I first saw Natalie Zea on The Following, which was an idiotic show to begin with but I absolutely couldn’t stand her character. I guess it was just the writing/directing on that show, because now she’s on The Detour on TBS and she is actually really, really funny. I hereby apologize to Natalie Zea for thinking she was a crummy actress.
I thought Matthew Perry was hilarious in The Whole Nine Yards, but he absolutely sucks in The Odd Couple.
Not quite what the OP is asking, but I really hated Gina Bellman when I first started watching Coupling. Her character was just so monumentally annoying that it carried over to disliking the actress. And then there was one episode (one scene, really) that was just so hysterical that I realized how good she was in the role.
She went on to be in the U.S. show Leverage, but I never watched it enough to form an opinion of her in that role.
I hate Adam Sandler in everything–except for the Hotel Transylvania films, where I love him.
I think it partially has to do with the fact that he’s playing someone smart and cool instead of a schlub, and mostly to do with the fact that I don’t have to look at him in the animated movies.
Jim Carrey - Hated him in everything until I saw Eternal Sunshine and The Truman show. I still dislike any of his comedy roles
I have a two-fer. I’ve been skeeved out by everything I’ve ever seen Patrick Wilson in. He’s got some sort of pervy, uncanny valley thing going on that unnerves me. So I was completely surprised that he could play a likeable chap in the latest season of Fargo. Similarly, I don’t think Ted Danson can act and he comes across as a smug asshole no matter what role he plays. And likewise, I ended up rooting for him right along with Patrick. Has completely flummoxed me, it has.
I saw Patrick Wilson first on Broadway in the musical version of The Full Monty. So I only think of him as that guy I saw first on Broadway.
Pretty much have no use for Mark Wahlberg in drama, absolutely LOVE him in comedy.
Robert deNiro is an amazing dramatic actor, who sucks at comedy and won’t quit trying.
As others have noted for years, Carrey was the “straight” character in that movie, and Kate Winslet was the more comical character.
Tom Cruise - great in the spy movies, terrible in the *Rock of Ages *movie.
Haven’t seen Sunshine, but I was going to come here to say the same thing about The Truman Show. It proved to me that Carrey can do a good job in a role.
His comedy is nauseating.
Yeah, I agree with both of those.
Here’s mine: I loved Keanu Reeves as the hapless dumbass during the first two thirds of The Matrix, and loathed him as the messiah for the remainder of the movie. He’s cast perfectly any time he’s cast as a hapless dumbass, and was brilliant at that role. But I could sooner believe the messiah was that container of moldy pasta in the back of my fridge than buy Reeves in the role.
Hate is a strong word, but my opinion of Ryan Reynolds has increased over time. And it appears that with Deadpool he busted his ass to get it made and promote it, so that’s pretty admirable.
Many of the actors in the Star Wars prequels were wooden, but very good in other roles.
The people I like are the ones that I pay attention to & if I go there, this will Hurt.
Fuck it, I’m not winning any friends anywhere anyway, so I may as well…
I LOVE when Kirsten Dunst does serious drama. I know she’s a dancer & her comfort zone is perfect choreography but, dammit, she’s a better actress than just that.
It Killed me that BvS had two actors in it that I REALLY wanted to see in more serious things:
Ben Affleck: You probably think I hate your guts & just want to get in your face. Wrong. I hate when you do the easy back-sliding shit.
If I’ve been a vocal critic its only because it was the only way I had to boot you in the ass and try to get you back in the game. “Better: you can Do that.”
Its because those things on your mantle shouldn’t be just book-ends.
Its a Big mantle, Ben. A Bi-iiiiiig mantle…
Amy Adams: Yes, you were Robbed… a few times. Yes, you Should have won. I can’t help that & neither can you. BvS is a paycheck, fine, but you need a better vehicle and you need to own it, be it, and DO it!
Sure, you have other priorities, and a good body of work behind you, but its all still within you. Bring it out, make it shine. Bring it Home.
I look forward to the day when People runs a picture of your daughter holding “Mommy’s statue”. I can almost see that, can’t you…?
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I couldn’t stand Vera Farmiga in, well anything. Her voice, her face, everything about her just grated on me. Until Bates Motel.. I find her mesmerizing in her role as Norma.
Much as I dislike Tom Cruise, he was fine in Rainman.
also avowedly anti-Cruise, but his outsized character in “Magnolia” I had no problem with.
I found Peter Sellers only slightly amusing as Inspector Clouseau, (and in “The Party” - wore thin, quickly) but as Chauncey Gardener in “Being There” - one of the great comic characters, in one incredible, excellent film.
(and actually in “Dr. Strangelove” he was also fucking amazing)
Anything I’ve seen Donald Pleasance in has made me want to take a shower afterwards - grossness - but in “Cul de Sac” he was quite funny, in - yes - his gross kinda way, I gotta say.
Never much of a Sigourney Weaver fan but liked her in “Death and the Maiden”.
Never liked Jane Fonda in anything but was superb in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?”
“Glengarry Glen Ross” was the only thing I liked Alec Baldwin in.
Always thought Robert Duvall was great but could take only ten minutes of him in “The Great Santini”.
Not a Kevin Spacey fan, but sure does a mean Jimmy Stewart impersonation.
Barbra Streisand was great in What’s Up Doc? as was Mel Gibson in Gallipoli.