# Most consistent, dependable actress in history **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567 "2012-05-21T00:47:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/21 "2012-05-21T22:11:59Z")
Olivia de Havilland ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/22 "2012-05-21T23:14:32Z")
There’s plenty of them. I’ll throw Jean Arthur out there. Bette Davis was remarkable in carrying her career into her senior years. Meryl Streep is OK, but I don’t like most of her movies, though that’s not necessarily her fault. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/23 "2012-05-22T13:52:01Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > You could make a case for the three dames, > Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren and Judi Dench. > > or…Meryl Streep. (And if she were from the UK she’d be a dame as well) GET OUT OF MY HEAD, dammit! How did you know I’d write that? Keira Knightley and Kate Winslet are on their way to joining this club, too. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/24 "2012-05-22T15:28:23Z")
Also in to say Kate Winslet; when done, I believe she will be regarded as the greatest actress in the history of film. Greatest. Better than Streep, Bette Davis, anyone. You’d also be hard pressed to find a bad performance in Cate Blanchett’s IMDB profile. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/25 "2012-05-22T15:32:21Z")
Ginger Lynn’s still making movies. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/26 "2012-05-22T15:39:08Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > GET OUT OF MY HEAD, dammit! How did you know I’d write that? > > Keira Knightley and Kate Winslet are on their way to joining this club, too. Feel that little bump on the back of your neck?..brain-wave transceiver, Although I think it may be glitchy as nothing else can explain your selection of Keira Knightley 😃 (Actually I have no idea how good she is as I’ve had limited exposure to her, I agree with Kate Winslet though) ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/27 "2012-05-22T15:50:57Z")
[Julianne Moore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julianne_Moore) and[Diane Lane](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000178/) are both excellent actresses who become their characters. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/28 "2012-05-22T16:52:56Z")
> [@jali](#): > > [Julianne Moore](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julianne_Moore) and[Diane Lane](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000178/) are both excellent actresses who become their characters. For damn sure! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/29 "2012-05-22T18:07:19Z")
For about 14 years I would say Janet Gaynor. ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/30 "2012-05-22T19:46:55Z")
Streep in a landslide. Hepburne is second. Bette Davis probably third. Then Winslet or Mirren. Dench and Close are, well, close. In the running are Blanchette, Keener, Linney and Emily Watson. ---
**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:** [May 22, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567/31 "2012-05-22T20:39:18Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > …nothing else can explain your selection of Keira Knightley 😃 > > (Actually I have no idea how good she is as I’ve had limited exposure to her, I agree with Kate Winslet though) Hmm. May I suggest _Love Actually, Atonement, Pirates of the Caribbean, Bend It Like Beckham_, and _Pride & Prejudice_, then, to start. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-consistent-dependable-actress-in-history/622567.md?page=1)