There are hundreds of stars on the rise in the world of acting. From commercials to movies to shows to plays, we love being entertained and many men and women in the arts love to entertain. Now, if you watch enough TV dramas and sitcoms and see enough movies, you may see a few familiar faces in the background. These actors and actresses are typically never the main star in a project but they’re always in the friend group, a funny person the main star meets along the way, or maybe even a sibling. Over time, we recognize these said faces but it’s hard for us to remember their real names because they’re not given the credit they so much deserve.

Below we have 10 actors and actresses we’ve seen time and time again in different shows and movies but are never the main event. And while some may even work behind-the-scenes on these projects, it’s time the spotlight is shining on them for a change and not their co-stars.

DANA POWELL

Dana Powell is one hilarious red-head. For any Modern Family stars out there, you’ll recognize her as Cam’s sister, Pam. She was also in that episode of The Office where Andy drives down to Jessica’s cabin in the woods to break up with her (Dana’s character is the one who picks him up and gets him to sing a song).

She was even a stewardess on Bridesmaids when Annie had her meltdown! Considering she’s been in so many iconic shows and movies, it’s about time Dana becomes recognized for her raw talent and is put in more shows as a leading role.

KEVIN SUSSMAN

Kevin Sussman has done very well for himself as a background character. I don’t know if it’s his look or his acting methodologies, but he’s been in the industry a long time and has been apart of large names. He landed the role of Stuart in The Big Bang Theory, the owner of the comic book shop.

Fans loved him so much that they made him a reoccurring character throughout the show’s 12-season run. Sussman has also been in Hitch with Will Smith and Kevin James, Weeds, the movie Killers, and Ugly Betty! He currently doesn’t have any works in progress, according to IMDb, but maybe a starring role is in his future. 

ALLISON TOLMAN

Allison Tolman is an acting genius. She nails every role she takes on and does it in such an effortless way. She’s funny without trying too hard and she’s a very relatable character time and time again. She is best known for her role in Fargo, which she was nominated for both an Emmy and a Golden Globe. 

From such an acting high, she went on to being a guest star on The Mindy Project. Tolman was also a friend on I’m Sorry, Mary Pat in Good Girls, and is currently filming The Last Shift, which is set to be out next year.

JOE MANDE

Joe Mande has the same look in many of his roles. His hair and his glasses tend to stay the same regardless of the role but his true star shines through. You may remember back in Parks and Recreation, Joe played the man that continued to pop up in Pawnee’s townhall meetings.

He also played Ben, Alex’s boyfriend (and Claire’s assistant) in Modern Family. More importantly, his work behind the camera should also be noted as being a co-executive producer on Kristen Bell’s The Good Place. 

ANNIE MUMOLO

Annie Mumolo is a big name in the world of film, but she typically pops up as the funny girl in many of our favorite movies. She was the woman sitting next to Annie on the plane in Bridesmaids (who hilariously told her to toss it back).

More importantly, she also co-wrote Bridesmaids, which more people should know. She also appeared in This is 40 as a partner in her fitness circle. Most recently, Annie appeared in an episode of The Unicorn in the episode “Turkeys and Traditions.”

VERNEE WATSON

Actress Vernee Watson has been around a long time and it’s high time we become familiar with her name and the characters she plays. According to IMDb, her first gig was in 1970 in Cotton Comes to Harlem. Fast forward almost 50 years, and Vernie has been in Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Welcome Back, Kotter, Christmas with the Kranks, The Kid, and also does voice work!

As if Vernee couldn’t be busier, she’s also an acting coach. Considering she’s spent almost 50 years in showbusiness, Vernee has clearly made a great living out of being the side character.

TODD SHERRY

Actor Todd Sherry reminds us of a lot of reality TV star Todd Chrisley. They don’t just look alike but they act alike in many of the roles Sherry picks up. He was the humorous front desk man in Adam Sandler’s Just Go With It.

He’s the uber Catholic town’s person in Parks and Rec’s Pawnee, and he was Gary in iZombie. Thankfully, we’ll be seeing more of Sherry for he has two works in pre-production hopefully coming out in 2020.

VELLA LOVELL

We love us some Vella Lovell! Her voice is so dry and monotoned and yet, she brings such color to our screens. She got her first gig back in 2014 in a short called Three Dates. She continued to get roles in various projects but her stardom really came to light after landing the role as Heather Davis in the CW’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Vella plays the dry neighbor who ends up becoming a main character and friend. From there on, Vella has been in She-Ra and the Princess of Power and Dollface. Due to her voice and beautiful acting choices, we have a feeling we’ll be seeing Vella in more works.

LINDSEY KRAFT

After having a big role in Netflix’s Grace and Frankie, we have a feeling Lindsey Kraft is on her way to the top. She’s a stunning actress who has the ability to transform into different toles in such a unique way.

Kraft has been in a ton of projects since the early 2000s, including playing Phoebe in Backwash, Tara Reed in Dating Rules for my Future Self, and Leslie in Living Biblically. IMDb notes that Kraft is currently filming a show called Them: Covenant, but we have high hopes for this talented actress.

RIKI LINDHOME

Is it just us or does actress Riki Lindhome look like a blonde Allison Janney? Lindhome may not have the same iconic resume as Janney but they do look eerie similar. Like Kraft, Lindhome has also been acting since the early 2000s and has been in the likes of Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls, Enlightened, The Muppets, and more.

She has also done voice work, which really rounds out her talent. More recently, Lindhome is currently filming for Duncanville, which will be produced in 2020!