Typically, movie companies want a bankable star for their films, but you'll occasionally see an unknown in a lead role. The first time I saw Russell Crowe in a movie, for example, was Virtuosity. I remember thinking, "Who the heck is this guy, and how did he get to play opposite Denzel Washington?"
Likewise, I'd never heard of Hugh Jackman till I saw Swordfish. Playing the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day was a breakout role for Robert Patrick. There was Aaron Eckhart in The Core. And I first learned about Angelina Jolie from some HBO movie many, many years ago (Gia). All these actors turned out to be award-winning actors.
Speaking of Jon Voight's daughter, I never heard of James McAvoy when I saw Wanted with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. The Scottish actor has followed a similar path as those mentioned above and became one of my favorite (and underrated) actors.
Based on the comic books, Wanted is a movie about assassins and has the premise of an ordinary person becoming extraordinary. From the director of the exceptionally brilliant Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Timur Bekmambetov, Wanted has a similar story with our protagonist eagerly wanting to avenge his father's death.
A-list actors may give investors and movie studios peace of mind when they headline their films, but there's so much high-quality talent out there, and it would be a shame not to allow them to be recognized and let them show their potential. James McAvoy is among the lucky few, partly thanks to a commercial film titled Wanted.
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