Most Overrated/Underrated Actors

[Merovingian]

Some actors that i feel that are underated:

Eric Bana
Hugo Weaving
Geoffrey Rush
Bill Nighy
Liam Neeson

and my favorite James Cromwell...He's the old man from Babe(forgot the name of recent movies he made)

[Acturus]

Ever since watching SLC Punk, I wanted to believe that Matthew Lilard was severely underrated. But he keeps getting these Scooby Doo roles and post-Scream era Horror bit parts that just seems to be insulting.

I almost wonder if he willingly takes the roles to keep himself, I dunno, out of mainstream. He's even done parts for animated shows like American Dad and (according to imdb) Robot Chicken.

Liked him in Scream, liked him in SLC Punk, and I think he could do a lot more.

And thank you to those mentioning Geoffry Rush. I'm surprised it took 3 pages to get his name down.

[isladar]

For House fans: Watch Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster with Stephen Fry. Probably still runs occasionally on PBS, or BBC. For everyone who watched House and said "Hugh Laurie is British?!" I was shocked he could do that good of an American accent.

Clive Owen: Watch The Croupier. Just do it. My god.

For Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, AND David Bowie (there was some mention of wishing to see more of him): The Prestige.

From Equilibrium and Lord of the Rings: Sean Bean. For some reason he has this amazing intensity to his acting -- and a beautiful voice.

Also underrated: Cate Blanchett. Watch Heaven, also staring another incredible, underrated actor, Giovanni Ribisi. Bi-lingual Italian/English in parts. I think Blanchett is one of the only actresses that recalls the glamor, beauty, and power of the 'greats'. I'm sick to fucking death of pretty, plastic, bland little girls.

[Septimus]

Someone mentioned Tim Curry a few pages ago, I must agree. He certainly does not get the respect or roles that he deserves.

I thought the Truman Show may have been the single greatest acting performance I've ever seen. It was (i think) the first non-comedic performance he done in a lead role, and I can recall people wondering if he could pull it off, and he fucking knocked it out of the ballpark. It really was amazing. Who won the oscar that year? Was it Spacey for American Beauty that year? Carrey was still robbed

The real crime was Carrey not even being nominated for best actor at the Oscars, despite winning it at the Golden Globes.

I'm sorry, no matter how good of a performance that you turn out you don't get nominated for the first movie where you don't speak with your ass cheeks. Jim Carrey's comedies were all the same shtick, the Truman Show was him trying reeeeeeeaaaaly hard to not be a rubber-faced fartsmith. (And failing.)

[Tyche]

I see Jason Statham listed as underrated a lot...I hate the roles that he's typecast into. I can rarely get into movies like the ones he's played in over the past 5 years.

@ Sept...I'm sorry, I couldn't disagree more. I thought he showed that he could throw together a marvelous drama performance after "The Cable Guy", where he showed signs that it wasn't all flamboyant comedy. As noted above, typecasting an actor can tag them for years, and it happened in "The Truman Show".

[XxSlusherxx]

Edward Norton is far to popular/critically acclaimed to be listed as underrated, he's a fantastic actor no doubt, but I don't think thats unknown to the general populace.

[Amarok]

Ever since watching SLC Punk, I wanted to believe that Matthew Lilard was severely underrated.

One of my favorite movies. I don't understand how he could be so great in this movie and do such god awful movies the rest of his career. Aside from Hackers obviously because it's illegal to not like this movie.

[Mizango]

Underrated: Tone Loc.






All kidding aside, I stay away from shit that has Keanu Reeves in it. Outside of the fucking Matrix he fucking sucks imho.

[Byrd]

All kidding aside, I stay away from shit that has Keanu Reeves in it. Outside of the fucking Matrix he fucking sucks imho.

I liked Speed, Point Break, and Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. But anything post-2000 (other than the Matrix) with him in it, I really can't even say I remember.

[Lockecole7]

For House fans: Watch Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster with Stephen Fry. Probably still runs occasionally on PBS, or BBC. For everyone who watched House and said "Hugh Laurie is British?!" I was shocked he could do that good of an American accent.

Clive Owen: Watch The Croupier. Just do it. My god.

For Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, AND David Bowie (there was some mention of wishing to see more of him): The Prestige.

From Equilibrium and Lord of the Rings: Sean Bean. For some reason he has this amazing intensity to his acting -- and a beautiful voice.

