# Who is the most multi-talented performer currently active? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 14, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125 "2009-04-14T23:22:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/1 "2009-04-14T23:22:58Z")
Persons who saw last nights House may have noticed the series star, Hugh Laurie, playing both the piano and the harmonica. He performed with surprising talent. He is also a publlished author (I’ve not read the book, so I won’t comment on its quality) and is (in my opinion, anyway) a gifted dramatic and comedic actor. Clearly he’s a man of many skills. What other performers can you name who are similarly multi-talented? Let’s try to begin, at least, by naming performers who are currently active, by which I mean they have released an album, movie, tv show,novel, and so forth within the last two years. Anybody? Bueller? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/2 "2009-04-15T00:06:36Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Persons who saw last nights House may have noticed the series star, Hugh Laurie, playing both the piano and the harmonica. He performed with surprising talent. He is also a publlished author (I’ve not read the book, so I won’t comment on its quality) and is (in my opinion, anyway) a gifted dramatic and comedic actor. He’s a very good author, and he plays a pretty good slide guitar. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/3 "2009-04-15T01:06:52Z")
While not a musician, Hugh’s former partner Stephen Fry is seriously multi-talented. He does starring roles in comedy and drama both in TV and movies, voiceovers, panel show hosting, award show hosting and lots of documentaries. He’s written a few novels and non-fiction books (one on classical music and one on poetry, if not more). I’ve read all of his novels and they’re fantastic. The classic music one is really fun too. Didn’t read the poetry one, or Hugh’s books…but he’s definitely more prolific. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/4 "2009-04-15T01:14:22Z")
Craig Ferguson has been an actor, director, and screenwriter. When he was young he was a drummer in a punk rock band. He does successful stand-up and hosts a successful talk show. He wrote a very good comic novel and has a biography coming out. Eric Idle wrote almost all the songs for Monty Python and wrote most of their book material. He did the book for Spamalot and went on a national comedy tour. The problem with naming talents is distinguishing between who’s good and who’s so popular they can sell anything. There are a number of actors who have written books of various quality or put out albums or do art of some kind. Every comedian who has a name gets a book deal. Rocks stars write bestselling books of poetry. Actors get one-man shows. Are any of them good? I don’t know. Do you care about good or just about multi? ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/5 "2009-04-15T01:48:03Z")
Steve Martin has been a stand-up comedian, an actor in comedy and non-comedy films, hosted the Academy Awards and many SNL episodes, written fiction and non-fiction books, screenplays and for television, and plays a pretty good banjo, as well. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/6 "2009-04-15T02:02:29Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > He’s a very good author, and he plays a pretty good slide guitar. And he’s a decent singer. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/7 "2009-04-15T02:04:55Z")
Billy Bob Thornton wrote, acted in and directed the award winning["Sling Blade"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sling_Blade) which was made on a miniscule budget of $ 1,000,000. He is also a drummer with his group the [Box Masters.](http://www.theboxmasters.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/8 "2009-04-15T02:18:19Z")
> [@Rufus\_Xavier](#): > > Steve Martin has been a stand-up comedian, an actor in comedy and non-comedy films, hosted the Academy Awards and many SNL episodes, written fiction and non-fiction books, screenplays and for television, and plays a pretty good banjo, as well. He can also juggle, make balloon animals and tap dance. There was a YouTube clip, since removed, of him and Gregory Heines doing one hell of a tap routine on a TV show. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/9 "2009-04-15T02:25:37Z")
I’m not the market demo, but Justin Timberlake has been pretty impressive for a young guy. Initially he was dismissed as a manufactured boy band product, but he’s since proven to be a pretty broadly talented performer. Good singer, dancer and producer. Has been great on SNL several times. Did a great job hosting the Espys. Was pretty good in a couple of dramatic acting roles. He’s still got a lot of time left, we’ll see what else he does. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/10 "2009-04-15T02:41:40Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Billy Bob Thornton wrote, acted in and directed the award winning["Sling Blade"](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sling_Blade) which was made on a miniscule budget of $ 1,000,000. He is also a drummer with his group the [Box Masters.](http://www.theboxmasters.com/) Don’t you have to have talent to be multi talented? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/11 "2009-04-15T02:45:21Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Don’t you have to have talent to be multi talented? So the awards below are indicative of what.. lack of talent? > [@](#): > > Awards and nominations > Academy Awards > Won for Best Adapted Screenplay (Thornton) > Nominated for Best Actor (Thornton) > Edgar Awards > Won for Best Motion Picture Screenplay (Thornton) > Independent Spirit Awards > Won for Best First Feature > National Board of Review Awards > Won for Special Achievement in Filmmaking (Thornton) > Screen Actors Guild Awards > Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast > Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Thornton) > Writers Guild of America Awards > Won for Best Adapted Screenplay (Thornton) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/12 "2009-04-15T02:47:46Z")
