Which actors do you consider over rated?

Another one who thinks John Wayne is one dimensional, similarly Clint Eastwood always seems to play the same type of character. Danny Dyer works so hard at being the Cockney hard man it's laughable, he's the same in that daft game The Wall too, he seems to think that looking through half closed eyes and speaking in a slow voice makes him look hard.

John Wayne - yes. Ardal O'Hanlon has been very much the same character in anything I've seen him in. Happy to be corrected if I've missed him in parts where he's had a chance to shine!

Mandy Patinkin was brilliant in the Bernstein concert recording of 'South Pacific'. He sang the part of the young American GI who fell in love with the local girl. Have never heard a better recording of 'Younger than Springtime'. He was also in the hospital series Chicago Hope.

And I agree about Judi Dench; she always plays Judi Dench, even in Shakespeare.

Marmight definitely agree about Keira Knightley, also don't see the great beauty she is supposed to be!

Kristin Scott Thomas who ruined Mrs Danvers by confusing character for caricature.

To many to mention, but on the other hand, could I do a better job - probably not.

Laurence Olivier was a real actor! Most others just play theselves.

I agree about John Wayne, hated the way he played The All American Hero in films when in real life he dodged serving in WW2. Another actor from those days I don't like is James Stewart, especially the way he talked with a slack mouth.

Keeley Hawes who is in everything . Last week alone: Finding Alice, It's Sin and Line of Duty. Don't they know there are other actors available!

I can’t believe that no one has mentioned Helen Mirren!

Tom Cruise. Ricky Gervaise. Ben Stiller. Sylvester Stallone. Anne Hathaway, Kate Winslet.
And Salma Hayek for no other reason than she's gorgeous and funny!

Michael Caine only ever plays Michael Caine!

Oh and Joanna Lumley. How could I forget her? The only woman who complains about an all expenses paid trip to see the Northern Lights (something she 'always wanted to do' - so why wait for a tv company to pay, you skinflint) and an ice hotel ('It's cold' - what do you expect??).

springishere

Laurence Olivier was a real actor! Most others just play theselves.

That reminds me of something I read some time ago.

A young actor was speaking to John Gielgud about a part he was playing, the young man asked how he should play it and what was his character's motivation, John Gielgud apparently looked at him and said "it's called acting dear boy"

I agree with Joanna Lumley and Ricky Gervaise. I didn't much like Keeley Hawes who does appear to be in everything at the moment but I'm enjoying Finding Alice.

well thanks for all this discussion of mandy patinkin and his name.
i'd never heard of him, so looked him up.
he seems to have emerged into mainstream acting from musical theatre, and anyone with a voice like that...also i would say he sounds like a mensch. so thank you for introducing me.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/oct/26/mandy-patinkin-wish-pursued-more-friendships-running-out-time

OTOH....

I seem to remember reading a story about the young Alec Guinness. Someone in the business who’d seen him in (IIRC) Kind Hearts and Coronets, enthusiastically told someone else in the business that he really must go and see this young actor.

So that person did. And afterwards told the other that he hadn’t thought him particularly special in the part.,

‘Er, which part? He played 7 of them!’

Seems to me they are all same old same old. I agree Judi Dench is always the same . Directors probably choose someone who is going to pull in the viewers because of the name. It’s about time someone else had a chance !

I agree about Olivia Coleman and Judy Dench. Also the girl who used to be in Coronation Street Whose name i cant remember. She gets lots of work and is the same in everything. She played Raquel in Corrie.

Tom Cruise, a strange man, and a wooden actor. Used to adore Richard Gere, have seen error of my ways and now think he’s rubbish! Always had a soft spot for Hugh Grant. Good comedy actor and was fabulous as Jeremy Thorpe.

A truly good actor is one who can play different characters and "become " that character. There are too many "one trick ponies" out there. You can almost hear the casting directors saying "oh we need such and such a character, I know we will use him / her , they do that so well". Most soap actors just happen to be in the right place at the right time. A high school near me seems to provide most of Corrie's teenagers, regardless of their acting skill. There are also many lazy casting directors who use the same pool of actors over and over again, until the viewer is sick of them. David Tenant and Olivia Coleman are two of them. Lily James is really reaching saturation point. So many soap and continuing dramas use the same casting agencies so many actors just do the rounds of all these shows without ever proving themselves as actually being any good. But my real pet hate, who I absolutely always turn the tele off when he is on, is Danny Dyer. I cannot abide him or his "I'm an oh so tough cockney geyser " voice.?

Battersea1971

I agree about Olivia Coleman and Judy Dench. Also the girl who used to be in Coronation Street Whose name i cant remember. She gets lots of work and is the same in everything. She played Raquel in Corrie.

Sarah Lancashire.

Oh, I disagree with Judi Dench, Olivia Coleman and Nicola Walker; I think they are all wonderful actors! When I was watching Last Tango in Halifax I wondered why Sarah Lancashire was getting all the hype! As British actors they were unknown to me (NW & SL), I had to look up their other work.

I will agree with others on Tom Cruise, I could never see the draw. Most of his movies are only watchable because of the action and special effects.

I think so many actors do get type-cast and can really only widen their range if they can afford it! But if you keep getting offered millions to play a certain type, most would be hard pressed to say no.

Meghan Markle springs immediately to mind.