Under-rated Actors/Actresses

[upsidedownwalrus]

But stop! Hes not?

I had this conversation with someone recently, I thought he was American who could do a fine British accent.

Then got told he was a Brit who could rock an American accent!
Ive just looked him up and he's from Texas!

Yep, you were definitely right in the first place

 

[Augie March]

Idris Elba should be a massive star in my opinion (Stringer Bell in The Wire)

Now there's another actor who does a brilliant accent. Who'd have thought he's actually from Hackney!

 

[maya]

Charlotte Rampling is my favourite living actress and while over recent years she's become more acclaimed for her acting, she still isn't recognised enough IMO.

I really liked her in that film about a woman suddenly losing her husband on the beach, then going mad from grief as she refuses to acknowledge that he's gone- very understated, beautiful acting (and it helped me a lot with tackling my own grief aswell)

 

[Melinda]

Another actor with a great accent is Marianne Jean-Baptiste from Without a Trace.

Im not sure if she has won any acting awards other than for Secrets and Lies.

 

[Reno]

I really liked her in that film about a woman suddenly losing her husband on the beach, then going mad from grief as she refuses to acknowledge that he's gone- very understated, beautiful acting (and it helped me a lot with tackling my own grief aswell)

The film was Under the Sand and she was fantastic in it. It's great when art can affect you in that way.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Sounds quite good - found a torrent for it on Karagarga. Downloading now...

 

[susie12]

I think Johnny Vegas is much underrated as an actor, he was great in Bleak House and Ideal was a little gem, also underrated imo.

 

[MikeMcc]

Hugh Laurie in House, there's still plenty of Americans who don't realise that he's British.

 

[scifisam]

An actor should be able to carry off more than one character convincingly though? Ive not seen SMGellar do anything sucessfully other than Buffy.

Well, she was apparently kinda successful before Buffy (but in soaps, I think, so I'm not sure if that counts as proper acting ) She doesn't seem to have been in much that's big since then - except Scooby Doo, which I actually quite enjoyed - guess that film could show she's a decent comedy actress, but it's not exactly a demonstration of a broad range of skills. I guess she just hasn't been in anything where you could see her successfully playing a different character.

Thing is, though, in Buffy she had to pretty much act more than character because Buffy changed so much over the seasons. Then there's episodes like the one where she's swapped bodies with Faith, and it actually does seem like she's been possessed - very convincing (unlike Eliza Duschku, who is perfectly cast as Faith but not the best actress in the world). Or the episode where we see her back at her old high school, pre-slayage, and she acts like the original actress did.

Similarly, Eastenders Dot is one of very few actors who gets given single/ double handers in the show- I dont think she is under-rated at all. June Brown is amazing, she totally inhabits Dot.

Yep, but I've never seen her mentioned in lists of great actresses, which is the criterion I'm using for under-rated.

There are a few Sci fi actors who play several characters within the same series/ genre and are different every time- Jeffrey Combs for example.

I've had to look him up - he does seem to be pretty versatile. Character actors are the most under-rated in general, its true.

David Boreanaz should win that title! What are the rest of them upto now?

Really? I thought he was a terrible actor. None of them seem to be doing much acting - maybe because they've been typecast, or maybe they're just having happy lives with all the money they've earnt.

 

[Detroit City]

Ted Danson..

surely you jest...

 

[8ball]

Hugh Laurie in House, there's still plenty of Americans who don't realise that he's British.

You know, there were a lot of Americans who didn't realise Dennis Pennis was British.

 

[D'wards]

Mark Ruffalo is excellent - i will always watch a film he is in.

You Can Count on Me is a great film with great performances from him and the aforementioned Laura Linney.

I reckon he is one great film away from being a household name

 

[PursuedByBears]

Well, she was apparently kinda successful before Buffy (but in soaps, I think, so I'm not sure if that counts as proper acting ) She doesn't seem to have been in much that's big since then - except Scooby Doo, which I actually quite enjoyed - guess that film could show she's a decent comedy actress, but it's not exactly a demonstration of a broad range of skills. I guess she just hasn't been in anything where you could see her successfully playing a different character.

Haven't you seen her in Cruel Intentions? She's very good in that and plays a very different character to Buffy Summers.

