# Unhearalded Supporting Characters that are just flat-out cool. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400 "2005-07-13T20:01:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/41 "2005-07-15T03:45:42Z")
Monstre writes: \> Jesus, from The Big Lebowski. Okay, his name’s more memorable, but he had \> minimal screen time. Jesus was played by John Turturro, incidentally. I’ve read somewhere that the Coen Brothers were actually thinking of making a movie about that character. I can’t find any confirmation of this, though. Has anyone else heard this? ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/42 "2005-07-15T04:11:11Z")
Some more that come to mind: The young looking police officer in Boondock Saints (I can’t remember his name, he’s the one who offers to let the brothers stay at the police station overnight… if it’s okay with Agent Smecker.) Also, the priest that Smecker confesses to in the same movie, and the redhaired girl at the trial. I’m not sure if he counts since he was semi-prominent in the movie, but the guy from Independence Day who followed the President around at Area 51 (played by the same guy who later plays Jayne on Firefly and Serenity). During the movie, he guns down an alien with the help of like 4 other guys) and gives one of the funnier introductions to a piloting class I’ve ever heard. “If you’ll excuse the pun, you’re about to take a… crash course in modern avionics… _aside, to someone nearby_ Who wrote this?!” From the same movie, the big guy who Will Smith steals a helocopter from “Just tell them I hit you.” Also the youngish looking White House staffer helping someone up after they fall down while evacuating the White House. Oh, and the guy giving commands from Area 51 over the radio to the pilots. Eh, let’s face it, ID4 was full of lots of cool minor characters. From the BattleStar Galactica miniseries remake, I liked the beefy lieutenant guy who we rarely saw, and the pilot of Colonial One. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/43 "2005-07-15T12:56:09Z")
He’s a good guy, not a bad guy, but _I_ could certainly stand to see more of Eomer. Which is why I saw **The Chronicles of Riddick** and **The Bourne Supremacy** - the actor who played Eomer is the badass who chases Matt Damon in the car scene. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/44 "2005-07-15T14:16:04Z")
> [@Bomzaway](#): > > You reminded me of something though, I liked the bad guy in the first Highlander movie. I LOVE the scene that opens to his praying hands at the table full of candles (whatever that’s called) in a Catholic Church, and then starts laughing as is tamps out the candles with his hands. And then IIRC, he wags his tongue at a few nuns. Not that I have a problem with Catholics or religion in general, but he was just SO bad that I wanted to see more of his antics. Kurgan (to the nuns): Happy Halloween, ladies! [tongue waggle] -Joe, butt waggle ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/45 "2005-07-15T15:03:33Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Eh, let’s face it, ID4 was full of lots of cool minor characters. Seconded. That’s actually the only other movie/show I’ve seen Adam Baldwin (Jayne from _Firefly_) in, and I thought he was a neat character. ID4 definitely managed to make a lot of the bit parts individual and more human, rather than just as backdrop. If we’re not limiting ourselves to movies only, I’d go back to _Firefly_, which has some great minor characters. The one I’m thinking of in particular is the sheriff from Episode 2, _The Train Job_. Competent and intelligent. There’s also Crow, Niska’s bodyguard in the same ep, Laurence from the pilot _Serenity_, the Alliance captain in episode 3, _Bushwhacked_… I could go on, but I won’t. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![optikal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/dfb087/32.png) [@optikal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/optikal)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/46 "2005-07-15T15:12:10Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > I’m not sure if he counts since he was semi-prominent in the movie, but the guy from Independence Day who followed the President around at Area 51 (played by the same guy who later plays Jayne on Firefly and Serenity). During the movie, he guns down an alien with the help of like 4 other guys) and gives one of the funnier introductions to a piloting class I’ve ever heard. “If you’ll excuse the pun, you’re about to take a… crash course in modern avionics… _aside, to someone nearby_ Who wrote this?!” That’d be Adam Baldwin, who also managed to out-Smith Hugo Weaving on _Angel_ as Marcus Hamilton. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/47 "2005-07-15T15:12:48Z")
[quote] That Asian guy is one of my That Guys. He’s Lo Pan in Big Trouble In Little China, and the voice of Dao Wun Long (possibly Dao Lun Wong) in Jackie Chan Adventures. [quote] Thank you so much. I knew I’d heard that voice before and couldn’t place it. ---
**Author:** ![Monstre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Monstre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monstre)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/48 "2005-07-15T15:23:38Z")
From _The Matrix_ – Switch. She was the other woman on Morpheus’ crew, who mostly turned out to be Redshirts by the end. But after the trip through the walls when the agents were hunting them, and they came out at the bottom. The way she just calmly stood out in the open pointing and shooting. She was pretty bad-ass. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/49 "2005-07-15T16:02:58Z")
> [@hopesperson](#): > > Not sure if he exactly fits the bill, but I never get tired of watching Alec Baldwin’s brief but overpowering scene as Blake in _Glengarry Glen Ross_. He doesn’t appear after the one scene, but holy shit… Which lead to one of the catch phrases amongst my friends: “You know what third prize is?” ---
**Author:** ![sj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@sj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sj2)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/50 "2005-07-15T18:11:51Z")
Sarah Steele in Spanglish was one of the most refreshing performances I have seen in umm…well, ever. I wish the movie was about her…well, and Cloris Leachman as well. ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/51 "2005-07-15T18:18:48Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan (no, not Matt Damon, the other one, played by Nathan Fillion) > > He was just funny. That reminds me, I liked Ted Danson’s character in SPR. I would even go as far to say that it was my most favorite Ted Danson role ever. His haggard appearance matched his cynical but competent demeanor. He looked like a battle-hardened soldier and I think he stole the scenes in which he appeared. Also, I like Paul Giamatti’s character in that film too. He’d be a good template for a character in some War comedy…a Hogan’s Heroes remake perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/52 "2005-07-15T18:23:35Z")
> [@Bomzaway](#): > > Also, I like Paul Giamatti’s character in that film too. He’d be a good template for a character in some War comedy…a Hogan’s Heroes remake perhaps? Speaking of Paul Giamatti, the guy nearly always plays supporting characters, and is nearly always great. Pig Vomit in _Private Parts_ and Bob Zmuda in _Man on the Moon_ were particularly enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/53 "2005-07-15T23:21:13Z")
Speaking of Cloris… “Hanging Up” with Walter Mathau, Meg Ryan, Lisa Kudrow and … ah man… what is her name… Diane Keaton? Cloris Leachman plays their estranged mother. The movie is SHIT… but Cloris’ one scene is amazing, where she explains to one of her daughters (Meg Ryan) why she let their father (Mathau) raise the three girls. “Motherhood… it just didn’t take.” It’s heartbreaking and is easily the goldflake in the turd of that movie. “Once Upon A Time in Mexico” The two henchmen who have the brief conversation about not wanting to torture Banderas’ character because one time they were tortured and they didn’t like it. I remember really hoping they would get away but … IIRC they are killed by Johnny Depp. ---
**Author:** ![Spiratu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@Spiratu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiratu)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400/54 "2005-07-16T05:30:08Z")
William Wallace’s uncle (Uncle Argyle, maybe?) in Braveheart seemed like a very cool character based on his thirty seconds or so of screen time and dialogue. I would have liked to find out more about him - how did he come to be so well-traveled and educated? What was he doing all this time before William’s father’s death? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unhearalded-supporting-characters-that-are-just-flat-out-cool/312400.md?page=2)