I once flew him and a woman from LA to Las Vegas for the weekend, then flew him back home Sunday night. Like many gamblers heading for tractable (or whatever), he was happy going to, and mad as a hornet coming home.
But he did give me a $200 tip on Sunday, saying ‘thanks for not looking back here both ways.’
This is so tricky because the metrics are so slippery. Technically, you'd have to be a good-enough actor to become a leading man or woman, no? Movie history is littered with dubious supporting role actors like Josh Gad or Cody Horn.
On one level, you have a guy like Paul Walker, a genuinely terrible actor who was avoided when he wasn't behind a wheel, but who also knew his limitations enough to avoid any challenging roles beyond "Fast And Furious".
On another level, you have demonstrably talented actors like Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell, who have lost studios hundreds of millions of dollars. Should ROI be determined by losing $200 million on two movies, or losing $5-10 million each on several projects? McGregor and Farrell have done both.
Of the actors mentioned in the final tally, the one that stands out to me is Jennifer Lopez, for whose "Worst Rated Movies" are indistinguishable from her other work, in popularity and quality. Everyone else, the metrics are dubious. Seagal's "worst-rated" affairs are from the period where he was no longer a movie star, and those were direct-to-DVD/streaming.
Dolph Lundgren should be exempt from such a study, because he is The World's Most Interesting Man.
Lundgren lore drop: Dolph Lundgren changed his stage name because people told him “Hans” sounded like a total Nazi. As a Swede he was offended, and so he sneeringly chose a nickname for Adolph. Except nobody noticed, and people were like “that’s waaaaaay better than Hans”, so he kept it. The official story is that he named himself after someone he knew…but you don’t change your name to Dolph to sound less fascist unless you’re being cheeky.
Because of this, to this day the only non-villainous Hans in film or television history is still Hans Moleman.
Exactly and the body of this post explains that to some degree, apparently, but like everyone else here I didn't bother to read it. I did try but it's not what it purports to be.
Andie MacDowell! She is having a resurgence, but boy howdy she was cringy in the 80s/90s. In The Object of Beauty she lamented “What can I do? What can I do?“ and I yelled out “You can’t act!”
The Director of Tarzan dubbed her with Glenn Close. He said that afterwards, Andie took acting lessons and improved a bit. She is a pretty lady, though. All that gorgeous, curly, hair.
There has to be a metric by which delivering a singular masterful performance delivers one from this list . Val Kilmer as doc holiday in tombstone will go down in history as an all time great performance.
I think the title is misleading. These are NOT the worst actors because at no point did you factor in an occasional outstanding performances and something ineffable about the zeitgeist.
Travolta for example has made some duds, but you cannot dismiss his era defining role in Grease or his return to ascendance in Pulp Fiction. You should also not dismiss perfectly fine fare such as Michael or Phenomenon or Get Shorty. He is one of the few movie starts in history to have been the biggest star on the planet, disappeared into obscurity, and returned to be a bankable headliner again.
In contrast, Steven Seagal, other than the barely watchable Under Siege has never made anything of cinematic value. He's a crappy actor in trash films. He has never had a single cinematic moment in his career to touch Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan, Madonna in Dick Tracy, or Madonna in Evita. Madonna is not a great actor, but she has more on-screen charisma in her facial mole than Seagal does in his entire oevre.
I get that you tried to get all science-y on something that should be more subjective and nuanced, but only looking at shitty, poorly performing movies doesn't seem to have produced anything recognizably honest.
Mickey Rourke WAS a really good actor. Check out Barfly and The Wrestler. Seems like he lost it after that. Can I nominate him as the the most talented of the worst actor list?
Adam Sandler, hands down. Jerry Seinfeld might have made the list if he was in the movies, but alas he isn't so doesn't qualify for this list. I run in the other direction whenever Adam Sandler is headlining a movie. Yeesh.
The fact that Sandler actually can act, shown in that insane performance as well as a more understated one in Punch-Drunk Love, really threw the lazy sketch-comedy approach to the rest of his film career into sharp relief for me!
But of course, what else did people want from a literal sketch comic?
Another actor I disagree with you about. Kevin was fantastic in A Perfect World, JFK, The Untouchables, The Upside of Anger. And the forgotten, but great, Fandango? And, I actually, really, like, Waterworld. Kevin's thighs in those stripey pants, deserve Oscars for themselves. Why would some of our greatest directors cast Costner, if he couldn't act?
Steven Seagal, the epitome of a wooden actor
well… excluding pinocchio I agree.
I once flew him and a woman from LA to Las Vegas for the weekend, then flew him back home Sunday night. Like many gamblers heading for tractable (or whatever), he was happy going to, and mad as a hornet coming home.
But he did give me a $200 tip on Sunday, saying ‘thanks for not looking back here both ways.’
And that’s a generous characterization.
This is so tricky because the metrics are so slippery. Technically, you'd have to be a good-enough actor to become a leading man or woman, no? Movie history is littered with dubious supporting role actors like Josh Gad or Cody Horn.
On one level, you have a guy like Paul Walker, a genuinely terrible actor who was avoided when he wasn't behind a wheel, but who also knew his limitations enough to avoid any challenging roles beyond "Fast And Furious".
On another level, you have demonstrably talented actors like Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell, who have lost studios hundreds of millions of dollars. Should ROI be determined by losing $200 million on two movies, or losing $5-10 million each on several projects? McGregor and Farrell have done both.
