The debate about the differences in stage-acting versus film-acting will continue to rage on until the end time, but many famous film actors proved that they could make the transition to the stage. Whether known for the superhero roles, like Scarlett Johansson, or intimidating gangsters, like Al Pacino, these actors proved that talent is talent no matter the medium. Not only did they make the transition, they even won Broadway's highest honor: a Tony Award.
The world of Broadway is built on the foundations of revues, stage plays, and musicals that have entertained the masses long before the invention of film. Needles to say, it certainly doesn't hinder an actor of any medium to trod the boards once in a while.
Jason Alexander
While he might be forever remembered for his time as George Costanza on Seinfeld, Jason Alexander is a man of many talents. Indeed, his stage abilities are certainly remarkable. Alexander is indeed a brilliantly comedic film actor, but his theatre credits are certainly worth a mention or two.
Along with appearances in shows like Merrily We Roll Along and The Producers, Jason Alexander made a Tony Award-winning appearance in Jerome Robbins' Broadway. In it, he plays the production's narrator along with various character parts that brilliantly flexed his comedic skills.
Matthew Broderick
Ferris Bueller has come a long way since his adventures in Chicago and has definitely done well for himself. Matthew Broderick has more than a few stage credits under his belt, and more than one Tony Award for that matter as well.
Broderick has credits in such shows as Biloxi Blues, Night Must Fall, and The Producers. During his time on the Broadway stage, the actor has won not one but two Tony Awards. He has won Best Actor in a Musical for How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, as well as Best Featured Actor In A Play for his appearance in Brighton Beach Memoirs.
Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson is an actress with some seriously incredible range. From playing the typical love interest and dangerous femme fatales to giant hypnotic snakes and a member of Marvel's Avengers. While Black Widow might arguably be one of her most iconic roles, she's had her time well-spent on the stage as well.
In her Broadway debut in Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, Johansson won the Tony for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Catherine. There's perhaps a no better way to nail a Broadway stage debut than by taking home a Tony.
Neil Patrick Harris
Known for his performance as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, Neil Patrick Harris is a man of many eclectic and eccentric talents. Along with his gift for stage magic and character parts, Harris is exceptionally skilled in musical theatre as well.
The actor has made appearances in shows like Sweeney Todd, Cabaret, Assassins, and even a production of Rent. His Tony-winning performance, however, was during his break from Barney in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Needless to say. Harris's performance as rockstar Hedwig Robinson truly cemented his status as a legend of the Broadway stage.
Al Pacino
From Scarface to Dick Tracy, Al Pacino has had more than a lion's share of incredible roles. Whether playing cunning cutthroat gangsters to even the devil himself, Pacino knows how to make a lasting impression in whatever production he's involved with. His eclectic personality, however, is absolutely dynamite when he steps out on stage.
While he might be more famously known for his portrayal of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, his Tony-worthy performance was the title role in The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, the first entry in David Rabe's Vietnam War Trilogy. Before his landmark role as Tony Montana, he was the ill-fated Hummel in this 1977 war piece.
Viola Davis
Along with showing her viewers how to get away with murder, Viola Davis has garnered much praise and acclaim both on and off stage. With appearances in The Help, Doubt, and Scandal, Davis has had equally powerful and varied roles on stage as early as 1988.
In 2010, Fences received a revival production on Broadway to great critical acclaim, especially for Viola Davis who won a Tony for her work. The actress would play the role of Rose Maxson in both the play and the film adaptation. In the latter, she was also accompanied by her costar, Denzel Washington, who played Rose's husband, Troy.
Glenn Close
Glenn Close has had several great performances, having won several awards in both fields. Winning such accolades as Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and even Drama Desk awards, it should come as no surprise that Close should have more than won Tony under her belt.
Her roles as Annie in The Real Thing and Paulina in Death and the Maiden won her a Tony for Best Actress in a Play and her starring role as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard for Best Actress in a Musical. It's one thing to have multiple Tonys, but to have multiple in different theatre styles is truly a testament to Close's talent.
Hugh Jackman
Wolverine isn't the actor's only claim to fame. As any fan of Hugh Jackman will know, his stage career is just as incredible as his film one, displaying a surprising gift for big and bombastic stage musicals. The Greatest Showman wasn't the man's first foray into the musical genre, either.
The River, A Steady Rain, and most recently, The Music Man are just three of the stage credits Jackman has acquired in his career. His breakout performance as Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz was what landed him critical and popular acclaim on the Broadway stage. While Jackman did win a special award in 2012, it was this role that truly defined his theatrical presence.
James Earl Jones
With a voice and persona like James Earl Jones', it's practically impossible not to recognize him and both the stage and the screen adore him. While movie-goers will forever remember him as characters like Darth Vader, Mufasa, or Thulsa Doom, theatre buffs will know him for an incredible career spanning as far back as the '60s.
Jones has made appearances in such classic plays as The Iceman Cometh, Of Mice and Men, Othello, and Driving Miss Daisy, but his acting prowess won him two Tony Awards for his roles as Troy Maxson in Fences and Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope.
Ian McKellen
His theatre career might be more decorated in the U.K. than in the states, but Sir Ian McKellen is one of the most decorated actors around. Having begun his acting career on stage as early as the '60s, the actor has earned more than a few credits under his belt, including on the Broadway stage.
While McKellen's definitely made more than a name for himself on Broadway in plays like Wild Honey and Waiting for Godot, he has one Tony award for his portrayal of Antonio Salieri in the original American production of Amadeus. It might only be one award for one role, but it's easily one of the most dramatic characters in the performer's repertoire.