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Post by stephen on Feb 22, 2019 19:06:38 GMT
The threads on Edward Norton and Barry Pepper got me wondering: who are some performers who are undeniably great talents who, for whatever reason, haven't gotten the acclaim they deserve, be it awards consideration or pop-culture notoriety.
For me, I've always considered Amanda Plummer to be one of the foremost actresses of her generation (and, hot take, a far more compelling actor than her old man, and that's saying something). Plummer specializes in neurotic spazzes for the most part, but each time she seems to bring a unique brand to each character. Nettie Cobb from Needful Things is a far cry from Honey Bunny, who is nowhere on the same plane as, say, her Emmy-winning Outer Limits role. Plummer has always been one of the more unique, esoteric talents out there, someone who really should have been scooped up by a Werner Herzog or a David Lynch along the way to really make the most of her skills.
And then there's her male counterpart (both in career and in the Tennessee Williams two-hander they co-starred in), Brad Dourif. Dourif has an Oscar nomination under his belt, at least, and has at least garnered attention from both Lynch and Herzog as being a go-to guy for them . . . but Dourif's intensity, commitment, and innate and compulsive watchability even while playing monstrous characters is rarely paralleled. And it's always a breath of fresh air whenever he winds up playing the good guy; who doesn't love him as Doc Cochran in Deadwood, after all? Dourif doesn't have the cache or clout of some of his colleagues in his generation, but I'd put him in the top tier in terms of sheer talent and skill.
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Post by pacinoyes on Feb 22, 2019 19:24:01 GMT
Good mentions.
I'll mention Dylan Baker who is the soon to be TV show The Hunt a guy who always seems to give great thought and care to everything he does - most memorably as the pedophile in Happiness but he has a huge filmography and TV work too, to some acclaim but not that I think matches his creativity and professionalism.
He's always memorable to me anyway no matter how major or small the role - he takes it on and carves a fascinating niche. He's particularly great at how he's reading text and he's a sort of master at shifty-eyed uncomfortable dread. In a way he reminds me a bit of Richard Jenkins - as a guy who has been around a lot, and did lots of good work that eventually paid off with really good roles (and awards).
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Post by bobbystarks on Feb 22, 2019 19:53:07 GMT
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Post by stephen on Feb 22, 2019 19:53:49 GMT
Good mentions. I'll mention Dylan Baker who is the soon to be TV show The Hunt a guy who always seems to give great thought and care to everything he does - most memorably as the pedophile in Happiness but he has a huge filmography and TV work too, to some acclaim but not that I think matches his creativity and professionalism. He's always memorable to me anyway no matter how major or small the role - he takes it on and carves a fascinating niche. He's particularly great at how he's reading text and he's a sort of master at shifty-eyed uncomfortable dread. In a way he reminds me a bit of Richard Jenkins - as a guy who has been around a lot, and did lots of good work that eventually paid off with really good roles (and awards). Dylan Baker is a consummate character actor and always seems to elevate whatever he's in, no matter the quality of the surrounding project. Happiness is his strongest performance because, well, he so rarely gets to evince more in his performances than simply being the scummy, skeevy guy or, even more rarely, the upstanding father-figure. But in terms of my favorite role of his, I think of his work in Road to Perdition -- a film chockfull of great actors firing on all cylinders -- and how he took such a thinly-written character and imbued it with so much detail and nuance. We don't know much about Alexander Rance reading what's on the page, but Baker lends him such an air of persnickety dickishness that immediately keys us in to who this guy is, and what he's all about. Not many can do that.
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Post by stephen on Feb 22, 2019 19:54:31 GMT
Best Capone ever. De Niro's take on the character isn't fit to shine his shoes.
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Post by themoviesinner on Feb 22, 2019 20:04:53 GMT
Anthony Wong. He's probably quite acclaimed in China, but considering that I think he is one of the best actors working today and among the GOAT's, I find him pretty underrated.
Also, I think Emily Browning is very underrated as well. She has delivered my favourite performance of this decade (Sleeping Beauty) and has been great in every single film I've seen her in (even in trash like Plush).
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Post by stephen on Feb 22, 2019 20:22:57 GMT
Anthony Wong. He's probably quite acclaimed in China, but considering that I think he is one of the best actors working today and among the GOAT's, I find him pretty underrated. Also, I think Emily Browning is very underrated as well. She has delivered my favourite performance of this decade (Sleeping Beauty) and has been great in every single film I've seen her in (even in trash like Plush). Love me some Emily Browning. She's aces on American Gods and I nominate her for Legend. Wong's good, too, but I haven't seen too much of his work.
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Post by pacinoyes on Feb 22, 2019 20:44:52 GMT
He's got a major role in The Irishman and I think if that film lives up to the promise he may steal it - it sounds silly with that cast but when I heard Graham was cast as Tony Provenzano instantly I literally got more excited than I had been initially.
