# Have you ever seen an actor who never made a good film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** netflix, movies, actor-characters\ **Created:** [March 22, 2024, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203 "2024-03-22T13:35:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/41 "2024-03-22T16:35:45Z")
My main problem with giving a decent reply here is that if I’ve seen an actor (or actress) doing a really poor performance in one film, I tend not to watch (deliberately) anything else he or she has done. So the “never” aspect of the question is automatically out of my awareness. But if I do hear of a decent performance by somebody who had yet to impress me, then I’m not just going to avoid the possibility that he or she might have just had a bad part. However, I do tend to avoid further efforts by someone who really stunk! Very perplexing issue here! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/42 "2024-03-22T16:37:45Z")
Any German comedian. Every. Single. One. Case in point: [Til Schweiger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Til_Schweiger). Or the complete cast from _[Der Schuh des Manitou](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Schuh_des_Manitu)_. All of them, without exception. They are not known aboad, you claim? You lucky bastards! ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/43 "2024-03-22T16:40:20Z")
I thought he did a fine job in The Outsiders. (Maybe even won an award of some sort) Ninjaed ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/44 "2024-03-22T16:41:57Z")
How small a part in a good movie does it take to disqualify a nominee? Elizabeth Berkley was in a couple of decent-to-good movies, but she had small parts. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/45 "2024-03-22T16:43:51Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > German comedian Isn’t that an oxymoron?.. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/46 "2024-03-22T16:44:53Z")
That may be the root of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/47 "2024-03-22T16:50:59Z")
How about Martin Sheen’s brother, Joe Estevez? Small roles in lots of movies but certainly he’s never had a major role in anything remotely good. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/48 "2024-03-22T17:07:38Z")
> [@veryfrank](#): > > Dane Cook sprung to mind. God knows why, he’s mercifully dropped off the pop culture map, I think. Wow, he _did_ drop off the pop culture map. I vaguely remember him being pretty popular as a comedian and the surprise I felt when he did a really good job in the underrated film **Mr. Brooks**. His performance in that one was second only to Kevin Costner and many levels above Demi Moore’s. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/49 "2024-03-22T17:46:03Z")
I’m surprised no one has come up yet with the most obvious answer: Chuck Norris. Maybe because he’s not an actor, but an “actor”? ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/50 "2024-03-22T17:54:43Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Chuck Norris The Way of the Dragon. 92% on RT. I didn’t think God Guys Wear Black was all that bad, but…I was young. I was not wise in the ways of hammy acting. I don’t think, outside of Tommy Wiseau, that any actor has only appeared in bad films. There’s always at least one good film, somewhere, in their resume. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/51 "2024-03-22T17:56:52Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > One. Case in point: [Til Schweiger](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Til_Schweiger). I hate Til Schweiger with a passion, he’s the unfunniest guy I can imagine and the biggest hack who ever dabbled in acting and directing, but he played in two good films: “Der bewegte Mann” (yes, a German comedy, but a good one), and “Inglorious Basterds” (in which he was the weakest part, but the role matched his intellect). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/52 "2024-03-22T17:57:42Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > They are not known aboad, you claim? You lucky bastards! We used to get Didi on TV, under the old Apartheid regime. Another one of their crimes against humanity. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/53 "2024-03-22T17:58:58Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > but he played in two good films Three. Atomic Blonde is great. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/54 "2024-03-22T18:06:56Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > We used to get Didi on TV, under the old Apartheid regime. Another one of their crimes against humanity. I have to admit that “Nonstop Nonsens” was the height of comedy for me when I was 8, but I do hope you didn’t base your view of Germany on Didi Hallervorden… ETA: Hah, and to close the circle, I just remembered that Til Schweiger as a director had his biggest flop with the Hollywood remake of “Honig im Kopf”, “Head Full Of Honey”, with Nick Nolte taking the lead from Didi Hallervorden in the American production. > **[Head Full of Honey (2018 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_Full_of_Honey_(2018_film))** > > Head Full of Honey is a 2018 drama film directed by Til Schweiger. It is an American remake of the 2014 German film of the same name, which Schweiger also directed and co-wrote with Hilly Martinek. > A widowed grandfather who has Alzheimer's disease is taken on a trip to Venice by his granddaughter on the Orient Express. > An American remake of Til Schweiger's film Head Full of Honey was announced in March 2018, with Schweiger directing. Nick Nolte was cast in the leading role, which Michael Dougla... ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/55 "2024-03-22T18:25:32Z")
> [@SlipperyPete](#): > > Kristen Stewart? Jennifer Lopez? Kristen Stewart has been in a few good movies like _Clouds of Sils Maria_ and _Still Alice_, and some entertaining ones like _Adventureland_ and _American Ultra_. Despite being a big Cronenberg fan, I was left cold by _Crimes of the Future_, but to each their own. Jennifer Lopez became a star largely off of _Selina_ (quote good) and _Out of Sight_ (fantastic). Granted, almost everything else she’s done has been abysmal. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/56 "2024-03-22T18:36:25Z")
I hate Van Johnson. He was in some (millions) movies. Some good. Some just plain terrible. But the the good ones were not because of him. More modern… Daniel Radcliff. As much as he was the perfect Harry Potter. His few other things are horrible. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/57 "2024-03-22T18:52:58Z")
I thought he was great in Horns. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/58 "2024-03-22T18:54:42Z")
Will Farrell and Adam Sandler. They each may have made a good movie, but the stuff they were in that I’ve seen was excrement and I won’t take a chance on another one. I can think of a lot of actors that I don’t like, but they’ve just appeared in a film. I’m assuming that the OP means actors who have _starred_ in a good film? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/59 "2024-03-22T18:58:19Z")
I thought I would hate Elf. I like it in spite of myself. I am also fond of Punch Drunk Love and Hotel Transylvania. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2024, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203/60 "2024-03-22T19:07:48Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m assuming that the OP means actors who have _starred_ in a good film? They don’t necessarily need to be the marquee star of the film, but yeah, they should have a significant role, however you define that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-seen-an-actor-who-never-made-a-good-film/999203.md?page=4)