Matthew Perry

Quote: rxwine

I think Clooney could have ended up as Soap actor for most of his career had he not caught a break.

He's not very talented, he's just good looking.
I think Tom Cruise is an exception, he's very
handsome and very talented. I don't remember
a movie he's made that I didn't enjoy his
performance. I bet I've seen Jack Reacher
four times. Eyes Wide Shut, Top Gun, all
the MI films, on and on. He's good in all
of them.

Quote: Evenbob

He's not very talented, he's just good looking.
I think Tom Cruise is an exception, he's very
handsome and very talented. I don't remember
a movie he's made that I didn't enjoy his
performance. I bet I've seen Jack Reacher
four times. Eyes Wide Shut, Top Gun, all
the MI films, on and on. He's good in all
of them.

Cruise is enjoyable to watch but I do not rate his a "great" actor. Simple reason is he almost always plays the same kind of role. The details have changed since he was in his 20s, but always some good-looking, smart, gifted person. And almost always in some kind of drama. Compare that to a DiNero who has done virtually every kind of role there is. Real life figures to fictional. A casino boss one movie and a broke bus driver the next. They say he did "Midnight Run" to "give comedy a try." Almost as if he takes roles because he simply likes the work. Cruise more takes roles because it is a job he has to go to, even if he is good at it he seems to consider it just work.

Quote: AZDuffman

Compare that to a DiNero who has done virtually every kind of role there is. ... They say he did "Midnight Run" to "give comedy a try."

Well, you can't really compare any actor's career to DeNiro. No one has had that kind of output. "Midnight Run" was basically his only comedy in his first quarter century of making movies (I don't count dark satire like "Wag The Dog").

Then suddenly he seemed to be tired of being America's best actor, and he decided he wanted to make some money with comedy and animation

12/22/04 Meet the Fockers
10/1/04 Shark Tale (Voice)
12/6/02 Analyze That
3/15/02 Showtime
10/6/00 Meet the Parents
6/30/00 The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
3/5/99 Analyze This

Tom Cruise was making comedy right away, and hit it big with "Risky Business" which he filmed when he was age 20. Followed by number one hits "Top Gun" and "Rain Man" while in his 20's. While every actor in the world seems more commercial than Deniro, Cruise took some chances with "Born on the Fourth of July" while in his 20's, and he was in Magnolia. I thought Collateral was a very bold move.

Quote: Pacomartin

Well, you can't really compare any actor's career to DeNiro. No one has had that kind of output. "Midnight Run" was basically his only comedy in his first quarter century of making movies (I don't count dark satire like "Wag The Dog").

Well fair enough. Bruce Willis comes close though he has slowed somewhat since the early-2000s. But man, in the 1990s he was in everything and rarely played the same role, John McClaine aside.

Then suddenly he seemed to be tired of being America's best actor, and he decided he wanted to make some money with comedy and animation

Quote:

Tom Cruise was making comedy right away, and hit it big with "Risky Business" which he filmed when he was age 20. Followed by number one hits "Top Gun" and "Rain Man" while in his 20's. While every actor in the world seems more commercial than Deniro, Cruise took some chances with "Born on the Fourth of July" while in his 20's, and he was in Magnolia. I thought Collateral was a very bold move.

His "Top Gun" era was always the same formula. Sharp. young guy with lots of raw talent but needed a good woman and coach to harness it. While I kind of liked "The Color of Money" his character was a total moron. I forget which movie he played "the bad guy" which was a bold move because he never, ever did that.

But Tom Cruise will have a career until he dies because Tom Cruise always makes money for his partners. Her just is not getting technical points from this judge.

This likely isn't the right thread for this question, but since we're discussing great actors and money makers, here's a serious question for the movie buffs:

What new actors these days will be remembered as classically great in 40 years?

We can all agree on the Robert DeNiros, the Meryl Streeps, Anthony Hopkins and Jack Nicholsons as being great, while actors like Marlon Brando used to be great, but fell off the charts becoming a joke of sorts decades ago. Who starting out now will be remembered in 40 years as the greatest of our generation?

Bradley Cooper?
Michael Fassbender?
Jennifer Lawrence?

Quote: Pacomartin

Matthew Perry (mid 40's) has starred in no less than 6 television series that lasted 1 season.

Do you see any parallels with John Ritter?

I mean, aside the fact Ritter was way more talented as a comedian.

But both starred for a long time in a wildly successful sitcom. Both then had a string of flops. Remember "Three's a Crowd"? Ritter's last, 8 Simple Rules, might have made it, but he sadly passed away.

Quote: zippyboy

This likely isn't the right thread for this question, but since we're discussing great actors and money makers, here's a serious question for the movie buffs:

What new actors these days will be remembered as classically great in 40 years?

We can all agree on the Robert DeNiros, the Meryl Streeps, Anthony Hopkins and Jack Nicholsons as being great, while actors like Marlon Brando used to be great, but fell off the charts becoming a joke of sorts decades ago. Who starting out now will be remembered in 40 years as the greatest of our generation?

Bradley Cooper?

Probably not.

Quote:

Michael Fassbender?

Maybe one of those British character actors who turn up every few years. (Hah, just learned his German-Irish, and not a Brit... :))

Quote:

Jennifer Lawrence?

I don't think so. I don't think she's a great actress though she seems a pretty engaging charismatic person.

Quote: zippyboy

This likely isn't the right thread for this question, but since we're discussing great actors and money makers, here's a serious question for the movie buffs:

What new actors these days will be remembered as classically great in 40 years?

We can all agree on the Robert DeNiros, the Meryl Streeps, Anthony Hopkins and Jack Nicholsons as being great, while actors like Marlon Brando used to be great, but fell off the charts becoming a joke of sorts decades ago. Who starting out now will be remembered in 40 years as the greatest of our generation?

Bradley Cooper?
Michael Fassbender?
Jennifer Lawrence?

Ugh, I don't know who any of those three are!

I think we are in a different era that will never be the same as in the old days. There used to be a group known as "Hollywood Royalty." These were the ones that had multi year contracts attached to one studio. They mostly did the movies they were told to do because of this. Their contracts had stipulations as to how they would appear in public, they had to be dressed well and act like adults. This era lasted to the mid-1960s you could say. Later this group did guest appearances on shows like "The Love Boat" to "Falcon Crest" when their movie careers were dead but they could still act an draw some audience.

That is all gone.

Matthew Perry's first sitcom in the early days of FOX at the age of 18.

I suppose I would only consider actors who can play any part the best.

Some can certainly be very good in some roles, but outside of that they are weak..

However, actors with limited skills can maximize their strong point and do pretty well for themselves.

Sometimes when I look at IMDB with some lesser known actors you can see where they got a high profile break. Maybe they got one or two good movie roles after that, and if nothing really worked out well, their jobs continue with hardly recognizable movies or parts.

Differs somewhat with good character actors. They can get regular work -- just not so much fame and salary.