# Actors you hated in one role but loved in another **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397 "2016-05-09T15:23:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [May 10, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/21 "2016-05-10T19:22:30Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > also avowedly anti-Cruise, but his outsized character in “Magnolia” I had no problem with. > > I found Peter Sellers only _slightly_ amusing as Inspector Clouseau, (and in “The Party” - wore thin, quickly) but as Chauncey Gardener in “Being There” - one of the great comic characters, in one incredible, excellent film. > (and actually in “Dr. Strangelove” he was also fucking amazing) > > Anything I’ve seen Donald Pleasance in has made me want to take a shower afterwards - grossness - but in “Cul de Sac” he was quite funny, in - yes - his gross kinda way, I gotta say. > > Never much of a Sigourney Weaver fan but liked her in “Death and the Maiden”. > > Never liked Jane Fonda in anything but was superb in “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” > > “Glengarry Glen Ross” was the only thing I liked Alec Baldwin in. > > Always thought Robert Duvall was great but could take only ten minutes of him in “The Great Santini”. > > Not a Kevin Spacey fan, but sure does a mean Jimmy Stewart impersonation. Sellers in The Mouse That Roared Pleasance in The Great Escape Fonda in Klute Spacey in LA Confidential ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/22 "2016-05-11T05:28:24Z")
Thought of one, **Clifton James**. He was annoying as sheriff J.W. Pepper in two Bond movies, but good in _Cool Hand Luke_, _Silver Streak_, and (from what I remember) _The Untouchables_. I’m sure he wasn’t a southern lawman in all his roles. 94 years old, married to the same woman since '51, and IMDb shows him with a movie in pre-production. More power to ya, Clifton. And for that matter, **Roger Moore**. His Bond doesn’t really work for me, but he’s been good in a lot of other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/23 "2016-05-11T12:17:52Z")
I don’t care for Nick Cage in just about anything, but Raising Arizona wouldn’t have been the same without him. Go figure. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/24 "2016-05-11T12:27:29Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Here’s mine: I loved Keanu Reeves as the hapless dumbass during the first two thirds of The Matrix, and loathed him as the messiah for the remainder of the movie. He’s cast perfectly any time he’s cast as a hapless dumbass, and was brilliant at that role. But I could sooner believe the messiah was that container of moldy pasta in the back of my fridge than buy Reeves in the role. Reeves does dumbass well: see also _Parenthood_ and of course the _Bill and Ted_ films. And then there’s _Little Buddha_… It’s bad enough that they cast a white guy as the Buddha but **Keanu Reeves**??? On the Tom Cruise front I’m gonna add _Tropic Thunder_ to the “good” column. Holy crap I love him in that. The _Mission: Impossible_ films…eh, not so much. ETA that I also liked Reeves in the original _Point Break_. Again - bit of a dumbass, but that scene where he jumps out of the plane without a parachute nearly made me swallow my tongue. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/25 "2016-05-14T22:05:52Z")
Gene Hackman was pretty bad as Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski in “A Bridge Too Far” (why choose Hackman to play a Polish Colonel?? Alright, they wanted star power to finance an expensive war picture but still), pretty fine in other roles such as Popeye Doyle “French Connection”. ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/26 "2016-05-15T00:49:31Z")
Ty Burrell. I first saw him in some crappy sitcom that I had to google in order to remember the name of: Out of Practice. He played some kind of smarmy, arrogant, womanizing plastic surgeon or some such thing in that. He was supposed to be somewhat unlikable, I think, but in that sitcom-ish way where he’s actually kinda funny and likable. But I just thought he was horrible and should never, ever try to act again, especially in comedy. Now he’s one of my favorite sitcom characters ever as Phil Dunphy on Modern Family. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/27 "2016-05-15T13:10:12Z")
In 1936’s _Flash Gordon_, Charles Middleton (playing Ming the Merciless) is one of the worst actors in the cast. In 1940’s _Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe_, he is much better. Roger Moore is much better as the anti-Bond in _ffoulkes_ than he ever was as Bond. ---
**Author:** ![Goofus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7feea3/32.png) [@Goofus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goofus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/28 "2016-05-15T16:34:29Z")
Loved: Jack Black as himself on Yo Gabba Gabba Hated: Jack Black in anything else ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/29 "2016-05-15T18:09:34Z")
