# Worst working actors who are highly successful **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545 "2009-01-23T00:10:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/101 "2009-01-25T02:40:28Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > I’ll strongly second Nicolas Cage and Kevin Costner and raise you Robin Williams. You’re joking, surely. Have you seen [Awakenings](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099077/)? That role alone disqualifies him. Played completely against type. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/102 "2009-01-25T02:50:25Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Rob Schneider, Rob Schneider, Rob Schneider. Man, I can’t believe I’m the only one who’s mentioned him before. He’s another one I just don’t consider an actor at all. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/103 "2009-01-25T03:18:55Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t remember that scene, but she was truly horrible in Eastern Promises. Enough that it detracted from the overall experience. It wasn’t Nicole Kidman mediocre, it was Milla Jovovich horrible. Eastern Promises had a naked Viggo Mortensen, nothing could detract from that, in fact I barely remember her in that movie. What a great movie! ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/104 "2009-01-25T03:36:32Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > He’s another one I just don’t consider an actor at all. He takes acting roles, therefore - he is an actor. And he sucks. He’s probably the worst, along with Chris Katan, Jimmy Farrel, and most other SNL alumni. I support Keanu as an actor who has a very limity range and has never ruined a movie for me. I’ve never seen him in Dracula or any other deeply serious roles, but liked him in Matrix, Something’s Gotta Give, Bill and Ted, A Scanner Darkly, and Parenthood. Cruise is not as great as he thinks he is, and not as bad as this board wants him to be. He’s an asshole who’s usually good. If we bring up Kevin Smith, we should also mention that about half of his usual cast is pretty bad, Jason Mewse (Muse? Muewse?) being the worst. Ben Affleck chooses awful movies, but occationally shows some talent. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/105 "2009-01-25T04:12:08Z")
Scarlett Johanssen should have been a model. She doesn’t act -acting would involve not “playing” virtually the same character in every film- and seems terribly terribly bored in every single movie. Well, every one but the ten minutes she was on screen in **If Lucy Fell,** but she was just a little kid then. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/106 "2009-01-25T04:54:35Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Rob Schneider, Rob Schneider, Rob Schneider. Man, I can’t believe I’m the only one who’s mentioned him before. Who brings to mind Adam Sandler. He has mastered one role at least – an adult acting like an ill-tempered or Rainmanish 13 year old. He’s gotta be somewhere up on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/107 "2009-01-25T04:57:29Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Scarlett Johanssen should have been a model. She doesn’t act -acting would involve not “playing” virtually the same character in every film- and seems terribly terribly bored in every single movie. Well, every one but the ten minutes she was on screen in **If Lucy Fell,** but she was just a little kid then. There is a special place in my heart for Scarlett. All she has to do is look vauely concerned and open her mouth into a wide O, and that’s all the acting I need. I will admit I have a far lower standard of performance for unbelievably hot babes. ---
**Author:** ![Momofgirls](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/momofgirls/32/21798_2.png) [@Momofgirls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momofgirls)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/108 "2009-01-25T05:23:11Z")
Ben Stiller. I liked a couple of his earlier movies, but now I can’t stand to watch him. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/109 "2009-01-25T05:48:21Z")
Bill Paxton - Wooden 2x4 of an actor. Ruins everything. Just saw a brief clip of his “performance” in Titanic. His voice has one tone… and not a pleasant one. Melanie Griffith - I thought she was bad, but now I think she’s just mildly retarded. Juliette Lewis - Gawd awful. Nick Cage - my hatred knows no bounds - He plays the exact same character - himself - which won him a freakin’ Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas. But his eyes-half-shut schtick worked in that movie. David Caruso was AWESOME in First Blood! (He’s sucked ever since) Andie McDowell was good in Groundhog Day. But she reminds me of paste. Ben Affleck - this guy just can’t act. He was ok in Good Will Hunting, and Hollywoodland, but in everything else, he’s painful to watch. I will defend some of Tom Hanks’ work. He was excellent in “Saving Private Ryan”. And I liked him in Apollo 13, too. ---
