1. Simon Pegg

Simon Pegg is one of the most underrated British actors because he not only stars in some hilarious comedies, he writes them. Movies like Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, and the recently released The World's End, were all a product of his brain. He works with his two friends Edgar Wright and Nick Frost to create these hysterical movies. He has also been huge in the world of geekdom by staring in the reboot of Star Trek as Scotty. While he might be popular in Britain and among certain fans, he is not nearly as popular as he should be in Hollywood.

2. Ben Barnes

I have been obsessed with Ben Barnes since I saw him in Prince Caspian. Combine that face with that accent and it is guaranteed to make girls swoon. He has recently starred in the summer movie The Big Wedding with huge names like Robert DeNiro and Susan Sarandon, but he got absolutely no credit in the trailer. They barely even showed him and he is supposed to be one of the main characters. I think you guys should keep your eye out on this one, because is going to be widely famous one day.

3. David Tennant

You would think David Tennant would have more of a fan base considered he was The Doctor, not to mention to many peoples’ favorite Doctor, for so long. But after his stint as The Doctor, he has not been in too many popular films. Granted he does spend a good amount of time on the stage rather than in front of a camera, but I still think he should be better known. Most of my friends, who have never seen Doctor Who, would never recognize David Tennant in a million years. Which is a shame because he is an absolutely brilliant actor.

4. Matthew MacFayden

I have been obsessed with Matthew MacFayden since he won over Keira Knightley’s heart in Pride and Prejudice. While he has mostly stayed in British television, I have no doubt that he would be a huge hit in Hollywood. Even those he has starred in Pride and Prejudice and Anna Karenina, both critically acclaimed movies, he still does not have a huge fan base.

5. Colin Morgan

Just his cheekbones alone are enough to put Colin Morgan on this list as an underrated British actor. While he is popular among Merlin fans, he has not been in many high-profile roles since then. He has a very recognizable face so Hollywood needs to start taking advantage of his amazing talent, so we can bring him out of being underrated.

6. Jeremy Irons

Any girl who has seen Lion King will immediately recognize Jeremy Irons voice. While he has been in a long chain of movies, he is probably most recognized by people as being the voice of Scar from the Lion King. But even with such a notable role, I still would consider him somewhat underrated. Not many people would recognize his face if they saw him, only his voice. And after seeing his performance in other films like Beautiful Creatures and The Man in The Iron Mask, you would agree that he is a fantastic actor.

7. Jamie Bell

Anyone who has seen Billy Elliot can attest to how talented Jamie Bell is. Not only is he such an incredible actor, he is a professional ballet dancer. He has starred in some hit box office movies like The Eagle with Channing Tatum and Man on A Ledge with Sam Worthington, but he has still not gotten the recognition he deserves. I think Jamie Bell is most likely going to be the next big thing in Hollywood, and it is time for him to start coming out of the shadows as an underrated actor.

While some of these actors have a huge fan base, most of that fan base is based on one or two roles. I think all of these actors need to be brought to the limelight so we can see their full range of talent and they can start getting the respect they deserve. What did you think of these underrated British actors? What are some other British actors you believe are underrated? Why do you think these actors don’t have the following they deserve?