Joseph, Gabriella, Julianna, James, and Elora

Joseph, Gabriella, Julianna, James, and Elora

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

My Top 10 Least Favorite Actors of all Time

I have a tendency to make lists. Top 10 favorites, top 10 least favorites...favorite memories, plans, place I want to go, things that annoy me, reasons to explain my behavior. It helps me organize my thoughts. So here is a completely random list: my top 10 least favorite actors of all time.  

(Please note that these dislikes are based entirely upon my own prejudices, whether or not they may seem reasonable to other people. Also, in most cases, my like or dislike of an actor stems from how much I liked/disliked the characters he has played. You may find that unreasonable. Feel free to disagree. It's my list.)

1. Nicholas Cage 
Nicholas Cage might not be at the top of my list if I hadn't seen National Treasure about 6 times the year it came out. I think that was the year Rachel and I went to Europe and they showed it on EVERY SINGLE flight there AND back. It was a pretty ridiculous movie the first time around, but by the last showing I HATED it and everything to do with it. And then they made a sequel! Seriously, people? Seriously? To top it all off, the man is just ugly. I don't normally discriminate against people based on looks but he's a movie actor, for crying out loud. And he's not ugly in the craggy, rugged, rough-and-tumble kinda way that some actors can get away with. Nope, he's just ugly. His face bugs me. And his VOICE bugs me even more. So now the fastest way for Robert to get me to say "NO!" to a movie is to mention it stars Nicholas Cage.

2. Cillian Murphy
This actor is just the creepiest man alive. At least, in the two movies that I have seen him in (Batman Begins and Redeye). I pretty much spent every second he was on the screen being terrified and wishing he would go OFF the screen! I think it's his eyes. Nobody's eyes should be that pale and wide and...well, creepy. He makes Gollum look cuddly. He is one actor I would NEVER want to meet in real life. He scares me - and not in the Bruce Willis, Vin Diesal, or Chuck Norris way, the "I'm scared of him because he's so awesome and he could kill me with one swat of his left thumb" way. No, if one of those guys were going to kill me, I'd stand up and take it like a man (yes, I know I'm not a man...not the point ) because it would be honest and straightforward and I'd probably deserve it. But I suspect Cillian Murphy is the type of actor who smiles at his fans while cutting them to pieces with smallt knives. And then probably eating their bodies. Sorry. I can't help my imagination. That man just gives me the shivers. (Also, the first syllable of his name is "kill." It's only a matter of time...)

3. Robert Downey Junior
I am mostly angry at him for ruining one of my favorite characters of all time, Sherlock Holmes. That movie was a travesty that should never have been made, and his participation in it is unforgivable. I'm fairly certain that no one involved in the movie had ever actually ready ANYTHING written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and if they did, that makes it all the more inexcusable. I also didn't really care for him in the Ironman movies, because he came across as an arrogant and womanzing jerk. Though evidently that is exactly how Tony Stark is supposed to act, so maybe I'm confusing the character with the actor here. Although I have heard that he is basically that same person in real life, so I'm going with my first instinct on this one. However, I might be willing to forgive him in The Avengers movie if it's good, because I like all the other characters so much and his arrogance, while annoying when he gets his own movie, might be amusing when tempered with the likes of Captain America and Thor (also arrogant, but let's face it - he has more reason to be. Tony Stark thinks he's a god; Thor actually IS.;-)

4. Owen's Wilson's voice
I don't have so much against the actor (despite his ginormous and obviously broken nose) as I dislike his voice. Ugh. It's so nasal and grating that I just can't stand it. Probably a result of that broken nose. If they did voiceovers I could probably live with him. Maybe I should watch Own Wilson movies in French.
(audio clip of Own Wilson's voice not available)

5. Alan Rickman's voice
Same story as  #4, only less nasal and more...just...I don't know what, but it's SO annoying. It's frustrating because I LIKE him as Colonel Brandon (as much as anyone can actually like Colonel Brandon because he's really rather boring, especially compared to Edward) and I LIKE him (or rather hate him, but he does a good job) as Severus Snape, but the voice! Ahhh, the voice! I am really stuck on voices, apparently. Which is why James Earl Jones' voice makes my favorites list. It's just SO deep. ;-)
(audio clip of Alan Rickman's voice not available. For audio of James Earl Jones' voice, please listen to Darth Vader in Star Wars or Mufasah in The Lion King.)

