# Do you let your personal feeling about an actor affect whether you watch their shows/movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 27, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552 "2010-12-27T22:26:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/1 "2010-12-27T22:26:56Z")
I CAN"T STAND Jennifer Anniston. (She needs to get over Brad) Makes it impossible to watch “Friends” when she’s on screen. ---
**Author:** ![Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Liddle\_Lamsy\_Divey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liddle_Lamsy_Divey)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/2 "2010-12-27T22:46:52Z")
I try not to let whatever personal information I may know (or think I may know…) about an actor distract me, but it does happen, like whenever I watch a movie with Leonardo DiCaprio that isn’t _What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?_; in every other movie I’ve seen him in, I can’t separate the actor from the character. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/3 "2010-12-27T22:51:51Z")
Yep, but not often. The only actor I can think of that I refuse to go to any movie he’s in (unless maybe he’s playing a bit part) is Adam Sandler. I can’t even express adequately in words how much I can’t stand him. Every time I see him on the screen I want to pop him and his faux-retardo schtick right in the kisser (and I’m not normally a “pop-em-in-the-kisser” type). I can’t stand Jim Carrey either, but “The Truman Show” looked good enough that I took a chance, and it was worth it. I loved that movie, Carrey and all. ---
**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:** [December 27, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/4 "2010-12-27T23:09:15Z")
When she has the right material and the right director, Anniston can be quite good. I’ve never seen an episode of Friends anyway, but I’ve liked her in some movies, such as **The Iron Giant** , **The Good Girl** , **Office Space** , **The Switch** , **Marley and Me** , and **Friends with Money**. [QUOTE=Infovore] The only actor I can think of that I refuse to go to any movie he’s in (unless maybe he’s playing a bit part) is Adam Sandler. [/QUOTE] I never much liked Adam Sandler, and there are movies of his you couldn’t pay me to see, but if I let that be my only criteria, I would have missed the wonderful film **Punch-Drunk Love**. I could say the same of Will Ferrell, but I adore **Elf** , **Dick** and **Megamind** , and quite liked **Stranger Than Fiction** , **Talledega Nights** and, yes (dammit!), **The Other Guys**. Jim Carrey too, but I loved him in **The Truman Show** , **Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind** , and most recently, **I Love You Phillip Morris** , for which he deserves, but will not get, an Oscar nomination. Frankly, I think it’s totally silly to avoid movies simply because a certain actor is in it, because people can miss out on some good stuff. [obnoxious spelling Nazi]affect, their[/obnoxious spelling Nazi] ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/5 "2010-12-27T23:12:31Z")
Equipose-I KNEW I screwed up their! “Heil Webster!” ---
**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:** [December 28, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/6 "2010-12-28T00:10:23Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Frankly, I think it’s totally silly to avoid movies simply because a certain actor is in it, because people can miss out on some good stuff. I agree, in principle. That said, I no longer see the character Mel Gibson is playing; since his famous rant, I only ever see Mel Gibson (and, of course, stop watching). ---
**Author:** ![Daylate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@Daylate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daylate)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/7 "2010-12-28T00:42:20Z")
Can’t stand to even look at a photo of Hanoi Jane. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Amazing\_Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@The\_Amazing\_Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Amazing_Hanna)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/8 "2010-12-28T00:54:28Z")
Oh yeah, big time. Actually I prefer seeing movies where I don’t know the actors. Another reason to stay home and enjoy the golden age of television we’re currently enjoying rather than the bronze age of the big screen flick. Going to the movies these days is kind of like living in a very tiny village in the Appalachians that somehow has its own playhouse. One week the leading man is Hamlet, next week he’s Willy Loman, and all the time you can’t help remembering that he’s really that guy down the street that gets drunk every weekend and shouts about how this country is run by those gosh-darned Jews. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/9 "2010-12-28T01:01:40Z")
Absolutely. If someone rubs me the wrong way for a reason that has nothing to do with their acting ability, I’ll avoid watching them. There are exceptions - for example Sean Penn. He’s great in Ridgemont High, but I won’t walk across the street to see him anywhere else. Travolta, Charlton Heston, Tom Cruise, Whoopee Goldberg… I could go on all night. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/10 "2010-12-28T01:11:14Z")
What if your personal feelings toward the actor are _favorable_? Are you more likely to watch a movie or TV show if you like a particular actor or actress in it (even if it otherwise looks like a piece of crap)? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/11 "2010-12-28T01:42:11Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > What if your personal feelings toward the actor are _favorable_? Are you more likely to watch a movie or TV show if you like a particular actor or actress in it (even if it otherwise looks like a piece of crap)? TOTALLY! I’m a big Hanks fan, and would watch him almost anything. Any hot actress fits too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/12 "2010-12-28T01:52:40Z")
