# 'Bad' actors who you still enjoy watching **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [August 30, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465 "2024-08-30T14:42:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/1 "2024-08-30T14:42:19Z")
Continuing the discussion from [Actors/resses that makes you NOT want to see a movie](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-resses-that-makes-you-not-want-to-see-a-movie/1006077/180): What makes for a ‘bad’ actor is entirely subjective, of course. Hence the quote marks. But this comment from the other thread: > [@Actors/resses that makes you NOT want to see a movie](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-resses-that-makes-you-not-want-to-see-a-movie/1006077/180): > > I agree Nicolas Cage “over-acts” but also agree with Si\_Amigo: “other [Cage movies] are great for his overacting abilities.” …got me thinking. I agree with the Nick Cage assessment. I will watch nearly anything Cage is in, because I enjoy seeing what oddball acting quirk he decides to incorporate into his latest performance. Is it manic scenery chewing (most of his movies)? Is it deciding his character never blinks, as in that angel movie I can’t remember the name of and don’t feel like looking up? Is it not saying a word while kicking supernaturally possessed animatronic ass, as in that ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ ripoff, the actual name of which I also can’t remember? Or is it going entirely the opposite of his usual instinct and completely underplaying the role, as in ‘Pig’? Always a fun surprise with that guy. Another ‘bad’ actor whose movies I nevertheless usually enjoy is Keanu Reeves. He is in general pretty wooden as an actor and utterly fails at any attempt at an accent other than ‘Cali surfer dude’. He always seems to play himself in every role. His most successful roles seem to lean into this, as in the ‘Bill and Ted’ movies, or ‘The Matrix’, in which his Neo character seemed to be a toned-down version of Ted-- ‘whoah’. Yet, I can’t help liking the actor himself, and by extension most of the characters he plays. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/2 "2024-08-30T14:56:12Z")
Christopher Walken is so bad he’s mesmerizing. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/3 "2024-08-30T14:59:50Z")
I recently listened to a podcast with an actor who worked with Walken (unfortunately I can’t remember the actor nor the podcast right now). He said that Walken’s #1 acting tip to him was ‘ignore all punctuation in the script’. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/4 "2024-08-30T15:11:33Z")
> [@solost](#): > > _Another ‘bad’ actor whose movies I nevertheless usually enjoy is Keanu Reeves._ I wouldn’t call either of them “bad” actors. More like acquired tastes. In his younger years, I singled out **Keanu Reeves** as one of the worst actors I’d ever seen. Wooden and totally inept. In recent years, I’ve mellowed toward him. He’s a good action star, as the “Matrix” movies bear out. And I’ve read that he’s a pretty good guy in real life who isn’t full of himself, treats people well on the set and is always willing to meet and greet fans. For a long time, I couldn’t stand **Nick Cage** , but I’ve warmed up to him too. He has the ability to elevate whatever crap he signs up to do, and really shines when he has a good role to play. I’ve always thought **Julia Stiles** was a bad actress who seemed to be in every other movie for a while there. I’ve never changed my mind about her. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/5 "2024-08-30T15:14:54Z")
[quote=“solost, post:1, topic:1006465”] He always seems to play himself in every role. [/quote] Some very successful stars, in my opinion, seem to play themselves, even though they might have the acting chops. Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, James Garner, Robert Mitchum just off the top of my head. And why not, if it’s getting you the big paychecks! ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/6 "2024-08-30T15:18:55Z")
I enjoy **Jean Claude van Damme** ’s movies–he is very charismatic and is able poke fun at himself unlike his rival Steven Seagal, I also for the most part enjoy **Arnold Schwarzenegger** ’s movies as well. I know people consider both of them to be be “bad” actors but I have watched a lot of low budget action and sci-fi movies with actors who **NOT** capable of acting at the level that both van Damme and Schwarzenegger are. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/7 "2024-08-30T15:37:47Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > I wouldn’t call either of them “bad” actors. More like acquired tastes. As I said in the OP, I put quote marks around ‘bad’ because it is very subjective. How about “Actors who some consider ‘bad’, who you still enjoy watching”. And I agree with you about Keanu. He has found his niche as an action star, and I understand he trained very intensely for the ‘John Wick’ movies, and it showed. But, I mean, he doesn’t have the range to try to pull off something like, say, Shakespeare 🙄 Oh, wait… > **[Much Ado About Nothing (1993) ⭐ 7.3 | Comedy, Drama, Romance](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107616/)** > > 1h 51m | PG-13 ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/8 "2024-08-30T15:59:38Z")
But have either ever presented themselves as anything other than action movie stars? I think that’s a critical distinction here; people are happy to shit all over JCVD and Arnold for being bad actors, but from what I can tell, neither has really ever aspired for anything other than what they’ve achieved in terms of acting. And I agree- they’re reasonably competent at what they do. I was actually surprised a bit watching FUBAR on Netflix- Arnold is definitely a better actor than he used to be. I feel like if your goal is to be a [_something_]-turned action star, then maybe people ought not be comparing you to Laurence Olivier or Daniel Day-Lewis. But if you’re an actor first and primarily, then maybe that is the comparison that should be made. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/9 "2024-08-30T16:03:33Z")
