# He can't act, but he sure is pretty! -or- Can this marriage be saved?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 24, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371 "2015-09-24T03:33:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/1 "2015-09-24T03:33:06Z")
Wife was channel surfing and passed by a Matt Smith _Doctor Who_. I yelped and said that, in this house–and our children will back me on this–you never pass up Doctor Who, even though they are all on Netflix and Hulu. She switched back but while I was distracted she changed the channel to what looked like an old episode of _Renegade_, with Lorenzo Lamas, and stayed there. When that program was new her comment was, “The problem with this show is that he’s wearing altogether too much clothing.”
“Laughable plots? Gratuitous violence? A star who inherited none of the acting talent (of which there was none to inherit) or charisma (of which there was maybe a little bit) of his parents, but got every attractive gene they possessed? Your complaint is that the tight Levis and torn vest that comprised his entire wardrobe was too much clothing?”
“Yes. He has very good posture and is graceful and symmetrical.”
If I didn’t have my own fixations on Marcia Strassman, Jan Smithers, and Pam Dawber (You think I might have a “type?” Fortunately, I married that type.) I’d throw up my hands in flummoxation. Instead, I will open the floor to nominations from thems what like guys of actors who don’t need talent, whose success came from their being purest eye candy. Any era, one show wonders, guys the rest of us wouldn’t recognize, doesn’t matter. No rules, except have fun. And maybe a link to SFW photos.
To start us off, and this is for my oldest daughter, [Pierce Brosnan in full Silver Fox mode.](http://i2.cdnds.net/11/04/starsnaps_us_pierce_brosnan.jpg) Except he might be too good an actor.
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### Author:  [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/2 "2015-09-24T14:13:36Z")
I’m sure a few people might disagree, but Brad Pitt never struck me as anything other than exceptionally pretty. If he had average looks and the same level of acting talent, he would never have become a super-star. But damn if I’m ever going to change the channel on him!
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/3 "2015-09-24T16:29:55Z")
Jessica Alba. I was never impressed by her acting but I’d watch a TV show or movie she was in because she’s so good looking. (Although I can sympathize with your wife on the “wearing too much clothing” issue.)
Then I watched _An Invisible Sign_. I was surprised. In addition to deglamorizing herself, Alba demonstrated she could act. (Although I’ll admit I’m in the minority on this movie. It generally got bad reviews and did horribly in the box office.)
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### Author:  [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/4 "2015-09-24T16:44:28Z")
David Tennant, though he can actually act.
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/5 "2015-09-24T17:11:05Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> I’m sure a few people might disagree, but Brad Pitt never struck me as anything other than exceptionally pretty. If he had average looks and the same level of acting talent, he would never have become a super-star. But damn if I’m ever going to change the channel on him!
This is the first person I thought of, although I must say as the years go by the two are starting to switch places. I think he’s definitely improving as an actor and, while far from homely, his looks don’t really stand out any more.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/6 "2015-09-24T17:17:03Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#):
>
> I’m sure a few people might disagree, but Brad Pitt never struck me as anything other than exceptionally pretty. If he had average looks and the same level of acting talent, he would never have become a super-star. But damn if I’m ever going to change the channel on him!
I disagree. In fact, he’s done enough interesting, off-beat roles (_ **12 Monkeys** _, the killer in _ **Kalifornia** _, the stoner in _ **True Romance** _) that some of us wonder if he’d have had a better career were he NOT so handsome!
He’s so good looking that he’s been pushed into mainstream leading man roles that don’t really suit him. If he were a bit uglier, he might be known as a great indie star or a superb character actor.
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### Author:  [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/7 "2015-09-24T17:18:46Z")
Theo James.
I remember him from a BBC miniseries about a hotel that used to be a mental institute run by a sadistic doctor who is now undead and kidnapping and torturing the guests. Theo had some kind of psychic sense and a compulsion to help the victims, but he just looked so out of place. All he did was mumble his lines and mingle with the regular-looking people, who were played by actual talented actors. They managed to make his lack of emotional spread look like he was being aloof and mysterious, but he was so obviously cast for his looks instead of talent.
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### Author:  [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/8 "2015-09-24T18:03:10Z")
Keanu Reeves is the only actor I can think of who should just shut up and look pretty.
There are more actors who can really act that I thought were eye candy in specific roles:
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (specifically the smouldering pissed off look)
Brandon Lee was delicious
Chris Pratt after he worked out for Guardians of the Galaxy
David Tennant in the dramatic scenes of Dr. Who
Strangely, I find Tom Hiddleston sexy as Loki (he’s beautiful in general, the strange part is that I think he’s sexy in the role of a crazy, amoral super-being)
Edited to add: Oh yeah, Tom Cruise should absolutely shut his pie-hole and just look pretty!