I think mine have already been mentioned. They’re essentially actors who are known for a comedy shtick that isn’t really my cup of tea, but have a director or producer really do something interesting with their specific talent. So we have Jim Carrey where I can’t really stand his regular comedies, but his particular touch of insanity was really appropriate in the Truman Show, and I thought pretty well integrated. Its hard to imagine anyone else doing as good a job with that. And we have Adam Sandler, who in general I really despise. But Punch Drunk Love was pretty good, and his otherwise man-child persona was put to good use. I don’t think Jack Black appeals to me in general, but he was perfect in Bernie. Also, I really liked his segment in the Documentary Now! parodies. Tom Cruise looks like he is a complete git in person, but films like Edge of Tomorrow actually convince me that he brings a lot to the table to justify his big salary. The blend of humor and convincing stunt work added a lot to the film, and I think he is a big part of carrying that. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/30 "2016-05-15T18:36:36Z")
Zoe Deschanel in the Tin Man was a wooden, monotone mess and not any better in Hitchiker’s Guide but was hilarious in Weeds and I adore New Girl. ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/31 "2016-05-15T18:53:17Z")
Couldn’t stand Crystal Bernard as Howard Cunningham’s niece at the end of the Happy Days run, but I liked her in Wings. ---
**Author:** ![asrareasreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@asrareasreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asrareasreal)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/32 "2016-05-15T20:58:04Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Robert deNiro is an amazing dramatic actor, who sucks at comedy and won’t quit trying. Hmm, I did like him in Analyze This (Analyze That was nowhere near as good) and Meet the Parents but that’s about it. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2016, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/33 "2016-05-15T21:51:55Z")
Halle Berry was great in _Monster’s Ball_, and has unerringly sucked ever since. Liam Neeson: excellent in _Schindler’s List_ and okay in _Taken_, but is just awful in most everything else. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/34 "2016-05-15T22:18:32Z")
Steve Martin sucked in his early films, but at about “All of Me,” he started putting it together and has been consistently good ever since. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/35 "2016-05-16T01:54:01Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > Gene Hackman was pretty bad as Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski in “A Bridge Too Far” (why choose Hackman to play a Polish Colonel?? Alright, they wanted star power to finance an expensive war picture but still), pretty fine in other roles such as Popeye Doyle “French Connection”. His 5-minute cameo in _Young Frankenstein_ was terrific, and probably the only comedic role I can think of that he was good in. _Get Shorty_, not so much. Sandy Dennis. GAWD I hated her character in _Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf_…whiny and obnoxious. And for that she won an Oscar? Really? Hmm…not sure I can think of a movie I liked her in. She was at least somewhat less obnoxious in _The Out-of-Towners_. But I love Jack Lemmon, so it didn’t matter so much anyway. ---
**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:** [May 16, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/36 "2016-05-16T02:35:50Z")
Eddie Murphy: _Beverly Hills Cop_ was outstanding, the rest not so much. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/37 "2016-05-16T04:15:49Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I couldn’t stand Vera Farmiga in, well anything. Her voice, her face, everything about her just grated on me. Until _Bates Motel._. I find her mesmerizing in her role as Norma. Huh. And I’ve liked her in everything I’ve seen her in except _Bates Motel_. I haven’t liked Peter Facinelli in anything…except _Fastlane_. In that he was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/38 "2016-05-16T06:06:44Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Eddie Murphy: _Beverly Hills Cop_ was outstanding, the rest not so much. I preferred _48 HRS_ to Beverly Hills Cop myself. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/39 "2016-05-16T09:12:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Eddie Murphy: _Beverly Hills Cop_ was outstanding, the rest not so much. Personally I think BHC has dated badly, but I loved Murphy in _Bowfinger_ and _Dreamgirls_ (I also like _Coming to America_ for various reasons but I wouldn’t call it a “good” movie). I find a lot of big stars can be overbearing and insufferable in movies they have to carry themselves, but when the focus isn’t all on them they can put in excellent performances. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397/40 "2016-05-16T12:04:52Z")
> [@Eddie The Horrible](#): > > also avowedly anti-Cruise, but his outsized character in “Magnolia” I had no problem with. I think that was the only role where the lil fella was just being himself. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-you-hated-in-one-role-but-loved-in-another/754397.md?page=3)