What makes a great actor?

PK2008

I'm half watching some crappy movie on RTE 1 now starring the 'great' actor Jack Nicholson and it has occurred to me that Jack has essentially played the same character/personality in nearly all the movies I've seen him in. In fact he may not even be acting/playing a character at all and just being himself in every movie.

Meryl Streep is his co-star- another supposedly 'great' actor (actress) who has dined out on the same performance for nearly an entire career.

Which 'great' actors/actresses do you think are overrated?

Faith+1

When they appear to be not 'Acting'

El Guapo!

PK2008 wrote: »

Which 'great' actors/actresses do you think are overrated?

Al Pacino.
He just screams constantly.

dodderangler

The ability to act usually makes a great actor

kfallon

Being able to come on demand.....

Eathrin

A great actor forgets who they are during and before filming and becomes an entirely different person to fit the role.
Christian Bale is great at this.

AllWasWell

PK2008 wrote: »

I'm half watching some crappy movie on RTE 1 now starring the 'great' actor Jack Nicholson and it has occurred to me that Jack has essentially played the same character/personality in nearly all the movies I've seen him in. In fact he may not even be acting/playing a character at all and just being himself in every movie.

Meryl Streep is his co-star- another supposedly 'great' actor (actress) who has dined out on the same performance for nearly an entire career.

Which 'great' actors/actresses do you think are overrated?

I'm, half watching it too..i think it's just a crap film, in fairness they are both fantastic actors!

mauzo

I think Robert deNiro is a great actor, plus he could break my back doors in anytime he wants.

But I think Tom hanks is brilliant. Especially in the green mile. I normally hate him but I have to say after watching that I respected him as an actor. Philadelphia and forest gump were of course other great performances by him.

MJ23

Just ask Nick Cage

El Guapo!

syndeyfife wrote: »

I think Robert deNiro is a great actor, plus he could break my back doors in anytime he wants.
.

:eek::eek:

girl2

Eathrin wrote: »

A great actor forgets who they are during and before filming and becomes an entirely different person to fit the role.
Christian Bale is great at this.

I really gotta agree with you on this one. And lately I've heard a LOT of people say the same about Christian Bale.

dodderangler

De Niro is brilliant he plays the serious parts perfect and I think in comedies it's what makes him funnier as most always seen him as a serious actor
The likes of deer hunter and then meet the parents
Plays both brilliant

PK2008

syndeyfife wrote: »

I think Robert deNiro is a great actor, plus he could break my back doors in anytime he wants.

Its 'smash', dear...he can 'smash your back door in any time'

Dangerous Man

Bella from Fair City.

Tombi!

I think someone who can be a really serious actor and do comedy is a good actor.

Now, if you can throw that in along someone who can do live acting or in a theatre like Patrick Stewart, then that's a great actor.

And I will get a few "feck off" responses I think but a lot, a lot of professional wrestlers are great actors. I'm not talking about the "selling" of injuries (pretending they're hurt when they get "punched" or anything). But rather some of them are amazing when they get talking.

Not to mention the fact that since it's a non stop live thing, if one of them messes up everyone has to sort of pick up the slack.

I'd just like to add that it wasn't noticable or anything. It was only after it was pointed out and I watched it again once or twice that I saw what happened.

Example: a week ago or so, one of them dropped the microphone and you could slightly notice the look of panic in the face and within about three seconds, he had the mic in his hand, the other two people went to approach him (as made sense in the storyline) and they got back on track.

PK2008 wrote: »

Its 'smash', dear...he can 'smash your back door in any time'

Not if they're tightly sealed

I'm actually ashamed of that.

mauzo

PK2008 wrote: »

syndeyfife wrote: »

I think Robert deNiro is a great actor, plus he could break my back doors in anytime he wants.

Its 'smash', dear...he can 'smash your back door in any time'

Break, smash, pound, ram...I'm not picky, honestly

TeddyTedson

A great actor needs to be able to really sell the character to you. Build on it throughout the film. They get into the head of the character and know them inside out. Ever little tiny detail of their personality and character. All the little traits. What makes them tick. It all of course has to be perfectly natural.
Unfortunately it's not achieved in many films nowadays due to too many action scenes being focused on and not enough on character building and exploring the character through dialogue.
Dialogue is actually seen as a negative now by many film directors in a way and tried to be kept to a minimum!
Jack Nicholson is my favourite!

AllWasWell

TeddyTedson wrote: »

A great actor needs to be able to really sell the character to you. Build on it throughout the film. They get into the head of the character and know them inside out. Ever little tiny detail of their personality and character. All the little traits. What makes them tick. It all of course has to be perfectly natural.
Unfortunately it's not achieved in many films nowadays due to too many action scenes being focused on and not enough on character building and exploring the character through dialogue.
Dialogue is actually seen as a negative now by many film directors in a way and tried to be kept to a minimum!
Jack Nicholson is my favourite!

Totally agree with you..the first scene of the social network is so well directed, the dialogue is fantastic and drives the whole scene! Way too many films now are just overcrowded with special effects and explosive action scenes..some of the best acted films are really simple stories with character development.

Johro

I guess all respected actors have a few bad or indifferent performances in them, but personally I do rate Jack Nicholson. He was class in 'Chinatown' and 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' just to name a few.

