# Actors who keep getting work who should never work again. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 30, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314 "2016-09-30T21:33:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/62 "2016-10-05T22:20:55Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Jonah Hill. Hollywood seems to love him (2 Oscar nominations - 2!!!) But I just don’t get it. He started out getting roles in every movie made as the fat dick-ish funny-ish guy, then somehow got morphed into fat disk-ish funny-ish guy with Oscar nominations. Eff me…I thought you said Jonah Hex…I was about to say, “Josh Brolin”??? you are high sir! ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/63 "2016-10-05T22:22:29Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Exactly. > > I don’t like Will Ferrell at all, but he’s made some very successful comedies. THAT is why he works steadily, not because studio execs have some irrational love for the guy. > > Tom Cruise strikes me as a weird guy, but he’s a handsome guy, he’s made a lot of highly profitable movies, has been quite good in many of them, and has a reputation as a hard working actor who’s easy to get along with on the set. Why WOULDN’T he work steadily? Ferrell also gets work because his peers and his directors think he’s incredibly talented. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/64 "2016-10-05T22:30:28Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > I thought he did a fairly fantastic job in Luke Cage, myself. I’ve been watching it with my wife and I keep saying, “Wow, I guess he needed to play a villain just to emote some.” I think it is the only role I’ve seen him in that he did a good job in. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/65 "2016-10-05T22:38:31Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Ferrell also gets work because his peers and his directors think he’s incredibly talented. In France? :eek:😕 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/66 "2016-10-05T23:00:41Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Ferrell also gets work because his peers and his directors think he’s incredibly talented. Casting couch…? Because I honestly can’t see how that flabby-assed lame bag-o-dicks-in-a-curly-clown-wig gets work in front of a camera. That or he has pictures of Woody Allen, Ron Howard, and Stephen Spielberg in bed… _thinks of Farrell’s talent again_ …In bed _ **with Sheep** _. …And speaking about a flabby-assed lame bag-o-dicks-in-a-curly-clown-wig getting work in front of a camera… well we’re back at Jonah Hill again… ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/67 "2016-10-05T23:12:50Z")
Admitting that I haven’t seen anything he’s done in this century, I feel that Chevy Chase was awesome on the first season (plus some of the second) of SNL, and was still funny on an NBC special showcasing him shortly after he left SNL (IIRC). Then he bombed in Foul Play, and has been a zero ever since. I wanted to keep liking him but eventually quit trying. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/68 "2016-10-05T23:26:06Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Admitting that I haven’t seen anything he’s done in this century, I feel that Chevy Chase was awesome on the first season (plus some of the second) of SNL, and was still funny on an NBC special showcasing him shortly after he left SNL (IIRC). Then he bombed in Foul Play, and has been a zero ever since. I wanted to keep liking him but eventually quit trying. Was he good in Community? He was great in the vacation movies. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2016, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/69 "2016-10-06T00:34:00Z")
Foul Play was far from a bomb iirc. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/70 "2016-10-06T04:02:10Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Was he good in Community? > > He was great in the vacation movies. Never been a fan of Chase, but he was good in Community. The problem with Chase has always been less talent than inability to get along with people. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/71 "2016-10-06T04:29:01Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Admitting that I haven’t seen anything he’s done in this century, I feel that Chevy Chase was awesome on the first season (plus some of the second) of SNL, and was still funny on an NBC special showcasing him shortly after he left SNL (IIRC). Then he bombed in Foul Play, and has been a zero ever since. I wanted to keep liking him but eventually quit trying. Henh??? As another said, Foul Play was a hit. He of course was legendary in Caddyshack and did well in Vacation. As for Community…I like him but you know, the jokes are so fast paced and Chevyisms need a second to sink in. I feel like he’s out of place somewhat. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/72 "2016-10-06T05:53:46Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Foul Play was far from a bomb iirc. Hm. I remember the film getting tepid reviews and public reaction, but my memory could be failing me there. “Turkey” would have been a better term for me to have used, an opinion rather than supposed fact. ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/73 "2016-10-06T16:26:15Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I want to remind people that **Andie MacDowell** has had steady acting work for decades. > > Andie MacDowell. But see looks sooooooo good. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/74 "2016-10-06T16:43:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Actors who keep getting work who should never work again. No one. EVERYONE deserves a job. I see Nick Cage as, say, the Entertainment Director of a 3rd rate cruise ship. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/75 "2016-10-06T17:00:28Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Casting couch…? Because I honestly can’t see how that flabby-assed lame bag-o-dicks-in-a-curly-clown-wig gets work in front of a camera. > > That or he has pictures of Woody Allen, Ron Howard, and Stephen Spielberg in bed… > _thinks of Farrell’s talent again_ > > …In bed _ **with Sheep** _. ANCHORMAN 2 got the chance to gross $173M on a tiny $50M budget – in part because ANCHORMAN grossed $90M on a tinier $26M budget, and in part because of his work in between: BLADES OF GLORY ($145M on a $61M budget) and MEGAMIND ($320M on $130M). Hollywood then threw $40M into making GET HARD, which brought in $111M; and $69M into DADDY’S HOME, which brought in $240M. Now, none of that is as good a return on investment as ELF was – heck, none are as good a return on investment as OLD SCHOOL was – but I figure they did well enough that he doesn’t need to blackmail folks into letting him make money for them. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/76 "2016-10-06T19:46:19Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Including Jack Nicholson? :eek: I was all set to reconsider, then I decided screw it! If you run around with strays you shouldn’t be surprised if people assume you have fleas. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/77 "2016-10-06T20:24:18Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > She’s- within her limitations- OK, but she bought and promoted her way to the top of the Top 100 Hot women list, which is bogus. Promoting yourself is a fundamental part of the job of being an entertainer. Hey, you know that really famous actor who never promoted themselves? No, you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/78 "2016-10-06T20:27:40Z")
We all have actors who rub us the wrong way for one reason or another. I can certainly think of actors who annoy me, and who don’t seem very good at their jobs. But it’s not as if there isn’t a LOT of competition for work in show biz. So, if an actor works steadily, I have to assume that either 1. His work tends to make a lot of money, or 2. He has a reputation for being steady, competent, reliable and pleasant to work with. I know I repeat myself, but… a lot of people make fun of Ted McGinley. He’s seen as “the kiss of death” for many TV shows. But ask yourself, why did Garry Marshall hire him to star in “Young Doctors in Love”? Why did Aaron Sorkin hire him to play the news anchor on “West Wing”? Why did Aaron Spelling hire him to be on “Dynasty”? Because he’d worked with all three before, they all LIKED him, and all were eager to work with him again. Is Ted a master thespian? Not at all- but he’s a good looking guy who shows up on time, knows his lines, and gets along with everybody on set. Everyone who works with him seems to hire him again. Doesn’t that say SOMETHING good about him? Well, there are a lot of Ted McGinleys out there. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/79 "2016-10-06T20:34:47Z")
Sarah Jessica Parker Jennifer Tilly Jeremy Irons Bill Paxton and the other guy who looks like him Amanda Seyfried, aka “Halibut Girl” There was a time when I would have added Kirsten Dunst, but since her _Fargo_ stint, I’m a fan. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/80 "2016-10-07T06:00:09Z")
Jason Statham. I actually don’t begrudge him his success, but wow how someone with an extremely limited acting range and who basically plays the same character in every single movie is so popular is a mystery to me, his entire acting ability is to scowl a lot and make the occassional indecipherable comment. And…that’s pretty much it. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314/81 "2016-10-07T06:35:11Z")
Statham’s secret is that he simply picks good action movies to star in. If Steven Seagal would just let writers and directors do their jobs rather than acting like a pro wrestler who must never be seen to look bad even for a minute, he could have been Jason Statham. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-keep-getting-work-who-should-never-work-again/767314.md?page=5)