Benedict Cumberbatch and 12 Other Celebrities Who Defy Conventional Beauty Standards (14 photos)

It is widely believed that to make it as an actor, model, or TV host, you need picture-perfect looks that conform to traditional beauty standards. However, these famous stars have proven that you don't need a cookie-cutter appearance to achieve fame and critical acclaim. Perhaps it's not just about looks, but sheer talent. These celebrities are proof that you shouldn't worry if you're nowhere near Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie.







Tilda Swinton

"I always knew I wasn't pretty. That was a huge advantage. All my pretty friends, at some point, capitalized on their looks. And I don't just mean sexually. They were constantly aware of having blonde hair, blue eyes, full lips, and feeling they had to act accordingly. That creates a lot of pressure—pressure I was completely spared." (from an Esquire interview)





Javier Bardem

Javier Bardem famously joked that he looks like a bulldog, but that hasn't held back his acting career in the slightest. There was a time when he worried about his appearance, but he eventually decided that charm and charisma could easily outshine any perceived flaws.

"What if I make these features my signature look, the thing that sets me apart?" Bardem thought.

He finds it ironic that people see him as a rugged macho man, given that he is actually quite shy in real life.



Björk

"I only dislike the way I look when I'm tired. If you show me two photos—one where I look ugly and one where I look exhausted—I'll only worry about the second one." (from an Esquire interview)



Hilary Swank

The actress says she has never been afraid to experiment with her look or stand out from the crowd. Swank playfully notes that her biggest career breakthroughs came from roles where she looked nothing like a traditional Hollywood starlet. In one interview, she admitted:

"I was 16 years old. I'll admit, it wasn't easy back then coming to terms with the fact that I was no longer a little girl, but a young woman. The realization that I was expected to look and act a certain way just to be liked or to succeed—it made me terribly anxious."



Chloë Sevigny

Chloë Sevigny had her big break in the film

Kids

, and she has remained an indie icon ever since. Directors frequently cast her as addicts, troublemakers, or characters with a distant, glassy stare. When asked about her beauty secret by

W Magazine

, the actress jokingly credited not having children.

"I think pregnancy, childbirth, and the stress of raising kids really age women—especially in their thirties, much more than in their twenties. So to stay young, just don't have children. Oh, and have good genetics."



Hugh Laurie

"People are sick of perfect beauty. It's exhausting and fake. Humor is so much sexier. Being funny is far more attractive. A person who doesn't take themselves too seriously is infinitely more appealing. You should take everything you say and do seriously, but never yourself. That's what makes you interesting," the actor once said in an interview.



Benedict Cumberbatch

"At first, I was terrified I'd be left behind altogether, but over time I realized that craftsmanship is the only thing that earns you a lasting place. I'm grateful for that wake-up call: I put my head down, worked hard, and success followed," the actor said regarding his unconventional looks.



Eva Green

Possessing a striking, unconventional beauty and immense talent, Eva Green once remarked in an interview:

"In Los Angeles, I feel like an ugly duckling—or like I've just landed from Venus."

If only we could all be such "ugly ducklings"!



Tim Roth

"Let's face it, I'm no Brad Pitt," the actor told

Esquire

. "Back home in the UK, people often compare me to Robert Carlyle. Well, we do have a lot in common. We're both English, and we're both bloody hideous," Tim Roth quipped about his looks.



Sarah Jessica Parker

"Do I have giant fake breasts, Botox, or plumped-up lips? No. Do I fit the ideal standards of certain guys writing for men's magazines? Probably not. Am I really the 'unsexiest woman alive'? Wow. It was pretty brutal and shocking coming from men. It upset my husband because his opinion ought to count in a ranking like that! Being judged like that purely on appearance, being written off as 'unusable'—it's insane. But what can I do? I guess you can't please everyone."



Daniel Craig

When asked by

Glamour

magazine whether he considers himself a symbol of masculinity and sex appeal, the highest-paid James Bond actor replied:

"You know, I've been married for years [to actress Rachel Weisz], so I prefer not to dwell on that kind of thing. As for the role, people usually picture Bond as this suave guy in a sharp suit. But that's a cliché, and I find that kind of archetype boring. I try to play him as naturally as possible so he feels like a real person, not just a cardboard cutout—even a handsome one."



Vincent Cassel

The French actor, whose distinct features often land him villainous roles, admitted in an interview with

Esquire

that he genuinely enjoys playing the bad guy.

"In American movies, they always cast me as the scoundrel. But I get my revenge: I make my scoundrels way cooler than their heroes," he says.



Cate Blanchett

Long before she played the ultimate Elven queen, she was teased for her wide smile and tall frame, called a "frog" and a "beanpole."

"Over the years, I've stopped obsessing over myself and my appearance. Aging is a natural and fascinating part of growth for all of us," the actress says.