 

[Melinda]

She doesn't seem to have been in much that's big since then - except Scooby Doo, which I actually quite enjoyed

*Waves at the the lovely scifisam!* Just wanted to quote that in case you later denied it!

(unlike Eliza Duschku, who is perfectly cast as Faith but not the best actress in the world).

I love Eliza Dushku! Dancing in a cheerleading uniform in 'Bring it On!'

Yep, but I've never seen her mentioned in lists of great actresses, which is the criterion I'm using for under-rated.

You've convinced me. Im on board with June Brown!

Really? I thought he was a terrible actor.

lol! He's still working- in a CSI rip off show.

 

[dilute micro]

The guy who plays Colonel Tigh in Battlestar Galactica.

Good one. I'd also say John Lithgow.

And Jim Carrey though he'll never get any credit.

 

[D'wards]

Rip Torn

 

[scifisam]

*Waves at the the lovely scifisam!* Just wanted to quote that in case you later denied it!

I have no shame - it's a good silly film

I love Eliza Dushku! Dancing in a cheerleading uniform in 'Bring it On!'

Yeah, she was good in that too (and she is very sexy, and oh, the chemistry between her and Buffy!) But I've seen Tru Calling and, though she does improve, she starts out as absolutely awful. That was a fault of the direction and the other actors, too, but a truly good actor can be decent without the support of a top director and co-stars.

You've convinced me. Im on board with June Brown!

Somehow that sounds so wrong ...

lol! He's still working- in a CSI rip off show.

Yeah - plus Angel, of course, which went on after Buffy finished, I think. He's doing pretty well, the big brooding Ken doll. The others don't seem to be doing that much, though (except Anthony Stewart Head - now there's another great actor).

@dilute micro - I agree about Jim Carey. His serious/not peurile films are really good (The Truman Show is one of my favourite films ever). But he is so very annoying in films like Dumb and Dumber that I'm not surprised people don't rate him as an actor.

 

[scifisam]

Haven't you seen her in Cruel Intentions? She's very good in that and plays a very different character to Buffy Summers.

Ooh, I should add that to my wish-list.

 

[Reno]

You Can Count on Me is a great film with great performances from him and the aforementioned Laura Linney.

One of my all time favourite films.

 

[Detroit City]

john malkovich?

 

[Reno]

john malkovich?

Really rather highly acclaimed.

 

[Detroit City]

Really rather highly acclaimed.

quite, but he hasn't won any major awards

 

[killer b]

kevin bacon.

 

[Reno]

quite, but he hasn't won any major awards

Neither has Cary Grant.

 

[scifisam]

quite, but he hasn't won any major awards

Maybe not (can't be arsed to check), but he is one of the people that will be mentioned as a great actor, so going on my criterion, he is not under-rated. He is great, though, I'll give you that.

 

[D'wards]

One of my all time favourite films.

Its amazing innit, hate the fact no ones heard of it. The end moves me to tears, though its far from sacharine or schmaltzy.

Sibling relationships are not a common subject for film, though it is something most of us have experience of

 

[Detroit City]

Maybe not (can't be arsed to check), but he is one of the people that will be mentioned as a great actor, so going on my criterion, he is not under-rated. He is great, though, I'll give you that.

Well I think he is under rated because he tends to take on quirky roles/movies...

 

[5t3IIa]

Yes. Very good actress. Superb as Truman's wife in Truman Show.

She's also great in Congo which imo is an under-rated film. It's a total B-movie with SPOILER monster gorillas!1!! /SPOILER but it's really well acted, well-scripted and fab.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112715/

 

[AverageJoe]

Johnny Depp.

From starting out in A Nightmare on Elm St, through Platoon, Edwards Scissorhands, Benny and Joon, Whats Eating Gilbert Grape, Ed Wood, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Sleepy Hollow, From Hell, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Sweeny Todd and of course the Pirates of the Caribbean, he certainly isnt afraid at trying differetn roles.

And what has he won? pchah

1 Golden Globe this year for Sweeney Todd.

*thats* underrated...

 

[mentalchik]

Brian Dennehy - a fuckin' great actor who made some piss poor films.

How weird, when i saw this thread BD is the first actor that sprang to mind....


I once saw in him in a TV film about John Wayne Gacy, horrible subject but he's mesmirising in the role, worth a watch !

Stephen Rea - Citizen X i stumbled into late one night by accident, what a fucking wicked film !