# What actor is the current king of science fiction? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 23, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272 "2013-07-23T01:32:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/21 "2013-07-23T05:39:55Z")
If a supporting/character actor can be the king, then all hail [Michael Ironside](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000461/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1)! ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/22 "2013-07-23T05:41:23Z")
Among writers probably Orson Scott Card and David Weber. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/23 "2013-07-23T08:53:04Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Among writers probably Orson Scott Card and David Weber. Now you’ve done it. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/24 "2013-07-23T12:35:24Z")
Bruce Willis hath Twelve Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Breakfast of Champions, the Planet Terror section of Grindhouse and Looper. Jeff Goldblum hath Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, The Fly, Vibes, Earth Girls Are Easy, Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Jurassic Park (1&2), Powder, Independence Day, and, uh, Cats & Dogs . ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/25 "2013-07-23T12:59:53Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > It’s great to see the tradition of being That Guy being passed down. There will always be a place in science fiction for stocky, growly, oft-sarcastic Englishmen. (Incidentally, both actors played younger and older versions of the same character on _Doctor Who_). ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/26 "2013-07-23T13:13:09Z")
By quality and not quantity, Harrison Ford is my pick. He was in three of my favorite SF films (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Blade Runner) and at least two not-so-favorites (Cowboys and Aliens and Return of the Jedi). He’s also set to appear in the upcoming Ender’s Game film and may well appear in the Star Wars sequel(s) now under development. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/27 "2013-07-23T13:47:24Z")
Too lazy to do a filmography right now, but what about Morgan Freeman? He’s in a ton of SF/furturistic stuff, AND he has a speculative science show, _Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman._ ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/28 "2013-07-23T14:03:01Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Too lazy to do a filmography right now, but what about Morgan Freeman? He’s in a ton of SF/furturistic stuff, AND he has a speculative science show, _Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman._ When I checked IMDb, though, it was not straight SF. He was in the last three Batman movies, for instance, as well as Blade. He did play a mad scientist on The Electric Company, narrated The War of the Worlds, and was in Deep Impact and Outbreak. Bruce Almighty doesn’t count either (and neither does Evan). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/29 "2013-07-23T15:23:23Z")
Let us not forget [Leonard Nimoy](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000559/?ref_=sr_2). A science fiction resume stretching back to [Them!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047573/) But if “current king” means a good resume of high-quality work from the past two decades or so, I’m gonna say **Bruce Willis** wins. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/30 "2013-07-23T16:05:53Z")
Bill Paxton. Game over man!\*\* _Game over!_\*\* ---
**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:** [July 24, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/31 "2013-07-24T16:20:37Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > There will always be a place in science fiction for stocky, growly, oft-sarcastic Englishmen. > > (Incidentally, both actors played younger and older versions of the same character on _Doctor Who_). You know who else played a role on Doctor Who, after Blake’s 7 and before Star Wars? **“GORDON’S ALIVE!”** ---
**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:** [July 24, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/32 "2013-07-24T16:38:29Z")
I’m gonna have to give it to Shatner. Starship captain is one of the the seminal roles in science fiction, and Shatner is the person everyone thinks of when they think of starship captain. I think a large amount of Shatner’s success goes to Roddenberry, who created very strong, engaging characters for his series, but Shatner did take the role and run with it, big time. Jean Luc Picard and Captain Archer just don’t have the juice that Captain Kirk does. So, Shatner. However, Shatner is arguably past his day as a science fiction actor, so I would accept some more current actor being nominated. Nathan Fillion of Firefly comes to mind: once again, a starship captain, and Fillion is arguably a better, more nuanced actor than Kirk, and he really did run with that role, and was also the beneficiary of some brillant characterization courtesy of Joss Wheedon. So … Nathan Fillion. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/33 "2013-07-24T18:00:24Z")
I’ll go with Hugo Weaving: The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, V for Vendetta, Captain America, Trasformers, Cloud Atlas. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/34 "2013-07-24T18:27:29Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > However, Shatner is arguably past his day as a science fiction actor, so I would accept some more current actor being nominated. Nathan Fillion of Firefly comes to mind: once again, a starship captain, and Fillion is arguably a better, more nuanced actor than Kirk, and he really did run with that role, and was also the beneficiary of some brillant characterization courtesy of Joss Wheedon. > > So … Nathan Fillion. Nonsense! _Firefly_ was canceled prematurely, and became more popular AFTER its initial run, leading to spinoffs and to convention-circuit appearances for its former stars – nothing at all like the original Star Trek! Oh, wait. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/35 "2013-07-24T18:30:35Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I’m gonna have to give it to Shatner. Starship captain is one of the the seminal roles in science fiction, and Shatner is the person everyone thinks of when they think of starship captain. I think a large amount of Shatner’s success goes to Roddenberry, who created very strong, engaging characters for his series, but Shatner did take the role and run with it, big time. Jean Luc Picard and Captain Archer just don’t have the juice that Captain Kirk does. So, Shatner. That was my reasoning. He was the model for so many roles that followed. It’s just sad really. ---
**Author:** ![Satchmo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/satchmo/32/4223_2.png) [@Satchmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satchmo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/36 "2013-07-24T18:49:09Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Nonsense! _Firefly_ was canceled prematurely, and became more popular AFTER its initial run, leading to spinoffs and to convention-circuit appearances for its former stars – nothing at all like the original Star Trek! > > Oh, wait. Ha! Good one. How about Leslie Neilsen? Arguably the prototype for Captain Kirk from Forbidden Planet. If he hadn’t been so good at comedies, he could have been in many more Science Fiction movies and I think done a great job. Imagine him as Obi-wan, played straight. Remember him in Creepshow. I blame Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/37 "2013-07-24T19:00:39Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > I’ll go with Hugo Weaving: The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, V for Vendetta, Captain America, Trasformers, Cloud Atlas. I just realized LoTR was excluded in the OP. I’ll just say in my haste to decide against including The Wolfman I forgot to exclude them. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/38 "2013-07-24T19:22:39Z")
Currently, Matt Smith. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/39 "2013-07-24T19:40:11Z")
To come at the OP from another angle: say it’s an episode of BIG BANG THEORY, and the usual gang of geeky nerds is fervently expecting the arrival of a sci-fi actor. Said actor disappoints them by phoning to say he can’t make it; apologetically, he adds that he was able to send a last-minute replacement; the door opens, and they’re like _nine times more excited than they would have been._ The audience gets it immediately and goes nuts, because this is of course The Guy. Who’s standing there? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272/40 "2013-07-24T19:43:58Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Who’s standing there? It sure as hell ain’t Wil Wheaton. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actor-is-the-current-king-of-science-fiction/664272.md?page=3)