# Highest combined looks-talent quotient **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 16, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445 "2009-12-16T03:32:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/41 "2009-12-16T16:15:35Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Subjective response: > > … > Kristin Chenowith: not an actor; a chipmunk > … You’re a heightist! See if you had said “not an actor, an extremely talented singer/musical performer” I’d say “okay, sure she does tend to always play the perky girl who sings and we haven’t seen a lot of dramatic range”, but no, you had to reveal that you are a height bigot. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/42 "2009-12-16T16:26:26Z")
Edward Norton 8/10 Jennifer Connelly 10/9 ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/43 "2009-12-16T16:49:42Z")
Jodie Foster is megahot. If you like that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/44 "2009-12-16T16:55:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Kate Winslet. This was the first name that came to mind. A woman who could have been a big star based purely on her physical gifts, but is also a talented and powerful actress. Her…incredible physical gifts… ---
**Author:** ![jordanr2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@jordanr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jordanr2)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/45 "2009-12-16T16:59:34Z")
Liz Taylor (in her heyday) amazing that Tilda Swinton hasn’t yet been mentioned ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/46 "2009-12-16T17:26:47Z")
Add Hugh Jackman and Matt Damon to many of those already mentioned. I’d add George Clooney as well, but can’t decide where he falls on the “star/actor” divide. Y’all have covered most of the women I’d mention, but I’ll throw in Winona Ryder too. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/47 "2009-12-16T17:30:54Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > You’re a heightist! See if you had said “not an actor, an extremely talented singer/musical performer” I’d say “okay, sure she does tend to always play the perky girl who sings and we haven’t seen a lot of dramatic range”, but no, you had to reveal that you are a height bigot. No, I’m a squeak bigot. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/48 "2009-12-16T18:42:05Z")
Keira Knightley, first and foremost. Love her. Then among the other ladies: Kate Beckinsale Cate Blanchett Ingrid Bergman Vivien Leigh Elizabeth Taylor Donna Reed Jennifer Anniston Alexandra Maria Lara (the female lead in _Downfall_) And among the gentlemen: Laurence Olivier Cary Grant George Clooney Hugh Jackman Harrison Ford Matt Damon Daniel Craig ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/49 "2009-12-16T18:49:46Z")
I also think [Téa Leoni](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000495/) has that combination of attractiveness and very fine acting skills, though the roles she gets don’t allow her that much room to show off her acting chops. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/50 "2009-12-16T19:06:30Z")
Milla Jovovich Model turned singer/songwriter turned actress. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/51 "2009-12-16T19:20:11Z")
Lillian Gish Salma Hayek ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/52 "2009-12-16T19:22:49Z")
Paul Newman- so good in so many ways. Natalie Wood, who in my opinion has never been given the recognition she deserves.I’d forgotten how stunning she was and then I watched “This Property Condemned” the other night and there’s a shot of her (when she’s looking at the snow globe in Robert Redford’s room) where she is positively luminous. Jude Law. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/53 "2009-12-16T19:28:23Z")
George Clooney Viggo Mortensen ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/54 "2009-12-16T19:36:40Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > You’re a heightist! See if you had said “not an actor, an extremely talented singer/musical performer” I’d say “okay, sure she does tend to always play the perky girl who sings and we haven’t seen a lot of dramatic range”, but no, you had to reveal that you are a height bigot. I assumed he was talking about her voice, and not her height. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/55 "2009-12-16T19:41:48Z")
Denzel Washington Angela Bassett ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/56 "2009-12-16T19:42:31Z")
Omar Sharif and Hugh Laurie. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/57 "2009-12-16T19:42:57Z")
My picks for high on looks and low on talent - Wynona Rider, Julia Roberts, and Gwyneth Paltrow. Julia gets by on charisma. Wynona was getting by on looks - we re-watched “Heathers” a few months ago, and her acting was painful to watch (even worse when she was in scenes with Christian Slater, who used to be high in the looks/talent quotient). My criteria for good acting is fairly simple - if they look like they’re acting, they’re not good. The ones who reach luminous levels for me are the ones who not only don’t look like they’re acting, but your eyes can’t leave them when they’re on screen (Christopher Walken and Johnny Depp are good examples of this). Oh yeah, Johnny Depp - he’s an 11/11 for me. Patrick Stewart is a good example of a mediocre-looking guy who becomes more attractive the longer you watch him on screen. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/58 "2009-12-16T19:43:13Z")
Cate Blanchette ---
**Author:** ![jordanr2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@jordanr2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jordanr2)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/59 "2009-12-16T19:50:07Z")
Sissy Spacek is another one. Absolutely luminous, and she brilliantly inhabits all her roles. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445/60 "2009-12-16T20:19:06Z")
Daniel Craig? Seriously? Even aside from his looks (which I think are ugly, but many others disagree,) I don’t really think of him as a good actor. I’ve seen both of his Bond films, _Layer Cake,_ _Enduring Love,_ _Defiance_ and several other films with him, and I think he basically plays the same character every time. I do not think he exhibits any range of emotion or expression; I think his acting skills are totally overrated. Could one of the many Craig fans explain what it is about him that makes him such a great actor? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/highest-combined-looks-talent-quotient/521445.md?page=4)