# Actors/Actresses you avoid. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989 "2007-01-29T18:50:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/41 "2007-01-29T22:53:46Z")
[QUOTE=Stuffy] Burt Reynolds. Has he ever done anything other than mug the camera at all. [/QUOTE] In general, I agree. But I think most folks would agree that he was at least watchable, if not downright good, in _Boogie Nights_. And a few years before that, he did a surprising turn in Bill Forsyth’s _[Breaking In](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096976/)_, as an aging safecracker just released from prison who ends up in an unlikely partnership with a young guy who just likes breaking into peoples houses to eat their food and watch their TVs. It was his first role where he played his actual age, with all the physical problems that entails, and I don’t recall a single instance of his being overly broad or mugging for the camera in it. Not a great movie (and I say that as a huge Bill Forsyth fan) but pleasant enough and enjoyable for the chance to see Reynolds in a completely different light. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/42 "2007-01-29T23:00:10Z")
[QUOTE=Caridwen] Sally Field. I just can’t stand her voice. [/QUOTE] You really don’t like her? I cant believe I forgot to mention Bill Paxton(from Twister fame) Also, Cuba Gooding Jr. ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/43 "2007-01-29T23:05:06Z")
Sandra Bullock Nicholas Cage Drew Barrymore Matthew McConaughey Billy Bob Thornton Kevin Costner Nicole Kidman They all have "except in"s except for Billy Bob and Sandra Bullock. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/44 "2007-01-29T23:11:22Z")
I used to be unable to stand Cage and Penn, but they have grown on me. I can’t believe no one has mentioned: Renee Zellweger Melanie Griffith ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/45 "2007-01-29T23:11:37Z")
Halle Berry Kim Basinger Alec Baldwin Tom Cruise ---
**Author:** ![Carnacki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carnacki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnacki)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/46 "2007-01-29T23:16:37Z")
Some of my favorite actors are in this thread. One that I despise, though, is Chris Tucker. I heard once that he’s among the top paid actors, and I almost lost my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/47 "2007-01-29T23:48:20Z")
Nicole Kidman. Few actors can destroy my willful suspension of disbelief as thoroughly as she. Rae Dawn Chong. She makes me shudder. Tom Green. Everything he touches turns to absolute shit, even if he’s only in a small number of scenes. He is absolutely despicable and his blessedly brief stint of fame still mystifies me. Josh Hartnett. Sir Squintsalot’s name on the marquee is enough to make me seriously consider Ben Stiller’s latest take on the character he plays in every single movie. Paris Hilton. I don’t believe I need to elaborate. The guy from Napoleon Dynamite. I don’t even care that I don’t know his name. Beyonce. I would sooner watch a cup of coffee cool down to a tepid room temperature and drink it with stale cookies. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/48 "2007-01-30T00:06:26Z")
Bill Murray because I have a friend in the business (behind the camera) and he says that working with Murray is grief. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/49 "2007-01-30T00:24:29Z")
I avoid Jennifer Aniston. She has two facial expressions, and both of them look constipated. Plus, the older she gets the more she looks like Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie. She also refuses to take any responsibility in the failure of her dismal movies, blaming it all on her costars or the directors, etc…because it couldn’t possibly be because she needs to work at improving her acting abilities, could it? Mercifully, her career is circling the drain. I doubt anyone is going to be subjected to any more Jennifer Aniston movies…except the made-for-TV kind. She’s ready to join Valerie Bertinelli, Melissa Gilbert, and Jaclyn Smith in the wastlend that is Lifetime and WE. God be praised. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/50 "2007-01-30T00:25:49Z")
[QUOTE=Hung Mung] Rae Dawn Chong. She makes me shudder. [/QUOTE] I can only think of two movies that she was in, so it must not be too hard for you to avoid her! My hates: Jim Carey Tom Cruise Mike Myers Adam Sandler Brandon Frasier ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/51 "2007-01-30T00:26:26Z")
Julia Roberts … America’s sweetheart my ass :mad: ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/52 "2007-01-30T00:32:39Z")
[QUOTE=sulamith] I doubt anyone is going to be subjected to any more Jennifer Aniston movies…except the made-for-TV kind. She’s ready to join Valerie Bertinelli, Melissa Gilbert, and Jaclyn Smith in the wastlend that is Lifetime and WE. God be praised. [/QUOTE] # Gambit (2009) (announced) (rumored) … Nicole # The Senator’s Wife (2007) (announced) … Rosalind # Wanted (2007) (announced) From imdb. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/53 "2007-01-30T00:47:57Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] # Gambit (2009) (announced) (rumored) … Nicole # The Senator’s Wife (2007) (announced) … Rosalind # Wanted (2007) (announced) From imdb. [/QUOTE] I doubt they ever get out of pre-production. ---
**Author:** ![Caridwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@Caridwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caridwen)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/54 "2007-01-30T00:58:06Z")
I thought Aniston owned a production company. Never heard her blaming other people for films not being successful, she’s supposedly very well liked in Hollywood. In fact Brad Pitt mentioned that he was amazed at how many friends she had in a Vanity Fair article. I never understood the pile on after she got divorced, like she was somehow flawed because she couldn’t keep her man. Not saying anyone here used that as a reason for disliking her, but the gossip sites sure did. In any event, I don’t think she needs us to feel sorry for her. She made a million dollars per episode in the last two years of Friends. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/55 "2007-01-30T01:10:37Z")
