I would let Denzel Washington stick it in me!

[warpus]

I don't know that Will Smith has a limited range so much as preferred role that he goes for. His early work on Fresh Prince was nothing like what he's done in the movies. I once heard an interview with him where he said when he was breaking into movies that he looked around, and movies with a lot of special effects tend to make a lot of money. So he targeted that type of movie for himself. Within that type of movie, I don't think he was playing the same character. But there were certainly similarities in a number of them.

Let me put it this way, he hasn't proved (to me) that he is capable of playing a wide range of characters. So either he's not capable of it, or he just hasn't done it. Either way, we just don't know.

well there is a difference between playing one character and playing one character very well. who is to say that having a wide range is required of a good actor? you should ask about which actor is the most versatile then.

Acting is an art, right? I would rank a painter who can paint in a wide variety of styles well far higher than one who is limited to one particular style. Same goes for authors, musicians, etc. It just means that they are more talented at their craft.

it is like saying Luc Besson is a bad actor because he only ever plays French characters.

I'm not saying that people who get typecast are bad actors, just that they can't (in my eyes) compete with actors who have proven that they are able to play a wide variety of differing characters.

Obviously Michael Cera is amazing at playing an awkward teenager; that doesn't make him a bad actor, neither does it make him an amazing actor, comparable with the best. (Maybe he would be, who knows, he keeps playing the same character over and over, so we just do'nt know yet)

 

[Krill]

"what do they call a whopper big mac?"

ftfy.

 

[Love]

Le Big Mac.

 

[Ice_Tyrant]

I'm a big fan of Alan Alda.

 

[Azale]

Any QUESTIONS?!

 

[Disgustipated]

Brad Pitt is also a good actor.

I also have to nominate Clint Eastwood for being so goddamn cool.

good choice (on the cool factor)

 

[Traitorfish]

Acting is an art, right? I would rank a painter who can paint in a wide variety of styles well far higher than one who is limited to one particular style. Same goes for authors, musicians, etc. It just means that they are more talented at their craft.

That's a pretty goofy measure of value. Surely, competence is worth more than mere variety; depth of skill, you might say, over breadth? Variety has it's place, certainly, but honing one's craft is at least as important, if not more so. "Talent" is a largely abstract notion, after all, and worth little unless it is realised- an individual can be a naturally excellent musician, but that's worth very little if they turn it to playing fifty different instruments in a very mediocre manner, or even a single instrument in fifty mediocre styles. "Jack of all trades, master of none", as the expression goes.

 

[nc-1701]

I don't get people who say that. Doesn't Will Smith pretty much play the same guy in every movie he stars in?

I guess if you're into that sort of character, then he can be your favourite, but we're talking about the best actor.. and a good actor should have a wide range of characters he can portray. Will Smith appears to have a really limited range in that regard.

Will Smith has done a good bit of variety, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Seven Pounds, and I Am Legend all had utterly different characters.

I general though I don't care for variety so much as actors portraying characters I like, can identify with, or admire in some way. I have never seen Denzel Washington play one of those characters, and the movies of his I've seen (American Gangster and Facing the Giants are the first to come to mind) had him playing boring characters I couldn't connect with at all.

Another actor I really like a lot is Richard Dean Anderson, though he definitely fits into the same character every time mold. Also Tony Jaa is really good within the particularly narrow character he plays...

 

[scherbchen]

sorry to barge in again but why would you want to/need to identify with a character?

can we all agree that Jodie Foster did a splendid job in The Accused? now I can't identify with a raped woman. nor can I identify with her portrayal of a child prostitute in Taxi Driver. or being a feral child in Nell or etc etc... I still think that there was some very good acting there. I did not particularly like any of those characters either though I did admire them and got caught up in the story which is 30% direction 30% script and 40% acting imho.

I did not want to be her, did not want to see the movie, did not like the premise but I bought the whole schtick. that, for me, is acting. it is very much like a retail job.

 

[warpus]

I dunno, every single Will Smith character has the same mannerisms, from what I've seen. He's good, sure.

 

[Lord Baal]

ftfy.

Jules asks Vincent "What do they call a Whopper?" after he asks about Big Macs. Vincent answers "I don't know, I didn't go into Burger King."

 

[classical_hero]

Why don't we just quote that whole scene?

 

[Love]

Moderator Action: Snipped for language...
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

This scene?

 

[classical_hero]

Of course.

Link to video.

 

[Shekwan]

Any QUESTIONS?!

Jeff Goldblum?

I dunno, every single Will Smith character has the same mannerisms, from what I've seen. He's good, sure.

Yes.

Wild Wild West - Sassy Will Smith is a cowboy
Independence Day - Sassy Will Smith is a Fighter Pilot
Men In Black - Sassy Will Smith is a government agent (with aliens)
Seven Pounds - Serious Will Smith is going to die
Legend of Bagger Vance - Serious Will Smith plays golf

Haven't seen The Pursuit of Happyness so maybe thats a unique turn for Serious Will.

 

[Lord Baal]

This scene?

Is it sad that I could actually quote that whole scene verbatim before you posted it?

 

[classical_hero]

No, it is not, since it is such a good scene. I think Pulp fiction has to be one of the most quotable films of all time.

 

[Azale]

Jeff Goldblum?

Indeed.

Yes.

Wild Wild West - Sassy Will Smith is a cowboy
Independence Day - Sassy Will Smith is a Fighter Pilot
Men In Black - Sassy Will Smith is a government agent (with aliens)
Seven Pounds - Serious Will Smith is going to die
Legend of Bagger Vance - Serious Will Smith plays golf

Haven't seen The Pursuit of Happyness so maybe thats a unique turn for Serious Will.

I Am Legend - Serious Will Smith is the last man on Earth.
I, Robot - Sassy Will Smith doesn't like robots.
Enemy of the State - Serious Will Smith is running from "the man".
Hancock - Serious Will Smith is a superhero.

 

[Quackers]

Christian Bale

 

[Plotinus]

I Am Legend - Serious Will Smith is the last man on Earth.
I, Robot - Sassy Will Smith doesn't like robots.
Enemy of the State - Serious Will Smith is running from "the man".
Hancock - Serious Will Smith is a superhero.

Oh, harsh. He's got a serious side in I, Robot, while being mainly sassy, and is quite sassy in Hancock, while being mainly serious. See, Will Smith can combine the sassiness and the seriousness when necessary to create a whole range of complex and quite different characters.

I'm being a little bit unfair. He was very good in I am legend.

Having a limited range does not, in itself, make someone a bad actor. But it surely does prevent them from being as good as an actor who has similar ability but a wider range. Just as being able to play only one style of music doesn't make someone a bad musician, but someone who can play more is better. Of course, there are limited ranges and then there are limited ranges. Will Smith may be limited, but he's not as limited as (say) Vin Diesel. And even within their ranges, Smith is obviously much better than Diesel.

Don't forget, too, that sometimes actors choose to play within a limited range but are capable of quite different things. Look at Michael Caine in the original Sleuth as an example of this.