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Character Actors
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Posted by bestlawn (My Page) on Mon, Jan 17, 05 at 12:52
| This thread is especially for you, Bobbie17 and gandbb. Thanx so much for your definitions and descriptions of character and method acting. You struck a note with me, and I wanted to comment without hijacking the "One True Thing" thread.
gandbb, I agree with what you said, but I can't forget about Kathy Bates. She's not one of the usual Hollywood lovelies, but comes across as her character. I must say she has even surprised me a few times.
I also want to note a couple lovelies that I have enjoyed, Alicia Silverstone and Kristin Davis (Charlotte in Sex and the City). Granted, I noticed them in television shows, but they were very good. Maybe not serious acting, but I really liked their expressions and responses to whatever was going on in the shows. I noticed Alicia Silverstone in the short-lived "Miss Match" television series (Ryan Oneal played her father) and not her previous work. The show wasn't that great and was soon cancelled, but I really liked her.
Miss Match at IMDb
Alicia Silverstone
Kristin Davis
Apparently, Hollywood is afraid to cast outside the usual boxoffice attractions because not even Kathy Bates gets many good roles. I mean, she's not in a lot of films like Julia Roberts for example. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Character Actors
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| Another actress who I consider a character actor is Frances McDormand. She's mostly in Coen Brothers films, of course, but she is excellent. I agree, gandbb, that many actors are playing themselves a la Tom Cruise and fall into the category of "movie star" more than actor. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench, Denholm Elliott, Simon Callow, others that I am simply unable to recall as I head back to work. Tom Hulce is a special favorite. It doesn't seem to matter who the 'star' is, they simply steal the show. I always enjoy them. |
RE: Character Actors
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| I think Kevin Bacon is a good character actor. Much better in a small meaty role than as a lead. |
RE: Character Actors
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| I guess I have to defend Cruise once more. If you think he plays the same characters all the time you should refresh yourself with checking his credits or see more of his non-action films. I truly believe him to be a character actor trapped inside one of the biggest mega stars of the last two decades. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Spamlet, I just don't get any more from Cruise. To me, he's the same in everything. I do enjoy his films and want to watch them, but I've become accustomed to not expecting any more than I already know him to be. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Cruise is the victim of his own good looks, same as Di Caprio and Pitt! They are mostly cast as heroes because it makes good box office, but watch them in 'The Last Samurai', 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' or 'Twelve Monkeys/Snatch/Fight Club' respectively to see what they can really do. Favourite character actors: Kevin Spacey, John Goodman, John Turturro. |
RE: Character Actors
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| spamlet, I have to agree with you about Cruise. For some unknown reason (and let me add that I do NOT find him overly attractive at all) I find Cruise to be a very good actor. For a while I thought he just had a very good agent, or was lucky to pick good roles to suit him, but I have come to the conclusion that I think he really is rather good. Like Anyanka said above, I think his goods looks may hurt him at times, and may have made him too big of a star to appreciate as an serious actor. Oh well, time will tell. All I know is that I usually really do enjoy his movies and I aften attribute that to him. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Let's go back a little. How about Walter Slezak? Anyone remember him? Or Victor Buono? John Carradine? Strother Martin? Jack Elam? And let's not leave out the ladies! Jeanette Nolan once played a very convincing role on a television show, an illiterate old lady who carried around a copy of "Little Women", thinking it was a Bible. I'm particularly fond of Cloris Leachman, playing the Lead in "The Woman Who Willed A Miracle". I can't agree more with those who admire Kathy Bates. She is truly masterful in her portrayals, no matter what they might be. JIMBO |
RE: Character Actors
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| I would like to see Tom Cruise more selectful of the movies he takes on. Seems as though he is in a hurry to set a record for the most movies in theater, for one year. At this rate, he will become burned out. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Okay, you guys have convinced me to give Cruise another look. Maybe I am too hasty in my judgment. So, from a recommendation from another thread, I rented Magnolia and look forward to watching it and him. At the moment, I'm not very hopeful but will be ojective. (Is that possible?) |
RE: Character Actors
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Count me as another fan of Kathy Bates, along with the late Colleen Dewhurst and Estelle Parsons.
