# These days it feels like there are about thirteen working actors **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 31, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637 "2014-12-31T19:53:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/21 "2015-01-01T17:29:43Z")
George Kennedy, I guess he’s considered a 60’s and 70’s character actor? I’d have a tough time listing character actors from todays movies. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/22 "2015-01-01T17:33:58Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Nicolas Cage. > > When I’m at the video rental store, my eyes automatically look away from any video with the words “Nicolas Cage” on the cover. Cage has waned quite a bit. Remember when Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson seemed to be in everything? What’s good these days is that most of the “popular” actors are actually good, and even better, likable. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/23 "2015-01-01T18:56:07Z")
> [@](#): > > I’d have a tough time listing character actors from todays movies. Gary Oldman, maybe? Nobody ever remembers that he’s in a movie, because he’s never the same twice. ---
**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:** [January 1, 2015, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/24 "2015-01-01T19:04:32Z")
There are always those chosen few at the top of the box office. What’s interesting to me is the rotating group of what you would really call “working actors” who play the lawyers and defendants in each L&O successively, then turn up each of the CSIs, etc. Then some of them–Michael Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Ian Somerhalder, et al.–eventually break through to a higher level of visibility. The same is true in British TV of course: the more BBC series I watch the more background faces become familiar. And then inevitably the later star is spotted: Ralph Fiennes in Prime Suspect, Samantha Morton in Cracker, etc. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/25 "2015-01-01T19:29:58Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > What’s interesting to me is the rotating group of what you would really call “working actors” who play the lawyers and defendants in each L&O successively, then turn up each of the CSIs, etc. Then some of them–Michael Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Ian Somerhalder, et al.–eventually break through to a higher level of visibility. The same is true in British TV of course: the more BBC series I watch the more background faces become familiar. And then inevitably the later star is spotted: Ralph Fiennes in Prime Suspect, Samantha Morton in Cracker, etc. See also **Poirot** : some nobody, some nobody, _young Michael Fassbender_; a nobody, a nobody, _huh, Emily Blunt couldn’t do an American accent then_; nobody, nobody, _he’ll be Doctor Who someday_; nobody, nobody, _wait, is that Jessica Chastain?_ ---
**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:** [January 1, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/26 "2015-01-01T19:36:16Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > See also **Poirot** : some nobody, some nobody, _young Michael Fassbender_; a nobody, a nobody, _huh, Emily Blunt couldn’t do an American accent then_; nobody, nobody, _he’ll be Doctor Who someday_; nobody, nobody, _wait, is that Jessica Chastain?_ Yes, saw Emily Blunt on an old Foyle’s War recently. Also David Tennant. Saw a shiny young Bernadette Cucumberpatch on something recently too, don’t remember what. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/27 "2015-01-01T23:05:17Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I could throw out other names, but they don’t have that sense of being in **every damn film** that, say, Jennifer Lawrence has. Hyperbole much? Hundreds of movies are released to the theaters each year. Here’s [one list](http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/2014_movies/Movies_In_Theaters_2014.html) for 2014 films. Here’s [another list](http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/year/2014). A [3rd list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2014). A [4th list](http://www.imdb.com/search/title?at=0&sort=alpha&title_type=feature&year=2014,2014). No list is completely accurate because it depends on where you live and what kinds of theaters you have available to you, plus when those smaller and arthouse theaters decide to play a movie may not coincide with a specific “release date.” Box Office Mojo’s [list of 684 films](http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2014&p=.htm) ranked by how much money they made (so far) might be the most accurate regarding what played (or is playing) in the average multiplex. Jennifer Lawrence was in 2 (two) of those 684 films. Too bad the other 682 films couldn’t get her. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) … Katniss Everdeen X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) … Raven / Mystique She was in 3 films in 2013, but I’ll bet most average filmgoers have never heard of one of the three. American Hustle (2013) … Rosalyn Rosenfeld The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) … Katniss Everdeen The Devil You Know (2013) … Young Zoe She had 3 movies in 2012, and again, I’ll bet most have never heard of one of them. House at the End of the Street (2012) … Elissa Silver Linings Playbook (2012) … Tiffany The Hunger Games (2012) … Katniss Everdeen She had 3 in 2011, and most people would only have heard of one of them. X-Men: First Class (2011) … Raven / Mystique The Beaver (2011) … Norah Like Crazy (2011) … Sam She had only one film in 2010, but it was an important one. While most average people would not have heard of it, let alone seen it, it’s the one that got her an Oscar nomination, and the part in The Hunger Games. Winter’s Bone (2010) … Ree Nothing in 2009. Three in 2008, none of which most people would have heard anything about. The Burning Plain (2008) … Mariana The Poker House (2008) … Agnes Garden Party (2008) … Tiff She has two movies coming out in 2015, three if Serena actually gets a release date. Mockingjay Pt. 2 and Joy won’t even be released until the end of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/28 "2015-01-01T23:34:55Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Hyperbole much? > > Hundreds of movies are released to the theaters each year. Here’s [one list](http://www.wildaboutmovies.com/2014_movies/Movies_In_Theaters_2014.html) for 