# Actors with the Greatest Range **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333 "2007-01-31T22:26:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kizarvexius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Kizarvexius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kizarvexius)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/41 "2007-02-01T17:12:17Z")
Yet another nomination for **Gary Oldman**. And for his partner-in-crime from one of my all-time favorite movies (_Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead_) **Tim Roth**. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/42 "2007-02-01T18:12:57Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] I’ll suggest another surprise choice with **Leo DiCaprio**. Damn good job as Howard Hughes, I thought. He seems to do a wide range of accents well. At least he does a Southern accent well. His South African accent and Boston accent also sound pretty good to my ears, but who am I to judge those? [/QUOTE] And he played a convincing Arnie in _Gilbert Grape_, IMO. I agree with Frances McDormand for female vote. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/43 "2007-02-01T18:41:51Z")
[QUOTE=Improv Geek] **Hank Azaria** - I have to disagree that he is always Hank Azaria. From TV Exec in Quiz Show to faux-hero in Mystery Men to reporter in Tuesdays with Morrie all the way to Huff. He’s got range. – IG [/QUOTE] Range is his voice over work too. I think he does more work on the Simpsons than anyone. And he can sing and dance on stage too. ---
**Author:** ![candide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/46a35a/32.png) [@candide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/candide)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/44 "2007-02-01T18:46:27Z")
You all have mentioned Hank Azaria and Bryan Cranston but have forgotten **Tom Hanks** , \*\*Robert DeNiro \*\* and **Anthony Hopkins**. WTF? I won’t get into their qualifications. I think their respective bodies of work speak clearly. For my money, the finest, most versatile american actor working who has never won an Oscar is **Ed Harris**. He is good at action, melodrama and even comedy. A close second for me is **Randy Quaid**. His forte is comedy, but he can also be menacing as in _Brokeback Mountain_. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/45 "2007-02-01T18:52:08Z")
The late, great Jerry Orbach. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/46 "2007-02-01T18:56:49Z")
[QUOTE=Joey P] I’ll second Sean Penn. One of my favorites. Him doing Django in Sweet and Lowdown was the movie that made me realize his talent. [/QUOTE] Agreed. After seeing him in **Carlito’s Way** , it took me a long time to stop hating him and remember that he was _acting_. He just owned that character through and through. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/47 "2007-02-01T18:57:53Z")
[QUOTE=candide] You all have mentioned Hank Azaria and Bryan Cranston but have forgotten **Tom Hanks** , \*\*Robert DeNiro \*\* and **Anthony Hopkins**. WTF? I won’t get into their qualifications. I think their respective bodies of work speak clearly. For my money, the finest, most versatile american actor working who has never won an Oscar is **Ed Harris**. He is good at action, melodrama and even comedy. A close second for me is **Randy Quaid**. His forte is comedy, but he can also be menacing as in _Brokeback Mountain_. [/QUOTE] I think DeNiro is a classic example of a guy with limited range. Great actor for what he does, but it’s within a pretty narrow spectrum. When he does do something out of his element (like the stroke victim), it’s too obviously out of his element. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/48 "2007-02-01T19:01:12Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Robin Williams. His comic work is far different from his serious roles. [/QUOTE] Funny, I would have mentioned him in a thread titled Actors with the Greatest Lack of Range. In my opinion, he’s a binary state- comedy (wild, goofy, overcaffienated zany motormouth), and drama (cornball deadpan visibly-trying-to-restrain-his-overcaffienated persona). Oldman, Hanks, Pacino, Hoffman (Dustin), Hoffman (Philip Seymour), Nicholson, Helena Bonham Carter, Blanchett, Forest Whitaker, Helen Mirren, Streep. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/49 "2007-02-01T19:04:19Z")
[QUOTE=McNew] Funny, I would have mentioned him in a thread titled Actors with the Greatest Lack of Range. In my opinion, he’s a binary state- comedy (wild, goofy, overcaffienated zany motormouth), and drama (cornball deadpan visibly-trying-to-restrain-his-overcaffienated persona). [/QUOTE] Same here, but I didn’t want to get into it. Carrey is sort of the same way. When people talk about these two “acting”, they really just mean, “they’re not hamming it up”. And when they’re hamming it up, I think Carrey has a better ability to create new personas than does Williams. I have very little respect for Williams out side of some of his stand-up. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/50 "2007-02-01T19:18:02Z")
I’d like to chime in with Gary Oldman - even when he was playing “himself” in _Friends_ I never thought he could be funny, he was hilarious! I also thought Philip Seymour Hoffman was excellent in 24th Hour (Ed Norton was good too), Boogie Nights and Scent of a Woman ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/51 "2007-02-01T20:30:22Z")
