Bad or mediocre actors/actresses you like

[Prowler]

Thought this would be an interesting idea for a thread.

Not everyone can be a great actor. But that doesn't mean they cannot be entertaining!

There's some actors who certainly aren't what anyone would call "good actors" whose body of work I enjoy. And I'm not alone on this. Several years ago I've found out that a significant portion of the Internet really likes Nicholas Cage as an actor. Might just be another one of those strange Internet things since I've never met anyone irl who's a Nicholas Cage fan

Anyway! In my case:

Jerry Seinfeld: Seinfeld has never become a good actor, but that never made him any less enjoyable to watch on Seinfeld. The way he smiles and nearly laughs at the jokes only makes the situations and the show funnier, imo. It's like Jerry is in on the jokes and is just having a blast. It's HIS show, after all. I'd be having a blast too!

Larry David: Well, Larry David is also not exactly a great actor. But, like Jerry Seinfeld, he plays his role very well in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Basically, if you are an interesting character but can't act, then just play an exaggerated fictional version of yourself!

Monica Bellucci: By "body of work" I mean in the literal sense when it comes to her. This woman is a Goddess. She's mostly typecast in movies with the obligatory nude or sex scene, but who'd complain about seeing Monica Bellucci naked?! Also, I think she's a bit underrated, in fact. Malena is a classic, and Irreversible is a pretty strange but interesting movie where Monica plays a pretty tough role. She's a victim of rape follows by a murder in that movie. Even if it's just acting for a movie, I doubt she'd be able to pull off that scene as well as she did if she was as poor of an actress as people claim she is. There's a bit of a stigma against Monica for being a pretty face who's acted in some mediocre movies where her naked body was the only thing worth watching.

Steven Seagal: I don't care what anyone says. YES, Steven Seagal's movies are mostly generic action flicks and he has the same exact expression in every single movie and scene... but he's so bad he's just awesome. I find Seagal's crappy acting hilarious. It's just fun watching him kicking ass.

What about you?

[FredWolfLeonardo]

Tommy Wisaeu for his hypnotising performance in "The Room", which was also written, directed and produced by him.

[CyberCubed]

Every Marvel movie actor is mediocre with the exception of Robert Downey Jr. And by this I mean anything else they're in. Elizabeth Olsen is pretty decent though.

Mark Hammil has never really been good in live-action outside of Luke, and even then he was just playing himself mostly.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar is of course notoriously known for not being much of an actor, he just plays the roles he has VERY well.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Every Marvel movie actor is mediocre with the exception of Robert Downey Jr. And by this I mean anything else they're in. Elizabeth Olsen is pretty decent though.

Mark Hammil has never really been good in live-action outside of Luke, and even then he was just playing himself mostly.

Arnold Schwarzeneggar is of course notoriously known for not being much of an actor, he just plays the roles he has VERY well.

I mean, isn't that the same for a lot of Action movie stars? Stallone usually stays in his element too.

[Leo656]

I don't know if this one counts, as he's definitely not "bad" and is always entertaining even when he's in a movie that is less than great. But Bill Murray is one of those guys who doesn't so much "act" as much as he just does his "Bill Murray Thing" all over the place, just with varying degrees of anger or sass-mouth.

He's one of my all-time favorite performers, but if we're being honest, what he does isn't so much "acting". All of his projects are essentially "Bill Murray Vehicles" and most of them were written specifically with him in mind.

He's great, though, so like I said I don't know if it "counts".

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I don't know if this one counts, as he's definitely not "bad" and is always entertaining even when he's in a movie that is less than great. But Bill Murray is one of those guys who doesn't so much "act" as much as he just does his "Bill Murray Thing" all over the place, just with varying degrees of anger or sass-mouth.

He's one of my all-time favorite performers, but if we're being honest, what he does isn't so much "acting". All of his projects are essentially "Bill Murray Vehicles" and most of them were written specifically with him in mind.

He's great, though, so like I said I don't know if it "counts".

I've never met anyone who didn't like Bill Murray, now that you mention it.

And I've never seen a movie of his I didn't like either.

[Leo656]

Yeah, he's pretty great. He has His Thing and he does it extremely well.

That said... can it be said that he's ever "lost himself in a role" or gone outside of his comfort zone for a part? Not really. Pete Venkman, Phil Connors and Frank Cross are all the same character with a different job, more or less.

I will say that he's so convincing as a smug prick that by the end of a movie where he inevitably "learns his lesson" and becomes a nicer guy, that always rings a little bit insincere. We all know that First Hour Bill Murray is the REAL Bill Murray and the rest is just to send the audience home happy.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Yeah, he's pretty great. He has His Thing and he does it extremely well.

That said... can it be said that he's ever "lost himself in a role" or gone outside of his comfort zone for a part? Not really. Pete Venkman, Phil Connors and Frank Cross are all the same character with a different job, more or less.

I will say that he's so convincing as a smug prick that by the end of a movie where he inevitably "learns his lesson" and becomes a nicer guy, that always rings a little bit insincere. We all know that First Hour Bill Murray is the REAL Bill Murray and the rest is just to send the audience home happy.

I rewatched the original Ghostbusters a couple of years ago or so and honestly, I'm surprised Peter Venkman doesn't get more criticism from a certain subset of people who like to find things to get offended at from older movies and TV series.

[Leo656]

He does. People just love Ghostbusters too much to bend on this one so they "shush" Those People and tell them to go take a leap. As should always be the case.

[CyberCubed]

Will Smith plays himself in almost every movie besides a few. But that's fine because he's Will Smith.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Will Smith plays himself in almost every movie besides a few. But that's fine because he's Will Smith.

