# What actors should try something new? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, movies\ **Created:** [April 27, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267 "2023-04-27T12:34:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/1 "2023-04-27T12:34:24Z")
I often read something like “People forget that so-and-so is funny” or “such-and-such is a good comedic actor but also has dramatic chops.” Who do you feel should spread their wings more often and try something new? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/2 "2023-04-27T13:13:22Z")
Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell have both demonstrated on more than one occasion they can actually act if they want to. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/3 "2023-04-27T13:20:05Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Adam Sandler Well, the problem with him “trying something new” is, even though I’ve heard this about Sandler, I’ve never watched one of his “serious” roles because I don’t want to take the risk of seeing him try to be “funny”, even for a moment. I hate his normal schtick soooo much, I basically won’t watch anything else of his just as a precaution. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/4 "2023-04-27T14:23:03Z")
Sandler in _Uncut Gems_ surprised me. No humor at all. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/5 "2023-04-27T15:18:34Z")
Just had this conversation today. Keifer Sutherland is doing a new show. He’s a spy John Weir is a corporate spy adept at deception and ruining lives. In his last mission, a mysterious cabal turns the table on him and gives him a taste of his own medicine by framing him for a murder, and he finds himself in a cat-and-mouse game for gaining his freedom. (Wikipedia) ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/6 "2023-04-27T16:30:10Z")
Sounds kind of similar to Burn Notice. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/7 "2023-04-27T17:16:27Z")
It could be that some of these actors would very much like to try something new–but they are typecast and those are the only roles they can get. ---
**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:** [April 27, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/8 "2023-04-27T17:21:57Z")
If Rowan Atkinson can play Inspector Maigret faultlessly, and Hugh Grant is apparently playing a miniature Oompa-Loompa in _Wonka_, then the field’s wide open. Julia Roberts should try something fresh. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/9 "2023-04-27T19:20:41Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell have both demonstrated on more than one occasion they can actually act if they want to. Steve Carrell as well. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/10 "2023-04-27T21:38:16Z")
Well, Steve Carrell is funny and can act. Neither Sandler nor Ferrell have ever been funny to me. I did like Ferrell in that non-comedic role in _Stranger than Fiction._ Tom Cruise should try a new facial expression. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/11 "2023-04-27T22:18:28Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Tom Cruise should try a new facial expression. Xenu forbids it. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2023, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/12 "2023-04-27T23:17:33Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > Tom Cruise should try a new facial expression. But jaw clenching is his thing. Without it he’s just another short, weird guy. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/13 "2023-04-28T00:22:32Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Keifer Sutherland is doing a new show. Did you see Designated Survivor? So different from 24… or Dark City… the guy has range. ---
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/14 "2023-04-28T11:05:15Z")
Id like to see Tom Hanks play Evil. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/15 "2023-04-28T11:05:59Z")
Well, he was pretty frightening in The Polar Express. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/16 "2023-04-28T17:57:31Z")
Tom Cruise could try a Western movie. I dont think ive seen him in that, iirc? Also, if im allowed to throw in a director, i always was curious about what Quentin Tarantino could do with a Sci-Fi space adventure… ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/17 "2023-04-28T18:02:43Z")
[Brawl in Cell Block 99](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brawl_in_cell_block_99) tells me Vince Vaughn needs to leave his ‘smarmy wise cracking’ demeanor behind permanently for roles. Also Adam Sandler can bring it when he wants too. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/18 "2023-04-28T18:10:41Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > [Brawl in Cell Block 99](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brawl_in_cell_block_99) tells me Vince Vaughn needs to leave his ‘smarmy wise cracking’ demeanor behind permanently for roles. But he was born to be that guy! No one can play the characters he played in **Swingers** or **Made** without actually being that guy IRL. Nobody is that good an actor. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/19 "2023-04-28T18:11:22Z")
But we’ve seen Swingers and Made. We don’t need to see Swingers II or Made Again. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2023, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267/20 "2023-04-28T18:19:00Z")
I’d like to see Anthony Hopkins branch out into comedy roles. I find typically serious actors who do comedy to be especially funny, providing they have the chops for comedy—and I think Hopkins does. Likewise, George C, Scott, a typically serious actor in many fine dramatic roles, knocked it out of the park as [Gen. ‘Buck’ Turgidson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZm3qBdECdw) in _Dr. Strangelove_. One of the funniest performances I’ve ever seen. Sterling Hayden did a great job in that film, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-actors-should-try-something-new/983267.md?page=2)