# Favorite performances of characters you've seen often **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 27, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022 "2012-10-27T06:42:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/1 "2012-10-27T06:42:39Z")
I just got done watching the 2009 “Emma” done by the BBC, and Romola Garai as the title character was just absolutely charming. It’s a hard role, and I thought she brought so much life and personality to it. (The rest of the casting was pretty impressive, too, but I wanted to focus on one particular characterization.) Who’s version of a role have you been most taken by, on TV, stage, or film? Even if the rest of the production was sorely lacking. ---
**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:** [October 27, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/2 "2012-10-27T16:36:33Z")
Daniel Craig is my favorite James Bond. Benedict Cumberbatch is the best Sherlock Holmes I’ve ever seen, as well. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/3 "2012-11-01T22:48:55Z")
I’ve always felt that David Suchet’s Poirot was astoundingly spot-on. Colin Firth nailed Fitzwilliam Darcy. Ian McKellan _is_ Gandalf. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/4 "2012-11-01T23:39:44Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Benedict Cumberbatch is the best Sherlock Holmes I’ve ever seen, as well. I came in to say this. I’d also give a nod to [Shuler Hensley](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuler_Hensley) as Jud Fry in _Oklahoma!_ (the Hugh Jackman London stage version available on DVD). I’ve seen many productions of _Oklahoma!_, and I never got that character at all until his performance. Jackman is amazing as Curley, but he doesn’t define the role the way Hensley does. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/5 "2012-11-02T00:16:50Z")
Val Kilmer as Doc Holiday ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/6 "2012-11-02T00:26:28Z")
Patrick Wilson as Raoul in _Phantom_. I absolutely love him in movies, but his singing voice in that role is to. die. for. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/7 "2012-11-02T03:51:09Z")
I appreciate Cumberbatch but he is no Jeremy Brett. Brett is off the hook as Sherlock. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/8 "2012-11-02T03:55:34Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Brett is off the hook as Sherlock. +1. But I do think Martin Freeman is the best Watson. ---
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-performances-of-characters-youve-seen-often/639022/9 "2012-11-03T08:30:44Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Colin Firth nailed Fitzwilliam Darcy. I agree with you about Colin Firth. Personally, my favorite version of Elizabeth Bennet is Keira Knightley (although Jennifer Elhe was very good too). I’ve seen several version of _Jane Eyre_. I think my favorite version of Edward Rochester is Michael Fassbender from the[2011 film](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eyre_%282011_film%29) version. Mia Wasikowska was pretty good as Jane, but I think I prefer the version of Jane by Samantha Morton in the [1997 miniseries](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eyre_%281997_TV_serial%29).