Actors who are Underrated

gemma-the-huskygemma-the-husky Posts: 18,116
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apropos the overrated thread

I think Liev Screiber and Daniel Craig always seem to improve films.

they were both in the excellent Defiance


I always find Mel Gibson consistenly good.
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  • zooooooooooooozooooooooooooo Posts: 2,220
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    I don't really watch recent films so I can't really think of anyone. If we are going back (and I mean way, way back) I think Lon Chaney Jr was underrated, his father got all the acclaim but I think Jr was just as good. I definately think Herbert Lom was underrated.



    I also think most of the Carry On team were underrated, particularly Hattie Jacques and Bernard Bresslaw. Jon Finch is another one, he starred in two of my favourite films, Frenzy and Death on the Nile, and was great in them both, but I doubt anyone knows who he is.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,012
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    Richard Jenins imo is . But he has recentley taken some quite big roles in films so hopefully he will get more recognition.
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    A friend asked a similar question last year. So I'll just copy and paste my response to here. :D

    Lothaire Bluteau (probably best known for his leading role in Jesus of Montreal from the 1980s)
    Warren Oates
    John Savage
    Eileen Brennan
    Ben Foster
    Catherine O’Hara
    Charles Martin Smith
    Angela Bassett
    Annie Corley
    and controversially, Jude Law.

    I felt he performed well in Gattaca (he practically stole the film), Road to Perdition, The Talented Mr Ripley and Wilde. He does often ham it up, especially when using a painfully bad accent, but when with a good director, he's pretty decent. However, not many could get past his 'sleazy prettyboy film star' image.

    I mean, he'll never be as good as, say, Robert Shaw, but certainly miles better than the likes of Robert Redford, even though Redford has far better (and more likeable) screen presence than Law's. My friend once described Law as "Robert Redford's sleazy nephew", which is pretty apt. There, that's my case for Law presented. :D

    Underrated actors who're kept being typecast (no female actor as this list was a response to the friend's other question):

    Paul Bettany
    Stephen Tobolowsky
    Peter Lorre
    Brad Dourif
    Frederic Forrest
    Yaphet Kotto
    Lance Henriksen
    John Vernon
    Bruce McGill
    Christopher McDonald
    Richard Jenkins
    Joe Morton
    Harry Dean Stanton
    Billy Drago
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,012
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    Takae wrote: »
    A friend asked a similar question last year. So I'll just copy and paste my response to here. :D

    Lothaire Bluteau (probably best known for his leading role in Jesus of Montreal from the 1980s)
    Warren Oates
    John Savage
    Eileen Brennan
    Ben Foster
    Catherine O’Hara
    Charles Martin Smith
    Angela Bassett
    Annie Corley
    and controversially, Jude Law.

    I felt he performed well in Gattaca (he practically stole the film), Road to Perdition, The Talented Mr Ripley and Wilde. He does often ham it up, especially when using a painfully bad accent, but when with a good director, he's pretty decent. However, not many could get past his 'sleazy prettyboy film star' image.

    I mean, he'll never be as good as, say, Robert Shaw, but certainly miles better than the likes of Robert Redford, even though Redford has far better (and more likeable) screen presence than Law's. My friend once described Law as "Robert Redford's sleazy nephew", which is pretty apt. There, that's my case for Law presented. :D

    Underrated actors who're kept being typecast (no female actor as this list was a response to the friend's other question):

    Paul Bettany
    Stephen Tobolowsky
    Peter Lorre
    Brad Dourif
    Frederic Forrest
    Yaphet Kotto
    Lance Henriksen
    John Vernon
    Bruce McGill
    Christopher McDonald
    Richard Jenkins
    Joe Morton
    Harry Dean Stanton
    Billy Drago
    Im not the only one then!:D. How would you say hes typecast though. ?
  • Big Boy BarryBig Boy Barry Posts: 35,293
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    Kristen Stewart

    She gets tons of hostility mainly due to a backlash against Twilight

    But if anyone has seen her work beyond Twilight, she proves she's a good actress.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,012
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    Kristen Stewart

    She gets tons of hostility mainly due to a backlash against Twilight

    But if anyone has seen her work beyond Twilight, she proves she's a good actress.
    Ive only seen her in Adventureland but shes great in that.
  • degsyhufcdegsyhufc Posts: 59,251
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    Sean Harris

    Only seen him play bad guys so far but he's done it extremely well indeed.
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    TOONARMY12 wrote: »
    Im not the only one then!:D. How would you say hes typecast though. ?

