# Most unlikely action stars **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593 "2012-03-23T12:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/1 "2012-03-23T12:52:32Z")
When you think of “action stars,” Arnold, Sly, and Bruce would be the Big 3, at least of the last 30 years or so, then there’s more recent high-profile guys like Christian Bale, Will Smith, and Russell Crowe, then there’s the 2nd- and 3rd- tier guys like Van Damme, Seagal, Jason Statham, and of course your old-school guys like Chuck Norris, Steve McQueen, Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Clint, etc. Then there’s guys like… Liam Neeson. Sure, he’s a big guy, looks to be in decent shape, has a great, gravelly “tough guy” voice, and is even a decent actor, but when you look at his overall body of work, he’s much more of a serious, dramatic actor, very appropriate to films such as _Michael Collins_, _Rob Roy_, _Schindler’s List_, and the like. Until recently, that is. The past few years have seen him in starring action-hero roles in _Taken_, _The A-Team_, _Unknown_, and the current _The Grey_. Other actors (and actresses) I’d put in this category are Tobey Maguire (_Spiderman_ series), Sigourney Weaver (Aliens series), Adrien Brody (_Predators_), and Kate Beckinsale (_Underworld_ series). Who else you got? ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/2 "2012-03-23T12:57:28Z")
Simon Pegg. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/3 "2012-03-23T13:20:57Z")
It’s got to be Adrian Brody in Predators. I spent the first half of the movie thinkiing, “Brody? Really?” But as far as sci fi, action goes, not bad. Of course one action movie doesn’t qualify him as an action star. Also Denzel Washington, not known as an action star but has done some good action roles, Book of Eli. Man on Fire. Also, Forest Whitiker , did Ghost Dog and Repo Man ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/4 "2012-03-23T13:22:51Z")
BTW, I think Jason Statham may qualify as 1st tier now. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/5 "2012-03-23T13:25:44Z")
Oh, Billy Zane , Phantom , Invincible. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/6 "2012-03-23T13:33:22Z")
Keanu Reeves ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/7 "2012-03-23T13:35:16Z")
Sigourney may not be very tall but she carries herself like an Amazon. no surprise there at all. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/8 "2012-03-23T13:51:54Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > It’s got to be Adrian Brody in Predators. > > I spent the first half of the movie thinkiing, “Brody? Really?” > > But as far as sci fi, action goes, not bad. > > Of course one action movie doesn’t qualify him as an action star. Well, he was also in **King Kong** … Folks about my age will probably think of Bruce Willis. When **Die Hard** came out, everyone was like, “Really? The goofy guy from **Moonlighting**? In an action movie? Whatever…” And of course it turned out to be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/9 "2012-03-23T14:10:03Z")
I’m not sure Tobey Maguire really counts, as you can’t cast a Schwarzenegger or Stallone as Spiderman. Elijah Wood popping up in Sin City as a serial killer was more surprising. > [@shijinn](#): > > Sigourney may not be very tall but she carries herself like an Amazon. no surprise there at all. She is just shy of 6 foot according to wikipedia. > [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Simon Pegg. I’ll see your Simon Pegg and raise you Nick Frost. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/10 "2012-03-23T14:12:54Z")
How about Paul Giamatti in “Shoot Em Up”? ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/11 "2012-03-23T14:19:29Z")
Seth Rogan in The Green Lantern. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/12 "2012-03-23T14:20:23Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Well, he was also in **King Kong** … Problem is, Brody stunk up both movies big time because he was all wrong for the role in each case. He’s not really suited to be an action hero. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/13 "2012-03-23T14:30:13Z")
Edmond O’Brien. He played tough guys, often quite well, despite looking so soft and doughy. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/14 "2012-03-23T14:33:27Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Seth Rogan in The Green Lantern. Seth Rogan in The Green _Hornet_-Ryan Reynolds in The Green Lantern, Blade Trinity, Smokin’ Aces, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the upcoming Deadpool. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/15 "2012-03-23T14:33:32Z")
Almost the entire cast of The Mystery Men: Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Janeane Garofalo, Paul Reubens, Eddie Izzard, Greg Kinnear. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/16 "2012-03-23T14:39:27Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Also, Forest Whitiker , did Ghost Dog and Repo Man [Repo _Men_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053424/). [Repo Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087995/) was not an action movie. > [@Sitnam](#): > > Seth Rogan in The Green Lantern. That would be [The Green Hornet](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990407/). Sorry for the nit picks… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/17 "2012-03-23T14:40:47Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > Problem is, Brody stunk up both movies big time because he was all wrong for the role in each case. He’s not really suited to be an action hero. Really? I thought he did a fine job in Predators - I mean, the movie wasn’t exactly “Citizen Kane”, but Brody did a fine job with the material. And I had no problem believing that his character was a Special Forces guy - I’ve read many times, both here and elsewhere, that most such people just don’t look that remarkably strong. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/18 "2012-03-23T14:45:47Z")
Helen Mirren in _Red_. Her scene on that heavy gun was worth watching the movie for. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/19 "2012-03-23T14:54:20Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > Sigourney may not be very tall but she carries herself like an Amazon. no surprise there at all. She’s 5′ 11½″. How tall do you want her? ETA: Sorry, see **Alka Seltzer** already commented. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593/20 "2012-03-23T14:56:53Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Really? I thought he did a fine job in Predators - I mean, the movie wasn’t exactly “Citizen Kane”, but Brody did a fine job with the material. And I had no problem believing that his character was a Special Forces guy - I’ve read many times, both here and elsewhere, that most such people just don’t look that remarkably strong. None of the Special Forces guys or Rangers or other elite types I’ve known looked much like your typical action movie hero. Certainly, they were in excellent physical condition; but they were generally wiry-looking guys of about average size. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-unlikely-action-stars/616593.md?page=2)