TeddyTedson

Johro wrote: »

I guess all respected actors have a few bad or indifferent performances in them, but personally I do rate Jack Nicholson. He was class in 'Chinatown' and 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' just to name a few.

Also what I find a good measurement of weather someone as famous as him is acting well in a film is how long it takes you to forget, "hey that's Jack Nicholson on the screen" and think "Holy **** Johnny is ****ing crazy!".

It's actually something I've been thinking of leaving my job for and returning to college to study:o

Headspace

Never felt I could identify 'great acting'. I guess its when your sucked into a movie by really hating the vilian or being scared of him or whatever. I've watched this clip multiple times where Pacino plays 'A JEW'.

Shryke

DeNiro, Streep, Pacino etc. they trade off the fame they earn and end up having roles written with them in mind. Look at any big name's early films and you'll see they were mostly good, like Pacino in dog day afternoon. DeNiro I never had time for.
Eastwood tends to get mentioned but to be honest he's just an utter legend.
Now Will Smith, there is the poster child for playing only himself.

One of the best films I have seen in the last couple of years and easily one of the best acted is tinker tailor. Gary Oldman, John Hurt, Tom Hardy, Colin Firth, and everyone else involved. Anyone who hasn't seen it really should.

mauzo

Headspace wrote: »

'A JEW'.

Bless you

Headspace

TeddyTedson wrote: »

A great actor needs to be able to really sell the character to you. Build on it throughout the film. They get into the head of the character and know them inside out. Ever little tiny detail of their personality and character. All the little traits. What makes them tick. It all of course has to be perfectly natural.
Unfortunately it's not achieved in many films nowadays due to too many action scenes being focused on and not enough on character building and exploring the character through dialogue.
Dialogue is actually seen as a negative now by many film directors in a way and tried to be kept to a minimum!
Jack Nicholson is my favourite!

90% of whats in the cinema sucks. Saw a good french movie last night 'a prophet' I think you have to know where to look to find a quality flick.

tdv123

Steve Buscemi one of the most consistently good & versatile actors I've ever had the pleasure of watching. Everything he does he does so well.

PK2008

Piece of acting below from the film 'The Pledge' which I think is brilliant by Mickey Rourke (ironically also starring Jack Nicholson)....

.. fantastic range of emotions in a short space of time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFu8Yz3YgRw

MaxSteele

MJ23 wrote: »

Just ask Nick Cage

Ironically an actor who generated more income in one year recently more than anyone else, yet Imo is one of the worst "A list" actors I've ever witnessed.

Lord of War I think is his only good performance.

Snowie

Dean09 wrote: »

Al Pacino.
He just screams constantly.

But not a snitich :pac:

I think an actor has to be able to understand the emotional content of whats going on with the character in the movie...

MaxSteele

Shryke wrote: »

DeNiro I never had time for.

I demand an explanation at once !

Seriously though, De Niro played many solid, award winning roles for a good 20 + years from his oscar for best supporting actor in Godfather part 2 up to the likes of Heat, Sleepers and Ronin.

Rayne Wooney

Having a distinct voice, like Morgan Freeman

recylingbin

My favourite actor is Brad Pitt.
He managed to get the sh*te films out of his catalogue very early.
Can't think of a sh&t film he's been in recently(last 10 years), in fact most of them have been superb,

So, in my opinion, get discovered early, do the ****e films early, get recognised as a great actor early, be in a position to pick your films.

Shryke

recylingbin wrote: »

My favourite actor is Brad Pitt.
He managed to get the sh*te films out of his catalogue very early.
Can't think of a sh&t film he's been in recently(last 10 years), in fact most of them have been superb,

So, in my opinion, get discovered early, do the ****e films early, get recognised as a great actor early, be in a position to pick your films.

Troy was 8 years ago.

aidan24326

MaxSteele wrote: »

Ironically an actor who generated more income in one year recently more than anyone else, yet Imo is one of the worst "A list" actors I've ever witnessed.

Lord of War I think is his only good performance.

To be fair Leaving Las Vegas is really good. But he has been in some sh1t movies no doubt. Never big on quality control.

B.A._Baracus

I think acting is blown out more than what it actually is.

There's certainly skill to it. You can't say there is not. But at the end of the day you are pretending in front of a camera. Sure to portray that character convincingly you have to be committed, do your homework, have the experience to emotionally pull of a required performance. But at the end of the day you are pretending in front of a camera :pac:

Not really the same as a back-breaking day of manual labor is it :pac: And the pay can be certainly better if you get going at it lol.

cherryghost

For me Paul Giamatti is a fantastic actor. It's a sin that he hasn't won an oscar yet. Nominated yes but not won. Some of the films he played lead actor in blows me away.

Anyone who has time for him watch Barney's Version and Sideways. Both films you'd go through a number of emotions, 'feeling' for his character in a number of senses.

tallus

Edward Norton.

William H Macy.

They never seem to disappoint.

mikemac1

Tom Cruise, Magnolia, one the best performances I've seen

Yeah lots of boards.ie don't like him but I watch him for his films, if you care about his marraige and religion go read your glossy magazine and head to celebrity forum


Jeremy Irons is another who rarely disappoints

Cienciano

I think once the actor is half decent, it's the role of that character and script that are more important.
A good agent that will pick the right roles, or the ability to do that yourself is more important imho.

humanji

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