# Which celebs would be nowhere without their looks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 24, 2003, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166 "2003-05-24T02:57:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/21 "2003-05-24T22:29:25Z")
Jennifer Lopez should be damned grateful she’s considered hot and has a big ass. WAKE UP, BEN!! ---
**Author:** ![Blibbleblabble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@Blibbleblabble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blibbleblabble)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/22 "2003-05-24T22:44:37Z")
I have to put in another vote for Tom Cruise… You can replace him in all of his movies with just about any other actor. I’m still waiting for him to just go away… ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/23 "2003-05-24T23:42:00Z")
I think Wil Smith has enough talent that his handsome looks complement his so called ‘Big Willie’ style without overwhelming it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8797f3/32.png) [@The\_Universe\_Lashes\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Universe_Lashes_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/24 "2003-05-24T23:53:53Z")
Ben Affleck ---
**Author:** ![Adman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ccd318/32.png) [@Adman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/25 "2003-05-25T00:28:45Z")
Dudes- Lorenzo "spank the: Lamas, Ricki Fartin’, and Justin Wimperlake (And his boy band) Skanks- J. Ho, Christina Skankulara, Tori Spewing, Britany Dirty, and the one the only Suzanne “Ms. Big time Threes Company Star” Somers ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/26 "2003-05-25T01:02:31Z")
I’ll throw in about 70% of national news anchors (men and women, both) who basically have nice hair and read out loud well. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/27 "2003-05-25T01:44:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*I’ll throw in about 70% of national news anchors (men and women, both) who basically have nice hair and read out loud well. \*\* There was a thread about this not long ago. TV News Anchor must be a pretty cushy job if you can get it. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/28 "2003-05-25T02:27:54Z")
Melanie Griffith? She was in some movie where she played a cop working undercover with Hassidic Jews. I remember watching that and thinking she was horribly out of her league among the lesser known co-stars. I think of her as the female Keanu Reeves. ---
**Author:** ![Delly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Delly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delly)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/29 "2003-05-25T02:33:42Z")
Justin Timberlake He is not overly good looking! He isnt a brilliant singer! _Why_ does the world apparently idolise him? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/30 "2003-05-25T03:17:00Z")
ANNA KOURNIKOVA Gads, I’ve never understood what people see in her. I mean, she’s blonde, but not really _that_ stunnning. But then, I’ve never understood what some people see in blond-ness, period. Has she even won a tennis tournament yet? * * * As much as I adore this guy, Michael Vartan (Never Been Kissed; “Alias”) is more about delicate good looks than anything else. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/31 "2003-05-25T03:21:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Scrivener \* > \*\*ANNA KOURNIKOVA > Gads, I’ve never understood what people see in her. I mean, she’s blonde, but not really _that_ stunnning. But then, I’ve never understood what some people see in blond-ness, period. > > Has she even won a tennis tournament yet? \*\* Not singles. She’s won several doubles. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/32 "2003-05-25T03:23:38Z")
I make fun of Anna a lot, but she’s quite successful as a doubles player - in fact, a few years ago she won the Wimbledon mixed doubles championship (a major accomplishment, even if no one cares about mixed doubles) with one of my favorite male players, Max Mirnyi. ---
**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/33 "2003-05-25T04:05:57Z")
This is going to be the longest thread ever. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/34 "2003-05-25T04:11:23Z")