Not really-what counts is someone’s acting ability, not what their politics or religious beliefs are. I don’t mind seeing Tom Cruise-he’ll likely never win any Oscars, but he can pull off a leading man role like clockwork. I can’t stand John Travolta because I think he’s a no-talent ham, and about the only role of his I’ve bought was in _Blow Out_. The fact that both are Scientologists has nothing to do with it, either way. I do have a friend however who has a full roll of litmus paper in his pocket, and if someone fails his test (usually because said individual is a commie liberal, or something), he isn’t going to watch their vehicle, case closed. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/13 "2010-12-28T01:54:24Z")
The subject comes up a lot (both on this board and in real life) about whether or not you’re more averse to works by or containing so-and-so because of his presence. My answer is always the same: I don’t really care unless the individual in question does something so grating that it takes me out of the work altogether, or if the person is just truly reprehensible. So if, for example, someone’s acting is so transcendentally bad that it mires the entire film, then yes, I will avoid any movie he stars in. Or, if a singer strangles people in his spare time, I’m put off sufficiently enough that I can’t enjoy his music anymore. That said, (TMI alert) I was making the special magic the other day while “Fargo” was on TV. I had to pause everything, in order to turn the TV off. “I’m sorry, I just really don’t want Steve Buscemi’s face in the background right now.” Not exactly what you were asking for, but I offered because we’re all friends here. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/14 "2010-12-28T02:00:52Z")
Sometimes. I mean, if Paris Hilton made a movie/TV show that everyone hailed as a truly groundbreaking, Academy Award level material, I guess I’d go see it. For the time being, though, I tend to rule out seeing anything her(and those like her) are in. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/15 "2010-12-28T07:23:24Z")
I do this, but somewhat differently. My can’t-stand-ems have nothing to do with the actor’s beliefs or politics and everything to do with a vibe I get. I cannot stand Christian Bale - his mouth is too cruel. Ryan Gosling - too smug. Laura Dern - gah! I can’t even put her into words. The unfortunate result of DNA. I know they are all good actors, but I don’t want to see their face for ninety minutes. Of course I se the movie anyway, but I wish it was a different actor. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/16 "2010-12-28T07:39:49Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I agree, in principle. That said, I no longer see the character Mel Gibson is playing; since his famous rant, I only ever see Mel Gibson (and, of course, stop watching). Likewise; except for me, it’s been since 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/17 "2010-12-28T08:37:29Z")
I don’t let my opinion of their personal lives, politics, etc. decide whether I go watch a movie or not - in general, I don’t even know that info or care. My personal opinion of their acting ability, value as a screensaver, and experience enjoying/hating previous movies in which they feature? Yes, I do choose whether to watch movies or not based on that. I’ve never watched a movie with Denzel Washington I didn’t enjoy; I can’t ever stop seeing Tom-shiny-teeth-Cruise: if a movie featured both, I’d have to toss a coin. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/18 "2010-12-28T08:58:29Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > I do this, but somewhat differently. My can’t-stand-ems have nothing to do with the actor’s beliefs or politics and everything to do with a vibe I get. I totally get this :nodding: I’ less apt to watch a particular movie if I get that vibe, no matter how great the acting might be, ditto story, etc. Three of mine have already been mentioned: Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, and Adam Sandler. I don’t care how great each may be in X movie. They give me enough of a vibe to not even consider watching. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/19 "2010-12-28T12:18:37Z")
I don’t dislike Steve Carrell, but he picks the most inane movies to star in. On the other hand, Jim Carrey goes out of his way to show that he’s not just a comedian. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552/20 "2010-12-28T17:00:34Z")
Their politics don’t bother me as much as their personalities – smug and self-important is a turn-off. This seems to happen more often with aging actors who were never as popular as they think, or who were popular many years ago and think they’re icons. I liked Jaimie Pressly until I saw her announce her pregnancy on a talk show. “I know there have been rumors and rather than have everybody speculating about it, I’m announcing it here first!” (paraphrased) She acted like it was big news. Lady, unless the Pope is the father, nobody’s pregnancy is big news. The actress who plays Pam on _The Office_ comes off the same way – like she’s a huge star. Cicely Tyson bugs me too. She has a slow, very affected speech pattern – like every. word. out. of. her. mouth. is. important. I see this a lot with aging actors who don’t get much attention, so whenever they get a chance to speak, they have to draw it out. I was okay with Julia Roberts until she jumped on Denzel Washington at the Oscars. Make it all about you, lady, that’s the ticket. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-let-your-personal-feeling-about-an-actor-affect-whether-you-watch-their-shows-movies/565552.md?page=2)