I Robot was a rather mediocre movie, but I wouldn't blame Will Smith for it.

[DarkFell]

I liked Will Smith in Independence Day. That's about it for that guy.

I will say that I grudgingly hold some respect for Jim Carrey - that guy can genuinely be funny, but my God does he over abuse that gift, and he can do that rather well.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by DarkFell

I liked Will Smith in Independence Day. That's about it for that guy.

I will say that I grudgingly hold some respect for Jim Carrey - that guy can genuinely be funny, but my God does he over abuse that gift, and he can do that rather well.

I'm not overtly familiar with Will Smith's career asides from Fresh Prince and Men in Black, really. I'm sure I watched Independence Day many years ago, but barely remember anything about it anymore. It was quite a big movie for a while, though. Even Star Fox 64 made a level that was clearly based on the movie.

[frank_one]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Monica Bellucci: By "body of work" I mean in the literal sense when it comes to her. This woman is a Goddess. She's mostly typecast in movies with the obligatory nude or sex scene, but who'd complain about seeing Monica Bellucci naked?! Also, I think she's a bit underrated, in fact. Malena is a classic, and Irreversible is a pretty strange but interesting movie where Monica plays a pretty tough role. She's a victim of rape follows by a murder in that movie. Even if it's just acting for a movie, I doubt she'd be able to pull off that scene as well as she did if she was as poor of an actress as people claim she is. There's a bit of a stigma against Monica for being a pretty face who's acted in some mediocre movies where her naked body was the only thing worth watching.

I've never actually understood her success. She's beautiful, sure, but there are way more fascinating women out there. In Italy, especially in the past, you could hear her called "the most beautiful woman of Italy/the world" a lot. I don't know, maybe she's not my type but I've never felt attracted to her. Her acting? Let's just not talk about that, she's an horrible actress. That said, I agree on Irreversible, it's a very strange but interesting movie. I remember watching it at the theatre at 16 even if the movie was x-rated (you had to be 18 or more to be allowed to enter). I remember being quite shocked by that scene in the tunnel were a man is beaten in the face with a fire extinguisher

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by frank_one

I've never actually understood her success. She's beautiful, sure, but there are way more fascinating women out there. In Italy, especially in the past, you could hear her called "the most beautiful woman of Italy/the world" a lot. I don't know, maybe she's not my type but I've never felt attracted to her. Her acting? Let's just not talk about that, she's an horrible actress. That said, I agree on Irreversible, it's a very strange but interesting movie. I remember watching it at the theatre at 16 even if the movie was x-rated (you had to be 18 or more to be allowed to enter). I remember being quite shocked by that scene in the tunnel were a man is beaten in the face with a fire extinguisher

Monica was in her prime in the early 2000s, imo. Which was when she was in her late 30s-early 40s. She was pretty gorgeous in the 90s already, but I think she was perfect in the early 2000s.

She still looks incredible for her age. How many women make it to their 50s looking like her?

A lot of her movies are hard to find because they're Italian or French and didn't make it internationally. La Riffa, for example. Watched it some years ago online because someone had bothered to add English subs to it. The movie isn't exactly good, but Monica's sex scenes make it worth watching

Monica was in several French movies for a while because she was married to French actor Vincent Cassel.

Maybe my standards for acting aren't too high, but this is the point of the thread, anyway. And I named her for a reason.

That fire extinguisher death wasn't in the tunnel but at the gay nightclub. Monica is the one who gets murdered in the underground tunnel after getting raped.

Jerry Seinfeld is also a lousy actor and even the biggest Seinfeld fans can admit that. Hell, even himself probably knows that. But he was still able to make it work in the series he starred in.

Anyway, back to Monica, she's not the only good looking Italian actress. Claudia Cardinale was beautiful back when she was young.

[Turo602]

Off the top of my head, Keanu Reeves, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Bruce Campbell.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

Bite your tongue! Nobody should ever disparage Bruce!! Campbell is a GOD!!! (Sorry, not sorry.)

Jk. I don't consider Keanu bad, he was really good in Bram Stoker's Dracula and Point Break. And he can play some fairly diverse roles. It's just that all anyone remembers is Matrix or Bill and Ted.

I can kind of agree with Will Smith, unless you've seen Seven Pounds, or Hancock. He was great in both, and showed very little of his usual persona. Same with I Am Legend. He's a better actor than most give him credit for, but he's been typecast into a certain persona for so long it's all anyone really sees now.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by MsMarvelDuckie

Jk. I don't consider Keanu bad, he was really good in Bram Stoker's Dracula

Whaaaaaaaaaat! You are the very first person ever to defend Keanu in "Dracula", Even HE doesn't think he was any good in that.

I don't think he was as "bad" in it as people like to swear but he was definitely the square peg on that production. Not even entirely his fault, he was just terribly miscast and had no business up there with heavy-hitters like Gary Oldman and Anthony Hopkins at that particular point in his career.

[MsMarvelDuckie]

I know he gets a lot of flack for that film, but honestly, being familiar with the story both in book AND multiple film versions, his turn as Jonathan Harker was fine. Better than some, actually. Not "great" maybe, but certainly pretty decent. They just took a lot of liberties with the story and some characters. His attempt at a British accent was a bit spotty, but he can hardly be blamed for that when he was never really coached on it.

[Leo656]

"A little bit spotty". Alright, we'll go with that.

To be clear, I don't hate the guy and I do think people kinda over-sell how bad he was in that. But he had as much business in that movie as Ted Nugent has being the MC of a Rug-Munchers' Convention.