# Who's on the A-list? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690 "2001-05-27T16:14:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dodge\_this](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@dodge\_this](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dodge_this)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/1 "2001-05-27T16:14:15Z")
Who decides? Who’s on it? Is it all about how much money/star-power one has? I’m guessing it’s not all about talent. (I wasn’t sure if this ought to be in GQ, sorry if I’m in the wrong forum.) ---
**Author:** ![Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Morrison\_s\_Lament](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morrison_s_Lament)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/2 "2001-05-27T16:41:51Z")
Excuse my ignorance (and please keep fighting it!), but what A-list would that be exactly? — G. Raven ---
**Author:** ![dodge\_this](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@dodge\_this](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dodge_this)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/3 "2001-05-27T17:28:31Z")
Whoops! I meant the Hollywood one…every entertainment mag I read goes on about an ‘A-list’. I know it changes from time to time, but who’s currently on it? ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/4 "2001-05-27T19:49:39Z")
Seems more like a MPSIMS–if there’s anything more pointless than caring who’s on the Hollywood “A-List,” I can’t think what it would be. In my humble opinion, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/5 "2001-05-27T20:13:17Z")
B.A. Baracus, Hannibal, Murdoch… wait, what?.. ooooh the A- **list**! ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/6 "2001-05-27T20:24:16Z")
A-list can be based on hard facts (salary per movie, Academy Awards) and perception (who’s hot now?). There’s also the question: Can this star, by himself, get people’s fannies in the seats? A-list actors can include Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Russell Crowe, Leonard DiCaprio. Possible additions would be Ben Affleck. A-list actresses would be Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidmon, Barbra Streisand. Maybe Emma Thompson (although she’s been away having her kid). But Meg Ryan? Susan Sarandon? I don’t know. As pointed out, quality has nothing to do with it. Is Jack Lemmon an A-list actor? Probably not. Highly respected, an excellent actor, but not A-list. The list is also weighed heavily toward men over women as well. That should get you started . . . ---
**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2001, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/7 "2001-05-28T05:44:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mercutio \* > \*\*B.A. Baracus, Hannibal, Murdoch… wait, what?.. ooooh the A- **list**! \*\* BWAHAHAHA!! 😃 Hmm…I thought A-list could also mean those that were respected as actors. For instance, though Ben Kingsley might not be a huge draw, I would consider him an A-list actor. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2001, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/8 "2001-05-28T14:38:21Z")
_ **I** _ write the A-list every Saturday, Monday and Thursday and fax it to VH-1, E!, MTV, and a few other news & entertainment outlets. Slip me a few thousand and I’ll see to it that your name gets on the list for the next few months. ---
**Author:** ![lolagranola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ea5d25/32.png) [@lolagranola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lolagranola)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2001, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-on-the-a-list/66690/9 "2001-05-28T14:51:21Z")
**pesch** has it right on. It has nothing to do with how respected you are as an actor. It depends totally on drawing power (uh, not artistic - more like can you draw people to the theatre on name value alone). The more hits you’ve had, the longer you can stay on the A-list without a recent hit movie. Anyone who can currently draw a twenty million dollar salary for one movie is on the A-list. Have a few flops, and you’re off of it. I don’t think that it is so much a definitive, written down list (sorry **rastahomie** ), as a general feeling that so-and-so is hot right now (just won an Academy Award, just had three hit movies in a row, has high name recognition, on the cover of tons of magazines).