When it comes to star attractions, Godzilla is, quite literally, about as enormous as they get. Moviegoers who buy a ticket to see the King of Monsters on the largest screens in the world are there to see the ravenous reptile in action. It doesn’t matter who else populates the picture. And, as such, it’s easy to forget that several notable stars and a few other familiar faces have also been seen in these movies.
Here are some actors who people are quick to forget who appeared in at least one Godzilla movie. Even the most lauded, highly respected, and well-trained thespians have a hard time competing with the King of the Monsters. Nevertheless, some of these actors made a better impression than others, and at least one or two of these big-time talents arguably upstaged Godzilla.
Bryan Cranston (Godzilla, 2014)
When you have a movie with a gigantic Godzilla at the forefront, the titular prehistoric lizard is undeniably the big-screen star. But when it comes to Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla, many viewers felt that Bryan Cranston’s too-short appearance as Joe Brody ultimately stole the show. It’s not often that humans make such a lasting impression in a Godzilla blockbuster, but that was certainly the case. In fact, even Cranston himself would eventually believe that he was not given enough screentime in this moody take on the classic creature.
Although Edwards’ version of Godzilla relies heavily on its characterization, particularly as it builds towards the action-packed climax with Godzilla front and center, it’s ultimately Cranston’s genuine, even raw emotionality throughout this 2014 blockbuster that gives this massive movie its grounded intensity. There are a lot of monsters seen throughout this movie, and there are a lot of humans in here, too. But it is Cranston’s gravitas as an accomplished performer that gives this creature feature its well-earned humanity.
Ken Watanabe (Godzilla 2014 & Godzilla: King of the Monsters, 2019)
Ken Watanabe is a legend. The Oscar-nominated Last Samurai actor has maintained an impressive resume in the United States and in Japan as a dignified performer with a commanding screen presence. When he is cast in high-concept genre blockbusters like Transformers: Age of Extinction, Detective Pikachu, Inception, and, yes, Godzilla (2014) and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, it’s always a boon. That’s because he brings a regal command to even the silliest, most outlandish sci-fi concepts.
That is most certainly the case with his role as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa, an immensely knowledgeable scientist who serves as a direct callback to the original 1954 classic. His unparalleled grace and authoritative edge instantly draw the viewer into whatever words will come out of his mouth. This always makes him an ideal actor to say the plot’s most expansive, impactful, and/or outrageous details. Even the most rousing action beats pale in comparison to the thrills that Watanabe’s deliberate line delivery brings.
Jean Reno (Godzilla, 1998)
According to IMDb, Jean Reno has 120 acting credits to his famous name — and counting. The French actor is a constantly working international professional, and deservedly so. He is consistently good, and he’s always a welcome presence on screen. That’s true of his work in Godzilla (1998), where he played the part of Philippe Roaché, even if this isn’t the film that he should be remembered for — by any charitable estimations, at least.
Jean Reno is one of the brighter spots of this Americanized Godzilla movie. However, even someone of his esteemed talents can only do so much. This movie’s failures go all the way to the top, and in this prominent supporting role, he can only do what he can and try to walk away unscathed. Thankfully, Reno would continue to prove his fine and accomplished talents in many other film productions after this unfortunate one.
Hank Azaria (Godzilla, 1998)
There were a lot of peculiar choices made in Roland Emmerich’s blunderous American recontextualizing of Godzilla. One of the more interesting, at least to the common comedy connoisseur, was the choice to cast multiple voice actors from The Simpsons in various random live-action roles. Harry Shearer appears as the slimy news anchor, Charles Caiman. Nancy Cartwright can be seen as a mild-mannered secretary. And most prominently, Hank Azaria played a news cameraman named Victor “Animal” Palotti. Apparently, the casting choice was made by producer Dean Devlin, who is rightfully a big fan of the long-running animated sitcom.
As the wisecracking, extremely New Yorkian comedic character, Hank Azaria made more of an impression than a lot of other actors in this misguided Godzilla feature. But whether that’s for the best or for the worst is ultimately debatable. The more screen time one gets, the more one is subjected to the litany of questionable decisions in this poorly received Hollywood take on the classic Japanese icon. While Azaria was given a sizable part in this monster picture, the voice actor may regret his supporting turn in this bad blockbuster.
Sally Hawkins (Godzilla, 2014 & Godzilla: King of the Monsters, 2019)
Even before her lead role in The Shape of Water, Sally Hawkins was an actress of great praise and recognition. The same year that the high-class dramatic performer would be seen in the 2014 take on Godzilla, she received her first Academy Award nomination for her supporting turn in Blue Jasmine. She also gave great performances in Happy-Go-Lucky, Made in Dagenham, and many other notable British titles.
