# Who's the current "That Guy!" king? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 23, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500 "2009-03-23T20:45:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/1 "2009-03-23T20:45:01Z")
With the sad passing of [J.T. Walsh](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000687/), the most visible “That Guy!” crown has pretty much been up for grabs. Is there anyone today that stands out more than the rest of the "That Guy!"s? Christopher Walken and William H. Macy and Steve Buscemi are probably the most well known character actors, but they’re also pretty famous in their own right, so they’re out. But if I had to guess, I’d say [Xander Berkeley](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0075359/) (Mason from 24) is the new king. He shows up in a lot and his voice, if not his face, always gives him away. What say the Dope? ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/2 "2009-03-23T20:54:31Z")
[Danny Trejo](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001803/) is showing up a lot - alongside (and often sharing the screen with) [Luis Guzmán](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350079/). Or would they be “that esse?” ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/3 "2009-03-23T20:56:31Z")
Even though he’s done quite well for himself, [Jeffrey Wright](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942482/) was “that guy” for me for years. Same with [Brendan Gleeson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0322407/). ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/4 "2009-03-23T20:57:32Z")
> [@singular1](#): > > [Danny Trejo](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001803/) is showing up a lot - alongside (and often sharing the screen with) [Luis Guzmán](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0350079/). > Or would they be “that esse?” Nice one with Guzman- I agree. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/5 "2009-03-23T22:12:22Z")
He may actually be crossing (have crossed?) over into name recognition, but I nonetheless nominate [Tom Wilkinson](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0929489/). ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/6 "2009-03-23T23:06:26Z")
A toss up between the ever ubiquitous [Bruce Davison](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&q=bruce%20davison&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi) and the ever brilliant [J.K. Simmons](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us&um=1&q=j.k.+simmons). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/7 "2009-03-24T00:29:47Z")
These guys have been around for a while, but I’ll go with [Stephen Toblowski](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0864997/) or maybe [James Hong](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0393222/) (aka “That Chinese Guy”) ---
**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:** [March 24, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/8 "2009-03-24T00:56:05Z")
Bruce Davison has the best hair of all time. His best movie was “Last Summer.” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/9 "2009-03-24T01:05:32Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > Bruce Davison has the best hair of all time. His best movie was “Last Summer.” Yeah, but you’ll never let John-Boy alone with your daughter after seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/10 "2009-03-24T01:07:51Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > These guys have been around for a while, but I’ll go with [Stephen Toblowski](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0864997/) or maybe [James Hong](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0393222/) (aka “That Chinese Guy”) I had no idea James Hong was so omnipresent. Although he’ll always be Lo Pan to me. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/11 "2009-03-24T01:25:40Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > …the ever brilliant [J.K. Simmons](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us&um=1&q=j.k.+simmons). Ack! No! Ever since “Oz,” he is now That Guy, But Not In A Good Way. “Yeah, pool table’s just about perfect now…” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/12 "2009-03-24T01:58:04Z")
[Zeljko Ivanek](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0411964/) has got to be in the running. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus\_alba](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quercus_alba/32/4061_2.png) [@Quercus\_alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus_alba)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/13 "2009-03-24T02:35:31Z")
My vote this week is for [Richard Jenkins](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420955/). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/14 "2009-03-24T02:45:40Z")
> [@](#): > > I had no idea James Hong was so omnipresent. Although he’ll always be Lo Pan to me. And I had no idea that Hong was born and raised in Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/15 "2009-03-24T03:06:44Z")
+1 on James Hong. He’s been That Chinese Guy in as many movies as there are Chinese people (acknowledging Hong is born and raised American.) He’s even the go-to Chinese guy for voice work when they don’t technically need a Chinese actor. Which is funny because, being from the Twin Cities, he has to put on a Chinese accent. His agent must be on speed dial. “We need a Chinese guy. Get the guy who played Lo Pan.” There’s a guy who’s never been a household name but he must have a bazillion dollars by now. He deserves it, because “Big Trouble in Little China” was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/16 "2009-03-24T03:23:48Z")
[Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0846480/) will always be That East Asian Guy to me. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/17 "2009-03-24T04:46:30Z")
> [@Quercus\_alba](#): > > My vote this week is for [Richard Jenkins](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420955/). Yeah, I mean what does that guy have to do to get some name recognition? Get an Oscar nomination? ---
**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:** [March 24, 2009, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/18 "2009-03-24T08:31:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > +1 on James Hong. He’s been That Chinese Guy in as many movies as there are Chinese people (acknowledging Hong is born and raised American.) He’s even the go-to Chinese guy for voice work when they don’t technically need a Chinese actor. Which is funny because, being from the Twin Cities, he has to put on a Chinese accent. His agent must be on speed dial. “We need a Chinese guy. Get the guy who played Lo Pan.” > > There’s a guy who’s never been a household name but he must have a bazillion dollars by now. He deserves it, because “Big Trouble in Little China” was awesome. Flipping through the channels I stopped to watch TMZ (if I watched it regularly I would admit it, the way it is edited gives me a headache). For some reason they had a segment where they showed James Hong walking down the street and the camera crew tried to interview him. He sounded like Lo Pan, accent and everything. Afterwards Harvey Levin pointed out that he was born in Minnesota and the accent had to be a put on. That guy to me will be [M. Emmet Walsh](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001826/)as long as he is still breathing. ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/19 "2009-03-24T08:38:39Z")
Stephen Toblowski was my main pick but he’s been pointed out already so I nominate [Joe Pantoliano](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001592/). ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500/20 "2009-03-24T10:51:56Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > That guy to me will be [M. Emmet Walsh](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001826/)as long as he is still breathing. Heh - every time he shows up on the screen, Mr. singular and I always say “-he’s got a _sandwich_ in one hand and the fuckin’ _head_ in the other!” 😉 It’s Pavlovian. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-current-that-guy-king/490500.md?page=2)