6. Charlie Sheen
I dislike this actor so much that I won't watch anything he's in. When every second your character appears on the screen is decided to immorality and then your producers make you leave because your real life is even worse than that of your character, you are definitely making my "hate list."



7 Ashton Kutcher
This one should be fairly self explanatory, although I think using the term "actor" here is kind of a generous concession on my part. And he replaced Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men. Need I say more?



8. Ben Affleck
First of all, he has the biggest "butt-chin" I've ever seen. I'm sorry, but it just bugs me. And I can't think of a single movie that I've liked him in. He just doesn't move me. I don't buy his characters. He always seems conscious of the fact that he's acting, never really becoming his characters. He should have stuck to writing screenplays. Although if you bleep out all the bad words, you miss half the movie. Maybe he should learn some new words first.


9. Colin Farrell
My dislike of him is mainly because he is so foul-mouthed. His characters have a very limited vocabulary and it mostly consists of expletives. Dude, you don't need to ensure your movie gets an R rating in the first 30 seconds. Read a dictionary. And that goes for your brother Will too!


10. Willem Defoe's face
This is a tough call because I actually really liked Willem Defoe's character in Clear and Present Danger or whichever of the Jack Ryan movies it was in which he appeared, and I think he's a pretty good actor in general. It's just...his face. Oh my, his face. Like Cillian Murphy's eyes, there is something seriously wrong with it. Did he go into space and have it melt a little from too-close exposure to the sun? Was he actually handsome until he refused to sign a autograph and the enraged fan threw acid in his face? I could like him if I could get past the face...but I fear I just can't. I suppose that does make him a good Green Goblin, though. I guess I can just close my eyes when he is on the screen, and stop my ears when it's Owen Wilson or Alan Rickman. I know, I'm so shallow. If they were any profession but movie actors, I wouldn't be so discriminating. But since they are rich and famous I seriously doubt my opinion of them can hurt them in any way. Unless they happen to read my blog. In which case...gentlemen, I apologize.

(The views expressed in this post represent those of the author alone. No movies aforementioned should necessarily be taken as recommendations. Except the Captain America movie, which I highly recommend to everyone. Except small children. The Red Skull might be too scary for them.)

10 comments:

  1. You depressed me. I rather liked some of the movies you hated....but I'm afeared to tell you!!! However, I will "two thumbs up" Captain America as it is one of my favorite movies. I want to know where men like that are?? He was a great man before he grew those muscles, which is a wonderful reminder that character is not based on outer physique. As to Cillian Murphy....oh, I so agree there. He was in the movie The Way We Live Now (based on Anthony Trollope's book), and I don't care if he was supposed to be a great character, I just could not get past his.....his...creepiness. Fun post.

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    1. Now you have to tell me, because I'm curious! I promise not to judge you. (Unless you liked Sherlock Holmes. Then we can't be friends anymore! ;-)
      I LOVE Captain America...and I love that the movie makes the point that he is a hero because of his character, not his superpower - the "treatment" or whatever it was that turned him into Captain America just amplified the traits he already had. One movie Hollywood actually got right, which is why I'm SO excited for the Avengers movie. Yes, I'm a geek. Proudly.

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    2. Well....it's been nice knowin' ya... I'm sorry. I LOVE Sir AC Doyle, and I have read and re-read the Holmes books so much, but I really did like the movie(s). I didn't think I would, but my family wanted to see it, so I went, and....well, I got sucked into the whole thing....what can I say. Let's move to a topic that we both agree on, though. Yes, yes, and double yes to Capt. America!! I want my sons to watch that over and over and know what it means to have manly character. My children laughed because I begged them to let me buy it at the store when it came out (and we never buy it when it first comes out!). I am counting down the months until the Avengers comes out. I can't wait for CA to take on Iron Scum (I just can't use the word man there). I also liked Thor. What a jerk at first, but his character change was great. Not sure if you watch Elizabeth Gaskell movies, but Tom Hiddleston (Loki) plays the hero in Return to Cranford. So hard to see him as a nice guy......

