Fun Night."
After "Mork & Mindy" ended in 1982, Robin Williams left TV behind for a road filled with big-screen players like "Dead Poets Society," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Birdcage." But Williams, right, moved back to TV this fall with a new comedy on CBS called "The Crazy Ones," which also stars film actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.
"Sleepy Hollow" is one of the fall TV season's earliest hits, and it stars two actors known more for movies. British actor Tom Mison is known for movies "One Day" and "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," while Nicole Beharie has shined in movies "Shame," "The Last Fall" and "42."
J.J. Abrams flexes his creative muscle on the big and small screens, and his newest TV project reflects that crossover. This fall's "Almost Human" stars "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Trek" actor Karl Urban, seen here, and Michael Ealy, who has also made a name for himself at the movies.
Vampires and Jonathan Rhys Meyers have been all over the cineplex, but in 2014's "Dracula," both are popping up on the small screen yet again. Meyers, who has built his career with films "Match Point" and "August Rush" and the TV series "The Tudors," will be playing the suave bloodsucker in NBC's take on the classic story.
There was a time when you could only see Kevin Bacon on your TV screen if one of the cable channels was airing "Footloose." But last year, Bacon followed in the footsteps of his wife, Kyra Sedgwick, and made TV appearances a weekly thing with Fox's "The Following."
Kevin Spacey is a man notably devoted to theater, but the TV format has even ensnared the "American Beauty" actor. It's true that "House of Cards" doesn't *quite* count as TV -- it's original programming from Netflix that can be watched like a really, really long movie rather than in episodes -- but it was also nominated for a bunch of Emmys.
You might have seen Vera Farmiga on TV early in her career, but most came to know the actress when she transitioned to films such as "The Departed" and "Up in the Air." In 2013, Farmiga took a classic movie role and stretched it out to fill a TV series with A&E's "Bates Motel."
Prior to her barrier-breaking and Emmy-nominated role in "Scandal," Kerry Washington was better known for her film work. But in 2012, she became the first African-American actress to lead a prime-time network drama in almost 40 years.
Kat Dennings' first credited role was on TV ("Sex and the City," to be exact), but by the mid-2000s she was recognized from movies like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" and "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." In 2011, Dennings hit paydirt on TV with CBS' "2 Broke Girls."
Ashton Kutcher, too, was a TV star who at one point tried to break out into movies -- what used to be the typical sign of "making it" in Hollywood. While Kutcher, center, still works in movies like many others on this list, it was telling when he decided to return to TV for another comedy, replacing Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men" in 2011.
Although Claire Danes' early TV work on "My So-Called Life" is seminal to her career, her prestigious reputation was built with films such as "Romeo + Juliet," "The Hours" and "Shopgirl." So by the time she came full circle in 2011 and returned to TV with Showtime's "Homeland," it seemed like a big star had come home to roost on the small screen.
These days, Zooey Deschanel is easily recognizable as the quirky teacher Jess Day on Fox's hit sitcom "New Girl." But before that, she was better known for her film work in "(500) Days of Summer," "Almost Famous" and "Elf."
Showtime's "Masters of Sex" has lured film star Michael Sheen to TV. Prior to this fall's freshman hit, Sheen was best known for work in movies such as "Underworld," "Frost/Nixon" and "Midnight in Paris." His co-star, Lizzy Caplan, has played across both mediums, starring in cult TV favorites like "Freaks and Geeks" and "Party Down" as well as big-screen blockbusters like "Mean Girls."
We think there's little James Spader can't do, and his recent resume is proof. In addition to playing a mysterious criminal on NBC's "The Blacklist," Spader, right, has also signed up to appear as Ultron in Joss Whedon's "Avengers" sequel.
Yes, that's James Caan from "The Godfather" rocking that baseball cap. The 73-year-old actor is staying plenty busy, and not just with movie work. This fall, Caan is playing a TV dad on ABC's comedy "Back in the Game."
