# Which of today's actors are "class acts" or genuine nice guys?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 15, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475 "2009-01-15T19:12:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/1 "2009-01-15T19:12:09Z")
As per the [Ricardo Montalban thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10693223)the question came up of from **Wile E**.
> [@KHAAAAANNN!!! GONNNE? (Ricardo Montalban)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khaaaaannn-gonnne-ricardo-montalban/481324/57):
>
> I keep hearing older actors such as Montalban and Newman being called “class acts” or genuine nice guys and I started to wonder how many of today’s actors would get those labels. Anyone?
So I suggested Tom Hanks and Michael J. Fox among others and \*\*Sampiro \*\*added Sissy Spacek.
Who else do you think fall in this category.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/2 "2009-01-15T19:20:55Z")
I never thought much about David Spade until I read he donated [$100,000](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,471244,00.html) to police officers in Phoenix to help them buy rifles. That same story states he donated $25,000 to a fallen officer’s family.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/3 "2009-01-15T19:28:00Z")
Michael Fox has admitted he’s far from perfect. He used to drink quite heavily and says his wife probably would deservedly have left him. It was only when his life became screwed up by his illness that he realized how much he was already screwing it up by choice and stopped drinking and saved his marriage.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/4 "2009-01-15T19:32:06Z")
> [@Amp](#):
>
> I never thought much about David Spade until I read he donated [$100,000](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,471244,00.html) to police officers in Phoenix to help them buy rifles. That same story states he donated $25,000 to a fallen officer’s family.
Spade can be a real ass from what I have heard. Just because he is not a complete ass does not make him a class act. Lets just say he is not as shallow as he first appears.
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### Author:  [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/5 "2009-01-15T19:32:27Z")
Angelina Jolie’s various charity and rescue efforts come to mind. I have no idea what she’s like to interact with, but she’s clearly doing a lot of good things with her wealth and influence.
I’ve not heard a single bad word spoken of Natalie Portman, ever. By all accounts she’s not only a class-act but extremely intelligent as well (as one would expect of a Harvard graduate).
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/6 "2009-01-15T19:41:03Z")
I have never heard anything bad said about Bruce Campbell. By all accounts he is a class act.
I wouldn’t call Penn and Teller a class act in the strictest sense of the word. Penn revels in pissing off those that disagree with him too much for that. However they are both extremely giving to their fans.
Jody Foster seems like a class act but since she is mostly successful at keeping her private life private she may actually drown puppies for a hobby.
The old school class acts I have always heard about: Vincent Price, Charleton Heston, Boris Karloff.
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### Author:  [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/7 "2009-01-15T19:42:13Z")
Brendan Fraser
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### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/8 "2009-01-15T19:47:32Z")
I read a story about Eddie Izzard doing his 90 minute show for a guy in hospital (guy was injured in terrorist attack and had to miss the show, his father wrote to Izzard asking if he’d send his son a personal note and he came and did the show for him). I’m not a huge Eddie Izzard fan, but classy!
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/9 "2009-01-15T19:50:08Z")
> [@Amp](#):
>
> I never thought much about David Spade until I read he donated [$100,000](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,471244,00.html) to police officers in Phoenix to help them buy rifles. That same story states he donated $25,000 to a fallen officer’s family.
> [@Loach](#):
>
> Spade can be a real ass from what I have heard. Just because he is not a complete ass does not make him a class act. Lets just say he is not as shallow as he first appears.
I would agree with Loach on Spade.
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> Michael Fox has admitted he’s far from perfect. He used to drink quite heavily and says his wife probably would deservedly have left him. It was only when his life became screwed up by his illness that he realized how much he was already screwing it up by choice and stopped drinking and saved his marriage.
I did not know that. I was basing my suggestion on the fact that he chose not to live in Hollywood and was still in his long term marriage.
> [@shy\_guy](#):
>
> Angelina Jolie’s various charity and rescue efforts come to mind. I have no idea what she’s like to interact with, but she’s clearly doing a lot of good things with her wealth and influence.
>
> I’ve not heard a single bad word spoken of Natalie Portman, ever. By all accounts she’s not only a class-act but extremely intelligent as well (as one would expect of a Harvard graduate).
Angelina will probably never be called classy and has apparently broken up couples IRC.
I think Portman’s a good pick. She does seem to come off like a very smart and class act.
[QUOTE=maladroit]
Brendan Fraser
[/QUOTE]
I’m not being snarky, but why? Does he quietly help others? Is he loyal in his relationships? I like his but I don’t know much about him.
