5 Actresses Who Deserve a Bigger Break

Being the avid movie watcher that I am, I've noticed that more than one talented actress has been passed over for other talent. And by "talent," I mean, "sex tapes that 'accidentally' made it to the Internet."

Well, here's one man's humble attempt to rectify the situation. The following ladies are not only talented, but beautiful. Hollywood: get off your ass and give these women more roles.

DANIELLE FISHEL
Noticeable TV/Movie Appearances: Boy Meets World; both National Lampoon's Dorm Dazes

The delightful Ms. Fishel has the distinction of having the weirdest named ever associated with a smart-yet-hot character (or maybe I'm the only one who has a problem saying "Topanga!" whilst in the throes of passion) as well as participating in the death of the National Lampoon Series (I personally thought it died with Chevy Chase's career; who knew?). If you were to use her IMBD page as a reference, the only real fault people seem to have with her is a slight weight gain. But if being under 100lbs was a requirement for finding work in Hollywood, Keira Knightly would be pumping out movies every three months.

She Would Be Perfect For: Literally any drama that employs the Character-Revolving-Door, such as Grey's Anatomy, Without a Trace, or Law & Order: Librarian Division.

My Theory Of Why She Hasn't Hit It Big: Like Winnie Cooper before her, Fishel became the unattainable Hot TV Girlfriend, which along with being the Doting Dad and Mid-Series Replacement Kid typically means an drought in getting roles, if you're lucky. the key difference is, Winnie Cooper had that "I'm a freaking math genius thing to fall back on."

It Could Be Worse: Both Topanga and Winnie Cooper are doing waaay better than their TV boyfriends. Name the last time you saw a Savage during something since 2005 (and don't use Wikipedia or IMDB).

BIANCA LAWSON
Noticeable TV/Movie Appearances: Saved by the Bell: The New Class; Sister, Sister; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Feast of All Saints

Some may remember Lawson as the new "smart girl" when Saved By The Bell, astonished that people still wanted to watch their crappy show, decided to essentially cut-and-paste the characters that made the original so popular. When fans (all three) revolted, the show was revamped (the first of many) and Lawson was one of the first casualties. Ever the trooper, she made her mark on BTVS as the previously unheard of 2nd Slayer. Unfortunately, we're talking about the second season of a Joss Whedon-created show, which means anyone not named Sarah Michelle Geller was on the chopping block. But at least Lawson can claim that her character's one of the few Women in Refrigerators who died for the sake of a female protagonist.

She Would Be Perfect For: LOST, as they seem to have a thing were both their female characters and characters of color tend to, um, die. Or if Marvel Studios ever grows a pair and tells Hallie Berry to quietly retire, I can totally see Lawson as the new Storm.

My Theory On Why She Hasn't Hit It Big: Lord knows it's hard for actresses as well as for minority actors to find work. So for a black woman (or Latino woman or Asian woman for that matter) it must be double the hell. Hollywood apparently has a ratio rule that one female actress of color is allowed to blow up every few years, which was obviously adapted from the 3/5ths rule that almost became a staple of the US Constitution. And since Taraji P. Henson is the current title holder, Lawson's gonna have to just wait her turn.

It Could Be Worse: All you need to do is run a check on the other characters who've been on Saved By The Bell.


SAMANTHA MATHIS
Noticeable TV/Movie Appearances: Pump Up the Volume; Broken Arrow; Grey's Anatomy

In Pump Up the Volume, she stops Christian Slater from killing teens with his love for Camper Von Beethoven. In Broken Arrow, she saves the American Midwest from Christian Slater's desire to box John Travolta on a moving train. After deciding that going up against the Great Fate that is Mr. Slater is a fool's errand, Mathis decides to spend some time (and by "some time," I mean "three episodes") on Grey's Anatomy after a stint on LOST (and by "stint," I mean, "blink and you'll miss her").

She Would Be Perfect for: Well, obviously ABC has little love for her, so maybe Mathis can look at other networks like CBS (I'm sure there's a Two And a Half Men story they could shoehorn her into) or NBC (Heroes could really use the talent injection) or even *shudder* the CW.

My Theory On Why She Hasn't Hit It Big: Saying it's "age" flies in the face of actresses like Joan Allen and Meryl Streep. I blame Christian Slater. There; I said it.

It Could Be Worse: Better to star in a teen cult film and be barely remembered than have an equally meteoric rise and decline.

MONICA MCSWAIN

Noticeable TV/Movie Appearances: Social Studies; Moesha; American Pie; Red Eye

Looking for shows/movies that had McSwain in them was like looking for a PETA member at an NRA rally. Just take my word for it that she was in American Pie and Red Eye. I can't shake this feeling that if she was about seven years younger we would have been seeing her star in Disney's "That's So Monica."

She Would Be Perfect For: Having said that, she'd fit right in on anything Disney- or Nickelodeon-related.

My Theory On Why She Hasn't Hit It Big: She basically has all the strikes Lawson has, with the added "She looks like an alternate version of Freddie from 'Different World'" thing going on. But seriously, is Hollywood done with casting the Non-threatening Black Friend? McSwain may have to get Afro-Puffs, a leather jacket and start rapping about Thug Life to get a script.

It Could Be Worse: She hasn't completely sold out (translation: nude scene), so there's hope she'll get lucky and land on a sitcom or something. And she didn't have to do a movie with Martin Lawrence and a pig, so there's that (whoa; Disney connections galore).

MONICA POTTER

Noticeable TV/Movie Appearances: Along Came a Spider; Boston Legal

This one boggles the mind more than the others. She's blond, attractive, and a good height. She has the distinction of being Morgan Freeman's cop buddy (for awhile, anyway) as well as being on of the few adults to not be killed in the Saw Franchise. She has a song written about her. WTF, Hollywood?

She Would Be Perfect For: I don't know...anything? You're telling me she couldn't replace Kate Hudson in a romantic comedy, Charlize Theron in a drama and Maria Bello in everything and someone would blink?

My Theory On Why She Hasn't Hit It Big: Her bio says she's from a "tight-knit Catholic family," but she has starred in a movie where she tried to shoot a kid so I'm not buying the "My Religion Prevents Me" excuse. It could really be the timing in her case; there were a slew of actresses who came out when she did and now, everyone's caught up in the Angelina/Scarlett/Jessica Era, and Potter's best option now is to be "The Hot Mom."

It Could Be Worse: She could be on a crappy TNT show that has little hope of seeing a fourth season and...oh wait, never mind.

For an even better list of even more obscure actress who deserve more exposure, check this out.