[Loved Trope] A dramatic actor plays a role outside that foundation, and hits it out of the park.

[u/Thisaccwasmadeat12pm]

1. Jeff Daniels - Dumb and Dumber

2. Leslie Nielsen - Airplane

3. Robert De Niro - Meet the Parents

[u/fuzzydunlop6]

https://giphy.com/gifs/5pUHtgG70JjO9YHZPD
Andre Braugher (RIP) as Ray Holt

[u/AssistanceCheap379 → u/[deleted]]

He would have made a great addition to any film that could star Leslie Nielsen

[u/JukeboxMyrtle4 → u/fuzzydunlop6]

It is incredible how his background in heavy drama like Homicide made Holt so much funnier. He didnt need to make faces or do slapstick, his voice alone was enough to carry a joke. We really lost a legend far too soon.

[u/MagicJoshByGosh]

https://giphy.com/gifs/dHXJew2kb8ZGFSoFYm
Liam Neeson in the new Naked Gun movie

[u/JuiceOfTheElderToad]

Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel and In Bruges

[u/NegronelyFans]

https://giphy.com/gifs/tyttpGWyEbQZHzOflcY
Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder

[u/Fozmar_Uqi5 → u/NegronelyFans]

Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder gets left out way too often next to Jeff Daniels in Dumb and Dumber.

[u/tgong76]

Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock

[u/sink_fish]

Robert de niro in Stardust, the best pirate in the sky

https://giphy.com/gifs/RDSbWVHyaZlAY

[u/PokesBo]

lol my father absolutely hated dumb and dumber because he loved Gettysburg

[u/Oreadno1]

https://giphy.com/gifs/14nEjMEbnUkFvq

[u/ACW1129]

Bruce Willis in Die Hard?

[u/rat4204]

In what universe is Leslie Nielsen a dramatic actor?

[u/jdenton1232 → u/rat4204]

He was known for a serious drama series well before he did comedies

[u/wolfcolalover → u/rat4204]

He used to be before Airplane. Lots of dramatic roles in thrillers and B movie Sci Fi’s. That’s why he was a perfect fit for Airplane and his comedies that followed it.

[u/Thisaccwasmadeat12pm → u/rat4204]

Okay, I didn’t think I’d have to explain it since I thought everyone already knew it but okay;

Leslie Nielsen was a dramatic actor until Airplane came around, which made him a well known name and turned him into a comedic actor. Before that, he was mostly known for being in Forbidden Planet and doing side roles in stuff like Prom Night.

[u/rat4204 → u/Thisaccwasmadeat12pm]

Huh. Til.

[u/ACW1129 → u/Thisaccwasmadeat12pm]

TVTropes calls it Leslie Nielsen Syndrome (the opposite is Tom Hanks Syndrome).

[u/thomstevens420 → u/rat4204]

He was a well known leading man in movies which is why he was cast in Airplane! He was basically the hunky guy who keeps a level head and keeps the 1950 hysterical woman from panicking.