When talking about comedy movies, you’ll often find that opinions can vary greatly about what makes a good comedy actor. There’s more to it than just telling a couple of jokes, and great comedy actors are a rare breed these days.
Let’s take a look at some of the funniest actors that are still alive and working today.
Will Ferrell
Granted, not all his movies have been amazing, but Will Ferrell has a certain vibe to his comedy that just works amazingly sometimes. It’s hard to deny that movies like Anchorman are legendary, and it’s for the most part due to Will’s amazing talent.
Eddie Murphy
Beverly Hills Cop was a classic action comedy series, and it does worry me a bit that there is going to be a new movie in this series. The story and comedy matched so well with the 80’s vibe, and I doubt it’d work in a more modern setting. That said, if Eddie Murphy believes it can work, I’m willing to give him that chance.
Jonah Hill
From Superbad to 21 Jump Street to The Wolf of Wall Street, Jonah Hill has comedic talent that instantly makes him one of the best comedy actors of his generation. If you just take into account how great and how different the three movies I mentioned are, that speaks volumes about this man’s range in acting and comedy.
Seth Rogen
Generally associated with a more adolescent form of humor that generally revolves around Seth getting stoned and getting in all kinds of shenanigans, it’s not hard to imagine why this actor is so divisive in the comedy world. He deserves a spot on this list though, because he makes excellent movies.
Zac Efron
When thinking of good comedy actors, it’s hard to imagine people saying Zac Efron would fit that bill. If you’ve seen his latest movies and projects however, you’d realize he’s a genuinely funny guy. Just think of how he matches The Rock’s energy in Baywatch.
Zach Galifianakis
Known mostly from The Hangover, Zach is often typecast as the somewhat weird friend whose life doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. The actor himself is going plenty of places though. His movies keep bringing in a lot of money and keep making people laugh, so the fact that he’s not the most versatile actor on this list hardly seems to matter.
Paul Rudd
It took Paul a while to break into the mainstream, but ever since he joined the MCU everyone knows who this man is and what he’s capable of when it comes to comedy. The upcoming third Ant-Man movie is apparently going to set up the big bad for the next Marvel phase, so you can imagine this won’t be the last we’ve heard of Paul.
Jim Carrey
It’s hard to make a list of the best comedic actors without mentioning the amazing Jim Carrey. The Truman Show, Ace Ventura, all the way up to Kick-Ass 2. This man has been making comedy for decades and never failed to reimagine himself and surprise audiences.
