# The one shot that made them a star **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 23, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199 "2007-05-23T09:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/1 "2007-05-23T09:22:10Z")
Was recently watching **Reservoir Dogs**. Mr. Pink flees the robbery, takes cover behind a car, and the camera dollies in as he fires over the hood, his entire face clenched. “That’s the shot that made Buscemi a star.” There are quite a few of those: the shot that marked the turning point for an actor going from obscurity to being known, or character roles to stardom, or hey-it’s-that-guy to he’s-awesome. M. Culkin slapping his face and screaming is the first that comes to mind. Julia Roberts shrieking with laughter and ducking her head in the bubble bath. Hugh Jackman prowling in the fight cage. Kate Winslet looking up from underneath the hat. (Yes, she was already known, but she wasn’t mainstream, IIRC.) What others? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/2 "2007-05-23T11:00:05Z")
I might toss Anne Hathaway’s bit of physical comedy in falling off that chair in The Princess Diaries. That utterly endeared her to the audience, apparently forever (so far), and she’s run with it from there. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/3 "2007-05-23T11:00:36Z")
Ving Rhames with that Band-Aid across the back of his neck. Sharon Stone getting interrogated. Susan Sarandon dabbing lemon juice. Sean Connery getting a backrub. America Ferrera rolling around in that plastic fishbowl chair in a hotel lobby. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/4 "2007-05-23T11:51:14Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] Ving Rhames with that Band-Aid across the back of his neck. Sharon Stone getting interrogated. [/quote] Good ones! > [@](#): > > Susan Sarandon dabbing lemon juice. > > Sean Connery getting a backrub. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/5 "2007-05-23T11:55:44Z")
Does the shot of Boris Jeltsin on top of that Russian tank count? ---
**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:** [May 23, 2007, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/6 "2007-05-23T12:01:44Z")
[Ursula Andress](http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/mrogers/2005/04/09/ursula-andress---h_2115564a.jpg) coming out of the water in _Dr. No_. ---
**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:** [May 23, 2007, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/7 "2007-05-23T12:36:19Z")
The reveal shot of Frankenstein’s monster not only made Boris Karloff a star, but also created an icon that goes far beyond films. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/8 "2007-05-23T12:42:23Z")
I gotta concur with **Rilcham** , Susan Sarandon was a star way before Atlantic City. Maybe her star turn was getting her freak on in Rocky Picture Horror Show. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/9 "2007-05-23T14:07:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Susan Sarandon dabbing lemon juice. > > Sean Connery getting a backrub. **Atlantic City** and **Goldfinger** , respectively (although the laser inchng towards Bond’s crotch might be a better choice). Susan Sarandon was sort of well known before then, and had bigger roles after, but that one scene got her a lot of attention. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/10 "2007-05-23T14:20:49Z")
And all of it VERY MUCH deserved! :eek: ---
**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 23, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/11 "2007-05-23T14:21:00Z")
Hugh Grant’s bashful smile in _Three Weddings and a Funeral_. Julie Andrews singing in a mountain meadow in _The Sound of Music_. Harrison Ford’s smirk in the cantina in _Star Wars_. Robert DeNiro talking to himself in the mirror in _Taxi Driver_. Will Smith punching the alien and snarling, “Welcome to Earth!” in _Independence Day_. Tommy Lee Jones’s pep talk to the search teams in _The Fugitive_. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/12 "2007-05-23T14:40:19Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Hugh Grant’s bashful smile in _Three Weddings and a Funeral_. Harrison Ford’s smirk in the cantina in _Star Wars_. [/QUOTE] Those are what I’m looking for. The other four actors were already known before the shots you mention. They’re signature images, to be sure, but not spark-to-the-fuse moments. For instance, I was going to include John Travolta strutting down the street, but then remembered he’d been known as Barbarino for several years by then. ---
**Author:** ![Martiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@Martiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martiju)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/13 "2007-05-23T14:59:04Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Hugh Grant’s bashful smile in _Three Weddings and a Funeral_. [/QUOTE] He was 25% more bashful in the better known sequel…! Sorry. 😉 ---
**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 23, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/14 "2007-05-23T15:01:38Z")
[QUOTE=Martiju] He was 25% more bashful in the better known sequel…! Sorry. 😉 [/QUOTE] D’oh! :smack: Of course you’re right: _Four Weddings and a Funeral_ it is. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/15 "2007-05-23T15:02:57Z")
[Lana Turner](http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Studio/2024/page19.html) walking down the street toward the camera in a tight fitting sweater and skirt. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/16 "2007-05-23T15:11:06Z")
Dustin Hoffman floating by in a pool, face up with sunglasses. Some might argue for pounding on the church balcony window, but the pool nailed him for me. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/17 "2007-05-23T15:14:34Z")
Marlon Brando screaming “Stella!” in _A Streetcar Named Desire_ Judy Garland singing “Over the Rainbow” in _The Wizard of Oz_ Marlene Dietrich singing “Falling in Love Again” in _The Blue Angel_ Robert Redford’s card game at the beginning of _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ John Travolta carrying paint in _Saturday Night Fever_ Jack Nicholson getting stoned in _Easy Rider_ Vivian Leigh with suitors on the porch at Tara in _Gone with the Wind_ ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/18 "2007-05-23T15:24:22Z")
[QUOTE=Martiju] He was 25% more bashful in the better known sequel…! Sorry. 😉 [/QUOTE] Technically, he was 33.333…% more bashful in the better-known sequel. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/19 "2007-05-23T15:57:56Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] For instance, I was going to include John Travolta strutting down the street, but then remembered he’d been known as Barbarino for several years by then. [/QUOTE] Known, yes. A star, no. Ditto Harrison Ford. He was in **American Grafitti** , but it was the cantina scene that made him a **star**. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2007, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199/20 "2007-05-23T16:25:57Z")
Brad Pitt in _Thelma and Louise_ saying: “I like your wife.” with the smarmiest smirk ever. Until then I thought he was just some kind of 21 Jumpsreetesque pretty guy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-one-shot-that-made-them-a-star/405199.md?page=2)