#7: His Breakthrough Was Deliverance

While Reynolds had already found steady work in Hollywood, his breakthrough came with Deliverance (1972). Playing Lewis Medlock, a rugged outdoorsman, Reynolds delivered one of his best performances, balancing machismo with vulnerability.

The film, a psychological thriller about a canoe trip gone wrong, was critically acclaimed and a commercial hit. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, and Reynolds was finally recognized as more than a pretty face.