Jimbo, you sparked my memory with Walter Slezak. TypoQueen, love Kevin Bacon in supporting AND leading roles. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Tom Cruise IS a good a good actor. But I wouldn't call him a character actor. I've said this before and I stand by it: when you become A-list you become a commodity. You are no longer "an actor", you are Tom Cruise, or in some cases, Tom. It is hard to lose Tom in a role when the market is oversaturated with his image and you feel like you know him personally, which is incredibly easy to feel, especially nowadays with the entertainment media hype going on 24/7 and the country delving into their personal lives. Yes, you can argue that this has been going on since the dawn of film but these days it is MUCH MUCH worse today and less controlled like in the studio days. When you become an A-lister it is harder to lose that person in the role. I enjoy it much more when someone is lesser known and I can don't have to concentrate so hard to believe that Brad Pitt is Achilles. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Jimbo, I agree about Cloris Leachman, She was also good in "Prancer" playing the part of a grumpy old lady. I think a good definition of character actors, for the ladies anyway, is they are not afraid to look dirty, haggard, or less than pretty to create a part. Kathy Bartes, Meryl Streep, Glen Close, and Pauline Collins come to mind. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Although some of these guys are exceptional leading actors & actresses they've also had some standout character roles. Mary Alice, "The Oracle" of the Matrix (Enter & Revolutions)
Ruby Dee who played "Mother Abigail Freemantle" in The Stand
Oprah (come on now everyone knows Oprah) "Sofia" The Color Purple
Sanaa Lathan, "Monica" of Love & Basketball
Ossie Davis, of Deacons for Defense
one of the most distinguishable voices ever Roscoe Lee Browne narrator of the Babe movies (& countless others)
Denzel Washington, "Malcolm X" & "Nick Styles" of Ricochet
Sam Jackson "Jules"of Pulp Fiction
Ving Rhames of Dawn of the Dead
Michael Clark Duncan, who played The Green Mile's gentle giant "John Coffey"
who can forget, "Pino" the angry racist pizzeria guy in Do the Right Thing played by John Turturro or O.J Simpson as "Nordberg" in the Naked Gun movies & Danny Glover as "Sgt. Murtaugh" in the Lethal Weapon movies |
RE: Character Actors
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| gFiveg, I often get hung up in mainstream and completely forgot 2 all-time greats, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. They've both made incredible contributions and reign with deep, rich roots in theater. Sanaa Lathan stole my heart in "Love & Basketball" and more recently played opposite Denzel in "Out of Time." I also loved Michael Clark Duncan in the "Green Mile" and saw in something else. But, is there much more he can do? I can't agree about Samuel L. Jackson. He's always yelling to me. He gets lots of parts and I recently saw "Twisted". Still yelling. I add Gena Rowlands to the list of good character actors. Does anyone agree. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Regarding Michael Clark Duncan I thought he was pretty good in "See Spot Run" my son loves that movie, I'm also looking forward to seeing him in "Sin City" this summer starring Bruce Willis. Yo to be honest with you I only remember Gena Rowlands as the mother in Taking Lives, however I suspect I will be looking out for her now after reading up on her. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Bestlawn, I failed to mention Gena Rowlands in my earlier post. She was a favorite of mine also, along with the comedy of Madeline Kahn. There are so many, and isn't it funny how we see actors in charater roles for years, and can't remember their names? |
RE: Character Actors
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| I loved, loved, loved Madeline Kahn. We lost a great one when she passed away and there will never be another. Really enjoyed Susan Sarandon in Shall We Dance. She's always good starring and supporting. |
RE: Character Actors-Mame
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| Mame, why do you never join us in the clue game? |
RE: Character Actors
