Film Actors That Move to Television

[ikarcuaso]

Kyra Sedgwick, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Timothy Hutton, Gary Sinise and Alec Baldwin are just a few. If I'm not mistaken, some of these are Oscar winners/nominees.

Is this a career move that's ever done "by choice"? Or does this usually happen when an actor feels his or her shelf-life as a film performer has hit the wall or run its course? I mean, are there examples of any box office stars deciding to do a TV series while at the peak of their popularity and drawing power?

When my wife is watching Lifetime and I see someone like Marissa Tomei or Sigourney Weaver on there, it kinda makes me wonder.

[URY914]

All about getting paid.

[Schumi]

Television production levels have increased so much in the past 15 years. Look at shows like Lost and Fringe- being produced with budgets and resources movies of the 1980's never had.

[m21sniper]

Charlie Sheen and two and a half men, hard to call that a poor career choice.

[Sonic dB]

Originally Posted by ikarcuaso

Kyra Sedgwick, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Timothy Hutton, Gary Sinise and Alec Baldwin are just a few. If I'm not mistaken, some of these are Oscar winners/nominees.

Is this a career move that's ever done "by choice"? Or does this usually happen when an actor feels his or her shelf-life as a film performer has hit the wall or run its course? I mean, are there examples of any box office stars deciding to do a TV series while at the peak of their popularity and drawing power?

When my wife is watching Lifetime and I see someone like Marissa Tomei or Sigourney Weaver on there, it kinda makes me wonder.

^ It used to be more like that....but not so much these days.

There simply are way more opportunities for an established actor on TV than film.... and TV is paying more than film in many cases these days too....as evident by the huge salaries that the leads from shows like CSI, Greys Anatomy etc. get.

In addition to this....production values for TV shows have improved so much over the years, that actors can be part of projects that have almost all of the same production quality as good films. The days of "The Love Boat" and "Fall Guy" are long over....

I know that Tim Roth, for example....turned down the lead in "Lie To Me" initially....until he got the $$$ and control that he was in need of...and then he took it.

These days, actors can switch back and forth between TV and film quite easily.... Baldwin still gets good character roles in films for example...and will continue to do so.

[TerryH]

Originally Posted by URY914

All about getting paid.

I think it's more along the lines of wanting to apply ones trade. If you love your job, you want to practice it. Same applies to most any profession. Evolving from the big screen to TV is pretty normal. Off broadway, dinner theater, etc..