Hawkins’ supporting turn as Vivienne Graham, which she would reprise in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, was once her most notable American role before she starred in Guillermo Del Toro’s gorgeous Best Picture winner. Now, it can be easy to forget that the Paddington star was in one of these mega-movies, let alone two.
Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla, 2014)
Shortly before the actress joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Avengers: Age of Ultron, though after she earned good impressions for her stunning performance in Martha Marcy May Marlene, Elizabeth Olsen co-starred in Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla. Back in 2014, it was notable that such an indie darling from Liberal Arts and Kill Your Darlings was seen in such a colossal movie. But in the wake of her extended MCU tenure, it’s become much more common to see Olsen on the biggest screens in the world, as opposed to a local arthouse.
Nevertheless, there is something to be admired in Gareth Edwards, a scrappy filmmaker who, before stepping into the director’s chair for this gigantic 2014 reboot, cut his teeth with the impressively nifty indie Monsters, putting Olsen in this film. In the spirit of leaping from small-scale films to one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, Olsen and Edwards were, in this specific respect, kindred spirits. With that said, while certainly not a bad performance, Olsen’s work in Godzilla was less remarkable than what she was doing on smaller screens.
Juliette Binoche (Godzilla, 2014)
For all the movie’s strengths, there is a fair argument that Godzilla (2014) didn’t make full use of its esteemed ensemble. Previously mentioned high-caliber actors like Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, and Ken Watanabe have their moments, particularly Cranston and Watanabe. But Juliette Binoche is among the performers who are ultimately underutilized. Although the acclaimed actress was prominently billed, she has roughly three to four minutes of screen time and can only be seen during the blockbuster’s darkly dramatic opening sequence.
It’s a shame because Binoche is good, as one would expect, despite her highly limited role. However, beyond the fact that she isn’t in the movie much, there isn’t much to her character beyond her eventual tragedy. It’s a bummer that such an accomplished performer would be left in such an underwhelming part.
Charles Dance (Godzilla: King of the Monsters, 2019)
While not without its strengths, Michael Dougherty’s 2019 sequel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, is a fairly forgettable movie. And what the viewer is bound to remember has little to do with the humans at the center. The title-bearing monsters are the ones who get the smashing, crashing bits worth remembering. Therefore, it’s easy not to remember that an acclaimed actor like Charles Dance has a prominent part in the proceedings.
As Alan Jonah, a mercenary leader of an eco-terrorist group, Dance plays a mysterious, conflicted character, but not one that a viewer is likely to remember unless they are reminded of his presence. That’s not to say his performance is bad or undeserving of notice. It’s just that in a movie as disappointingly middling as Godzilla: King of the Monsters, critically and commercially, one is forgiven for not recalling Dance’s diabolical role in this monster-battling blockbuster. Sadly, the Game of Thrones alum wasn’t able to rule supreme here.
Lance Reddick (Godzilla, 1998 & Godzilla vs. Kong, 2021)
The late, great Lance Reddick holds a notable distinction on this list. He might not be the only actor to appear in two Godzilla movies; the aforementioned Sally Hawkins and Ken Watanabe share that proud privilege. But he is the only celebrity listed here to appear in two separate iterations of the classic kaiju.
Indeed, Reddick can be seen just fleetingly in Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla. He is a soldier on the Manhattan Bridge. However, it should be noted that his brief appearance in this flop wasn’t credited, for better or worse. While the John Wick favorite would be credited for his performance as Guillermin, the director of Monarch, in Godzilla vs. Kong, his supporting role would unfortunately be downsized to little more than a third-act cameo.
While his character was meant to be more prominent, the demands of the reduced story caused restructuring. Reddick’s once-rich part was gradually shrunk. This is understandable in terms of the gigantic weight of this titan-on-titan takedown/team-up blockbuster. But alas, it proved even more unfortunate when the character actor passed away only a couple of years after the movie’s release, making Reddick’s work depressingly finite.
Takashi Shimura (Godzilla, 1954 & Godzilla Raids Again, 1955)
When film lovers think of Takashi Shimura, they are quick to remember any of the 21 films that he did with masterful filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Whether it’s Ikiru, Seven Samurai, Sanjuro, Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress, or any of Kurosawa’s other classic collaborations with the accomplished actor, they often made film history together. With that said, Shimura was a big star with over 300 credits to his name. When it comes to his voluminous work beyond Kurosawa, his most notable and beloved feature is, arguably, Godzilla (1954).
As Professor Kyohei Yamane, Shimura is the primary scientific voice of reason, and the actor lent a sense of dramatic authority to this low-budget B-movie. Much like Ken Watanabe’s role in the later Godzilla movies, Shimura’s weight and prestige as a performer went a long way toward providing this shabby monster movie with a thoughtful sense of purpose. And one can reasonably argue that Godzilla, as an iconic film and a perpetually long-standing franchise, might not be the same today if it weren’t for his esteemed dramatic skills.