10 Movie Stars We Want On TV Right Now

You know what we love even more than taking a trip to the multiplex to see our favorite actors and actresses on the big screen? Seeing them once a week on the small screen from the comfort of our sofas.

Over the past few years, we've seen countless A-listers make the jump from cinema to series. Heck, even Nicole Kidman, who still believes in the magic of a sticky-floored AMC, has had something of a career renaissance thanks in part to her work in shows like Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers and The Undoing. (Big Little Lies also courted one of the GOATs, three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep, who more recently spent part of her 2023 romancing Martin Short on Only Murders in the Building.)

Now that the SAG-AFTRA strike is over, TVLine is rounding up some of the hottest names who haven't taken the leap — or, in the case of someone like former Fresh Prince star Will Smith, hasn't attempted another series since he first made it big in the movies — and making the case for them to come "slum it" on TV.

Keep scrolling to find out which film stars we've nominated (along with some dream casting), then hit the comments and tell us which actors you'd like to see dabble in TV.

After a tumultuous trip to The Lost City with Channing Tatum, what better way to unwind than a trip to Thailand for The White Lotus Season 3? (Make it happen, Mike White!) 

He can't keep driving motorcycles off cliffs forever! Anyone who's seen A Few Good Men, Rain Man or Born on the Fourth of July knows that Cruise can deliver when handed more grounded drama. The only place he's gonna find that material nowadays is on TV.

You know what would make us smile again? If Leo returned to his roots — maybe not with Kirk Cameron, but with frequent collaborator Martin Scorsese. Assuming the Killers of the Flower Moon director isn't harboring any ill will toward HBO for cancelling Vinyl, he'd agree to partner with TV's erstwhile Luke Brower on a six- or seven-episode series? (If it helps sweeten the deal, we promise to refer to this hypothetical TV show as a seven-hour movie.)

Sure, he's just Ken. But anywhere else he'd be a 10 — including, say, HBO. This former member of the Mojo Dojo Casa House of Mouse would be welcome back on TV anytime.

Let's face it: They don't make movies like Sleepless in Seattle or You've Got Mail anymore. But what if Netflix told Hanks and Ryan to name their price to re-team on an 8-to-10 episode series? Maybe, say, a romantic comedy?

The acid-tongued Lawrence was a riot in No Hard Feelings — the sort of hard-R rated comedy you don't see much of anymore. Now just imagine what she could do with a script from the likes of Veep creator Armando Iannucci.

Do you ever think about dying what Robbie's career trajectory would've looked like if Pan Am had been a monster hit for ABC? Yes, we know she got her big break on Aussie soap Neighbours, but American audiences have largely been deprived of seeing Robbie on our flatscreens.

Smith has never truly recovered from #SlapGate. What better way to remind audiences just how much they used to love him than by returning to his sitcom roots — not in a Fresh Prince revival, but in something entirely new?

If Tommy Westphall makes a wish and shakes his snow globe hard enough, we think we can get the charismatic-as-hell, two-time Oscar winner back on TV.