Underdogs are often underrated and take little credit for the effort they put in. Vincent D’Onofrio is one such character in the entertainment industry who has been in the business for ages. There is sufficient proof that he is indeed one of the best actors of all time.

Vincent was born in 1959. During the seventies, young Vincent grew interested in the theater industry and sought employment at local theaters. He remained behind the curtains until he graduated from high school and took on to stage activities and tasks. Vincent knew this was going to be his life, and spent the next few years actively participating in New York University student stage productions.

As a part-time gig, Vincent took up jobs working as a bouncer for the Hard Rock Café and was also a bodyguard for Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant. And that was only the beginning …

His big break came in 1987. His first big part, and probably the film most people remember him in, was the overweight Pvt. Leonard Lawrence in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. According to The Telegraph, Vincent actually gained a record-breaking 70 pounds to play the clumsy Marine.

Five years later, he appeared in Robert Altman’s The Player in 1992. He played the character of a bitter and idealistic screenwriter who can’t stand the fact that smart and innovative screenplays are quickly disappearing from Hollywood.

In 1995, he featured in Strange Days as a maniac cop, Burton Steckler, hunting a special disc with incriminating footage. Two years later, in 1997, he managed to secure a role in Men in Black and appeared together with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. This time, he played a villain.

Three years later, Vincent appeared in The Cell, a movie about serial killers released in the year 2000. You are probably familiar with the crime show, Law & Order: Criminal Intent that began airing in 2001? Well, D’Onofrio starred in 141 episodes of show as Robert Goren, one of TV’s most incredible investigators. He also made an appearance in Sherlock as a supporting role.

As years passed, D’Onofrio continued to appear on many other TV shows, including The Break-Up in 2006, where he played as Vince Vaughn’s business partner. His ability to suppress his real self and come out as a different character in every show regardless of its genre remains unmatched.