# Who are the least expressive successful actors/actresses in film and TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833 "2012-02-05T05:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/41 "2012-02-06T17:04:38Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I came here merely to express my contempt for the man they call _Keanu Reeves_. > Imagine if **The Matrix** had had a real actor playing Neo. I’ve hated Keanu for a long time, but I was stunned in the first part of the Matrix at the brilliant casting. I mean, you need a guy who can express dopey confusion and generally being stunned at the incomprehensibility of the world, and Keanu was just note-perfect for that role. But once he became the messiah? Yeah, not buying it. January Jones is another example for me: based on what I saw in X-Men, she’s a terrible actress, but on Mad Men, she embodies this halfwitted emotionally stunted harridan character as nobody else that I know of could. I spent a lot of time loathing her character, not loathing the actress, which is IMO a good sign. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/42 "2012-02-06T17:11:02Z")
Elaine Miles (had to look it up) the office manager on **Northern Exposure**. Not a trained actress, but all that was required of her was to counterpoint Rob Morrow’s Jewish plotzing. To her credit, though, she shifted her accent to Pacific NW from her native Nez Perce, even though the vast majority of the audience wouldn’t know it. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/43 "2012-02-06T21:33:33Z")
Wait, wait, page 2 and no **Summer Glau** yet? Pout and kick something. That’s about all she seems to do. I want to see her try a romcom or something, just to make sure she’s only _acting_ like a robot. I suppose it doesn’t help that her most popular roles cast her that way. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/44 "2012-02-06T21:44:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > And the equally somnambulent William Hurt. His default expressing is a faraway look in his eyes, like a dog taking a dump. Shoot. I meant William Hurt. The guy from Dune and Lost in Space. I’ve never seen anyone look so fucking sleepy while acting in my life. He was pretty good in Body Heat, but damn, not in anything I’ve ever seen him in since. And in Body Heat he was supposed to be an idiot, so the sleepy look worked. ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/45 "2012-02-06T22:09:31Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > My contribution: Zooey Deschanel. Granted that I haven’t seen everything she’s been in, from what I have seen her idea of emoting is a shrug and a “yeah, so?” expression. Sort of a live(?)-action [Daria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daria). This is one I can’t agree on; if anything, I’d call her overemotive. At least on her show “New Girl,” which is most of what I’ve seen her in. There’s a reason she’s often paired with the phrase “manic pixie dream girl.” She spends a lot of time mugging at the other characters and making elaborate gestures. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/46 "2012-02-06T22:13:23Z")
> [@typoink](#): > > This is one I can’t agree on; if anything, I’d call her overemotive. At least on her show “New Girl,” which is most of what I’ve seen her in. There’s a reason she’s often paired with the phrase “manic pixie dream girl.” She spends a lot of time mugging at the other characters and making elaborate gestures. That’s the only role she’s been that way in. Every other performance is completely wooden. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2012, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/47 "2012-02-06T22:31:48Z")
What about **Yancy Butler**? I thought she pretty as a robot on **Mann and Machine** , but then I saw on other shows and realized she always sounds like that. ---
**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:** [February 6, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/48 "2012-02-06T23:55:57Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > That’s the only role she’s been that way in. Every other performance is completely wooden. Zooey Deschanel was pretty good in Failure to Launch. The best part, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/49 "2012-02-08T14:28:09Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I came here merely to express my contempt for the man they call _Keanu Reeves_. > Imagine if **The Matrix** had had a real actor playing Neo. I’d say the movie would have suffered for it. The only decent movies Keanu Reeves has been in, he has shut up and let everyone around him talk. Then say: “Whoa, I know kung fu” Worked for Speed, Point Break. It doesn’t always work though, I give you Constantine as the example where it didn’t… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/50 "2012-02-08T14:40:26Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > I came here merely to express my contempt for the man they call _Keanu Reeves_. > Imagine if **The Matrix** had had a real actor playing Neo. It would have been a worse movie. Reeves is’t an expressive actor, to be sure, but frankly he was the perfect choice for Neo. Neo is SUPPOSED to be a blank slate. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/51 "2012-02-08T15:55:23Z")
David Caruso is capable of different styles of acting. Look at some of his pre-NYPD Blue roles. He chose to take on his current wooden persona. > [@Krokodil](#): > > I can’t think of any Brando movies where he was particularly “over the top,” but I haven’t seen his entire body of work. STELLAAAAAaAaAaAaAaaAaAAaaAaaAaAaAaA!!! ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/52 "2012-02-09T00:43:02Z")
I’m surprised there’s been no mention of Timothy Olyphant on Deadwood. IIRC he got lambasted for his wooden approach. Personally, I thought it suited the character quite well - a massively repressed powder keg. Essentially, his only emotion was anger. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/53 "2012-02-09T02:31:12Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > David Caruso is capable of different styles of acting. Look at some of his pre-NYPD Blue roles. He chose to take on his current wooden persona. > > STELLAAAAAaAaAaAaAaaAaAAaaAaaAaAaAaA!!! I thought he was good in Session 9(excellent indie horror movie). ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/54 "2012-02-09T03:23:50Z")
> [@Purd\_Werfect](#): > > I’m surprised there’s been no mention of Timothy Olyphant on Deadwood. IIRC he got lambasted for his wooden approach. Personally, I thought it suited the character quite well - a massively repressed powder keg. Essentially, his only emotion was anger. Personally I like him on Justified. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/55 "2012-02-09T03:34:29Z")
how about Wall-E and Eve? their only animated feature on their faces are their eyes, yet they are rather expressive despite that. ---
**Author:** ![Blackzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Blackzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/56 "2012-02-09T05:28:33Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KfJSKDPpo2s/maxresdefault.jpg "THE VOW - Official Trailer - Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams - In Theaters February 2012") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfJSKDPpo2s) Channing Tatum is getting a lot of work, and he quite literally sounds like someone who is on heavy medication or who has suffered a brain injury. _Jesus_, listen to that voiceover! ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/57 "2012-02-09T20:48:02Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > That guy who plays Cho in The Mentalist That is the way the character is written. In a boxed set interview, the actor, Tim Kang, commented on the impassive nature of the character, laughed about it, and in general revealed himself to be lively and expressive. I find the actor – and the character – to be dynamic and compelling and fun to watch, which is good acting, considering the limitations of his character. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/58 "2012-02-09T21:03:49Z")
Buster Keaton? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/59 "2012-02-10T02:02:22Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > That is the way the character is written. In a boxed set interview, the actor, Tim Kang, commented on the impassive nature of the character, laughed about it, and in general revealed himself to be lively and expressive. I find the actor – and the character – to be dynamic and compelling and fun to watch, which is good acting, considering the limitations of his character. on the same note, Summer Glau the Terminator appeared rather expressive in that brief episode where she thought she was human. ---
**Author:** ![Chicken\_Fingers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Chicken\_Fingers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicken_Fingers)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833/60 "2012-02-10T03:03:28Z")
I’ve seen a few Jennifer Jason Leigh movies where she didn’t move many facial muscles. Keira Knightley has few expressions. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-least-expressive-successful-actors-actresses-in-film-and-tv/611833.md?page=4)