Of the actors mentioned in the final tally, the one that stands out to me is Jennifer Lopez, for whose "Worst Rated Movies" are indistinguishable from her other work, in popularity and quality. Everyone else, the metrics are dubious. Seagal's "worst-rated" affairs are from the period where he was no longer a movie star, and those were direct-to-DVD/streaming.
Dolph Lundgren should be exempt from such a study, because he is The World's Most Interesting Man.
Fromtheyardtothearthouse.substack.com
Lundgren lore drop: Dolph Lundgren changed his stage name because people told him “Hans” sounded like a total Nazi. As a Swede he was offended, and so he sneeringly chose a nickname for Adolph. Except nobody noticed, and people were like “that’s waaaaaay better than Hans”, so he kept it. The official story is that he named himself after someone he knew…but you don’t change your name to Dolph to sound less fascist unless you’re being cheeky.
Because of this, to this day the only non-villainous Hans in film or television history is still Hans Moleman.
I did not know that! Hilarious.
The 'ph' change does some heavy lifting here!
Exactly and the body of this post explains that to some degree, apparently, but like everyone else here I didn't bother to read it. I did try but it's not what it purports to be.
Nic Cage
Jesus, how did I forger about Cage?🤣🤣🤣
Came here to say this. He seems like a likable dude, but his acting… eeeesh.
How could it not be?
Tom Cruise is definitely on that list.
Steven Segal's crimes against music deserve a mention here (he sing about wanting da punani..)
https://open.spotify.com/track/5TqZAogECRTRPZoKonQMJb?si=0EXN-qNcSueuJ187WzvtCA&utm_source=copy-link
Andie MacDowell! She is having a resurgence, but boy howdy she was cringy in the 80s/90s. In The Object of Beauty she lamented “What can I do? What can I do?“ and I yelled out “You can’t act!”
Andie MacDowell's biggest contribution to the craft of acting is her daughter, Margaret Qualley.
The Director of Tarzan dubbed her with Glenn Close. He said that afterwards, Andie took acting lessons and improved a bit. She is a pretty lady, though. All that gorgeous, curly, hair.
She was and is a stunner.
Four Weddings and a Funeral: “Is it raining? I hadn’t noticed.” Oscar! Oscar!
Yeah I thought of that one, too 😂
There has to be a metric by which delivering a singular masterful performance delivers one from this list . Val Kilmer as doc holiday in tombstone will go down in history as an all time great performance.
I think the title is misleading. These are NOT the worst actors because at no point did you factor in an occasional outstanding performances and something ineffable about the zeitgeist.
Travolta for example has made some duds, but you cannot dismiss his era defining role in Grease or his return to ascendance in Pulp Fiction. You should also not dismiss perfectly fine fare such as Michael or Phenomenon or Get Shorty. He is one of the few movie starts in history to have been the biggest star on the planet, disappeared into obscurity, and returned to be a bankable headliner again.
In contrast, Steven Seagal, other than the barely watchable Under Siege has never made anything of cinematic value. He's a crappy actor in trash films. He has never had a single cinematic moment in his career to touch Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan, Madonna in Dick Tracy, or Madonna in Evita. Madonna is not a great actor, but she has more on-screen charisma in her facial mole than Seagal does in his entire oevre.
I get that you tried to get all science-y on something that should be more subjective and nuanced, but only looking at shitty, poorly performing movies doesn't seem to have produced anything recognizably honest.
What you said.
Mickey Rourke WAS a really good actor. Check out Barfly and The Wrestler. Seems like he lost it after that. Can I nominate him as the the most talented of the worst actor list?
I like Mickey Rourke too, especially in Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man.
Mark Wahlberg
Charlton Heston. No lip please. You asked, its my opinion.
Adam Sandler, hands down. Jerry Seinfeld might have made the list if he was in the movies, but alas he isn't so doesn't qualify for this list. I run in the other direction whenever Adam Sandler is headlining a movie. Yeesh.
One of the most punchable actors ever.
Aren't you forgetting... Rob Schneider? 🫣 I see myself out...
I love Sandler. He's fantastic in Uncut Gems.
The fact that Sandler actually can act, shown in that insane performance as well as a more understated one in Punch-Drunk Love, really threw the lazy sketch-comedy approach to the rest of his film career into sharp relief for me!
But of course, what else did people want from a literal sketch comic?
Punch-Drunk Love is an outstanding movie!
Oh Christ, what a low bar.
Neil Breen
This needs more likes! 1000% accurate.
Clint Eastwood. He’s the same character every time.
Cupola’s daughter
That was spell check, I intended Coppola
I do feel like Kevin Costner plays the same character in every movie.
As charasmatic as a tree.
Another actor I disagree with you about. Kevin was fantastic in A Perfect World, JFK, The Untouchables, The Upside of Anger. And the forgotten, but great, Fandango? And, I actually, really, like, Waterworld. Kevin's thighs in those stripey pants, deserve Oscars for themselves. Why would some of our greatest directors cast Costner, if he couldn't act?
I respect your opinion, Michelle. I don’t hate him. I just don’t love him.
I actually meant to reply to Alfred. But, I think a lot of intellectual men, have some sort of visceral resistance to Costner.
Wait, what do you mean “another”?
😂