[QUOTE=Ghanima] Agreed. After seeing him in **Carlito’s Way** , it took me a long time to stop hating him and remember that he was _acting_. He just owned that character through and through. [/QUOTE] I had a hard time even believing that was him. He looked and acted sooo different. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/52 "2007-02-01T20:46:17Z")
\*\*Leonard diCaprio \*\* can really immerse himself into a role as can Ed Norton. \*\*Helen Mirren \*\* captivates me every time she’s on the screen. \*\*Charlize Theron \*\* is the female equivalent of Brad Pitt. And someone who surprises me with his versatility is **Steve Carrell**. He’s very good looking but you don’t notice it because he can act like such a buffoon. I’d love to see what he could do with a non-comedic role. ---
**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:** [February 1, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/53 "2007-02-01T21:29:36Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Phillip Seymour Hoffman has incredible range. From the house boy in the _Big Lebowski_, to the buffoon who “sharted” in _Along Came Polly_ to \*Capote \*to the sad sack in _Owning Mahowney_ to the raving bad guy in _MI:III_. . .there’s just nothing you can nail down as a “phillip seymour hoffman” role. “Range” defines him. If anyone has seen _Along Came Polly_ and _Capote_, he’s completely believable in basically two roles that are the complete opposite of each other. [/QUOTE] Don’t forget about _The Talented Mr. Ripley_ and _Boogie Nights_. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/54 "2007-02-01T21:46:46Z")
I think Johnny Depp has great range has an actor. He is amazing. I would agree with many of the folks mentioned in this thread - but not Jack Nicholson. He comes on the screen and it’s just “there’s Jack Nicholson” again for me. Yep he’s got movie star charisma, but I don’t see that he’s a great actor. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/55 "2007-02-01T21:50:38Z")
Can I add Tim Curry - I did not recognize him in _Legend_. Granted that was an elaborate costume, but I still thought it was pretty good ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/56 "2007-02-01T21:53:15Z")
[QUOTE=Dooku] Don’t forget about _The Talented Mr. Ripley_ [/QUOTE] Which reminds me of another that has surprised me with his talent: **Matt Damon**. Knowing him from _Good Will Hunting_ (smart, but a reckless social moron fratboy mentality) and _Dogma_ (fratboy mentality vengeful fallen angel), or even inexperienced conman and thief (_Oceans Eleven_ and _Twelve_), I would never have expected a nuanced kid rattled by war (_Saving Private Ryan_) or calculating assassin with an undercurrent of heart (_Bourne Identity_ and _Supremacy_) or just plain evil (_Talented Mr Ripley_). Not to mention his hilarious cameo in _Eurotrip_. When watching _Bourne Identity_, it would not cross my mind “this is the same guy as _Good Will Hunting_.” And from what I’ve heard about _The Good Shepherd_ (which I’ve not yet seen, but not from lack of desire), Damon’s evolved quite a long way from a bizarre Kevin Smith character. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2007, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/57 "2007-02-01T23:44:16Z")
[QUOTE=vivalostwages] He was also the dentist Tim Whatley in **Seinfeld**. He really is a great physical comedian, but I’m sure he has more to show than that. [/QUOTE] He also (convinvingly) played Buzz Aldrin in the HBO miniseries _From the Earth to the Moon_. The Two Kevins (Kline and Spacey), as well as Cary Elwes, have all played a wide variety of roles convincingly. But my vote goes with Gary Oldman; he’s consistently more villainous than Alan Rickman (yet one more actor with good “range”). Kline: comedy, drama, comedy-drama, romantic comedy, stage (singing and Shakespeare) Spacey: dunno about his stage career, but his Bobby Darin impersonation in _Beyond The Sea_ was moving. He _is_ Keyser Soze! Elwes: comedy, drama, good guy, bad guy, you name it, he’s done it. Rickman: same as above, with the ability to go “over the top” or to tone it way down to totally understated. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/58 "2007-02-02T00:48:47Z")
[QUOTE=Poysyn] Can I add Tim Curry - I did not recognize him in _Legend_. Granted that was an elaborate costume, but I still thought it was pretty good [/QUOTE] I feel ashamed that I forgot Tim Curry. Truly ashamed. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/59 "2007-02-02T02:07:27Z")
[QUOTE=well he’s back] I would agree with many of the folks mentioned in this thread - but not Jack Nicholson. He comes on the screen and it’s just “there’s Jack Nicholson” again for me. [/QUOTE] I agree. And I would say the same of Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I don’t know what people see in this guy. From what I see, he always just seems to be playing a slight variation on… Phillip Seymour Hoffman. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333/60 "2007-02-02T03:42:01Z")
I know some people are gonna barf, but… Eddie Murphy Yes, he uses a lot of latex to create his characters, but he really does transform into another person. For what it’s worth I’m a film/acting snob from way back, but I give props to Eddie. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-with-the-greatest-range/390333.md?page=4)