2014 films. Here’s [another list](http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/year/2014). A [3rd list](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2014). A [4th list](http://www.imdb.com/search/title?at=0&sort=alpha&title_type=feature&year=2014,2014). No list is completely accurate because it depends on where you live and what kinds of theaters you have available to you, plus when those smaller and arthouse theaters decide to play a movie may not coincide with a specific “release date.” > > Box Office Mojo’s [list of 684 films](http://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2014&p=.htm) ranked by how much money they made (so far) might be the most accurate regarding what played (or is playing) in the average multiplex. > > Jennifer Lawrence was in 2 (two) of those 684 films. Too bad the other 682 films couldn’t get her. > > The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) … Katniss Everdeen > X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) … Raven / Mystique > > She was in 3 films in 2013, but I’ll bet most average filmgoers have never heard of one of the three. > > American Hustle (2013) … Rosalyn Rosenfeld > The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) … Katniss Everdeen > The Devil You Know (2013) … Young Zoe > > She had 3 movies in 2012, and again, I’ll bet most have never heard of one of them. > > House at the End of the Street (2012) … Elissa > Silver Linings Playbook (2012) … Tiffany > The Hunger Games (2012) … Katniss Everdeen > > She had 3 in 2011, and most people would only have heard of one of them. > > X-Men: First Class (2011) … Raven / Mystique > The Beaver (2011) … Norah > Like Crazy (2011) … Sam > > She had only one film in 2010, but it was an important one. While most average people would not have heard of it, let alone seen it, it’s the one that got her an Oscar nomination, and the part in The Hunger Games. > > Winter’s Bone (2010) … Ree > > Nothing in 2009. Three in 2008, none of which most people would have heard anything about. > > The Burning Plain (2008) … Mariana > The Poker House (2008) … Agnes > Garden Party (2008) … Tiff > > She has two movies coming out in 2015, three if Serena actually gets a release date. Mockingjay Pt. 2 and Joy won’t even be released until the end of the year. Did you just say that the average movie goer has never heard of Hunger Games, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2015, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/29 "2015-01-01T23:52:08Z")
No, I didn’t say that. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/30 "2015-01-02T00:03:58Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > No, I didn’t say that. The reason it feels like she’s everywhere is because 7 of the 13 films she’s appeared in have grossed 250 million worldwide. She’s received three Oscar nominations and in addition to those three, she’s in both of the most successful current franchises. ---
**Author:** ![BOOM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@BOOM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BOOM)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/31 "2015-01-02T00:12:10Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > There are always those chosen few at the top of the box office. What’s interesting to me is the rotating group of what you would really call “working actors” who play the lawyers and defendants in each L&O successively, then turn up each of the CSIs, etc. Then some of them–Michael Pitt, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Ian Somerhalder, et al.–eventually break through to a higher level of visibility. The same is true in British TV of course: the more BBC series I watch the more background faces become familiar. And then inevitably the later star is spotted: Ralph Fiennes in Prime Suspect, Samantha Morton in Cracker, etc. Thy’re not rotating, what you’re describing is a career timeline - shows like Cracker and Prime Suspect are 10-20 years old. ---
**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:** [January 2, 2015, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/32 "2015-01-02T01:07:41Z")
> [@BOOM](#): > > Thy’re not rotating, what you’re describing is a career timeline - shows like Cracker and Prime Suspect are 10-20 years old. Not sure where you got that I wasn’t aware of that. ---
**Author:** ![tadtooornamental](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/33 "2015-01-02T04:08:09Z")
A contributing factor to the saturation you see with some actors is work ethic. Some actors just constantly work, rather than do one film per year (or less) and live off of that paycheck. I recall going to the theatre a few years ago and THREE of the previews (out of what, 6? maybe 8?) featured Adrien Brody. Looking at his IMDB, he averages four films per year. 5 already announced for 2015. Seth Rogan, James Franco and Bradley Cooper have similar schedules (seriously, Seth? 14 projects last year? Take a nap already!) Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Downey, Jr. and Benedict Cumberbatch don’t do AS much, but they’re got such huge star power that you hear about them constantly whether they’re working or not. As for Jake Gyllenhall and Matt Damon . . . I had to Google their last projects. They don’t seem to have the saturation lately that most of the others on the OP’s list do. To me, anyway. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/34 "2015-01-02T04:32:11Z")
[Jake Gyllenhaal](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2872718/awards) and [Benedict Cumberbatch](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/awards) are both getting lots of awards season attention and it’s not over yet. Both will almost certainly be nominated for Best Actor Academy Awards (Cumberbatch definitely, Gyllenhaal probably) so they’re about to get a LOT MORE attention after January 15. (the links above are to pages that show what awardsthey’ve been nominated for/won for their respective movies. It’s incomplete and more will be added, such as Oscar noms, BAFTA noms, and wins that happen over the next 2 months.) ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2015, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637/35 "2015-01-15T19:11:09Z")
Ha! Three of the five best actor nominations are on my list. (Amended for Steve Carrel) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/these-days-it-feels-like-there-are-about-thirteen-working-actors/708637.md?page=1)