    Oh, you were referring to him? I thought Richard Jenins was a different actor. Typo, eh? :D

    He usually does authoritarian-type roles. Senior corporate minion, business man, school principal, manager, military senior, politician, father, etc. Usually as an self-serving obstacle. He's also frequently confused with James Cromwell, who's also typecast in similar roles.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4,012
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    Takae wrote: »
    Oh, you were referring to him? I thought Richard Jenins was a different actor. Typo, eh? :D

    He usually does authoritarian-type roles. Senior corporate minion, business man, school principal, manager, military senior, politician, father, etc. Usually as an self-serving obstacle. He's also frequently confused with James Cromwell, who's also typecast in similar roles.
    Oops :o. Yeah I meant him . IIRC he didnt play any of those roles in The Visitor. You do mean this guy right?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Jenkins
  • Ted CTed C Posts: 11,730
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    Michael Wincott.

    I was reminded of him when watching the Hitchcock film last night, he plays the real-life Ed Gein that the Psycho story was loosely based on. Have not see him for a while.

    He has not made that many films, but I always find he has a great, laconic and often menacing presence, and one of the most distinctive, gravelly voices ever.

    Here's a good example from one of his more high profile roles in The Crow

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_NS0vAYGVk
  • sinbad8982sinbad8982 Posts: 1,627
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    Shea Whigham
  • Johnny ClayJohnny Clay Posts: 5,315
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    Bruce Greenwood

    Always brings a touch of class to whatever he's in, and certainly held his own against a rather showy, hammy William Hurt in The Challenger the other night.
  • cliffy91cliffy91 Posts: 1,462
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    steve buscemi
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    Tom Sizemore
    Stanley Tucci
    Paul Giamatti
    Kevin Bacon
    Gary Oldman
    Donald Sutherland
    Guy Pearce
    Geoffrey Rush
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    three actresses that I have thought of that are underrated are Juliette Binoche, Brenda Blethyn, and Emily Watson.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 487
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    Ethan Hawke. He was amazing in Before Sunrise/Sunset and can't wait for the third movie.
  • peopleschmeoplepeopleschmeople Posts: 604
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    Josh Hartnett. Should've been a far bigger star than he is.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 211
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    I don't really watch recent films so I can't really think of anyone.

    How sad :cry:
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    TOONARMY12 wrote: »
    Oops :o. Yeah I meant him . IIRC he didnt play any of those roles in The Visitor. You do mean this guy right?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Jenkins

    :confused: Yes, I do mean him.
  • rfonzorfonzo Posts: 11,771
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    William H Macy and his wife Felicity Huffman. Also, Rachel Weisz and to an extent Daniel Craig. I also think Don Cheadle should be held in higher regard.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
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    Having just watched Arbitrage, I would say Richard Gere. I think he always got stuck with the pretty boy/hunk label and his acting was overlooked to a large extent. He's not the greatest actor in the world, sure, but he's acted his socks off many a film. He's also great at the lighter stuff, such as The Runaway Bride.

    Some examples where I thought her was terrific:

    The Hoax
    Primal Fear
    Internal Affairs
    Power
    Hachi: A Dog's Tale

    To be honest, I think he's been pretty good in most films he's been in, often better than the film itself.
  • muggins14muggins14 Posts: 61,844
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    Hal Holbrook. In anything he's in.

    Jeff Daniels. Terrific actor, and watching him in The Newsroom just confirms this.

    William Hurt

    Sam Waterston

    Paul Giamatti

    Ed Norton

    Kevin Kline

    Brian Dennehy

    Eli Wallach

    I presume we can include females - they use they term 'actors' for both sexes these days

    Joan Allen

    Laura Linney

    Joan Cusack

    Kathleen Turner

    Diane Lane

    Sela Ward
  • LMLM Posts: 63,326
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    Laura Linney
    Barbara Hershey
    Cynthia Nixon
    Stanley Tucci
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,195
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    Parker Posey
    Famke Janssen
    Oliver Platt
    Hal Holbrook
  • JMTDJMTD Posts: 7,967
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    Kristen Stewart

    She gets tons of hostility mainly due to a backlash against Twilight

    But if anyone has seen her work beyond Twilight, she proves she's a good actress.

    We always have the same shout in this :D

    Spot on. She's not even that bad in Twilight, but either way, that series is the main reason why some people portray her as a not very good actress, when she's actually bloody good. Cant actually remember seeing her in anything bad. Bloody brilliant in Welcome To The Rileys, Adventureland and The Runaways. Still need to see On The Road, but overall she's much better than a lot of people give her credit for.
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