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Letitia Dean.. overactor of the century?


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Old 10-04-2004, 17:14
Garbage
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There's been a lot of eye-brows raised about Nigel Harman's acting abilities, but in my opinion (just an opinion, so don't hurt me!) in comparison to Letitia he's worthy of an Emmy.. For the past few weeks now I've found EE pratically unbearable to watch due to Sharon's raspy shrill voice which is so highly exaggerated that I'm starting to wish she was the one in Angie's Den when Billy turned arsonist, not Vicky. I find her facial expressions irritatingly unnatural too and it seems like Letitia unlike most other actors and actresses is the only one who was let into the loop that there's a camera on her. Maybe this has been discussed already, I'm a newbie, so I dunno, but I'd be interested to hear what people think..
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Old 10-04-2004, 17:33
Lippincote
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I think she's very variable. She was good in some of the more recent eps (IMO) but she can ham it up too. However I think some of the 'overacting' is a result of poor scripting - limit to what the actors can do with some of the rubbish they've have to spout recently!
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Old 10-04-2004, 18:07
Garbage
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Actually I thought Sharon was a lot more cheery and plausible when good ol' Tom the fireman was around. After that everything went downhill for her character. I dunno.. I mean sure the script isn't exactly inspirational by anyone's standards at the moment (Dennis' little monologue about how he couldn't shave in the mornings thinking about the dog-walker who found Dalton was plain amusing..) but I still feel that Letitia is even being put to shame by Scarlett (Vicky's actress..) at the moment.
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Old 10-04-2004, 18:26
Inspiration
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She needs to cover up a little.. is it in her contract that we have to see her cleavage in every shot?
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Old 10-04-2004, 18:35
moll
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I would love to see Sharon back to being cheery and flirty like she used to be,but I think Letitia's been fantastic the last few weeks.I dont think she's overacted at all,I think she's played it just right.
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Old 10-04-2004, 18:36
Lippincote
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Put to shame by Vicky? Arrgh no! Scarlett did one or two good scenes in the last few weeks, but mostly she is rubbish. Mind you, I suppose you could say the same for Letitia on occasion!

BTW, I agree the shaving/dog walker comment was excruciating. How is it EE doesn't seem to be able to find decent scriptwriters? I heard Louise Berridge sacked a lot of the previous ones when she joined, don't know if that is true - if so, big mistake.
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Old 10-04-2004, 18:50
Garbage
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Lol, the same goes for Kat really, and Janine at times, EE wardrobe staff have a lot to answer for.

Unfortunately at this stage it looks like with everything on her plate the positive Sharon Watts that everyone prefers is dead and buried. : (

I dunno, ever since Vicky woke up one morning, went downstairs and left her american accent behind, she's been a much more credible character. Considering she hasn't been in the show as long as most others, she's definitely improving to some extent. I guess that the script writers aren't entirely to blame, the loss of some influential characters leaves them with a lot of loose ends. The fallout from the departure of Phil Mitchell is still huge! I mean now script writers have a pile of pointless plot-less characters to deal with, a whole chunk of EE family feuding has been wiped out with little chance of another break-out. Phil had history with pretty much half the square and now the endless possibilities for story-lines they had involving him are gone.
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Old 10-04-2004, 19:30
rij
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Originally Posted by Garbage
I dunno, ever since Vicky woke up one morning, went downstairs and left her american accent behind, she's been a much more credible character.
Have to disagree with you there. This character lost all credibility the day she left her american accent behind and became mockney.
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Old 10-04-2004, 20:06
Garbage
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There's no doubt that it was a seriously bizarre changeover, one which ideally should have taken place gradually over time. But I think as far as the portrayal of the character goes I still think that Vicky will be more realistic now that her actress has dropped an accent she couldn't cope with anyway, and sounded 100% tacked on. Apparantly Scarlett is a north londoner so she's bound to be more comfortable with Vicky's new accent which can't be a bad thing as far the character's concerned. Lol, it could be argued that Vicky didn't lose any credibility the day she left the american accent behind because up until that point she had none anyway! ; )

