# Talanted, but wasted actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2001, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288 "2001-12-01T09:16:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ooner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c67d28/32.png) [@Ooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ooner)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/41 "2001-12-04T08:23:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by someone\_else \* > \*\*Morgan Freeman. Three great movies (“Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Shawshank Redemption” and “Seven”–sorry if I’ve left some out, and I know someone will hate me for putting that last one there) and a whole bunch of crap action flicks like “The Long Kiss Goodnight”. \*\* Morgan Freeman wasn’t in **The Long Kiss Goodnight**. You’re thinking of Samuel L. Jackson, another fantastic actor that is always the best part of otherwise mediocre movies. ---
**Author:** ![okielady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/fbc32d/32.png) [@okielady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/okielady)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/42 "2001-12-04T14:04:50Z")
Look, I’m not a _huge_ DiCaprio fan, so I don’t know an inclusive list of his movie roles. But if you’ll read my post in relation to the original post, you’ll see that I agree with you for the most part. There are very few people (actors, singers, whatever) who ASK to become teen idols. Most teen idols hate it, because after being a teen idol, it’s very difficult to be taken seriously again. You’re right, it shouldn’t have any bearing on future careers, but it does. Look at nearly ANY teen idol and tell me where they’re at and what they’re doing now. Of course there will always be a few exceptions, but generally speaking, your average person won’t know what’s become of their teen idols. Just off the top of your head, can you tell me where Leif Garrett’s career is at? What about Scott Baio? Tiffany? Debbie Gibson? They still have their fan bases, but the mainstream population doesn’t care any longer. It’s a sad fate, but it’s a fact of fame. If you get your 15 minutes in as a teen sensation, you’ll have to work your ass off to ever be known as anything else. Most never get past that label. It’s nothing personal against Leo, it’s just the way things fly… ---
**Author:** ![someone\_else](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@someone\_else](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/someone_else)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/43 "2001-12-04T14:33:36Z")
> [@](#): > > Morgan Freeman wasn’t in The Long Kiss Goodnight. You’re thinking of Samuel L. Jackson, another fantastic actor that is always the best part of otherwise mediocre movies. Oops. Shit. Sorry. I remember associating “The Long Kiss Goodnight” with wasted talent, and Morgan Freeman generally sticks out in my mind as the cardinal example. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/44 "2001-12-04T14:33:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by okielady \* > \*\* > Also, John Goodman. He’s typecast as a comedy actor, but I absolutely loved his parts in Coyote Ugly and Fallen. I think he’s capable of great things. \*\* As apparently the only person who saw the movie _Punchline_, I have to list Goodman’s role as Sally Field’s husband (god, that should get him an Oscar anyway). Mark Linn Baker was also mentioned in _My Favorite Year_, but no one mentioned his great acting job in _Noises Off_. Angela Bassett killed me as Tina Turner in _What’s Love Got to Do With It_, but I can’t believe no one’s mentioned Laurence Fishburne. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/45 "2001-12-04T15:19:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by someone\_else \* > \*\* > Oops. Shit. Sorry. I remember associating “The Long Kiss Goodnight” with wasted talent, and Morgan Freeman generally sticks out in my mind as the cardinal example. \*\* Since “The Long Kiss Goodnight” came up, how about Geena Davis? Here’s a beautiful woman with all the acting talent in the world, won an Oscar (for The Accidental Tourist), avoided the Oscar jinx with a series of terrific roles in “Thelma and Louise,” “A League of Their Own,” and “angie,” and then made two of the biggest turkeys of all times and her career came to a screeching halt. Now she’s just one step above Joan Rivers on the awards show circuit and “Stuart Little” is the best real job she can get. What happened? Was “Cutthroat Island” so bad it cursed her for all eternity, or has she married and divorced so many people she’s alienated most of Hollywood? She still has a lot of good acting left in her, you’ve got to think. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/46 "2001-12-04T19:00:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by someone\_else \* > > \*\* > > Oops. Shit. Sorry. I remember associating “The Long Kiss Goodnight” with wasted talent, and Morgan Freeman generally sticks out in my mind as the cardinal example. \*\* > > Since “The Long Kiss Goodnight” came up, how about Geena Davis? Here’s a beautiful woman with all the acting talent in the world, won an Oscar (for The Accidental Tourist), avoided the Oscar jinx with a series of terrific roles in “Thelma and Louise,” “A League of Their Own,” and “angie,” and then made two of the biggest turkeys of all times and her career came to a screeching halt. Now she’s just one step above Joan Rivers on the awards show circuit and “Stuart Little” is the best real job she can get. > > What happened? Was “Cutthroat Island” so bad it cursed her for all eternity, or has she married and divorced so many people she’s alienated most of Hollywood? She still has a lot of good acting left in her, you’ve got to think. \*\* Renny Harlin happened. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/47 "2001-12-04T21:11:44Z")
Fred Ward. He was great as Gus Grissom in _ **The Right Stuff** _ and as Henry Miller in _ **Henry and June** _, but he’s hardly done anything since (and nothing good). Its a shame that he’s not better used, because he really has a powerful screen presence. I’ll also add Harrison Ford who hasn’t done _anything_ I could stand to watch in years. _ **Witness** _ was probably his best role. ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/48 "2001-12-04T21:21:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crunchy Frog \* > \*\*I would love to see more of [Terrence Stamp](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Stamp,+Terence). > > He works regularly, but rarely in things that make a mark in the population’s memory. Most people I know remember him as General Zod in Superman II, but couldn’t name a single other film he’s done. > \*\* One of Stamp’s best roles was from the 1965 film [“The Collector.”](http://us.imdb.com/Title?0059043) Excellent movie based on an excellent book. Sheri ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/49 "2001-12-04T21:28:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cervaise \* > \*\*Another bit-part actor who usually gets wasted in crap movies: Oliver Platt. What the hell was he doing in _Lake Placid_ and _Ready to Rumble_? > > I’ll give a big second for Robert Downey Jr., too. Yeah, he’s terminally screwed up in the head, but the man is blessed with a staggering talent. It’s an obscure movie, and it’s got a lot of problems, but in _Two Girls and a Guy_ Downey turns himself inside out and puts his soul on screen. A criminally unknown performance, in my opinion. \*\* Oliver Platt was going to be my choice as well. Edward Norton has become a must-watch for me, ever since I first saw him in “Primal Fear.” He completely blew me away in that, as well as “The People vs Larry Flynt” and “American History X.” I agree with the above statement about Robert Downey Jr. “Two Girls and a Guy” is a great movie. I had no idea just how talented he was until I saw this movie. Sheri ---
**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 7, 2001, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/50 "2001-12-07T00:16:18Z")
I agree with Equipoise and second Fairuza Balk’s nomination. I’ll watch her in ANYthing. And Leonardo DiCaprio is probably the best actor of his generation. ---
**Author:** ![Chum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@Chum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chum)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2001, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288/51 "2001-12-07T01:48:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Fred Ward. He was great as Gus Grissom in _ **The Right Stuff** _ and as Henry Miller in _ **Henry and June** _, but he’s hardly done anything since (and nothing good). Its a shame that he’s not better used, because he really has a powerful screen presence. > \*\* I also really liked _Henry and June_ and thought Fred Ward did a great job. The most recent movie I saw him in was _Road Trip_, and i was basically disgusted that he was in it, even though I liked the movie. It seems to me that he could do much better. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talanted-but-wasted-actors/96288.md?page=2)