Are there any actors that you will watch things just because they are in them?

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

I've realised that Toni Collette is one of those actors for me, I'll give something a go even if it's not my usual thing because she's a good actor and also seems to have sound judgement of what's a good script/idea. I've just started watching Pieces of Her and it seems pretty good so far (one episode in).

Also Joshua Jackson, although I haven't watched The Affair yet. And Susan Sarandon, although she's around much less these days.

People who put me off a bit are Melissa McCarthy, she's a really good actress but she's agreed to star in some terrible stuff so I always make sure it's going to be worth watching before I give it a go. I find Laura Linney, Juliette Lewis and Jason Bateman vaguely annoying in almost everything so generally discount anything they are in.

Tom Hanks

Ryan Gosling

Stephen Graham

Christine Baranski

Cate Blanchett

Stanley Tucci

Probably more but that’s loads

Michael Sheen, Tom Hiddleston, James McAvoy, Maggie Smith.

The trouble I have with James McAvoy is that he's always James McAvoy acting really well.

There are lots of famous actors who end up like this. You see the craft rather than the performance, maybe it's because they are typecast a bit and told to 'do that thing you did in this show'. Or maybe it's a theatre vs film performance, on stage a more stylised performance works but on film they need to underact for it to be convincing.

Jennifer Aniston’s films for me

Jon Hamm

Ciaran Hinds
Christine Baranski
Rupert Penry-Jones
Denzel Washington
Jon Hamm
Allison Janney
Octavia Spencer

Toni Collet

Alison Steadman
Nicola Walker

How could I forget Jared Harris.

Martin Freeman

Nicola Walker
Lesley Manville
Sarah Lancashire
Sheridan Smith

@JanisMoplin

How could I forget Jared Harris.

Me too

Aiden Turner at one end of the spectrum and Jared Harris and Ian McKellen at the other.

Sally Hawkins
David Morrissey
Rosamund Pike
Sean Bean
Imelda Staunton
Olivia Coleman
Andrew Scott
Matthew Macfadyen
David Tennant
Michael Sheen
Carey Mulligan
Andrew Garfield
Harriet Walker
Sharon Horgan
Daisy Haggard
Ashley Jenser

I'm not even starting on the US people

Paapa Essiedu 😍

Tom Hardy

Joe Cole

Ruth Negga

Joe Gilgun

Anyone off Sex and The City.
Sheridan Smith

Mark Rylance. Wolf Hall is wonderful, so is Bridge of spies. He steals every scene in The trial of the Chicago 7. BFG!
Would give my left toe to see him in the theatre.

Tom Hanks
Judi Dench
Will Smith
Maggie Smith
Olivia Coleman
Eric Bana

I also can't stand Nicole Kidman. I'd still watch the film, but find she does the same boring, acting in every film. The only difference being BMX bandits circa mid 1980's.

Roger Allam and Sheila Hancock. Also seen both in theatre. Fantastic actors.

Leo

Tamsin Greig

Suranne Jones and Sarah Lancashire are always good in whatever they appear in. Jane Horrocks, too.

And, for a bit of eye candy, Trevor Eve and David Bromstad do it for me.

Now I've started thinking about it there are lots - too many to list here!

Judi Dench, obviously! And Maggie Smith.

I could go on...

Nicola Walker and Anna Maxwell Martin. Consistently brilliant.

@LightSpeeds

Jason Watkins.

ooh I came onto the thread to say exactly this.

Plus terence Stamp and Gary Oldman.

Stephen Graham is excellent. He is also very far from being under-rated.

@ENoeuf

Roger Allam and Sheila Hancock. Also seen both in theatre. Fantastic actors.

Roger Allan is extraordinary. I saw him as Falstaff at the Globe, standing in the yard on a freezing, wet evening, and he was mesmerising (as was Jamie Parker as Hal).