# What actors own their roles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 21, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666 "2003-02-21T23:31:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f1d935/32.png) [@ion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ion)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/41 "2003-02-23T00:13:27Z")
Christian Bale as Jim in Empire of the sun. (Truly amazing performance for such a young actor in such a demanding role.) ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/42 "2003-02-23T02:19:32Z")
Colin Firth - \*\*Mr. Darcy \*\* Jennifer Ehle - \*\*Elizabeth Bennet \*\* Toss up for the Best Sherrif of Nottingham: \*\* Basil Rathbon \*\* or \*\*Alan Rickman \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/43 "2003-02-23T02:26:49Z")
\*\*Rathbone \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/44 "2003-02-23T02:42:49Z")
I agree wholeheartedly with Sean Connery as James Bond and Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. Also, Andre the Giant as Fezzick and Mandy Patinkin as Inigo in _The Princess Bride_. Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands. Gene Hackman as Royal Tenenbaum. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/45 "2003-02-23T04:16:43Z")
Robert Patrick played a good Terminator, but there was no way he was _the_ Terminator. ---
**Author:** ![scablet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@scablet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scablet)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/46 "2003-02-23T04:43:56Z")
Harrison Ford as Deckard in **Blade Runner**. Ellen Burstyn as Sara Goldfarb in **Requiem for a Dream** (see also: Favorite non-Oscar winning performances). Gene Hackman as Royal Tennenbaum in **The Royal Tenenbaums** - the part was literally written for the man. Terence Stamp as Bernadette Bassenger in **The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert** (nobody else could give a homely post-op transsexual this much class). Samuel L. Jackson as Jules Winnfield in **Pulp Fiction**. Kevin Spacey as Verbal Kint in **The Usual Suspects**. Malcolm McDowell as Alex in **A Clockwork Orange**. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/47 "2003-02-23T08:45:49Z")
No one’s mentioned **Harrison Ford** as Indiana Jones? Or Han Solo? ---
**Author:** ![SnugTheJoiner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@SnugTheJoiner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnugTheJoiner)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/48 "2003-02-23T10:47:23Z")
Sorry, folks, there are TWO inimitable Henry Higgineses! Those who have mentioned Rex Harrison as the “only” Higgins obviously haven’t seen Leslie Howard in PYGMALION. Only the best thing he ever did, and as much a trademark performance as Harrison’s! On the other hand: As much as I love and admire Leslie Nielsen, it was foolish of him not to realize that only Jim Backus is Mr. Magoo. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Improved\_Scott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f17d59/32.png) [@New\_Improved\_Scott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Improved_Scott)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/49 "2003-02-23T11:11:45Z")
Patrick Stewart as both **Capt. Picard** and **Prof. Xavier**. Pick someone else to try those roles, I dare you. ---
**Author:** ![DirkGntly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@DirkGntly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DirkGntly)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/50 "2003-02-23T13:49:55Z")
Matthew Broderick - **Ferris Bueller’s Day Off** Val Kilmer - **Real Genius** Ok, I was in high school in the 80’s…so sue me! But yeah, DEFINITELY Connery as Bond…hands-down. “Hello, Pushy…” “Shaken, not shtirred…” “Mish Moneypenny…” ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/51 "2003-02-23T15:50:23Z")
Ed O’Neill as \*\*Al Bundy \*\* David Duchovny as \*\*Fox Mulder \*\* (up until the end when he got bored… I bet he’s pretty bored now). ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/52 "2003-02-23T19:05:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*No one’s mentioned **Harrison Ford** as Indiana Jones? > > Or Han Solo? \*\* check the O.P. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/53 "2003-02-23T19:12:02Z")
\ ---
**Author:** ![Mothchunks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@Mothchunks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mothchunks)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/54 "2003-02-23T19:25:43Z")
in Gods and Generals. Oscar caliber. ---
