# Best acting by actors who aren't actors. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2006, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178 "2006-11-05T11:41:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/41 "2006-11-06T17:50:45Z")
[QUOTE=Albert Rose] I’d have to say that rappers are actors to begin with - they have to put out a hard, gangsta character and be all scary and intimidating. But I agree, a lot of rappers seem to have given fine performances in movies. I’ll add Ludacris to the list for **Crash**. [/QUOTE] I second this. When I first saw Crash, and he came on, I commented to my daughter, “Hey, he looks just like that rapper, Ludacris! Where did they find an actor who looks like Ludacris?” She rolled her eyes and set me straight. ---
**Author:** ![No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/no_me_ayudes_compadre/32/5224_2.png) [@No\_Me\_Ayudes\_Compadre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_Me_Ayudes_Compadre)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/42 "2006-11-06T17:56:59Z")
Tupac Shakur was amazing in Gridlock’d. Trumpeteer Alan “Mr. Fabulous” Rubin in the Blues Brothers seemed to have a natural acting talent. ---
**Author:** ![Fir\_na\_tine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fir\_na\_tine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fir_na_tine)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/43 "2006-11-06T18:28:37Z")
**Rob Brown** in [Finding Forrester](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181536/) . Sean Connery said he wanted an unknown and they essentially picked him up off a playground shooting hoops. Magnificent performance ---
**Author:** ![Khangol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecae2f/32.png) [@Khangol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khangol)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/44 "2006-11-06T19:22:25Z")
Paul Simon did a very creditable job as Jonah Levin in _One Trick Pony_. Of course, he also wrote the screenplay, so he probably had a good head for the character. But Steve Gadd and Richard T. also did good jobs. The same could be said of almost everyone in the movie _The Commitments_. The people in the band were basically all picked up in Dublin, and all had ambitions in music rather than acting; I believe only one of them had ever acted before. Yet they all played their parts beautifully. Mikhail Baryshnikov did a good job as a movie actor after his career in dance. Of course, being a highly trained dancer on stage undoubtedly gave him a leg up (ouch, sorry) as an actor, since he was trained to play a role and express situations and emotions without words. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/45 "2006-11-06T19:40:28Z")
[QUOTE=Khangol] The same could be said of almost everyone in the movie _The Commitments_. The people in the band were basically all picked up in Dublin, and all had ambitions in music rather than acting; I believe only one of them had ever acted before. Yet they all played their parts beautifully. [/QUOTE] I totally agree with this one. However, as has been mentioned several times already, Dr. Haing S. Ngor in _The Killing Fields_ was simply without compare. His own life history was such that the director could go, “Just be yourself,” and get one of the best acting performances of the past half century. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/46 "2006-11-06T21:09:18Z")
OK, not on quite the same level as some others mentioned, but Aretha Franklin in her small bit The Blues Brothers shows some acting potential. Maybe mostly due to contrast with the other (real) musicians who mostly, well, don’t act so much as recite lines. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/47 "2006-11-07T08:14:56Z")
Models-turned-actress/actors are usually adequate at best, but [Tricia Helfer](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1065454/) is outstanding by any measure. TPTB on Galactica can’t say enough good about her. Before he lost his marbles, Ozzy Osbourne had a small role in a heavy-metal themed movie called [Trick or Treat](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092112/), playing a televangelist. He absolutely nailed the prissy judgemental attitude so many TV preachers had at that time. (Gene Simmons also played a DJ, but that wasn’t nearly as much of a stretch.) [Henry Rollins](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0738433/), who despises cops, has had a couple of small roles in which he plays a cop. It’s hilarious, of course. Shame he’s never been asked to play The Punisher, since he looks **exactly** like the character, but I suppose he couldn’t carry a whole film. ---
**Author:** ![Chew\_Barker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@Chew\_Barker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chew_Barker)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/48 "2006-11-07T13:01:25Z")
I have to add **Nick Frost**. He was just Simon Pegg’s best mate when Simon wrote Spaced series 1. The character Mike was written around a character that Nick invented to amuse himself and Simon. So Simon cast Nick Frost (who has never acted before, and therefore not an actor) to play Mike. Since Nick has become his own successful actor. Keep an eye out for Hot Fuzz staring Nick and Simon 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/49 "2006-11-07T16:40:19Z")