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| Madeline Kahn, of course! She was perfect in "Young Frankenstein," as Trixie Delight in "Paper Moon," and Lili von Shtupp in "Blazing Saddles." I'm surprised no one has mentioned Thelma Ritter. Her parts may have been small, but they were always memorable (e.g., Rear Window, All About Eve, The Mating Season, Daddy Long Legs, A Hole in the Head, etc.) Then there were the great Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet. Elisha Cook Jr. who played Wilmer in "The Maltese Falcon" was in hundreds of films, usually playing a somewhat dimwitted character. I can never remember his name (had to look it up at IMDb), but I always remember his face. And I recall well Walter Slezak and Jack Elam ("Old Gotcheye") and Slim Pickens (unforgettable in "Doctor Strangelove") and Chill Wills. But I think the greatest character actors of all are Alec Guinness (in all those Ealing comedies and in 'serious' roles, as well) and Alastair Sim as Scrooge (and Inspector Cockrill in "Green for Danger" and Miss Fritton in "The Belles of St. Trinian's" and "Blue Murder at St. Trinian's"). |
RE: Character Actors
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| FriedaG, I agree with all you choices above, who can remember them all? I have or had a book (who knows where it is ) called "Hollywood's Other Leading Men" and it was a photographic history of all the great actors that made the "stars" looks so good in the movies. I think in the western's they were known as "sidekicks". And we have Edmund Gwenn and "Cuddles" (?) Since I mentioned Irene Dunn earlier I'd like to add her and Claudette Colbert to the list. |
RE: Character Actors
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| I LOVED ADORED WORSHIPPED Madeleine Kahn (and still do of course) She was one of a kind. Of course there are A-listers who you can still lose in a role, but my point about actors like Tom Cruise is just that he has to rise above his own image. Someone like Meryl Streep has built a career of fine character acting so she is credible in everything she does. Know what I mean? In the character actors dept. I always like people like Brian Dennehy and James Cromwell. Even Kevin Spacey is brilliant in all his roles. I also like some up and coming actors like Steve Zahn. |
RE: Character Actors
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Kevin Spacey, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Spacey, Kevin Spacey
LOL You get the idea I like him. I do in everything he does. He has earned more notoriety as of late, but I remember him in Glengarry/Glen Ross and Darrow. It's a shame we are such a superficial society. Most of these people should be the "stars" we run to see. You guys may not agree, but I wish to add Stockard Channing and Ed Harris to the list. I really like them, especially him. |
RE: Character Actors-addition
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| Oops, meant to add Alfre Woodard to that. I've respected her talent so much over the years and recently saw The Forgotten. Didn't like the movie all that much, but I always love her. |
RE: Character Actors
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| Agree, Bestlawn. Good character actors "pull me in" to a story much better than the A-Listers. Spacey makes me believe. I think that's why Tom Hanks is so successful. An A-lister, for sure, but has never lost what made him successful, the ability to play the part of a girl. Bosom Buddies. Big, Forrest Gump, Castaway, who else could do those stories? Alfre Woodard, by the way, do you know where she calls home? JIMBO |
RE: Character Actors
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| I've said if before and I'll say it again: William H. Macy. Here are few more:
Agnes Moorehead
Daniel Day-Lewis
John Hurt
Jeffrey DeMunn (the serial killer in Citizen X)
Hank Azaria |
RE: Character Actors
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| Didn't mean to ignore him, Clairabelle, because he deserves our attention. I loved him in The Cooler and just saw Cellular a week or so ago. I remember him from way back, too. He's another one coming into his own like Spacey. Maybe there's a trend here. Hopefully, anyways. Love all your picks. Been a long-time fan of John Hurt. He seems to come out of the woodwork. That's how good he is. Daniel Day-Lewis, too. Now Hank Azaria-he can touch me here and touch me there. LOL Loved him in Tuesdays w/ Morrie. Had to love him as "Nat" in Mad About You. Afraid I don't watch TV much right now, so I haven't caught his series. RealJimbo, the only information I find is that Alfre Woodard is from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Nothing reveals where she now resides that was able to find. |
RE: Character Actors
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| The thread is really good and i enthralled to see it. |
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