Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland

Milo Ventimiglia is spreading his acting wings this week as he leaves Heroes behind for a big screen venture alongside Matt Dillon in Armored.

And while TV tends to launch the careers of many a budding thespian more and more high profile movie actors are moving into, and often finding major success, in television.

So here at FemaleFirst we take a look at some of those well established actors to have made the leap onto the small screen.

Kiefer Sutherland - of course we can't take a look at actors who have moved in TV without talking about the huge success of 24.

It's hard to believe that he took on the role of Jack Bauer back in 2001 but in almost ten years 24 has become one the America's biggest shows and Jack an instantly recognisable character.

Before 24 Kiefer had enjoyed success on the big screen with the likes of The Lost Boys, Stand By Me and  A Time To Kill under his belt.

After lending his voice to hit animation movie Monsters vs Aliens Kiefer is returning to TV for the new series of 24, which is due out in the UK later this year.

Alec Baldwin - he has enjoyed a career that has spanned over twenty years and since 2006 he has been starring in 30 Rock.

The series, which was created by Tina Fey, takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy show.

For his performance as Jack Donaghy has won Emmy and Golden Globe awards. But he hasn't left his movie career behind with My Sister's Keeper and It's Complicated hitting the big screen in recent months.

Hugh Laurie - began his career in British television with the likes of Blackadder and Jeeves and Wooster.

He moved into movies with the likes of Stuart Little and Maybe Baby but it's his role in hit medical Drama that has shot him to global fame.

Taking on the role of miserable Dr. Gregory House in 2004 he became a household name in America. Since then he has won Golden Globes, Screen Actor Guild Awards as well as receiving Emmy nominations for his performances.

Glenn Close - has been nominated for five Oscars during her career for roles in Dangerous Liaisons and Fatal Attraction.

But in recent years she has spent most of her time on the small screen with no one but two hit shows.

She joined The Shield as Captain Monica Rawling in 2005 in the fourth season of the show which saw her nominated for an Emmy as well as a Golden Globe.

She can currently be seen on the small screen as Patty Hewes in legal drama Damages, which first aired back in 2007.

This time around she won both the Golden Globe and the Emmy for her performance. A third season is in the pipeline for the actress.

Lawrence Fishburne - shot to fame, and is best known as Morpheus from science fiction movie The Matrix but has also got Boyz N The Hood, Mystic River, Assault on Precinct 13 and Mission: Impossible III under his belt.

But he to has recently moved into television as he took over from William Petersen's character Grissom in CSI.

He joined the hit show in the ninth season as Dr. Raymond "Ray" Langston.

Holly Hunter - after being nominated for an Oscar back in 1987 for Broadcast News Holly Hunter finally got her hands on the most coveted prize in acting in 1993 for her role in Jane Campion's The Piano.

But in 2007 she too made the transition into TV with show Saving Grace, she hasn't appeared on the big screen since 2005's The Big White.

For her role as Grace Anadarko in the crime drama the actress received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.

Despite this Saving Grace will come to an end this year.

Other actors who have made the leap into TV include Joseph Fiennes who can be seen in Flash Forward, Kim Catrall and Sarah Jessica Parker both had movie careers before enjoying the success of Sex and the City.

Meryl Streep and Al Pacino are two of the biggest names in cinema but they joined forces in 2005 for Angels in America, a project that brought them both more award success.

Armored is released 22nd January

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw


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