# In what film did you first notice & love your favorite movie actor or actress? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 25, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371 "2013-02-25T20:12:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/21 "2013-02-26T00:59:54Z")
John Lithgow in _The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai_. At least, I saw that at the time and liked it, and saw him in enough other roles to start recognizing him. > [@tdn](#): > > _Shakespeare in Love_, Gwyneth Paltrow. 100% my type. Smokin’ hot, but every time I see her in a movie I wish she’d inherited a bit of her mother’s spunkiness. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/22 "2013-02-26T00:59:55Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > Oh, and Chris Cooper in **Lone Star**. Yes. Same here, although he’s “only” one of our numerous second-favorites. > [@Rachellelogram](#): > > I first noticed Jack Nicholson in _The Shining_. I have no recollection of my age when I first watched that movie–it came out in '80 and I was born in '84. Another of our second faves. Mrs. C and Me hated _Easy Rider_, despite our having been far out and groovy at the time, but JN’s performance was phenomenally good. We’ve followed him ever since. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/23 "2013-02-26T02:18:52Z")
Tim Curry, not surprisingly in Rocky Horror Picture Show. I think I have seen just about every movie he has made. Close to it, anyway. Still love him! ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/24 "2013-02-26T02:24:37Z")
Paul Newman in The Long Hot Summer. I was too young to really even understand what a crush was, but that night I slept with my arms wrapped around my pillow. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/25 "2013-02-26T02:27:37Z")
Am I the only Cary Grant fan? The first film I saw him in was _North by Northwest_. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/26 "2013-02-26T02:51:28Z")
Kate Winslet in Hamlet. Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/27 "2013-02-26T04:03:39Z")
I didn’t have a favorite actor until I saw **Edward Norton** in _Primal Fear_. I always refer to him as the guy from _Primal Fear_ and totally forget he was in _Fight Club_, which is one of my favorites. Ha! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/28 "2013-02-26T05:24:50Z")
Ewan McGregor in _Moulin Rouge!_ ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/29 "2013-02-26T06:41:24Z")
Kim Novak in _Bell Book & Candle_. _le sigh_ She could have cast a spell on me any old time. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/30 "2013-02-26T10:39:30Z")
Barbara Harris in _Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?_ It is not a good film, but she has a brilliant “audition” scene about half way though. Producer: Do you see your self as primarily a singer? An actress? Or what? Barbara: Um… an amnesia victim? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/31 "2013-02-26T11:04:16Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Answering my own question: My favorite active film actresses (as opposed to favorite of all time) are Natalie Portman and Kate Winslet. I first noticed & loved the former in _Garden State_, the latter in _Heavenly Creatures_. I first saw Natalie Portman in _Leon: The Professional_ which was her first high profile film. And I don’t really like Kate Winslet but do love Melanie Lynskey in _Heavenly Creatures_, which was also her first film. Even though I saw Gary Oldman in the aforementioned _The Professional_, I really took notice of him in _The Fifth Element_. And I first paid attention to and admired Heath Ledger, Alan Tudyk, Paul Bettany, and even Rufus Sewell, in _A Knight’s Tale_. It is a film only ruined by James Purefoy’s awful performance (yes, even Shannyn Sossamon was better than him). ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/32 "2013-02-26T11:32:22Z")
First noticed William H Macy in _Fargo_ First noticed Anne Hathaway in _Brokeback Mountain_, although at the time I was aware of her mainly as ‘that girl from the Princess Diaries’, (which I have not seen) ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/33 "2013-02-26T12:09:58Z")
I saw Daniel Day-Lewis in _Last of the Mohicans_. ::Swoon:: Since then, I’ve seen him in _My Left Foot, The Age of Innocence, In the Name of the Father, The Crucible, and Lincoln_ but I still haven’t watched _The Boxer, There Will Be Blood_ or _Gangs of New York_ because I’m not into hyper-violent films. _Christian Bale_ really intrigues me, but I haven’t seen any of his films. I don’t really have a favorite actress right now. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2013, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/34 "2013-02-26T12:15:18Z")
Scarlett Johansson in _Girl With A Pearl Earring_ ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/35 "2013-02-26T19:29:09Z")
> [@FrankJBN](#): > > Kate Hepburn, “Bringing Up Baby” > > Imagine my chagrin upon realizing she was 60 years old by the time I saw the movie. Are you me? Except she was On Golden Pond age when I first saw the movie. More: Antonio Banderas, Desperado Michelle Pfeiffer, Grease 2 ---
**Author:** ![Sefton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Sefton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sefton)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/36 "2013-02-26T19:35:29Z")
Geoffrey Rush as Inspector Javert in the 1998 version of [Les Misérables](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119683/). Smart, intense, and crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Mattie\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@Mattie\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mattie_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/37 "2013-02-26T19:58:00Z")
Colin Firth in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. Along with about eleventy billion other women. Sorry Skald, I just realized I broke your rule about no TV. In light of my error, I’ll add Al Pacino in The Godfather. ---
**Author:** ![Mattie\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@Mattie\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mattie_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/38 "2013-02-26T20:12:36Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Alan Rickman, _Die Hard_ +1. Noticed him in _Die Hard_, but fell in love with him in _Truly, Madly Deeply_. I start crying about 10 minutes into that movie and will continue to sob the entire way through. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/39 "2013-02-26T20:38:34Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I first saw Natalie Portman in _Leon: The Professional_ which was her first high profile film. And I don’t really like Kate Winslet but do love Melanie Lynskey in _Heavenly Creatures_, which was also her first film. I love both leads in _Heavenly Creatures_, and was fairly shocked to learn that the hot crazy chick with great wheels from 2 &1/2 Men had once been the somewhat dumpy teen from that movie. ---
**Author:** ![catnoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@catnoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catnoe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371/40 "2013-02-26T20:43:34Z")
Antonio Banderas - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Saw it at the local art house cinema around sometime in the late 80’s early 90’s maybe. Then hunted down every other movie available that he had even a small part in at the local independent video store. Then he made his american debut I got to be one of the few people who knew who he was and annoyed the hell out of everyone urging them to watch his Almodavar movies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-what-film-did-you-first-notice-love-your-favorite-movie-actor-or-actress/651371.md?page=3)