ChatterBank2 mins ago
James Nesbitt
55 Answers
As the BBC trumpets about the re-tread of its Cold Feet series, does anyone agree with me that James Nesbitt is a titanically lousy actor with the range of a paper clip?
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by andy-hughes. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
leg1ndyoll - //Unless you're a character actor, why does an accent preclude someone from being a good actor?
I site, Michael Caine and Sean Connery, no accent skills, but beloved and good actors. //
As I have already explained, an actor who is worthy of the name is able to assume a role.
That includes appearance, voice, accent, mannerisms, movement - the entire package.
Alan Cumming appears in The Good Wife playing an American political fixer.
I know that Alan Cumming is as Scottish as shortbread, but for the duration of the series, I never even think about it, because his American accent, together with his appearance, body language, and entire demeanour says that he is an American political fixer.
He is entirely believable - that is what acting is about.
It's not enough to say that an actor 'can't do accents' - that doesn't cut it, especially if he is unable to appear to be anything but (insert name of dud actor here) pretending - and failing - to play a part.
So no, Caine and Connery may be 'loved' but they are not good actors.
I site, Michael Caine and Sean Connery, no accent skills, but beloved and good actors. //
As I have already explained, an actor who is worthy of the name is able to assume a role.
That includes appearance, voice, accent, mannerisms, movement - the entire package.
Alan Cumming appears in The Good Wife playing an American political fixer.
I know that Alan Cumming is as Scottish as shortbread, but for the duration of the series, I never even think about it, because his American accent, together with his appearance, body language, and entire demeanour says that he is an American political fixer.
He is entirely believable - that is what acting is about.
It's not enough to say that an actor 'can't do accents' - that doesn't cut it, especially if he is unable to appear to be anything but (insert name of dud actor here) pretending - and failing - to play a part.
So no, Caine and Connery may be 'loved' but they are not good actors.
I never watched Cold Feet - mainly because I avoid anything with the actors I have listed - I am never going to be able to enjoy anything they are in - with the honourable exception of Harry Brown, in which Michael Caine was excellent.
That's only because the role was a pensioner from London - so no acting was actually required - unlike the requirement from Ben Drew to subsume is musician persona, and thoroughly nice guy (we have a mutual friend) - into a horrible hateful gangster psycho - which he did superbly well.
That's only because the role was a pensioner from London - so no acting was actually required - unlike the requirement from Ben Drew to subsume is musician persona, and thoroughly nice guy (we have a mutual friend) - into a horrible hateful gangster psycho - which he did superbly well.
I am not a massive fan of Connery or Caine but it's a bit rich to say they aren't good actors.
As I said before, just because you always "sound the same" or appear at ease in a familiar role, does not mean you are a bad actor. It might mean you are limited in what you can do (or it might not) but it still requires a talent
Bad acting to me is woodenness, or an appearance that you are reading the lines. I see that occasionally, but I tell myself that it's probably a very subtle device :-)
As I said before, just because you always "sound the same" or appear at ease in a familiar role, does not mean you are a bad actor. It might mean you are limited in what you can do (or it might not) but it still requires a talent
Bad acting to me is woodenness, or an appearance that you are reading the lines. I see that occasionally, but I tell myself that it's probably a very subtle device :-)
Quizmonster - I do indeed recall the wonderful Ms Parker's less than flattering assessment of Ms Hepburn's acting abilities.
Another of her quotes, which chimes with me as a magazine writer, is her response when asked if she liked writing. "No," she replied. "But I like having written."
That is something I think of every time I finish a piece of writing - the actual writing is hard work, but the pleasure in completion makes it worthwhile.
Another of her quotes, which chimes with me as a magazine writer, is her response when asked if she liked writing. "No," she replied. "But I like having written."
That is something I think of every time I finish a piece of writing - the actual writing is hard work, but the pleasure in completion makes it worthwhile.