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/9 "2015-09-24T19:15:23Z")
> [@JcWoman](#):
>
> Keanu Reeves is the only actor I can think of who should just shut up and look pretty.
I used to agree- but at some point in his career, he actually stopped annoying me, and became a perfectly okay actor.
I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw Keanu in a movie and thought, “God, get him off the screen, he’s embarrassing himself.” And I used to think that often.
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### Author:  [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/10 "2015-09-24T19:34:09Z")
> [@astorian](#):
>
> I used to agree- but at some point in his career, he actually stopped annoying me, and became a perfectly okay actor.
>
> I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw Keanu in a movie and thought, “God, get him off the screen, he’s embarrassing himself.” And I used to think that often.
Same here. For me it was _The Devil’s Advocate_. I’m sure a lot of people disagree, and truth be told I don’t tend to see his movies because they usually aren’t the type I’m interested in, but I thought he was great it in it.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/11 "2015-09-24T21:05:58Z")
> [@astorian](#):
>
> In fact, he’s done enough interesting, off-beat roles (_ **12 Monkeys** _, the killer in _ **Kalifornia** _, the stoner in _ **True Romance** _)
Add in [Mickey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQSnua3M2lo) in _Snatch_.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/12 "2015-09-24T21:16:07Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> Add in [Mickey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQSnua3M2lo) in _Snatch_.
Yessss! Loved him as the Irish Traveller with the accent nobody can possibly understand!
Brad has been so great in small, quirky parts that I almost wish he’d stick to them. (Yeah… like **I’D** turn down twenty million to star in a mainstream action flick or romantic comedy).
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### Author:  [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/13 "2015-09-24T21:21:17Z")
Never saw Dean Cain do much that impressed me, although he made a fine Superman on TV.
I have seen little of Pamela Anderson’s work, but what I have seen of it has convinced me that she has exactly two enormous talents.
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### Author:  [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/14 "2015-09-24T22:31:24Z")
Oldest (she’s what, 30?) never found Brad Pitt appealing until he started to gray. Now he’s a Silver Fox. OTOH, she ALWAYS liked Brosnan, even when his hair was dark.
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### Author:  [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/15 "2015-09-25T00:08:13Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#):
>
> I have seen little of Pamela Anderson’s work, but what I have seen of it has convinced me that she has exactly two enormous talents.
Only talented thing there was the surgeon who gave them to her.
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### Author:  [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/16 "2015-09-25T00:20:33Z")
> [@Master\_Wang-Ka](#):
>
> Never saw Dean Cain do much that impressed me, although he made a fine Superman on TV.
>
> I have seen little of Pamela Anderson’s work, but what I have seen of it has convinced me that she has exactly two enormous talents.
Rumor has it that Dean Cain also has a little something “extra”, that makes him doubly special. 😉
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/17 "2015-09-25T01:29:59Z")
There has to be some reason [Ted McGinley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569337/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) keeps getting work.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/18 "2015-09-25T01:53:06Z")
> [@kunilou](#):
>
> There has to be some reason [Ted McGinley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569337/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) keeps getting work.
To some extent, show biz employment is self-perpetuating. Like him or hate him, Tex has a long track record and he’s worked with some of TV’s biggest producers. They all know him as a guy who shows up on time, knows his lines, and happily does whatever he’s asked. People who work with him like him and are happy to hire him again.
That’s probably the “secret” to why most steadily employed actors get employed steadily.
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### Author:  [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/19 "2015-09-25T01:54:11Z")
> [@kunilou](#):
>
> There has to be some reason [Ted McGinley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0569337/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1) keeps getting work.
To some extent, show biz employment is self-perpetuating. Like him or hate him, Ted has a long track record and he’s worked with some of TV’s biggest producers. They all know him as a guy who shows up on time, knows his lines, and happily does whatever he’s asked. People who work with him like him and are happy to hire him again.
That’s probably the “secret” to why most steadily employed actors get employed steadily.
---
### Author:  [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2015, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/he-cant-act-but-he-sure-is-pretty-or-can-this-marriage-be-saved/732371/20 "2015-09-25T02:05:43Z")
A guy named Justin Hartley who’s been on a few shows like Revenge, Mistresses and a cute, short-lived show with Merle Streep’s daughter Mamie Gummer called Emily Owens M.D. The guy can’t act his way out of a paper bag, but I _don’t care_. He fits **dropzone** ’s wife’s criteria perfectly. 😃
> **[Justin Hartley - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1261997/)**
>
> Justin Hartley. Actor: This Is Us. Justin Hartley can currently be seen starring on NBC's critically acclaimed, award winning series, "This Is Us," alongside Mandy Moore, Milo Ventimiglia, Sterling K. Brown and Chrissy Metz. Created by Dan Fogelman,...
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