But then on the other hand, they also have a real life counterpart they have to live up to (in the case of celebrities; I don’t buy that acting like a real life person who wasn’t on film is the same thing.) Acting as Muhammad Ali is easy in the sense that you can watch tapes of him to see how he acts, but difficult in the sense that anyone watching you perform as Ali will be able to compare you to the real Muhammad Ali. Achieving a realism that will allow the viewer to set aside the knowledge that you are not the real person they have seen and heard is not easy. If you’re going to play a fictional character you’re not up against a real life comparison.
I don’t buy the “impersonation” criticism at all, to be honest. Unless an actor is doing nothing but imitation (and such performances aren’t nominated for Oscars) they’re being asked to create a character on screen. Will Smith was not just imitating Muhammad Ali; most of the scenes were of his character doing things that were not immortalized in fight footage. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Truman Capote, Forrest Whitaker’s Idi Amin, Helen Mirren’s Queen Elizabeth II, Reese Witherspoon’s Roseanne Cash, and others required a hell of a lot of acting and bringing the character out, not just doing some Rich Little-style impersonation.
Eh, I know it’s quite fashionable around the dope to hate on Cage at every turn, but I thought he was fantastic in Leaving Las Vegas. Unfortunately I’ve known someone who drank to death and have worked with alcoholics through treatment and I thought Cage was extremely convincing.
That was the year that Sean Penn (my favorite actor) was up for Dead Man Walking and I was very torn on those two performances.
I totally agree with those who have said Jennifer Hudson, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts and will add Helen Hunt and Halle Barry.
I don’t think any of those people are terrible, but IMHO they aren’t what I would call Oscar-caliber performers.
I do not understand why Helen Hunt won her Oscar. Marisa Tomei? No problem. Every time I watch My Cousin Vinnie, I find something else I like about her. But Helen Hunt? Really? Really? I hope somebody can explain it, seriously, because for me, it’s one of life’s great mysteries.
When I was much younger I remember being absolutely outraged when John Wayne won the Oscar. It was the same year as Midnight Cowboy & I thought Dustin Hoffman was robbed. Now, lo these many years later, I find Hoffman to be as unappealing as Wayne, acting wise. Both very one-note. Perhaps Hoffman varied his schtick a little in Tootsie, but John Wayne never did. I enjoyed True Grit, but I don’t think John Wayne was a good actor, at all.
I might be willing to agree with you about that if I hadn’t had a major crush on Helen since the Mad About You days. So don’t you dis my imaginary girlfriend!
(I strongly suspect similar feelings account for most of Marisa’s defenders.)
Halle Berry. I have to say though that she earned hers. Not through her acting but simply due to the fact that she had to simulate sex with Billy Bob Thornton. Hell, I think that would put you in line for the Congressional Medal of Honor most years.