Also underrated: Cate Blanchett. Watch Heaven, also staring another incredible, underrated actor, Giovanni Ribisi. Bi-lingual Italian/English in parts. I think Blanchett is one of the only actresses that recalls the glamor, beauty, and power of the 'greats'. I'm sick to fucking death of pretty, plastic, bland little girls.

I'm pretty much in love with your list of actors. I'd pretty much marry Cate Blanchett on the spot, and the rest I think are amazing actors.

Another over-rated actor that I just can't stand a movie when he's in it. Mark Ruffalo. He's always got that same look about him. Completely over-rated.

[isladar]

And here I'd forgotten another one. Ugh two.

Alan Cumming in Titus. Kenneth Brannaugh in Henry V. The St. Crispin's Day speech still gives me goosebumps.


As far as overrated actors: Pretty much every American I've seen on-screen under the age of 25. Congratulations, you have a marketable 'look' and a good agent. This does not make you an actor. I wish I could give names, but my eyes sort of glaze over when I see people in this catagory. Where are my Garbos, my Crawfords, my Grants?

[Norelco]

David Bowie also plays Andy Warhol in Basquiat. Good movie.

[Correction]

Where are my Garbos, my Crawfords, my Grants?

Mind you that list minus Grant had very successful careers before they were 25, so don't count out this generation's younger crowd just yet.

The basic trouble is that young actors are no longer required to act by the studios that hire them. They're merely required to be pretty-looking, which admittedly was the same standard in 1930 but back then they were picking from a much richer stock of people who actually wanted to act and fame was merited by theatrical skill. You had to have presence and grace in the days of monoaural sound and b/w film, there were no special effects crews and cameras on helicopters to do that for you.

Compare Kirk Douglas being the muthafuckin' MAN back in the days of black and white with, say, the latest Superman getting a special effects camera zooming around his unmoving, expressionless face as a CGI bullet bounces off his eyeball and you'll see what I'm talking about. One is actually being a man. The other is standing still for the sake of a special effect.

[Andarvi]

I dont think I saw anyone mention Orlando Bloom yet. I liked him as the emotionless Legolas but dont find him particularly dynamic.

[isladar]

@ Correction: Very true, I suppose my "25-and-under" statement was rather excessive. You bring up a valid point in mentioning that most of the actors from the "Golden Age" had extensive backgrounds in theatre (and yes, even vaudeville). I think where Britain exceeds the States is that most of their actors come from theatre-stock -- I believe Ralph Fiennes and Clive Owen graduated in the same class from the Royal Academy.

As far as Orlando Bloom, he is the worst personification of what I dislike in modern actors.. excessively pretty, and that's it. I have yet to see him in a film where he displayed more than two distinctive facial expressions. And "petulant" covers most of them.

[Vail]

<3
Lucy Liu
Liam Neeson
Jim Carrey

</3
Will Smith

[Orph]

</3 Will Smith

Take it back!

[Meloria]

Ewan McGregor
Cary Elwes
Ashley Judd

[Bloodanaki]

Just saw "There will be Blood" and I realized I've liked every character I've seen Paul Dano play (Silent Brother from Little Miss Sunshine). I'd keep my eye on him.

Gotta give my nods to Edward Norton(HULK!) and Christian Bale(Batman!)
Funny that they both were in magician movies around the same time.
But I gotta say, Huge Jackman is a terrible actor, sure he looks like Wolverine, but he's just not very good at acting in my opinion.
Wow does everyone in hollywood play a superhero/villain in flicks?!?!?

[Serif]

Just saw "There will be Blood" and I realized I've liked every character I've seen Paul Dano play (Silent Brother from Little Miss Sunshine). I'd keep my eye on him.

Gotta give my nods to Edward Norton(HULK!) and Christian Bale(Batman!)
Funny that they both were in magician movies around the same time.
But I gotta say, Huge Jackman is a terrible actor, sure he looks like Wolverine, but he's just not very good at acting in my opinion.
Wow does everyone in hollywood play a superhero/villain in flicks?!?!?

I really liked Jackman in The Fountain.

Speaking of Hugh Laurie, I wonder why he chose to go with the movie he is about to come out in, Street Kings. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421073/

Usually most movies with rappers are on an epic fail destination but it also seems like being in a movie with Reeves also can help speed the plane right into the ground.