Friday OT #1 - Dual Personalities

[Angie]

Thanks so much to @madguy30 for this! He posted it in a thread, and it's great! Here's his take:

What are some actors that are known for iconic roles that you've also seen in just some stupid or ridiculous movies/roles? Thinking something like the 'Look A Like' threads.

One who I was just thinking of is Bill Murray. I've loved him in almost everything he's been in - but Where the Buffalo Roam just isn't a good movie. It's basically Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, but without being particularly funny. Bill does what he can with it, but it's wildly mediocre.

What do you have?

 

[Cyclonepride]

Robert De Niro is the first actor that comes to mind. Obviously has a ton of excellent movies to his credit, but then he has all sorts of them that make you think he must be badly in need of tons of money.

 

[BCClone]

Nicholas cage now has just became sad.

 

[CivEFootball]

Robin Williams, does One Hour Photo then goes off and does the movie RV which is complete garbage. Amoung his examples

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Eddie Murphy was box office gold in the 80's, then he did "Pluto Nash"

 

[throwittoblythe]

Not that he's an amazing actor, but Adam Sandler comes to mind. His early movies (Billy Madison and The Wedding Singer come to mind) are hilarious. He got like a 7 or 9 movie contract and then just pumped out pure garbage.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Nicholas cage now has just became sad.

I wish he hadn't made the jump to action hero. He's much better in comedy, or as an everyman (Raising Arizona, Peggy Sue Got Married, Valley Girls).

 

[madguy30]

Bob Gunton in Shawshank:


And Ace Ventura 2:

 

[TexCyted]

Bruce WIllis and Mel Gibson have an endless list...

 

[madguy30]

For what it's worth there's a few accounts of some actors saying they'll do about anything since work is work and you don't know when you won't be needed. And the money is outrageous.

I think Michael Caine made something like $1.5 million for a week's worth of work on Jaws 4, and this quote is pretty funny:

"I have never seen the film, but by all accounts it was terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."

I have a friend who's done some voice work for some commercials, and he'll get like $60,000 for ten seconds of talking. We used to give him **** for it because he'd say he had to say his bit so many times, like most of us don't do the same thing at our jobs for far less.

 

[SCyclone]

Maybe not exactly in tune with the thread's thought, but I immediately thought of Brad Pitt as Chad Feldheimer in Burn After Reading. He goes totally against type with this part - as a bird-brained gym employee - and absolutely nails it.

 

[SCyclone]

John Wayne in The Conqueror. What a giant POS that movie was.

 

[Clonefan32]

Adam Sandler is the first one to come to mind. Capable of really great comedic movies, and now a great dramatic performance. But boy do you have some obvious money-grab duds in the middle there.

 

[madguy30]

Not that he's an amazing actor, but Adam Sandler comes to mind. His early movies (Billy Madison and The Wedding Singer come to mind) are hilarious. He got like a 7 or 9 movie contract and then just pumped out pure garbage.

The timing and goofy dark humor and gags of Billy Madison through Wedding Singer was spectacular and then after that it just was never quite the same.

Like a band that put out great albums and live performances early but then just lose that 'edge' even if it's similar.

 

[SCyclone]

Eddie Murphy in Bowfinger

 

[JP4CY]

VS

 

[Isualum13]

I know I've posted Steve Carrell in a similar thread. When he didn't get his contract renewed for the office, he went on to try different roles instead of just playing a bufoon. I watched The Big Short and his character spoke with a weird accent and all I could picture was Michael Scott in a conference room meeting.

 

[MeanDean]

Jason Alexander is iconic for George Costanza role in Seinfeld.

Was watching The Amazing Mrs. Maisel and it took me about 2 minutes to figure out it was him playing the part of a blacklisted playwrite on the beach in Miami.

 

[CYdTracked]

How about Joe Pesci, he's been in a lot of mafia/mob related movies but also some quirky ones like Home Alone and My Cousin Vinny too where he's more on the goofy side than a badass.

One movie I can think of several well known actors that you can probably make some of the same comparisons is Armageddon. Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, William Fichtner, Peter Stormare, Ken Hudson Campbell all those guys have played some iconic roles as well as completely different types characters in other movies too. I didn't include Owen Wilson on that list as I can't think of something he's been in that he's not some kind of goofball. I guess maybe in Behind Enemy Lines he's a little more serious than his usual roles but not really.

 

[ImJustKCClone]

How about Joe Pesci, he's been in a lot of mafia/mob related movies but also some quirky ones like Home Alone and My Cousin Vinny too where he's more on the goofy side than a badass.

One movie I can think of several well known actors that you can probably make some of the same comparisons is Armageddon. Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, Michael Clarke Duncan, William Fichtner, Peter Stormare, Ken Hudson Campbell all those guys have played some iconic roles as well as completely different types characters in other movies too. I didn't include Owen Wilson on that list as I can't think of something he's been in that he's not some kind of goofball. I guess maybe in Behind Enemy Lines he's a little more serious than his usual roles but not really.

I think it's his voice. You can't listen to him talk and take him all that seriously