Although he acts now - [Wolfgang Bodison](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0090981/) was orignally a location scout, and I thought he was excellent in his first role in A Few Good Men ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/50 "2006-11-07T18:05:40Z")
Tom Waits does good work. Wnough people have figured that out, and he’s been in enough movies, that by now maybe he qualifies as an actor. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/51 "2006-11-07T18:32:27Z")
[QUOTE=zamboniracer] I don’t know if this counts or not, but if I am correct [Elaine Miles’](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0587111/) first part was on _Nothern Exposure_ as the doctor’s Eskimo receptionist. She wasn’t an actor before she was on the series, and she was great on that series. According to IMDB “She got the role of Marilyn on ‘Northern Exposure’ by accident - she had originally brought her mother in to audition, but the producers decided they wanted someone younger for the part and cast Elaine instead.” [/QUOTE] That explains it; I always thought her delivery was terrible. Dwight Yoakum has turned in enough good performances that he may be considered an actor by now too. And Harry Connick, Jr., too. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/52 "2006-11-07T21:52:05Z")
Nobody is impressed with Elvis or Arnold. They were moneymakers. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/53 "2006-11-07T21:59:45Z")
[QUOTE=Jim’s Son] Harold Russell in “Best Years of our Lives”. [/QUOTE] I came in to say that that, but **Jim’s Son** beat me to it. It was a remarkable performance. ---
**Author:** ![Godfrey\_Daniels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Godfrey\_Daniels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Godfrey_Daniels)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/54 "2006-11-07T22:04:13Z")
I’ll second Dwight Yoakum. His performance in **Sling Blade** was very good for someone who was very new to acting. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/55 "2006-11-07T22:05:53Z")
[QUOTE=Askance] Comedians seem to make surprisingly good actors, in general: Drew Carey, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Dudley Moore, Robin Williams, Eric Bana (although he was an awful comedian), Paul Hogan, Peter Sellers, Jerry Lewis (_King of Comedy_ only), Dick van Dyke, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Ellen deGeneres, Roseanne Barr, and I’m sure a lot more I can’t bring to mind right now. Exceptions to this would include Jerry Seinfeld and Peter Cook. [/QUOTE] This brings to mind Alan King, who was a stand-up comedian on the Borscht Belt and a staple on the _Ed Sullivan Show_. In late middle age he turned to acting and became a very good dramatic actor. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/56 "2006-11-08T02:33:41Z")
[QUOTE=RealityChuck] Victoire Thivisol was astonishingly good in **Ponette** , and was four when the movie was filmed. There were debates on whether she did was actually acting, but certainly looks like it. [/QUOTE] You chose the right word: astonishing. Enough so that she won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. She was 4 years old. Wow. I hate sports, ESPECIALLY American football, but I like many sports movies, and Mac Davis in turned in a surprisingly good and poignant performance in the film **North Dallas Forty** (I love that movie). Tim McGraw is doing well as an actor. I liked him a lot in **Friday Night Lights** (see?) and **Flicka**. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/57 "2006-11-08T16:26:12Z")
Tyrese was really good in **Baby Boy**. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/58 "2006-11-08T16:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] (Gene Simmons also played a DJ, but that wasn’t nearly as much of a stretch.) [/QUOTE] Wasn’t he in some movie with Magnum PI too? It had little robots in it. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/59 "2006-11-08T17:33:48Z")
[QUOTE=UncleRojelio] Wasn’t he in some movie with Magnum PI too? It had little robots in it. [/QUOTE] Runaway. He was good in it. When I saw it, I was too young to know who Gene Simmons was, but I was scared of him in that movie. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2006, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178/60 "2006-11-08T19:51:03Z")
Punk rocker/poet Richard (Dick) Hell, in **Smithereens**. Hoagy Carmichael (songwriter, singer, piano man) in \*\*To Have and Have Not \*\* and \*\*The Best Years of Our Lives \*\* (where he had a great avuncular chemistry with Harold Russell). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-acting-by-actors-who-arent-actors/379178.md?page=4)