# Actors that don't really act **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 18, 2011, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343 "2011-11-18T14:56:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/121 "2011-11-22T15:27:17Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > My examples: > > Mickey Rourke: I think the director just tells him to hang aorund on the set and then shoots the scene without him knowing. Hell, I don’t think he goes to Costume but is wearing his regular street clothes. Mickey Rourke? Really? So your saying he plays the same character in Man on Fire as he does in Sin City? Really? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/122 "2011-11-22T16:06:14Z")
I just want to point out that typecasting can make an actor seem less expressive than he or she is capable of. Ron Perlman is my favorite example; way back in the TV series _Beauty and the Beast_ he definitively demonstrated nuance and subtle emoting in his character, but since then he’s almost always been signed on as a taciturn badass, tho a little bit of Vincent comes through when he’s played Hellboy in scenes with Selma Blair. Edit note: he’ll be in a movie called \ _Badass_, tho not as the title character. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/123 "2011-11-22T18:44:28Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Actually, I like Phillip Seymour Hoffman just fine, and I think he is one of those actors who has a knack for choosing good scripts, for which I give him a lot of credit. > > I just don’t think he deserves all the acclaim he gets. He is a good actor, not a great one. No, he’s a great one. One of the very best, in fact. Watch _Boogie Nights_ and _Scent of a Woman_ back to back. He deserves every ounce of praise that he gets. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/124 "2011-11-22T18:53:22Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > No, he’s a great one. One of the very best, in fact. Watch _Boogie Nights_ and _Scent of a Woman_ back to back. > > He deserves every ounce of praise that he gets. For a run-of-the-mill action picture I thought he was great in Mission Impossible III. His villian was so evil I wish he would have saved the performance and used it as a non-literal Penguin in the rebooted Batman franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/125 "2011-11-22T20:06:35Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > No, he’s a great one. One of the very best, in fact. Watch _Boogie Nights_ and _Scent of a Woman_ back to back. > > He deserves every ounce of praise that he gets. No “great” actor would have turned in the godawful fake accent he did in _Cold Mountain_. (Delivered in his usual style.) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/126 "2011-11-22T20:14:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_Q](#): > > Surprised nobody’s mentioned Christopher Walken yet. I thought he played the wonderfully flawed father of Leonardo DeCaprio in _Catch Me If You Can,_ 180 degrees away from his usual character. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/127 "2011-11-22T20:19:01Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > No “great” actor would have turned in the godawful fake accent he did in _Cold Mountain_. (Delivered in his usual style.) Never saw it, but he doesn’t have a usual style. We’re both from Georgia, I think, so I’m with you on crappy accents. I’m not going to hold that against him, since born-and-bred southerners usually can’t even turn in a passable genteel accent on screen. In other words, plenty of great actors turn in crappy accents from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/128 "2011-11-22T21:08:56Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Re Bill Murray as laconic, dry, etc… I’ll give you all those EXCEPT “Ed Wood”- his John “Bunny” Breckinridge WASN’T all that & a bag of smarmy on top? Fair enough. It’s been so long since I’ve seen it, wasn’t sure if that was one of his roles that he was “Bill Murray” or not. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/129 "2011-11-22T21:43:50Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > If you honestly think the Oh Brother Clooney is the same as the Michael Clayton Clooney there’s something more going on here. Oh lord, I just realized this turned into just another Bash Actors I Don’t Like (Especially If I Don’t Like Their Politics) thread. Silly me. I’m surprised a teabagger hasn’t weighed in with Sean Penn’s “lack of range.” I agree with Sitnam–I only see Clooney in every one of those roles, so he epitomizes what the OP is looking for, as does John Wayne. Whereas Sean Penn is an unbelievable ACTOR. I watched the movie MILK, and I could not find Sean Penn in there. Another example of great acting is Billy Bob Thornton in Sling Blade; again, I can’t find the actor in there, it’s all the character. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/130 "2011-11-22T23:16:56Z")
