# Best Current Comedic Actress **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858 "2010-08-10T18:50:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [August 10, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/1 "2010-08-10T18:50:39Z")
Who is the best comedic actress in movies these days? A couple that come to mind are Tina Fey and Cameron Diaz, although I am quite certain I am missing someone, somewhere very obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/2 "2010-08-10T18:54:11Z")
Sarah Silverman. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/3 "2010-08-10T18:55:34Z")
I haven’t seen much of her movie work, but based on her SNL and UCB work, I’d say Amy Poehler is extremely talented. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/4 "2010-08-10T19:05:17Z")
Lisa Kudrow. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/5 "2010-08-10T19:13:48Z")
Anna Faris ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/6 "2010-08-10T19:16:57Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Who is the best comedic actress **in movies** these days? Everyone (besides Diaz\*) listed so far is primarily known as a TV comedic actress, so while Fey et al may have a few films under their belts, the weight of their reputations is not based on their films at all but on their small screen output. As far as primarily movie funny ladies go? I’ll name Joan Cusack, Catherine O’Hara, and Catherine Keener. \*and Faris (good choice), listed after my preview. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/7 "2010-08-10T19:18:03Z")
wiig, fey, and lynch ---
**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:** [August 10, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/8 "2010-08-10T19:31:03Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > Anna Faris Good one. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/9 "2010-08-10T19:37:23Z")
I think \*\*Sandra Bullock \*\*is pretty good at comedy. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/10 "2010-08-10T21:29:57Z")
I’ll jump on the **Anna Faris** lovetrain. **Elizabeth Banks** does a lot of comedic work in movies and on television (including _30 Rock_) **Julianne Moore** was hilarious on _30 Rock_ and also does the occasional movie comedy. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/11 "2010-08-10T23:00:37Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Lisa Kudrow. I agree. Watch her in **The Opposite of Sex** – she’s superb. ---
**Author:** ![boilercake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@boilercake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boilercake)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/12 "2010-08-11T01:06:15Z")
Whoopi Goldberg? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/13 "2010-08-11T01:20:01Z")
Nobody. Women aren’t funny. ---
**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/14 "2010-08-11T01:31:50Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I haven’t seen much of her movie work, but based on her SNL and UCB work, I’d say Amy Poehler is extremely talented. She’s absolutely great in _Parks and Recreation_. I will never forgive those hacks at NBC is P&R doesn’t get a better time slot - right now it’s slated for season 3 to be a mid-season replacement, which doesn’t bode well. The show went from pretty damn bad in the pilot to absolutely glorious by the end of season two. They need to remember that _Seinfeld_ took a while to heat up as well. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/15 "2010-08-11T02:39:14Z")
Anna Faris is hilarious. She’s even capable of being funny without being on screen (cf. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”) Amy Adams is a scream as well; she’s also done good dramatic work but she’s immensely, immensely talented and can bring the funny in a big way. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/16 "2010-08-11T11:30:01Z")
> [@GameHat](#): > > I will never forgive those hacks at NBC is P&R doesn’t get a better time slot - right now it’s slated for season 3 to be a mid-season replacement, which doesn’t bode well. The show went from pretty damn bad in the pilot to absolutely glorious by the end of season two. They need to remember that _Seinfeld_ took a while to heat up as well. NBC made Parks & Red a mid-season replacement so Poehler can get some time off to rest after giving birth. She just popped the kid out a few days ago, which would have been way too late for a fall season start. Don’t worry, NBC loves P&R. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/17 "2010-08-11T12:01:14Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > NBC made Parks & Red a mid-season replacement so Poehler can get some time off to rest after giving birth. She just popped the kid out a few days ago, which would have been way too late for a fall season start. > > Don’t worry, NBC loves P&R. Also, it looks like Rob Lowe is going to be full-time this season. ---
**Author:** ![unwashed\_brain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@unwashed\_brain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/unwashed_brain)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/18 "2010-08-11T12:41:08Z")
I guess I’m in the minority, but Anna Faris sucks. I’ll go with Lisa Kudrow. Although she’s a bit one-note, it’s a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/19 "2010-08-11T13:57:27Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Catherine Keener She does comedy? Maybe I’ve missed comedies she’s been in, but I’ve only seen her in murder thrillers or avante-garde stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858/20 "2010-08-11T14:51:05Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > > [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > > > Catherine Keener > > She does comedy? Maybe I’ve missed comedies she’s been in, but I’ve only seen her in murder thrillers or avante-garde stuff. If you can call Being John Malkovich funny, she was in that. Me, I just think it blows. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-current-comedic-actress/549858.md?page=2)