# If you could only watch one actor's movies for the rest of your life... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 21, 2009, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258 "2009-08-21T23:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/61 "2009-08-28T15:14:40Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Gary Oldman. \<3 GO. Me too. He’s awesome, and you don’t feel like you’re watching “A Gary Oldman Movie”, since he’s able to play vastly different characters in so many movies, so you’d still have a lot of variety. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/62 "2009-08-28T17:35:45Z")
My gut reaction is Jack Nicholson. My second gut reaction is Meryl Streep. Buuuuut…since this is for the rest of my life, and I’m a youngun, I should logically have someon else. Someone younger, who will have new stuff coming out for at least a decade more. Like Paul Giamatti. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/63 "2009-08-28T18:06:40Z")
**Johnny Depp,** easily. He’s had brilliant movies in a lot of different genres, he plays really diverse characters, and he usually (but not always) chooses fairly offbeat films to star in. Most importantly, I don’t think I’ve ever been bored by a movie he’s been in. Let’s take a look at some of his films: **Edward Scissorhands** - amazing, both funny and genuinely moving **Ed Wood** - unforgettable portrait of the finest bad movie director ever **What’s Eating Gilbert Grape** - a very well-acted family drama with unique elements **A Nightmare On Elm Street** - one of the classic horror movies **Platoon** - considered one of the best war movies ever **Donnie Brasco** - fantastic gangster movie **Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas** - a brilliant, highly literate acid trip adventure **Chocolat** - a sweet, well-received romantic comedy **Pirates of the Carribean** - a dark, swashbuckling award-winning sea adventure **Charlie and the Chocolate Factory** - a great screen adaptation of classic children’s book **Sweeney Todd** - a great adaptation of a horror/comedy stage classic Look at the range, and how they’re all good to outstanding films. And there’s still a lot more in his filmography to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![Loisseau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@Loisseau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loisseau)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/64 "2009-08-28T21:27:20Z")
**Tim Roth** has had an amazing amount of different roles. And he’s been an actor/ director long enough to have a portfolio of work to last. ---
**Author:** ![pocketpets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/0ea827/32.png) [@pocketpets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pocketpets)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/65 "2017-03-19T01:14:44Z")
Mr. McGregor without a doubt. In fact, I am working on that right now. I’ve watched 18 of his movies in a month, not to mention interviews. He can do no wrong in my humble opinion. I’m beginning to think that I need therapy. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/66 "2017-03-19T02:14:51Z")
I’m surprised Denzel hasn’t gotten more traction. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/67 "2017-03-19T02:38:03Z")
Irene Dunne ---
**Author:** ![CatandMouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c89c15/32.png) [@CatandMouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CatandMouse)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/68 "2017-03-19T04:08:59Z")
Tom Hanks Morgan Freeman Tim Robbins Kathy Bates Jessica Lange Meryl Streep Kate Winslet ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/69 "2017-03-19T05:37:22Z")
Who was the actor who starred in Night of the Living Zombie Threads? ---
**Author:** ![SigMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@SigMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SigMan)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/70 "2017-03-19T05:45:27Z")
Morgan Freeman’s my man. While he’s not a headliner in some of the movies he’s got a ton of movies to his credit. Jason Statham would be another favorite but gotta mention Bruce Willis too. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Pork-Chop\_Express](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@The\_Pork-Chop\_Express](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Pork-Chop_Express)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/71 "2017-03-19T09:49:11Z")
Gene Hackman ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/72 "2017-03-19T10:11:27Z")
Have to say Bobby. Bobby De Niro. ---
**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:** [March 19, 2017, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/73 "2017-03-19T12:11:49Z")
THE CONVERSATION was a masterpiece, and APOCALYPSE NOW is a classic just like AMERICAN GRAFFITI is – and adding the original STAR WARS trilogy to the story of a Jewish-looking guy who punches out Nazis makes it hard to beat Harrison Ford even without factoring in a ton of other stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/74 "2017-03-19T12:37:45Z")
Buster Keaton. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/75 "2017-03-19T12:48:29Z")
> [@pocketpets](#): > > Mr. McGregor without a doubt. In fact, I am working on that right now. I’ve watched 18 of his movies in a month, not to mention interviews. He can do no wrong in my humble opinion. > > I’m beginning to think that I need therapy. Tell the Dr that you have a recurring dream… something like ‘Peter Rabbit’… except that in this version, you’re the rabbit Farmer McGregor catches…? ~d&r~ ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/76 "2017-03-19T13:52:43Z")
Walter Matthau. Wide range of excellent films. And “Earthquake.” ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/77 "2017-03-19T19:36:25Z")
I think it interesting that by a large margin people are choosing actors rather than actresses. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/78 "2017-03-19T20:53:22Z")
No zombie actors?? 😉 I can’t believe no one’s said Patrick Stewart. I’d get some Start Trek, plus X-Men and a lot more to keep me busy. > **[Patrick Stewart - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001772/)** > > Patrick Stewart. Actor: Logan. Sir Patrick Stewart was born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, to Gladys (Barrowclough), a textile worker and weaver, and Alfred Stewart, who was in the army. He was a member of various local drama groups from about age... ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/79 "2017-03-19T21:31:54Z")
God, I hate zombie threads. Boris Karloff for me. I love me Boris. But Cary Grant would also be an excellent choice. His Hitchcock movies were much better than Jimmy Stewart’s (except for **Rear Window** ). ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258/80 "2017-03-19T21:33:20Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > No zombie actors?? 😉 I can’t believe no one’s said Patrick Stewart. With Paddy Stewart, you also get the **I, Claudius** series. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-only-watch-one-actors-movies-for-the-rest-of-your-life/507258.md?page=5)