It’s always funny: people _think_ they know what actors, especially famous actors, are like in real life. The actors seem so familiar. But the people who think so are flat out wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/131 "2011-11-22T23:28:31Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Morgan Freeman. Seems like the same guy in every movie he’s in. Seems like the same guy in real life. If you want to see Morgan Freeman doing something different, and doing it well, check out a movie called _[Street Smart](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Smart_(film))_. He plays a creepy, scary bad guy brilliantly. Christopher Reeves, of all people, turns in a pretty decent performance as well. The film was directed by the occasionally brilliant Jerry Schatzberg. ---
**Author:** ![Untoward\_Parable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Untoward\_Parable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Untoward_Parable)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/132 "2011-11-22T23:32:34Z")
I don’t know but every time I see Steven Hawking in everything he sounds exactly the same. They even have to jazz it up with background music to cover it up. Really how many ways can you glare into a camera, geez. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/133 "2011-11-23T02:31:44Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > It’s always funny: people _think_ they know what actors, especially famous actors, are like in real life. The actors seem so familiar. But the people who think so are flat out wrong. Aw, c’mon. Even Sam Elliot admitted that he always played Sam Elliot. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/134 "2011-11-23T02:38:53Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > **Equipoise** and **Knorf** , what is the one Clooney movie that best illustrates his incredible range? > > I will watch it. **O Brother, Where Art Thou?** by the Coen Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/135 "2011-11-23T04:52:23Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I’m not talking about actors that are terrible actors (Julia Roberts) or those that are typecast into one role (Richard Gere). I’m talking about well-known actors that just show up on set and the director tells them to be themselves no matter what they do. My examples: > > Mickey Rourke: I think the director just tells him to hang aorund on the set and then shoots the scene without him knowing. Hell, I don’t think he goes to Costume but is wearing his regular street clothes. I have to disagree with this characterization. Did you see _Spun_ or _The Wrestler_? I didn’t even realize it was him in _Spun_ until the credits ran. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/136 "2011-11-23T05:31:48Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > **Equipoise** and **Knorf** , what is the one Clooney movie that best illustrates his incredible range? > > I will watch it. I’m pretty sure it will require at least _two_ films to show _range_. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/137 "2011-11-23T05:38:09Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > If you honestly think the Oh Brother Clooney is the same as the Michael Clayton Clooney there’s something more going on here. Oh lord, I just realized this turned into just another Bash Actors I Don’t Like (Especially If I Don’t Like Their Politics) thread. Silly me. I’m surprised a teabagger hasn’t weighed in with Sean Penn’s “lack of range.” Sean Penn is such a freakin self-righteous egomaniac that its impossible to watch him in any role without having his stupidity slap us in the face. Actors should remain in the background. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/138 "2011-11-23T05:52:02Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > **O Brother, Where Art Thou?** by the Coen Brothers. The Men Who Stare at Goats - not a good movie, but a different character. ---
**Author:** ![Untoward\_Parable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/51bf81/32.png) [@Untoward\_Parable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Untoward_Parable)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/139 "2011-11-23T07:21:43Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Sean Penn is such a freakin self-righteous egomaniac that its impossible to watch him in any role without having his stupidity slap us in the face. Actors should remain in the background. pretty sure this becomes “wonderful asset to humanity.” if you agree with him lol. If it were less offensive to people that others have strongly expressed political views maybe the world wouldn’t suck so much. Just a probably true thought lol. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343/140 "2011-11-23T20:59:52Z")
> [@Untoward\_Parable](#): > > pretty sure this becomes “wonderful asset to humanity.” if you agree with him lol. If it were less offensive to people that others have strongly expressed political views maybe the world wouldn’t suck so much. Just a probably true thought lol. Audiences watching actors are supposed to suspend belief and imagine that the actor is the character he is playing. When we see Penn for example on the screen we are reminded of the guy who likes to shoot his mouth off, not the character he is playing. Part of the reason the world sucks so much is that people have strongly expressed political views. This is an indication that they are rigid thinkers and more interested in lecturing than listening. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-that-dont-really-act/603343.md?page=8)