So from reading the thread this isn’t an unusual list, but it is a long one: Avoid to the point of being unwilling to watch a movie with them in it: Tom Cruise Keanu Reeves Jim Carrey Adam Sandler Rob Schneider Tom Green Will Farrell Those Jackass guys Would watch only in rare circumstances: Ben Stiller Angelina Jolie Pam Anderson ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/56 "2007-01-30T01:12:49Z")
Kevin Bacon has always annoyed me for no good reason. Tom Cruise needs no explanation. Neither does John Travolta. ---
**Author:** ![sulamith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@sulamith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sulamith)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/57 "2007-01-30T01:13:12Z")
[QUOTE=Caridwen] I thought Aniston owned a production company. Never heard her blaming other people for films not being successful, she’s supposedly very well liked in Hollywood. In fact Brad Pitt mentioned that he was amazed at how many friends she had in a Vanity Fair article. I never understood the pile on after she got divorced, like she was somehow flawed because she couldn’t keep her man. Not saying anyone here used that as a reason for disliking her, but the gossip sites sure did. In any event, I don’t think she needs us to feel sorry for her. She made a million dollars per episode in the last two years of Friends. [/QUOTE] I just don’t think she is a good actress. She’s ok on the small screen, but she doesn’t have what it takes to make it on the big one, IMHO. As for the production company, Brad got it in the divorce. She’s no longer a part of it. I agree nobody should feel sorry for her, she and all her millions will be fine. She did blame everyone but herself for the failure of Rumor Has It, whch was dreadful. I just really don’t think it is a good idea to go around bad-mouthing people in the industry if you want to keep working. Anyhoo, to each his own, I was answering the question of the thread, which was about who I avoid, and I avoid Aniston because she grates on my nerves. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/58 "2007-01-30T01:23:28Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] I almost thought I’d be the first to mention [Jim Carrey]. I’ve heard that a lot of his recent stuff isn’t nearly as over-the-top and is actually pretty good, but not having seen any of those movies, my impression of him is still firmly wacko-crazy annoying. [/quote] I thought he did quite well in _Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind_ at totally underplaying the role in a very uncharacteristic low-key fashion, but that’s the only thing I’ve seen him in that I though the did well. He was tolerable in _The Truman Show_. I wouldn’t watch any of the _Ace Ventura_ and similar movies without an _A Clockwork Orange_ type of restraint, though. [QUOTE=Chronos] One I think I am the first to mention is Leonardo diCaprio. [/QUOTE] I can’t stand him–no matter what role he’s playing, he always comes off like a little party boy–and I’m at a loss to see what anyone, much less Martin Scorsese, sees in him. I can’t figure out who thought it would be a good idea to cast him as Frank Abagnale or Howard Hughes–he doesn’t look, sound, or act what I’d think either of those guys would. They might as well of hired Joe Pesci for the role. That being said, he actually didn’t suck in _The Departed_, but then I seem to be the only person who was seriously underwhelmed by the film. Drew Barrymore is another on the list, and when you put her in frame with Adam Sandler, head-crunching suckitude results. Honorable mentions:[ul] [li]Ben Stiller[/li][li]Josh Hartnett[/li][li]Julia Roberts[/li][li]Halle Berry[/li][li]Eddie Murphy post _48 Hours_[/li][li]Kirsten Dunst (please tell me Mary Jane gets killed off in the next _Spiderman_ movie)[/li][li]Matthew McConaughey[/li][li]John Travolta[/li][li]Melanie Griffith[/li][li]Charles Grodin[/li][li]Nicole Kidman, post _Dead Calm_[/li][li]Madonna, anytime, anywhere, except for _The Hire: Star_.[/ul][/li] For somewho who has had such a long, varied, and in the shadow of greatness career, Diane Keaton is curiously bland. I used to just think that was the characters she had to play (the WASPy Kay in _The Godfather_, the shollow, callous ad executive in _Baby Boom_, the twittering WASPy New Yorker in every Woody Allen film she’s ever been in) but no, that just seems to be the extent of her range. Blah. Jack Nicholson specializes in playing the same scenery-chewing parody of himself that he’s played, with spare exceptions, in every movie from the Eightes onward. However, you catch him in earlier films (_Five Easy Pieces_, _Chinatown_, _The King of Marvin Gardens_) or something more recent where he actually plays a character (_About Schmidt_) and you realize he actually deserves all the kudos for being such a great actor; he just doesn’t exercise his talent. See Pacino, Al, Caine, Michael, DeNiro, Robert, et cetera for examples thereof. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/59 "2007-01-30T01:23:41Z")
[QUOTE=MadTheSwine] I cant believe I forgot to mention Bill Paxton(from Twister fame) [/QUOTE] Oh, crap. I mentioned Bill Pullman in my previous post but I meant Bill Paxton! Ahem. \*\* Bill Paxton\*\*'s wooden acting is rivaled only by Kevin Costner. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989/60 "2007-01-30T01:28:38Z")
Wayans Adam Sandler Pauly Shore (blast from the past!) Will Farrell Any Jackass-involved people Jim Carrey Tom Cruise Those people are all people that I will not watch a movie they’re in even if you paid me $LARGEAMT. Except for Cruise, they’re all people who go for the lowest common denominator of neanderthalan potty-humor. Cruise, now. I really, really don’t agree with his $cientology stance. Not watching him. And his nutcase-hood hasn’t helped. Robin Williams goes for schlocky, typically glurgey movies these days. Meh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-actresses-you-avoid/389989.md?page=4)