Actors who basically play themselves in movies

Movies
61

All right, I need to post and point out that I am a Kevin Costner apologist. Beg your pardon, but let me get this off my chest.

As supporting documentation I’d like to call four character witnesses, by which I mean four movies starring Kevin Costner that I am a big fan of, and which cover different facets of his performing abilities.

First and foremost, Silverado. I think Tom or Christian or Kelly covered this in an earlier podcast talking about the joy that Kevin brought to his role in this movie. He never fails to crack me up or interest me in what is going to happen, as opposed to the much more stoic roles played by Scott Glenn and Mr. Phoebe Cates. I’m not claiming this is high drama, but I will say that Kevin Costner pretty much makes this movie, for my money.

Second, let’s go with No Way Out. It may not be too impressive as a cold war drama, but I did get caught up in this little claustrophobic CIA mole story. I won’t ruin it if you haven’t seen it, but I did enjoy watching Costner work his way through the central mystery.

Third, and possibly my favorite, Tin Cup. Now I know a lot of folks will go with Bull Durham for their choice of sad sack, faded sports legend Costner flicks but for my money Tin Cup is the more complete movie. Hell, I don’t even like golf and I can never fail to get wrapped up in McAvoy’s struggles to make that perfect golf swing when this flick is on the tube.

Last, I’ve got to go with ‘Don’t wait for the translation, yes or no!’ Thirteen Days. I’m a total history buff and while I will admit that I’m slightly bummed by the fact that Costner’s character is a composite of several other historical figures, this is a great little story of the Cuban Missile Crisis that is completely worth your time.

So, yeah. And while I’ll admit that I have been drinking I must point out that my opinions are on the level, and I will back them up when I’m totally sober. For better or worse.

62

To see Johnny Depp and Russell Crowe show up in this thread makes the sky weep black tears.

On Russell Crowe: Ron Howard was talking about Crowe’s acting in a special about “Cinderella Man”, something to the effect of: “They say Russell Crowe is so much like James Braddock. That just isn’t so. Russell is nothing like Jimmy Braddock. But he works so hard at it people think that’s who he is.”

Depp: Edward Scissorhands, Jack Sparrow, Sweeny Todd, Willy Wonka, John Dillinger. Nothing but net.

I was going to say Deniro fits this but upon further reflection I guess there are obviously two schools of thought in this regard and I am not qualified to say one is better. There are the Method actors who seek to immerse themselves and so fully realize the characters that they make you forget the actor completely; there are then those people who don’t hide themselves in the role but make the role their own. You may still see the actor and his trademark mannerisms but great actors don’t need to hide to move audiences. Deniro, Pacino, and especially Denzel Washington personify this.

Part of the joy in watching these actors is seeing what they do with the character as opposed to what the character does with them. Of course, its easy to get lazy/take the easy road/lose your edgecoughpacinocough but tell me even later in his career that Willy Bank, John Milton, Frank Slade and Victor Hanna are all one-note characters.

I had to look at IMDB to remember any of the characters’ names but I would say that Pacino did a good job with making them all very different, despite all of them being Pacino.

Edit: the role of Pogue’s post formatting will be played by rhinohelix. That was weird to see upon hitting submit.

63

All actors play themselves. That’s called good acting.

Some are just better at showing you different facets of their personality.

64

Owen Wilson people!!

The entire cast of the movie Grown Ups.

65

That original list was posted by alexlitel, who has only ever shown himself to be the world’s worst judge of anything movie related. It’s not bad enough that he doesn’t know what the fuck he’s talking about, but he’s successful at trolling people with his asinine opinions.

66

I’ve always thought Warren Beatty was playing Warren Beatty playing whatever character he was portraying.

For instance, in Bonnie And Clyde, he seems like he’s doing “Warren Beatty interprets Clyde Barrow”. In Bugsy it’s “Warren Beatty as Bugsy Siegel”.

67

There was a little note at the top of the list that I think provided context. I love Gosling, RDJ, Cage, Ruffalo, and they would all be on the shortlist of my favorite actors.

68

Edward G. Robinson. Egyptian dude in 10 Commandments: “Where is your God now, Moses. Nyah, nyah.*”

*Not really.

69

Malkovich!

70

I think they made a movie about this.

71

Yeah. Every time you need a rage-fueld cop with multiple personalities who is also an insane gypsy boxer eco-terrorist gym instructor with a giant pompadour, you go to that one-note actor, Brad Pitt.

72

Whatever. Did you not see The African Queen? How about Treasure of the Sierra Madre? Or maybe Sabrina. Or The Caine Mutiny? The Petrified Forest? These characters are all vastly different from his typical Sam Spade or Rick Blaine roles.

I vote for John Wayne. (excluding Genghis Khan…)

73

I can’t believe this thread has reached three pages without mentioning John Malkovich.

74

Jeniffer Aniston, but I think this is type casting. She was good in some move playing a cheated wife.

75

Seems like the actors from that era were expected to play themselves. That’s why you have guys like Edward G Robinson playing Egyptians with a Brooklyn accent and people are like, “Oh YES!”

Not to take anything away from Bogart, but he whether he was a priest or an outlaw, he always pulled it off with a stylish swagger that people really liked. That’s part of why he was so popular.

76

No mention of Denzel Washington in 3 pages?

77

You owe me a keyboard and a monitor, sir.

78

I was rather startled to see that many of the few things he does like are some of my cherished favorites. And now I don’t know what to think.

79

Of course, that’s [the above, that is] to say nothing about Woody Allen…

I love the Woodman, but, as an actor, he’s got about as much range as an arthritic sniper with glaucoma.

80

Robert Deniro - Seriously, I like the films he’s been in but he really doesn’t have much range. It was hilarious to see him as Frankenstein’s monster.