> [@solost](#): > > Nick Cage > [@solost](#): > > Keanu Reeves > [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Christopher Walken This list make me think the definition of “bad actors” is “actors who are always blatantly themselves playing a role, rather than disappearing into their performance.” ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/10 "2024-08-30T16:13:39Z")
Your homework assignment: watch **Maggie** and report back. The movie stars Arnold as a farmer dad and Abigail Breslin as his daughter who is infected with the zombie virus and is slowly turning. Arnold hired an acting coach and IMHO delivers the goods. Very little gore for you non-zombie-movie lovers. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/11 "2024-08-30T16:13:45Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > I enjoy **Jean Claude van Damme** ’s movies–he is very charismatic and is able poke fun at himself unlike his rival Steven Seagal, The only film in which I felt he actually gave a performance was the quite meta _JCVD_. You can usually tell if he’s back on the nose candy, I think…his line deliveries in _Expendables 2_ are jaw-dropping. “Put them…on the plane!” then gesturing after pausing a second. _No Retreat, No Surrender_ also has some gems, though it was one of his very first ones, and there’s only so much you can do with dialogue like “So. It is you. The Son. Is it not?” ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/12 "2024-08-30T16:13:50Z")
For Reeves and Walken I would tend to agree with you, but not Cage. As I said in the OP, you never know quite _ **what** _ you’re going to get with a Cage performance, and that’s half the fun. ---
**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:** [August 30, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/13 "2024-08-30T16:15:14Z")
> [@solost](#): > > As I said in the OP, you never know quite _ **what** _ you’re going to get with a Cage performance, and that’s half the fun. IIRC, nobody knew he was going to do an Adam West homage in one movie until the cameras actually started rolling. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/14 "2024-08-30T16:16:18Z")
> [@solost](#): > > For Reeves and Walken I would tend to agree with you, but not Cage. As I said in the OP, you never know quite _ **what** _ you’re going to get with a Cage performance, and that’s half the fun. I suspect Cage really just comes to set ready to play; I know he was a paycheck player for a few years to get out from under his tax debt, but he’s capable of terrific, nuanced work. Check out _Matchstick Men_, or _The Weather Man_. His supporting role in _Snowdon_ is remarkably understated and suggests that in another life he could have been an always-working character actor. And _Lord of War_ has a few moments of histronics, but overall it’s a great performance. ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/15 "2024-08-30T16:25:03Z")
There are some godawful performances that I find somewhat endearing. _The Resident Evil_ series is chock full of them. Pretty much every line reading by Sienna Guillory in _RE: Apocalypse_ had me gobsmacked that, apparently, nobody asked for a second take? And Milla Jovovich gives the same performance (ie: it’s allegedly a performance) in all six movies, but I have a soft spot for her. I kinda appreciate Christophe Lambert as well. His utter incompetence with accents and his general unpickiness with scripts should sink him in my estimation, but the _Highlander_ series is a guilty pleasure for me. I’ve only seen one French-lanugage performance from him (Besson’s _Subway_) but he exudes the exact same commitment to screen presence as in his English films. My fave moment with Lambert was in _Mortal Kombat_, where he cracks up laughing, excuses himself, continues with the line…_and it’s left in the film_. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/16 "2024-08-30T19:56:51Z")
Danny Trejo. Maybe he’s got all kinds of range and there might be some amazing performance of his that I have missed but my experience has been that Danny Trejo plays the role of Danny Trejo in every movie he is in. I have a sneaking suspicion he’s still kind of amazed that Hollywood lets him be in movies which is why he says yes to anything and everything. This may be a hot take but I think Samuel L. Jackson falls into the same category. Now I know he has done some great work over the years but these days he’s basically in films to say MF just so. He also seems to dislike passing up roles. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/17 "2024-08-30T20:03:53Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Danny Trejo. > [@DWMarch](#): > > Samuel L. Jackson…these days he’s basically in films to say MF just so. Good ones! And yeah, nobody can lay down a ‘MF’ like Samuel L. Jackson can. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/18 "2024-08-30T20:10:14Z")
I think Bruce Campbell is hilariously bad, but I like watching him in Burn Notice and the Evil Dead movies. Ron Livingston is pretty bad, but likeable enough in his roles. Kyle Maclachlan is a terrible actor, but I enjoyed his part in Sex and the City. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/19 "2024-08-30T20:35:29Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > This list make me think the definition of “bad actors” is “actors who are always blatantly themselves playing a role, rather than disappearing into their performance.” I like to think of those guys as movie stars, instead of actors. You don’t go to see a movie star pretend to be someone else, you go to see the movie star be “themselves” in a bunch of different situations. “What if Keanu Reeves hunted vampires?” “What if Keanu Reeves was in space?” “What if Keanu Reeves fought in WWII?” (“Themselves” is in scare quotes, because they’re not really playing themselves, they’re playing their stage persona.) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465/20 "2024-08-30T21:40:12Z")
> [@solost](#): > > And yeah, nobody can lay down a ‘MF’ like Samuel L. Jackson can But he’s such a sweet man; reads his kids to sleep at night (NSFW): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SDCqgHLX8Ys/hqdefault.jpg "Go the Fuck to Sleep Read by Samuel L Jackson HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDCqgHLX8Ys) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-actors-who-you-still-enjoy-watching/1006465.md?page=2)