> [@astro](#): > > So the awards below are indicative of what.. lack of talent? Well, I meant the musical part. Shouldn’t that maybe not count for a talent? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/13 "2009-04-15T02:56:07Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I’m not the market demo, but Justin Timberlake has been pretty impressive for a young guy. Initially he was dismissed as a manufactured boy band product, but he’s since proven to be a pretty broadly talented performer. > > Good singer, dancer and producer. Has been great on SNL several times. Did a great job hosting the Espys. Was pretty good in a couple of dramatic acting roles. He’s still got a lot of time left, we’ll see what else he does. Seconded Timberlake really does have it all ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/14 "2009-04-15T03:13:00Z")
Clint Eastwood. Here’s a few excerpts from the Wikipedia article. \*In 2008, Eastwood directed the Oscar-nominated drama Changeling, which starred Angelina Jolie. That same year, Eastwood ended his “self-imposed acting hiatus” with Gran Torino. Eastwood directed, starred, held a producer role, and co-wrote the theme song for the film. Eastwood has his own Warner Bros. Records-distributed imprint, Malpaso Records Eastwood produces many of his films, and is well known in the industry for his efficient, low-cost approach to making films; he has said that “everything I do as a director is based upon what I prefer as an actor.” In 2001, he was appointed to the California State Park and Recreation Commission by Governor Gray Davis.He was reappointed in 2004 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, whom he supported in the elections of 2003 and 2006.\* Here’s the complete [Clint Eastwood article.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_eastwood) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/15 "2009-04-15T03:22:42Z")
> [@Rufus\_Xavier](#): > > Steve Martin has been a stand-up comedian, an actor in comedy and non-comedy films, hosted the Academy Awards and many SNL episodes, written fiction and non-fiction books, screenplays and for television, and plays a pretty good banjo, as well. You beat me to it, but I’ll add that he’s a playwright (_Picasso at the Lapin Agile_). ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/16 "2009-04-15T03:27:54Z")
What about Hugh Jackman? Anyone whose range goes from mega-tough Wolverine to howlingly camp Peter Allen, to Curly in Oklahoma has something going for them. Apparently he plays the piano, too. Not everything he touches has turned to gold, but being both a Broadway and a film fixture requires some chops. ---
**Author:** ![CutterJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@CutterJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CutterJohn)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/17 "2009-04-15T03:47:49Z")
> [@Rufus\_Xavier](#): > > Steve Martin has been a stand-up comedian, an actor in comedy and non-comedy films, hosted the Academy Awards and many SNL episodes, written fiction and non-fiction books, screenplays and for television, and plays a pretty good banjo, as well. > [@Mach Tuck](#): > > He can also juggle, make balloon animals and tap dance. There was a YouTube clip, since removed, of him and Gregory Heines doing one hell of a tap routine on a TV show. And not only does he play banjo, [he writes songs too](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jn3KCZEqxc). [Oh, and he’s a magician.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJCtOz32dnw) 😃 Honestly though.. How could you find enough hours in the day if you were that motivated and talented? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/18 "2009-04-15T05:25:04Z")
Timberlake is the first name that popped into my head upon seeing this thread. He really is impressive, no matter what he does. He seems to do ‘it’ with an innate sense of what needs to be done. Steve Martin has always impressed me with his adaptive style. It always matches the tone needed for the piece. And I’d rate his banjo playing as “fucking awesome” rather than pretty darn good. These and others mentioned so far in this thread have one thing in common, a reliable sense of rhythm no matter what the medium is. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger, mentioned in relation to Clint Eastwood, has a multi-dimensional sense of rhythm. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/19 "2009-04-15T05:36:20Z")
Vincent Gallo, without question. I’m absolutely serious about that. His music is tremendous, in all of its various incarnations. His various live collaborations with other musicians are superb, and his own solo work using vintage studio equipment is fantastic, if a little pretentious. He wrote, directed, and starred (the triple crown) in one incredibly entertaining movie (_Buffalo 66_) that is at once hilarious and sorrowful - and wrote, directed, and starred in another (_The Brown Bunny_) which he also wrote _and_ recorded all the music for. A true one-man show. Whatever you think of that movie and its infamous ending, the atmosphere of it, the cinematography, and the music are all terrific. He’s also an accomplished painter; he is a great dancer and showman; he was at one point a professional motorcycle racer; and his writing is absolutely hilarious. I honestly can’t think of a better contender for this title than Gallo. And most of the people who make fun of him haven’t even listened to his music or watched his movies. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125/20 "2009-04-15T05:55:08Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > I honestly can’t think of a better contender for this title than Gallo. And most of the people who make fun of him haven’t even listened to his music or watched his movies. Auctioning off his own sperm (to white women only) had more to do with people ignoring and mocking him than his abilities, I suspect. (Though I’ve read that the initial release version of Brown Bunny really wasn’t very good, which probably didn’t help.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-most-multi-talented-performer-currently-active/493125.md?page=2)