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/10 "2009-01-15T21:26:06Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> Spade can be a real ass from what I have heard. Just because he is not a complete ass does not make him a class act. Lets just say he is not as shallow as he first appears.
Just wondering what stories you’ve heard. Until I read the stroy about the donations I have never really heard anything, good or bad, about Spade.
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### Author:  [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/11 "2009-01-15T21:30:18Z")
> [@Amp](#):
>
> Just wondering what stories you’ve heard. Until I read the stroy about the donations I have never really heard anything, good or bad, about Spade.
Spade was an ass to me personally about 6 or 7 years ago when he came to do a show at Central Washington University. Not much of a story to it, but he was far from a class act. He may have changed though since then.
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### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/12 "2009-01-15T21:30:40Z")
Wil Wheaton? From what he said about his views on fans in his book “Dancing Barefoot”.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/13 "2009-01-15T21:34:41Z")
> [@Pushkin](#):
>
> Wil Wheaton? From what he said about his views on fans in his book “Dancing Barefoot”.
Oh yeah, Wheaton is an awesome guy.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/14 "2009-01-15T21:37:43Z")
From his AV Club interview, I got the impression that Neal Patrick Harris is pretty awesome.
Daniel
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### Author:  [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/15 "2009-01-15T21:42:18Z")
I know the OP was about actors, but if we can extend it just a bit to musicians, I want to nominate Alan Parsons. The guy is a legend in the recording industry, but he’s also one of the nicest, most gracious people I’ve ever met. Not a trace of conceit or pretension (I’ve heard variations of this from everybody I know who’s met him–I used to be in the APP fan club, and he would arrange backstage passes for as many fans as he could for his shows when he was touring, then just hang out with us.) The rest of the Project were great too, but Alan always stood out.
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### Author:  [@Clivas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clivas)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/16 "2009-01-15T21:43:24Z")
Leo DeCaprio has always seemed to be a decent guy to me. Nice and genuine in interviews, humble and charitable from the little I’ve read about him. Of course he could be a big ass, but that’s not the impression I’ve gotten of him so far.
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### Author:  [@Gestalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gestalt)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/17 "2009-01-15T21:43:40Z")
> [@shy\_guy](#):
>
> I’ve not heard a single bad word spoken of Natalie Portman, ever. By all accounts she’s not only a class-act but extremely intelligent as well (as one would expect of a Harvard graduate).
This is a pet peeve of mine . . . I think that if a celebrity goes to an well-regarded school after becoming famous, then they probably _only_ gained admission due to their celebrity, or at least that was an overriding factor. Your suggestion about Portman being intelligent because she is a Harvard graduate is roughly equivalent to saying that Barbara Bush (Jr) is equally as intelligent as the average Yale grad.
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### Author:  [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/18 "2009-01-15T21:48:44Z")
> [@Gestalt](#):
>
> This is a pet peeve of mine . . . I think that if a celebrity goes to an well-regarded school after becoming famous, then they probably _only_ gained admission due to their celebrity, or at least that was an overriding factor. Your suggestion about Portman being intelligent because she is a Harvard graduate is roughly equivalent to saying that Barbara Bush (Jr) is equally as intelligent as the average Yale grad.
That’s not what **shy guy** said. He said by all accounts she’s intelligent, meaning there’s evidence of her being intelligent beyond just a diploma, as one would _expect_ from a Harvard graduate. I don’t know about you, but I rather expect Harvard graduates to be fairly intelligent, whether they actually are or not. That is, Portman meets the expectations one might have of a Harvard graduate, not that she’s intelligent simply _because_ she’s a Harvard graduate.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/19 "2009-01-15T21:56:38Z")
> [@Gestalt](#):
>
> This is a pet peeve of mine . . . I think that if a celebrity goes to an well-regarded school after becoming famous, then they probably _only_ gained admission due to their celebrity, or at least that was an overriding factor. Your suggestion about Portman being intelligent because she is a Harvard graduate is roughly equivalent to saying that Barbara Bush (Jr) is equally as intelligent as the average Yale grad.
This is just about the general use of a school to indicate intelligence? As far as I can tell from interviews and bits about her, Ms. Portman is actually very intelligent and appears to be a class act.
She has her bachelor’s degree in psychology and was a research assistant apparently. She is actually pursuing her masters and has papers published in professional scientific journals.
My only hit against her is her apparent support of PETA. She is an activist in several areas.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-of-todays-actors-are-class-acts-or-genuine-nice-guys/481475/20 "2009-01-15T21:59:04Z")
Bernadette Peters, who could probably get away with being a HUGE Pain In The Ass considering her HUGE talents, is the most class cat I have ever met.
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