**Author:** ![Momofgirls](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/momofgirls/32/21798_2.png) [@Momofgirls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Momofgirls)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/110 "2009-01-25T06:51:00Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Bill Paxton - Wooden 2x4 of an actor. Ruins everything. Just saw a brief clip of his “performance” in Titanic. His voice has one tone… and not a pleasant one. I like him all right, although I can admit he’s not the best actor. But I think he’s perfect in “Big Love.” ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/111 "2009-01-25T08:23:31Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I will defend some of Tom Hanks’ work. He was excellent in “Saving Private Ryan”. And I liked him in Apollo 13, too. Hell, I’ll defend most of Tom Hanks work. No way does he belong in this thread. He’s a good actor - not great, but with decent range, and he chooses a lot of interesting projects. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/112 "2009-01-25T09:07:21Z")
By his own (much repeated) admission: Jon Stewart. He’s very sharp and funny, but he’s no actor. It’s nice that he jokes about it, and hasn’t taken a non-animation acting role since Death to Smoochy. Elisabeth Rohm has to be George Lucas’s dream actress. They both clearly come from the school of, “the line was read as written. That’s acting, right?” Summer Glau is horrid, and in general - owing to the vocal fans - one can safely deduct a few points off of the hype of any actor associated with Joss Whedon. They aren’t universally terrible, but his annoying fans vastly overrate the skills of his players in just about every speculative casting thread. Oh, and Tyler Perry. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/113 "2009-01-25T09:10:34Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Bill Paxton - Wooden 2x4 of an actor. Ruins everything. Just saw a brief clip of his “performance” in Titanic. His voice has one tone… and not a pleasant one. We’re all gonna die man! I like him in Big Love. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/114 "2009-01-25T10:29:22Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > We’re all gonna die man! > > I like him in Big Love. I have to say, Big Love is the one show I’ve seen him in that he doesn’t completely ruin. Perhaps he’s found his calling. But he’s still a piece of wood. How could I forget **Lorraine Bracco**? The sloooooow, deliberate pronunciation of each damn syllable drives me to distraction. She was the weakest player by far in the Sopranos. Not to mention Goodfellas. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/115 "2009-01-25T11:00:40Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > I have to say, Big Love is the one show I’ve seen him in that he doesn’t completely ruin. Perhaps he’s found his calling. But he’s still a piece of wood. Yeah, so is Bill Henrickson. 😉 > [@](#): > > How could I forget **Lorraine Bracco**? The sloooooow, deliberate pronunciation of each damn syllable drives me to distraction. She was the weakest player by far in the Sopranos. Not to mention Goodfellas. Heh, she was so hot in Tony’s fantasies though! I thought she was great as the insecure overthinking therapist. She did a great job playing the sexy fantasy against the frigid reality of the character. It was also a very different character from the one she played in Goodfellas who was a lot less repressed. Sometimes people are stiff and wooden. If you are playign a stiff and wooden person it’s ok to act stiff adn wooden. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/116 "2009-01-25T11:48:33Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Sometimes people are stiff and wooden. If you are playign a stiff and wooden person it’s ok to act stiff adn wooden. Agree completely. But it’s not acting. It’s just being your boring, stiff and wooden self. They are both human totem poles. Your memory of Bracco in Goodfellas is much kinder than mine. Sure, she was younger, thinner and more attractive. But she spoke in that same, painful manner. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/117 "2009-01-25T13:13:03Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Rob Schneider, Rob Schneider, Rob Schneider. Man, I can’t believe I’m the only one who’s mentioned him before. He sucks as an actor - but is he highly successful? Beyond a bit role in Adam Sandler movies, he doesn’t do much. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/118 "2009-01-25T13:20:40Z")
Maybe “actors who can only play themselves” should be its own subset of bad acotrs: John Wayne, Kevin Costner, Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Keanu Reeves… ---
**Author:** ![spike404](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@spike404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spike404)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/119 "2009-01-25T13:42:47Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Maybe “actors who can only play themselves” should be its own subset of bad acotrs: > > John Wayne, Kevin Costner, Sandra Bullock, Ben Affleck, Keanu Reeves… Add Morgan Freeman to that list. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545/120 "2009-01-25T13:49:36Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Bonnie Franklin. She’s working? _remembering fondly a great Gilbert Gottfried routine about her_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-working-actors-who-are-highly-successful/482545.md?page=7)