**Author:** ![RawkStah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RawkStah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RawkStah)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/55 "2003-02-23T19:42:57Z")
Michael Keaton as Batman, but George Clooney as Bruce Wayne. The entire cast of The Usual Suspects, especially Benicio Del Toro. He’ll flip ya. He’ll flip ya for real. Keanu Reeves as Neo. Seriously, who else can say “Woah!” with such conviction? Toshiro Mifune in any Kurosawa movie he did. But, would he have made a better Obi-Wan than Alec Guinness? ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/56 "2003-02-23T19:58:40Z")
I misunderstood the thread title and spent the last hour reading Wendt v. Host International (the Cheers/bar robot case)! [http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/04485f8dcbd4e1ea882569520074e698/38e97db86b8c25c58825695800725cb9?OpenDocument](http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/04485f8dcbd4e1ea882569520074e698/38e97db86b8c25c58825695800725cb9?OpenDocument) A copyright holder owns a character, but an actor owns his likeness. Wendt & Ratzenberger lost twice (because the judge ruled the robots didn’t resemble them), but successfully appealed twice (because the judge only looked at photos of the robots instead of viewing them in person to make his comparison [1st appeal], and that the judge only considered physical likeness, and not other factors that could lead the public to believe that the robots were Wendt & Ratzenberger [2nd appeal]) As far as I can tell, the case is still unresolved. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/57 "2003-02-24T03:58:50Z")
Sean Connery was the best Bond, but both Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan inhabit the role in such a way as to make it their own. I could easily see John Hurt as Gandalf, or any of several other tall, thin British gentelmen. Matthew Broderick was Robert Preston’s equal in the tv production of “The Music Man”, and the overall production was better than the movie. Actors often put their own personality into a role in such a way that they inhabit the role like no other person could, and we cannot imagine another actor giving quite the same performance. However, it’s possible for a character to be played in a different manner, yet still be equally effective depending upon the context of the role. However, there are times when no one else could possibly perfom a role adequately. Usually this occurs whent the role is created around the actor’s personality, but sometimes an actor fills a character so much that his or her interpretation becomes the character, and anything that differs from that interpretation just seems wrong. Tony Perkins as Norman Bates comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/58 "2003-02-24T06:03:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RawkStah \* > **Michael Keaton as Batman, but George Clooney as Bruce Wayne,** I’ll see your Michael Keaton and raise you an Adam West. William Shatner as the captain of the Starship _Enterprise_. Not to take anything away from Patrick Stewart, who is a fine actor, but there was never any need for a so-called “Next Generation.” **Number Six** , no offense intended, but are you serious about Matthew Broderick adequately filling Robert Preston’s Harold Hill shoes? I had the misfortune two weeks ago of spending half an hour on hold with Disneyland’s Customer Information line. During that wait, I was “treated” to young Master Broderick’s rendering of _Trouble (Reprise)/Seventy-Six Trombones_. He sounded like he was doing a parody of an almost-competent Civic Light Opera performer playing to the back of the community college gymnasium, bound and determined to make **every syllable** distinct and intelligible. The effect was to make me decide to leave the television OFF, lest I accidentally land on channel 7 for even a moment during the broadcast. Maybe if I had a television set equipped with closed captioning, I could have watched it with the sound turned off; then I MIGHT have been able to take your evaluation of his performance seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/59 "2003-02-24T06:23:04Z")
For me, John Hurt is Winston Smith from _1984_. Christopher Lambert is The Highlander. Rowan Atkinson is Blackadder, but perhaps even more so, Tony Robinson is Baldrick. And I’d have a hard time imagining anyone but Shatner trying to play James T. Kirk. Btw, speaking of Alec Guiness owning the role of Obi-Wan, did anyone else find it amusing just how obviously Ewan MacGregor was trying to imitate Guiness in Episode 2? ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2003, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666/60 "2003-02-24T06:34:39Z")
Leonard Nimoy as **Spock**. And can you believe DeForest Kelley was actually considered for the role first?? He did have a good eyebrow raise, but I just can’t see Dr. McCoy with pointed ears. Sigourney Weaver as Ellen **Ripley** And I think Pierce Brosnan owns **James Bond** much moreso than Connery, but then again, I am not much of a Bond fan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-own-their-roles/156666.md?page=4)