Mmmmmm…Anna Kournikova… What were we talking about? ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/35 "2003-05-25T11:54:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > I don’t think Julia Roberts would be anywhere without her looks - and I don’t think she’s that good-looking. I could not agree more. I hate to betray a fellow Georgian, but she is the most over-rated female actress of my generation. I was having a pub-argument with a friend about this the other night, so I compared her to Nicole Kidman. Can anyone really see Julia taking on some of Nicole’s roles? Could Julia play Virginia Woolf? Could Julia play a Russian mail-order bride who is conning her husband? Could Julia have played Suzanne Maretto in _To Die For_? Julia is a pretty face who continues to play the exact same role in every damn movie she’s in. > [@](#): > > Nor would Will Smith or, in my opinion, Reese Witherspoon. I have to disagree with you here. Will Smith went from being a successful 80’s rapper/teen to being the megastar he is. Not all of his films are the same. _The Legend of Bagger Vance, Ali, and Six Degrees of Separation_ all gave him very challenging roles. And to be honest, he’s not **that** good-looking. And can you really put Reese in this list? _The Importance of Being Earnest, Election, American Psycho, Pleasantville, Fear_ and most importantly _Man in the Moon_. She was a kid, for God’s sake. She would have been about 15 in that film. I think _Election_ really cemented her dark horse ability. ---
**Author:** ![Wingasaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d26b3c/32.png) [@Wingasaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wingasaurus)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/36 "2003-05-25T14:23:44Z")
Pam Anderson She was better looking before all her plastic work was done, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/37 "2003-05-25T19:23:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Marley23 \* > \*\* Kirsten Dunst is okay, but I think she gets a lot of points for her looks, too… not sure about her acting. \*\* I think Kirsten Dunst is getting by because of what she looked like when she was 10 (or whatever age she was when she did _Interview With a Vampire_). Now she’s just another ditzy blonde with stringy hair. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/38 "2003-05-25T20:25:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MineFujiko \* > **Melanie Griffith? She was in some movie where she played a cop working undercover with Hassidic Jews. I remember watching that and thinking she was horribly out of her league among the lesser known co-stars.** That was “A Stranger Among Us” and her lesser known costars included Tracy “Mrs. Michael J. Fox” Pollan, a pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini, John Pankow (Ira on “Mad About You”), Mia Sara and Jamey Sheridan (Law & Order: Criminal Intent). No other “A name” stars, but they all acted circles around her in what was to be her vehicle. Speaks volumes, I think. As for Kirsten Dunst, I have to disagree a bit with **Grace** – she has made a lot of career limiting film choices, and I think she’d be viewed differently if she had chosen roles which expanded her range at all. But she’s allowed herself to get pegged into teenybopper flicks (Crazy/Beautiful and Bring It On – which was actually darn cute, but still) or fluffy stuff (Spiderman) while Reese Witherspoon, who is only a couple of years older, if that, has balanced teenybopper fluff (that Dangerous Liasions ripoff the title of which eludes me at the moment) with some very bold choices (Freeway, Election) and is now making $15 million a pic and has her own production company. Kirsten’s reliance upon her mother to guide her career has hurt her, but since she’s apparently skipping college to continue in films, she may end up somewhere. Or at least I think she might. On my list: Melissa Joan “Sabrina” Hart - she will have no career in adult films Lucy Liu - her main “talent” seems to be her ability to convincingly make a frustrated/constipated facial expression, even when such is not called for Lara Flynn Boyle - now that she’s not got her weekly TV gig, she’s going to be right back to making crap like “Road to Wellville” Penelope Cruz - what is the hype there? Is screwing Tom Cruise really enough to launch a successful career? Maybe. Mimi Rogers is proof, I think, that it’s not enough in the long run, and I fear the same fate awaits Ms. Cruz. Matt Damon - Okay, he wrote a good movie. But its his face that’s his sole credit now, and all of his performances since Good Will Hunting have been various degrees of big budget crap. And then there’s a group of actors who I call the “one expression club” because they all have one trademark expression that endears them to people, and they’re all good looking (to some people) and hence, they’re popular. Talented, however, is another matter altogether. Brad Pitt George Clooney Ben Affleck Gary “Movie Mike Brady” Cole Matthew Broderick Matthew Modine ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/39 "2003-05-25T20:29:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*Marty Feldman > Danny Devito \*\* Excellent! And true! For a minute I was feeling whooshed. Might I add: Rowan Atkinson (not particularly ugly…but Mr. Bean just wouldn’t be Mr. Bean without his looks) ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166/40 "2003-05-25T20:41:50Z")
Jennifer Aniston. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-celebs-would-be-nowhere-without-their-looks/177166.md?page=3)