A black and white family drama might not seem like a very likely follow-up to MacGruber, but for Will Forte, it worked. The actor won the lead role in 2013's Nebraska, which not only became an award season success, but also gave Forte a chance to show that there was more to him than one-liners and a bad mullet. No one was more surprised by the turn of events than the actor himself, who told The AV Club: "I loved the character and felt this weird connection to him — I just never thought I’d have any chance at getting the part. But I said, 'What the heck, I’ll put myself on tape.'" It's a good thing he did.
Source: Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures