# Actors who stole the show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857 "2006-12-04T20:10:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/1 "2006-12-04T20:10:20Z")
I just finished watching _The School of Rock_ and thought Miranda Cosgrove was superb as Summer Hathaway,the bands manager. That got me thinking of other movies and shows I find enjoyable mostly because of one of the smaller roles, they are… Patrick McGoohan as Longshanks in _Braveheart_ (thought he was excellent as the judge in _A Time to Kill_ as well) Sam Rockwell as Billy the Kid in _The Green Mile_ and although it wasn’t a small role, Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday in _Tombstone_ also, Quagmire in _The Family Guy_ and Charger girl Shantel in_The NFL Cheerleader Playoffs_ Ok,so the last two aren’t actors but still make their shows much more enjoyable. Who steals the show for you? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/2 "2006-12-04T20:22:08Z")
Brian Cox as the _original_ Hannibal Lecktor (sic) in Michael Mann’s **Manhunter**. William Peterson was really good, but Lecktor undoubtedly stole the show – both the way the charcter was written, and the way Cox performed him (he seems more clearly insane and cooly sadistic than Anthony Hopkins in the same role). I’m not surprised Lector (respelled) got a meatier part in **silence of the Lambs**. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/3 "2006-12-04T20:43:25Z")
There are several shows that come to mind where minor actors stoled larger roles. Fronzie on Happy Days was suppose to be minor character and became the biggest character. Urkel on Familly Matters is another. On Night Court, Dan Fielding became the equal to Harry. This was not in the original conception. On Family Ties, Meredith Baxter Birney was to be the star with Michael Gross as #2. Michael J. Fox surpassed Meredith and Gross was probably less important than the other kids. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/4 "2006-12-04T20:49:09Z")
Beyonce in _Austin Powers in Goldmember_. For a glorified celebrity cameo, she displayed a lot more personality and screen presence than the professional actor/comedians. The movie seemed to come alive when she was speaking and go back to sleep when she was offscreen. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/5 "2006-12-04T21:04:37Z")
**Ian McShane** as Al Swearengen. Watching him was such a delight, you cocksucker. **Alan Rickman** in Die Hard. I cheered for the Bad Guy. \*\*Alan Rickman \*\* as Snape, in Harry Potter. Owns all the seens he is in. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/6 "2006-12-04T21:07:25Z")
Oh yes, for the **Alan Rickman Hatrick** Alan Rickman as The Sherrif of Nottingham. " I’ll carve his heart out with a spoon." Why a spoon? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/7 "2006-12-04T21:14:18Z")
This is hardly a small part, but **Pirates of the Carribean** didn’t really star **Johnny Depp** , **Orlando Bloom** , and **Keira Knightley**. It starred **Johnny Depp**. It also had other actors playing their parts in a perfectly fine fashion, but it was absolutely made by **Johnny Depp**. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/8 "2006-12-04T21:19:34Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] Oh yes, for the **Alan Rickman Hatrick** Alan Rickman as The Sherrif of Nottingham. " I’ll carve his heart out with a spoon." [/QUOTE] And cancel Christmas! I’d vote for Leo McKern; the only person to play #2 twice in “The Prisoner.” Watching him was much more interesting than watching McGoohan. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/9 "2006-12-04T21:30:55Z")
I agree with the Val Kilmere as Doc Holliday vote! Oh, that goofy show Family Matters - Steve Erkel wasn’t supposed to be the star. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/10 "2006-12-04T21:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=MaxTheVool] This is hardly a small part, but **Pirates of the Carribean** didn’t really star **Johnny Depp** , **Orlando Bloom** , and **Keira Knightley**. It starred **Johnny Depp**. It also had other actors playing their parts in a perfectly fine fashion, but it was absolutely made by **Johnny Depp**. [/QUOTE] Actually, I thought Geoffrey Rush more than held his own in that movie. He owned every scene he was in that Johnny Depp wasn’t, and was Depp’s equal in the scenes they shared. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/11 "2006-12-04T21:50:04Z")
Ben Kingsley in _Sexy Beast_. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/12 "2006-12-04T21:55:00Z")
Dakota Fanning cleaned Cruises clock in War of the Worlds. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/13 "2006-12-04T21:56:26Z")
Its even more amazing when a kid does it. My vote goes to **Brett Kelly** ] Who played Thurman Merman (the Kid) in **Bad Santa**. Going toe to to with Billy Bob Thorten screaming in his face, the kid never bats an eye and nails his lines perfect deadpan. The first time I saw that movie I honestly wondered if the kid had a true learning disorder. **Kirsten Dunst** in **Interview with a Vampire** - just a small child at the time and stealing scenes right and left. (I consider this a lesser task then Brett’s due to the fact that any adult with acting skills is pretty well equipped to out act Tom Cruise. And speaking of Val Kilmer, I’m surprised when he _doesn’t_ steal the show. One more notable - Mandy Patinkin - The Princess Bride ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/14 "2006-12-04T22:07:48Z")
[QUOTE=Shirley Ujest] Oh yes, for the **Alan Rickman Hatrick** Alan Rickman as The Sheriff of Nottingham. " I’ll carve his heart out with a spoon." [/quote] Surely, Shirley, you cannot have forgotten the marvellous Rickman ad-lib: “and bring a friend!” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/15 "2006-12-04T22:09:28Z")
If I remember correctly, [Desperately Seeking Susan](http://imdb.com/title/tt0089017/) was supposed to be a star vechicle for Rosanna Arquette. It probably would have been, if not for Madonna’s role as Susan. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/16 "2006-12-04T22:16:54Z")
[QUOTE=PoorYorick] If I remember correctly, [Desperately Seeking Susan](http://imdb.com/title/tt0089017/) was supposed to be a star vechicle for Rosanna Arquette. It probably would have been, if not for Madonna’s role as Susan. [/QUOTE] Wait, what? Rosanna “the incredibly cute” was the star of that movie and held that position. Madonna was simply the publicity angle for a movie with mostly unknowns. At least among my friends in the Navy, we all to the last man thought Rosanna was the better, funnier and prettier actress in the film and we looked forward to her future roles. Jim ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/17 "2006-12-04T22:32:33Z")
I thought Dame Judi Dench was absolutely deserving of her Oscar for the - what 9 minutes? - screen time she did for _Shakespeare in Love_. In that small time, in just three scenes, she created a complex, rich character with actual subtext and backstory and just plain weight. While I love the rest of the movie, and all the performances were great, it’s the Queen I think of when I think of that movie. It could have been a cardboard cutout role, but it wasn’t. “I know something of a woman in a man’s profession, yes, by God, I do know about that.” ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/18 "2006-12-04T22:34:23Z")
Jack Black in _High Fidelity_. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/19 "2006-12-04T22:42:52Z")
Toby Stephens in _Die Another Day_. Not a great movie, by any means, though _Once Were Warriors_’s Lee Tamahori made it better than most. But Stephens made it worth watching more than once. And let’s not forget another great child scene stealer: Anna Paquin was the best actor in _The Piano._ ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857/20 "2006-12-04T23:01:17Z")
I second Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast- an amazing performance that should have won the Oscar. Also, Gary Oldman in The Professional. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-who-stole-the-show/382857.md?page=2)