One Trick Pony Actors

[akiratubo]

It took this long for someone to mention Keanu Reeves?

[raj]

I'll echo Tom  Cruise.  Except for Risky Business, he's basically been playing Tom Cruise.

[Yaddo 42]

I've never understood the appeal of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Goofy stupid sitcom, plenty of people like them, just never could see why people liked that one. Hell, I have a soft spot for Charles In Charge for some stupid reason. Will Smith has more range than he usually shows, remember Six Degrees of Separation? But I couldn't stand him in Ali, the real man was such a presence and personality in his prime that any attempt to portray him was doomed IMO.

Wasn't Bela considered a rather versatile and talented actor in Europe? Working in a language alien to him must have hampered him. Look at Penelope Cruz, apparently a great actress in Spanish or even Italian, but awful in English. But no one was watching Bandidas for the brilliant acting, I now I wasn't.

[zombie no.one]

[Neville]

Look at Penelope Cruz, apparently a great actress in Spanish or even Italian, but awful in English. But no one was watching Bandidas for the brilliant acting, I now I wasn't.

I'm an Spaniard, and I wouldn't say she's much good, but now and then she gets juicier roles than usual and really gives her best shot, such as in "To return" or "Don't move". I'd say she is tolerable in Spanish movies, but by no means a great actress.

[Snivelly]

Look at Penelope Cruz, apparently a great actress in Spanish or even Italian, but awful in English. But no one was watching Bandidas for the brilliant acting, I now I wasn't.

I'm an Spaniard, and I wouldn't say she's much good, but now and then she gets juicier roles than usual and really gives her best shot, such as in "To return" or "Don't move". I'd say she is tolerable in Spanish movies, but by no means a great actress.

Someone on a celebrity gossip site I frequent once said that her voice makes them want to burn down villages.  I don't think she's all that bad, there are much worse accents, and she probably sounds much better in Spanish.

[Neville]

She does sound better in Spanish. As I said, not Meryl Streep nor Glen Close, but she is far more natural than in her acting in English.

[Mr. DS]

Heres one that I think was extremely successful, Clint Eastwood.  Squint and talk in a low voice about everything.   

One that doesn't work for me is David Caruso.  Talk in a low voice and slant your head alot. 

[Neville]

In my "Dirty Harry" DVD there's a short documentary on the entire series, and at one point one of the writers appears and says that Eastwood told him he was bad with dialogue and good with stares, and he urged him to act accordingly. As they say, "a man's gotta know his limitations."

As for Caruso, I used to like him, but since "CSI: Miami" I'm developing some Caruso hatred. It may be the character's fault, you know. He's so cold and distant with his peers that it manages to suggest some kind of reptilian quality, and the way he confronts criminals and witnesses has made me label him Grand Inquisitor Kane. Not to mention his tendency to mix public and personal business or to use his gun more often than Dirty Harry.

[Yaddo 42]

I'll defer to you, Neville, as to Cruz's acting in Spanish. I know she was getting good notices for Volver, and her performance was being hailed as a return (no pun intended) to doing good work in Spanish language cinema. Then again maybe the reviewers here were just lusting after her cleavage and the padded backside she wore in the film.

Also on other sites I've been to when people rip into her acting in English, people would leap to her defense citing her much better acting chops in her native language.

[ghouck]

A classic one-trick actor would be Tony Danza.

Anyone ever watch something of his where he doesn't play a guy named Tony?

Thought so.

In Hollywood Knights he plays Duke. It's a good movie, one of my favorites (at least one of my favorite comedies).
When I was a kid, me and some of my friends argued about how realistic it was for Duke's 57 Chevy to lose to the AC Cobra. As much as I love 57 Chevys, it didn't stand a chance. . .

[Alex]

Surprised to see Robin Williams mentioned on this list. Always felt he had a pretty broad range myself. I'd have loved to see him do some more horror (beyond One Hour Photo).

[Neville]

I'll defer to you, Neville, as to Cruz's acting in Spanish. I know she was getting good notices for Volver, and her performance was being hailed as a return (no pun intended) to doing good work in Spanish language cinema.

I find her... OK in Spanish. She certainly has the looks of a movie star, but I'm not that convinced on her versatility. I can't say she's bad, even in her worst movies, but I'm not that impressed with her either. There's one thing she's great at, though, and it's at playing angry women. There are bits of "Vicky Christina Barcelona" with her telling Javier Bardem off that had me laughing out loud.

[Allhallowsday]

Surprised to see Robin Williams mentioned on this list. Always felt he had a pretty broad range myself. I'd have loved to see him do some more horror (beyond One Hour Photo).

Well the last response is 15 years ago...

[chainsaw midget]

Chevy Chase tends to play "loveable everyman with a  bit of an a***ole streak" in everything he does.