Whoops! I've strayed completely from the topic.. Ah well.
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Old 10-04-2004, 21:09
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Letitia is a fantastic actor and conveys emotion very well unlike Scarlett. The acting ability between the two is clearly visible on screen, and almost every episode Scarlett has flaws. As a part-time actor myself, I understand its difficult to uphold and carry emotion and realism through the whole scene, especially voice and facials, but Letitia does it well. Scarlett doesn't. So if there is anyone to pick a bone with, its young Vicky
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Old 10-04-2004, 22:52
Garbage
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Scarlett's acting may not be entirely up to scratch, (although I still believe she's improving) but she's not what you'd call an over-actor. I feel that Letitia is. To me it appears that she's always acting, never natural. her pitch and tone of voice are like that of a dramatic Shakespearean theatre actor. Always with the drama. I'm not any sort of actor, and don't pretend to know what's what in that area. But as a viewer Sharon Watts stands out in my mind as a character who's voice at times is so shrill and OTT that I'm tempted to hit the mute button!
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Old 11-04-2004, 16:44
The Prumeister
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I couldn't agree more about Letitia Dean. Sadly, her over-acting, pouting, excrutiating form is pretty much par for the course in the maelstrom of idiocy that has become EastEnders. The BBC have not commissioned a decent sitcom for ages - why not have a comedy spin off with Vicky, Den and Sharon, going about their daily business....?

I started the thread about Nigel Harman but I have not forgotten about all the other bad actors that have made EastEnders the worst programme in years. Vicky (can't remember her real name) must be sleeping with the producer as she went from pseudo american to Dick Van Dyke in the space of a day. The plots are embarrassing- gang warfare, incest etc. etc. and frankly insult the intelligence of anyone. Time for a new producer to kill off all the dead wood and get some new talent in and let these imbeciles be renegaded off to panto until retirement.
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Old 11-04-2004, 16:59
Garbage
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Originally Posted by The Prumeister
I couldn't agree more about Letitia Dean. Sadly, her over-acting, pouting, excrutiating form is pretty much par for the course in the maelstrom of idiocy that has become EastEnders. The BBC have not commissioned a decent sitcom for ages - why not have a comedy spin off with Vicky, Den and Sharon, going about their daily business....?
Lol, very well put.

As for Vicky's accent, the question is raised here on an interview with Scarlett Johnson on the BBC EE website and it seems to me that she implies that she disagreed with the decision to make a swift changeover and pray nobody would notice.. It's the 11th question down. Interview with Scarlett
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Old 11-04-2004, 20:42
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I agree that she tends to over-act at times, but as far as the cleavage thing goes; I'd like to see more!
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Old 11-04-2004, 21:00
ollics
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she's sooooo over-acting she just looks light a bad actor (she could be the female version of Joey in Friends!!)
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Old 11-04-2004, 22:10
ange
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sharon reminds me of the beegees when she gets started i expect her to burst into song ....staying alive ah ah ah ah... and all that!!!
she's sooooo over-acting she just looks light a bad actor (she could be the female version of Joey in Friends!!)
how can you compare joey from friends (matt le blanc) and sharon i mean they are completely different!!! joeys character is a comedy actor and is meant to be incredible stupid and clueless about everything other than women and food, sharon on the otherhand unless ive missed something is supposed to be sort of smart and a business women altho both characters may be rather dim in their own way and annoying at times they remain completely different in my opinion anyway.
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Old 12-04-2004, 09:20
alan45
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Originally Posted by The Prumeister
I couldn't agree more about Letitia Dean. Sadly, her over-acting, pouting, excrutiating form is pretty much par for the course in the maelstrom of idiocy that has become EastEnders. The BBC have not commissioned a decent sitcom for ages - why not have a comedy spin off with Vicky, Den and Sharon, going about their daily business....?

