# Actors who have negative charisma **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 15, 2006, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795 "2006-06-15T12:35:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/41 "2006-06-15T16:25:56Z")
I disagree with those who say Jeff Daniels and Nick Cage, I generally will see a movie just because they are in them. But that’s just my opinion. I do agree with Jennifer Love Hewitt, if she’s in it, I avoid it, like the plague. I can’t stand James Spader, I use to like him. I think he’s a good actor, but I’ve seen him play the same effing character for so long that I just think “sleaze” at the mere mention of his name. He _depresses_ me. Hugh Grant. The bloke makes me want to rip out my femoral artery and choke myself with it. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/42 "2006-06-15T16:41:20Z")
William Holden: I guess he was supposed to be the guy at the center of the movie with integrity, but he always came off as cranky. David Jansen: He was brooding, right? That was that “interior acting” he was doing? What a wet blanket. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/43 "2006-06-15T16:49:03Z")
I get [Bill Pullman](http://imdb.com/name/nm0000597/) and [Bill Paxton](http://imdb.com/name/nm0000200/) mixed up, which is OK, because I hate them both. Submitted for your approval: Mr. Van Wilder himself, [Ryan Reynolds](http://imdb.com/name/nm0005351/), poster child for everything wrong with the cinmatic American male. And let’s not leave out [Johnny Knoxville](http://imdb.com/name/nm0424216/)! On second thought, let’s leave him out. Of life. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/44 "2006-06-15T16:52:52Z")
> [@Sir Prize](#): > > I think that he should have won the Oscar for The Squid and the Whale. Which one was he? ---
**Author:** ![jaderabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc29f/32.png) [@jaderabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaderabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/45 "2006-06-15T16:59:52Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > Josh Hartnett. > > Also, Ethan Hawke has a little of that effect on me, although that’s hard to reconcile with my opinion that _Before Sunset_ is one of the best 5 movies of the decade and I’m a big fan _Training Day_ and many of his other movies. You know, that general look just puts me to sleep. Those sort of thick-faced young actors who tend to have mussed-up hair all run together for me. Hawke gets more interesting as he gets older; maybe Hartnett will, too. Ziyi Zhang for me. She’s pretty in the right outfit, but she’s dull. I’d much rather watch almost any of her co-stars in almost any movie; she’s usually heavily outclassed. Heck, her dance double from _House of Flying Daggers_ stole the show from her. ---
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/46 "2006-06-15T18:23:52Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > Submitted for your approval: Mr. Van Wilder himself, [Ryan Reynolds](http://imdb.com/name/nm0005351/), poster child for everything wrong with the cinmatic \*\*American \*\*male. Perhaps because he’s Canadian? ---
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/47 "2006-06-15T18:34:49Z")
> [@Miss Mapp](#): > > What about Robert Taylor? Every old movie I see him starring in makes me wonder why on earth this man was ever considered a leading actor. He was such a non-entity. Gotta agree with this one. One of my favorite old movies is _Ivanhoe_. I’ve gotten my daughter hooked on it. But once the fond childhood memories have eroded away, it becomes perfectly clear that Robert Taylor has about as much of a dramatic range as a Douglas fir. And not an especially talented Douglas fir, either. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/48 "2006-06-15T18:41:40Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > You’ll get no argument here. I always thought Garbo died of boredom in _Camille_. “I vant to be alone, you borink sonofabitch!” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/49 "2006-06-15T18:47:13Z")
No Keanu votes yet? Shocking. ---
**Author:** ![Ensign\_Edison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@Ensign\_Edison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ensign_Edison)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/50 "2006-06-15T18:50:04Z")
> [@Dooku](#): > > No Keanu votes yet? Shocking. His problem is the opposite. He’s nothing but charisma. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/51 "2006-06-15T18:56:47Z")
> [@Kizarvexius](#): > > […] Robert Taylor has about as much of a dramatic range as a Douglas fir. And not an especially talented Douglas fir, either. All Taylor had going for him was a reasonably handsome mug and a knack of wearing clothes well. He drives me a little nuts with his delivery: every line sounds the same in that slightly sardonic middle-western mutter of his. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/52 "2006-06-15T19:00:35Z")
I **know** I’ll get some disagreement, but for me, personally: Burt Reynolds, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damm (sp?), Jennifer Lopez. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/53 "2006-06-15T19:15:45Z")
Patrick Swayze and Richard Gere. Especially Swayze. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/54 "2006-06-15T19:17:51Z")
Steven Seagal. Sorry, but Tobey Maguire. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/55 "2006-06-15T19:30:05Z")
> [@volvelle](#): > > _ **Thank you!** _ I _hate_ Ben Stiller. Hate him, hate him, hate him, hate him. Seriously hate him. See, to me someone that inspires that much energy does not have “negative charisma”, at least the way I understand the OP. He inspires something in you, even if it’s hate!! I’m having a hard time thinking of someone, probably because they don’t stand out. I guess I’d have to echo William Hurt. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/56 "2006-06-15T19:30:31Z")
> [@soulmurk](#): > > I’d also like to throw out a runner-up: John Travolta. This man makes me physically ill to watch. I missed out on nekkid Halle (well, until it was Googleable) because of him. No, he _does_ have Charisma. It’s just that he can’t act, and personally hs is a sleaze. However playing himself, he was great in Grease. Other than that- _not so much._ ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/57 "2006-06-15T19:46:43Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Steven Seagal. Yeah, I was trying to come up with his name earlier, and couldn’t. That, in itself, says buckets. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/58 "2006-06-15T19:46:55Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > For actresses, I will say Sandy Duncan who appears to have retired. I never understood her appeal, she always came across as Sandy Duncan, and as Sandy Duncan she always came across as Bland and boring. > > Jim Sandy Duncan had a sparkle in her eye and a smile that could light up a room. She was the Meg Ryan of her day. Her only problem was that she was a far better stage performer than a movie actress. Tom Selleck comes across great on TV. Put him in a movie and he sinks it. To me, Matthew Broderick is the dullest performer on the face of the earth. Ture, I’ve never seen him perform live, but I can’t see why anyone likes him. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/59 "2006-06-15T19:54:33Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Sandy Duncan had a sparkle in her eye and a smile that could light up a room. She was the Meg Ryan of her day. Her only problem was that she was a far better stage performer than a movie actress. > … > To me, Matthew Broderick is the dullest performer on the face of the earth. Ture, I’ve never seen him perform live, but I can’t see why anyone likes him. I agree to disagree on Sandy. On Matthew, I think it is based on his early work. He was so good in Wargames, Ladyhawke and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that if he wanted to, he could coast on that. I think he was also excellent in The Freshman, Glory & Biloxi Blues and good in Election. Jim ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795/60 "2006-06-15T19:54:47Z")
I have to fifth (sixth? seventh?) **Nicholas Cage**. Watching him try to act is like watching old people try to have sex. Ugh. I can’t think of a single actor that I dislike more. There are apparently some decent movies that I’ve never seen, because he was in them. Regarding **James Spader** , I actually love him, just because he is so very depressing. He was one of the only redeeming parts of _Crash_ for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-have-negative-charisma/360795.md?page=4)