# Actors (either gender) over 60 who can be considered A-List **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015 "2015-01-27T16:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/21 "2015-04-07T22:43:37Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > Ian McKellen? Alan Rickman? Christopher Lee? I don’t think there’s an official definition but I feel like to be “A-list” at least 25% of the general public would have to be able to identify a picture of them. I doubt that’s the case with those guys. > > Or is it just my North American bias talking? Are those guys huge stars in the UK? There of course is no official definition but IMHO A-list means you can get a movie made just by being attached to it. The three you mentioned are respected. They are great actors. They are not A-listers. They are character actors who have been around awhile. Maybe A-list if you are talking the much smaller theater world. ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/22 "2015-04-08T00:55:52Z")
Susan Sarandon Sally Field Sigourney Weaver Diane Keaton Bill Murray ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/23 "2015-04-08T12:36:52Z")
From IMDB: Christopher Lee Actor (280 credits), including the Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars prequel trilogy Ian McKellen Actor (106 credits), including The Lord of the Rings and X-Men movies Alan Rickman see Lord of the Rings and Die Hard. So, yeah, I think these guys can make any movie they darn well want to. That’s what qualifies them for A-list in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/24 "2015-04-08T14:15:40Z")
Maggie Smith Bill Nighy Liam Neeson Oprah Winfrey ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/25 "2015-04-08T14:28:55Z")
Sam Waterston Christopher Walken John Hurt Jane Fonda Patrick Stewart Martin Sheen Charles Dance Kelsey Grammer Helen Mirren Samuel L. Jackson Hugh Bonneville Maggie Smith Jack Nicholson Michael Douglas Denzel Washington Bruce Willis Robert Redford Jackie Chan Anthony Hopkins There are so many more. A list over 60 is easy. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/26 "2015-04-08T15:12:21Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > From IMDB: > > Christopher Lee > Actor (280 credits), including the Lord of the Rings and the Star Wars prequel trilogy > > Ian McKellen > Actor (106 credits), including The Lord of the Rings and X-Men movies > > Alan Rickman > see Lord of the Rings and Die Hard. > > So, yeah, I think these guys can make any movie they darn well want to. That’s what qualifies them for A-list in my book. They don’t make any movie they want. They were put in a lot of movies. Usually as supporting characters. They are character actors. In how many of those acting credits did they have their name above the title? More in Lee’s case but those were all B-movie schlock from 50 years ago. James Hong has 399 credits as an actor. Is he A-list or a character actor? Can a movie be made just on the power of his name alone? But it seems like most in this thread are coming up with their own definition of A-list which includes anyone who can get steady work even those who don’t have good name recognition. No rules pick whoever you want. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/27 "2015-04-08T15:28:03Z")
This is actually a GQ question. The “A-list” is a real thing, based on the [Ulmer Scale](http://www.ulmerscale.com/aboutUS.html). Of course, most of us don’t have access to it. I suspect McKellen and Rickman are A list, but maybe not A+ list, which is also a thing on the Ulmer Scale. Probably not Lee, much as he’s beloved by a niche fangroup. B+ includes Jodi Foster, Ralph Fiennes, Robert DeNiro and Bruce Willis, [or at least it did at one point](http://www.ulmerscale.com/samples.html). ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015/28 "2015-04-08T16:34:28Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Alan Rickman > see Lord of the Rings and Die Hard. Unless he played an orc, I don’t remember him in LOTR. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-either-gender-over-60-who-can-be-considered-a-list/711015.md?page=1)