I started the thread about Nigel Harman but I have not forgotten about all the other bad actors that have made EastEnders the worst programme in years. Vicky (can't remember her real name) must be sleeping with the producer as she went from pseudo american to Dick Van Dyke in the space of a day. The plots are embarrassing- gang warfare, incest etc. etc. and frankly insult the intelligence of anyone. Time for a new producer to kill off all the dead wood and get some new talent in and let these imbeciles be renegaded off to panto until retirement.
Very well put. You have summed up the tosh that EE has become very eloquently. No wonder it wasnt even nominated for a BAFTA award this year. Now if there was such a thing as a DAFTA award then EE would win hands down
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Old 12-04-2004, 18:46
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Originally Posted by Garbage
Lol, very well put.

As for Vicky's accent, the question is raised here on an interview with Scarlett Johnson on the BBC EE website and it seems to me that she implies that she disagreed with the decision to make a swift changeover and pray nobody would notice.. It's the 11th question down. Interview with Scarlett
scarlett johnson was interviewed recently on BBC 5 Live,she said that vicky -get this-deliberately wants to fit in in the east end so she tones her accent down purposely!obviously i couldn't see if tongue was firmly in cheek.a great scene would be something like:
vicky:'arent you supposed to be at the club,sharon?'
sharon:'yes,and arent you supposed to be american?'
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Old 12-04-2004, 19:08
Garbage
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I'm not sure I understood the Joey/Sharon comparison either. As far as both characters being stupid goes, the difference is that Joey's moronic behavior is pretty funny; Sharons' is painful.

Daftas? Lol, I like it. it could be like the TV soap world's equivelant of the movie society's Raspberry Awards.

Seriously? Haven't the EE people insulted us enough without trying to justify Vicky's
schizophrenic accent change. There is no excuse for something like that!
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Old 12-04-2004, 22:49
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I think Letitia can be over act at times but overall I think she's quite good. She's been in some of EastEnder's most dramatic storylines and unlike when her father threw back the lid on his coffin, I was glad to see Sharon return to Walford, I thought her return scene behind the bar of the Vic was excellent, much better than Den's.

Although I would love to see her get a better storyline now her and Dennis are finished. And for gods sakes woman wear something else, she's always in black. It's been two years love! lol
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Old 13-04-2004, 08:46
moll
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I love Letitia,I think she's great.I agree that Sharon needs a good storyline and some brighter clothes.I think it's time they let her be happy and let her smile for a change.
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Old 13-04-2004, 14:03
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Originally Posted by Garbage
I'm not sure I understood the Joey/Sharon comparison either. As far as both characters being stupid goes, the difference is that Joey's moronic behavior is pretty funny; Sharons' is painful.
i assumed that ollics was drawing parallels between the over-acting of Joey (rather than of Matt le Blanc) when he's in Days of Our Lives and his 'fart acting', which Leticia seems to have taken notes from!
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Old 13-04-2004, 15:27
Garbage
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Thanks for clearing that up.

As for Letitia always wearing black, that's something I can get over. She must be taking a leaf out of Gail from Corrie's book. That black polo neck thing should have been retired from her character wardrobe months and months ago..
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Old 22-04-2004, 21:51
Jazmin
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Originally Posted by Garbage
There's been a lot of eye-brows raised about Nigel Harman's acting abilities, but in my opinion (just an opinion, so don't hurt me!) in comparison to Letitia he's worthy of an Emmy.. For the past few weeks now I've found EE pratically unbearable to watch due to Sharon's raspy shrill voice which is so highly exaggerated that I'm starting to wish she was the one in Angie's Den when Billy turned arsonist, not Vicky. I find her facial expressions irritatingly unnatural too and it seems like Letitia unlike most other actors and actresses is the only one who was let into the loop that there's a camera on her. Maybe this has been discussed already, I'm a newbie, so I dunno, but I'd be interested to hear what people think..
Garbage, you took the words RIGHT OUTTA my mouth. It's been bugging me for ages - the voice, the wierd looks, etc. Someone needs to stop her.

I think she's wearing black because she's gotten a bit on the chubby side, imo.
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Old 23-04-2004, 11:31
Minnie Caldwell
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Originally Posted by Jazmin
I think she's wearing black because she's gotten a bit on the chubby side, imo.
At least she's stopped permanently holding her handbag in front of her stomach.
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