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Post by theycallmemrfish on Feb 22, 2019 20:49:30 GMT
I feel like all these peeps are at least respected by the public and their peers, but alas their careers are nowhere their near where their talents should have led them... Sam Neill, Ron Livingson, Amanda Peet, and Sienna Miller.
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Post by stephen on Feb 22, 2019 20:51:13 GMT
I nominate Ron Livingston for Office Space and his performance in Band of Brothers is Top 10 of all time, any category.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2019 21:13:28 GMT
I wholeheartedly second Dourif, who gives one of the best performances I've ever seen in Wise Blood.
I'll add: Richard Farnsworth, Sheryl Lee.
And maybe not a "great" talent, but Udo Kier is really entertaining to watch in everything I've seen him in - even stuff I'm not huge on overall, like Flesh for Frankenstein.
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Post by therealcomicman117 on Feb 22, 2019 21:21:55 GMT
I nominate Ron Livingston for Office Space and his performance in Band of Brothers is Top 10 of all time, any category.
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Post by TheAlwaysClassy on Feb 22, 2019 23:07:51 GMT
Stuart Whitman
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Post by HELENA MARIA on Feb 22, 2019 23:11:59 GMT
Such a handsome and talented dude .Always thought he would become a bigger star . He's kind of making a comeback with both DIRTY JOHN and THE FORGIVEN (excellent performances in both films).
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Post by eyebrowmorroco on Feb 23, 2019 14:20:26 GMT
Michael Wincott. You may want to sit down for the next part. Here goes... Michael Wincott has 0 film nominations. 0! No awards body has ever nominated him.
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Post by jakesully on Feb 23, 2019 16:14:19 GMT
I'll go ahead and add Michael Pitt. imo he's been great in a number of things (esp in Boardwalk Empire) then sorta fell off the map . I wish he'd get some bigger / juicer roles in the future .
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Post by wallsofjericho on Feb 23, 2019 16:20:01 GMT
I always thought Philip Baker Hall was underrated. Gave some of the best performances in a PTA film.
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Post by bob-coppola on Feb 23, 2019 16:22:12 GMT
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Post by stephen on Feb 23, 2019 16:42:18 GMT
I always thought Philip Baker Hall was underrated. Gave some of the best performances in a PTA film. Not to mention the definitive cinematic portrayal of Richard Nixon, as well as my favorite guest character on Seinfeld.
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Post by pacinoyes on Feb 23, 2019 16:50:09 GMT
I always thought Philip Baker Hall was underrated. Gave some of the best performances in a PTA film. PBH is an example of the separation there used to be between TV/Film/Theater because he never got a break in film until he got to play Nixon and he only got to play Nixon because he had done the play. In the meantime - all he had was theater and TV - so that's how he was seen. So in 1984 when he did Secret Honor he would now be something closer to a Bryan Cranston and all kinds of things would have opened up for him. But back then, all he got was a deep credit in the cast of Midnight Run as a reward. Now he got more acclaim later but in general he's a missed opportunity because of what you had available to you and how could make your mark and make your career move (and your age).
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Post by jimmalone on Feb 24, 2019 12:21:43 GMT
Agree on Philip Baker Hall.
Eric Bana always comes to my mind, when this question is asked. Loved him in Munich, he was easily the best thing about Troy, gave another strong supporting performance in Black Hawk Down and he was very good in Romulus my Father.
I also think Rebecca Hall is one of the most talented actresses of her generation.
Vincent Cassel is a truly great actor, as he has proven time after time (whether it is La Haine, L'ennemi public, Eastern Promises, Black Swan and so on). And if we stay in France Romain Duris has loads of talent as well.
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Post by hugobolso on Feb 25, 2019 1:06:01 GMT
Unless they retired or died young, most receive sooner or later the recognition that they deserved. Nicol Williamson was one of the few, that didn't had the Hollywood recognition he deserved.-
I think we only can talk about US, Canadian, Aussie and british actors. Because foreign actors are much more difficult to sell in Hollywood.
This year is Richard E.Grant year, an actor who has always a hit or miss, because of his skills talents, that finally was recognized.-
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2019 4:34:27 GMT
Love the mentions of Dylan Baker, Udo Kier, Hall, etc.
I'll add Sid Haig, Chloe Sevigny, Vincent Gallo, Grace Zabriskie, Barbara Steele, Song Kang-ho, Mark Duplass, & David Bowie as an actor - all underrated to varying degrees imo
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Post by wattsnew on Feb 25, 2019 10:49:40 GMT
If you google "underrated actresses" the first name that pops up there would have to be my choice as well. But seriously I'd say Kathryn Hahn, although she's been getting more acclaim lately.
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Post by jimmalone on Feb 25, 2019 11:08:56 GMT
If you google "underrated actresses" the first name that pops up there would have to be my choice as well. But seriously I'd say Kathryn Hahn, although she's been getting more acclaim lately. Yeah, in general Watts deserves certainly more acclaim. At least among film fans there are some people (like me) that consider her among the finest actresses of her generation or even all time though.
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