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    3. *I'm sorry, this user has been blocked from this site*
      Haha just kidding. We'll just have to agree that I'm right and you're wrong...I mean, to disagree. ;-)
      I love Elizabeth Gaskell's movies and read all her books, but I haven't seen Cranford. I tried to get it from Netflix and there was something wrong with the dvds and I had to send them back unwatched. I will if I ever get a chance. I spent the whole movie thinking "there is something really familiar about Loki" so I'm pretty sure I've seen him in something else. Of course, I watched the entire Captain America movie without realizing that the same actor plays Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four. Needless to say I liked him WAY better as the Captain! But what will they ever do if the Avengers and the Fantastic Four team up?!

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    4. If you've ever seen Gaskell's North & South, the Nazi (in glasses) that shoots at CA and then gets chased to the sub is none other than.....Mr. Thornton!! We screamed in horror to know our hero in N&S was now a Nazi!! Oh, well. I know it's a sign of great acting, but...... I used a birthday gift card to buy both Cranford and Return to Cranford, so I need to swing it by your house some time when I'm in town. I love those movies and can just get lost as I imagine that I'm going to be one of those old ladies one day....Then, my dear son and daughter found an original copy of Cranford at an antique store and splurged and bought it for me. I haven't seen the Fantastic Four, but Joshua's been wanting to....so, thank you for the recommendation (if I can call it that.)

      I meant to tell you that yes, let's agree that "I'm right and you're wrong"....it works both ways, so we're both content.

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    5. Ah yes, Richard Armitage. He's also playing Thorin in the upcoming Hobbit movie! It will quite amusing to see him play a dwarf. ;-)
      The first thing I ever saw him in was the BBC version of Robin Hood, where he played Guy of Gisbourne, the bad guy. He was so awful and evil in that version that I had a terrible time wrapping my head around him as Mr. Thornton in North and South! It took several watchings to be able to separate the two in my mind until I finally liked Mr. T. First impressions are difficult to overcome, you see.
      The trouble is, if you watch BBC series, eventually all the actors overlap! Mrs. Hamley from Wives and Daughters (another Elizabeth Gaskell movie) is Lady Isobel Crawley in Downton Abbey, and Nicholas Higgins (N&S) is Mr. Bates. Mr. Preston (W&D) is Sir Richard Carlisle. And let's see...who else...oh yes, Squire Hamley is Dumbledore from the Harry potter movies. ;-) Small world of British acting.

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    6. Overlapping, oh yes. We can't stand Preston, and he wasn't much better as Carlisle. Of course, he got put in his place with the infamous "You promise" line! Then, there's Mr. Bates/Nicholas Higgins - you gotta love him. Mrs. Hamley/Lady Isobel, just a good character in both settings - likable, spunky, loved by the men in her life. I much prefer my actors to stay in "their place" and quit this back & forth business. I don't really care if they want to show how good of an actor they are. I HATE watching someone I love in one movie turn out to be the villain in the next, and heave forbid if I have to try to like someone I just couldn't stand. I was glad that Richard Armitage had a small role in CA as I really do like him as MrT. We have all been anxious to see how he works as a dwarf. I've enjoyed the chat, and I think that maybe we can overcome our differences.....

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  2. I agree, mostly. But Robert Downey Jr. is a phenomenal actor. Also, sadly, I like Ashton Kutcher. I don't know why. I haven't ever seen him on two and a half men, so I can't judge from that, but other than that I think he is adorable, if a little dumb. OH. And I hate Cillian Murphy except in Inception. He didn't freak me out in that movie for some reason.

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    1. Cillian Murphy was Inception? Wow. I totally didn't even recognize him. Which character did he play?

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    2. You must have watched that movie during a sleepless night state..... How about you come over, and we'll watch it together. I'd love to see your face when you realize which character he is....

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