Consistently Interesting Actors

I know those names but can't quite place them.

Kate Winslet proves it in The Regime. Sloppy, unmoored script but she holds you.

Olivia Colman.

Here’s a few:

Mark Bonnar

Stephen Mangan

Claire Rushbrook

Rosie Cavaliero

David Tennant

Keeley Hawes

Matthew Macfadyen

And I’m not even British.

John Cleese.

Judy Davis.

♥️TIMMY CHALAMET ❤️

Natascha McElhone

Patricia Clarkson

Jamie Bell

Quim Guitiérrez

Melora Walters

Tim Blake Nelson

Xander Berkeley

Timothy Spall

Carrie Coon

Fernando Rey

Love many of the names mentioned, would add Eve Best.

I would have agreed with Parker Posey until i recently saw her in Mr and Mrs Smith and she was truly and surprisingly awful.

James Purefoy

Jeremy Irons, Mark Rylance, Ben Whishaw, Jessica Lange, Laura Linney, Tilda Swinton.

Imelda Staunton.

Jared Harris and Tobias Menzies

Edith Massey

Kathy Bates.

Another vote for David Tennant. Love him.

Micheal C. Hall

James McAvoy

Patrick Wilson (although that may simply be due to the fact I find him irresistibly handsome)

Toni Collette

Rosamund Pike

McKenna Grace. She's young, but I find her charming and hope she has a long career.

And also, honourable mention to Robin Williams. RIP. I miss his talent.

If he were still with us, I would watch anything Raul Julia ever did.

Mads Mikkelson

Vincent D'onofrio

Ted Levine

Frances Conroy

Esteemed character actress Margo Martindale.

Gael García Bernal

From the Raul Julia department, I wanna add Javier Bardem.

Elizabeth Perkins

Andrew Garfield. I've seen everything he's been in but the last Spider Man movie. I can't wait to see his new stuff. Today I'm going to watch him in the National Theatre production of Angels in America.

Daniel Day Lewis

Toby Jones and all the British ones listed so far.

Patricia Clarkson is the only interesting American I can think of so far.

William Frawley

Jeffrey Wright

Mark Bonnar

Patrick Wilson

Hannah Waddingham

Eddie Marsan

Alicia Vikander

Ann Dowd (AKA "Aunt Lydia")

Franz Rogowski

Mads Mikkelson

Harris Dickinson

Elizabeth Marvel

Julianne Nicholson

*Mikkelsen, sorry

Forgot to list Andrew Scott.

Jamie Bell is also a great choice.

And Julianne Nicholson is a good addition to the lists, so in my case, she and Patricia Clarkson are the only interesting Americans I can think of. I'm sure there are more, but they don't come quickly to mind.

Michael Sheen

Rupert Graves

Geraldine Page. That gal could take a line and make a 5 course meal out of it.

As long as we're going with Brits, I will add:

Sarah Lancashire

Morven Christie

James Nesbitt

Viola Davis

Samantha Morton

Julianne Moore, seriously.

Fiona Shaw, Harriet Samson Harris, Michael Fassbender, the late Alan Bates, Yvonne Strahovski, Gary Oldman, Sam Neill

Donald Sutherland

Dame Janet Suzman. Appearances are rare but she brings regality to her roles. .

It took till R12 to mention Dame Tilda??

Liv Lisa Fries

Marion Cotillard

Kathy Bates

Cate Blanchett

Jack Nicholson

James Gandolfini

I hate Jim Broadbent. He always looks befuddled and doesn't know where he is.

[quote]I hate Jim Broadbent. He always looks befuddled and doesn't know where he is.

That’s why he’s interesting. Not many men have that.

Julianne Moore

Annette Bening

Stanley Tucci

Jessica Lange

Paul Giamatti

Christian Bale

Frank Langella and Geoffrey Rush.

I’m going to get shit for this, but — RDJ.

Willem Dafoe

Leslie Manville

Janeane Garofalo

And Richard Jenkins

Margaret Qualley

Alan Rickman.

Michael Fassbender

Colin Farrell

Denzel Washington

Chris Pratt

Fascinating because I just don’t get the appeal.

Armie “Man Eater” Hammer

[quote]And Richard Jenkins

I’ve worked with him and he is extremely nice. Very talented. He’s played both nice and nasty.

Tom Troupe (Mr. Carole Cook).

Jason Isaacs. I think it’s those icy blue eyes.

Parker Posey has sucked for at least 15 years.

Jennifer Lawrence.

Yes, I said Jennifer Lawrence.

I just finished the first half of Angels in America with Andrew Garfield. I've seen three other versions of the play, and this is the first one that I think will stick in my memory. He deserved that Tony.

R63

Obligatory… FAG!

[quotr]I just finished the first half of Angels in America

How is Nathan Lane as Roy Cohn?

Kiki Dunst

R65 He plays his first scenes for laughs, which I found offputting. There's nothing funny about Roy Cohn, IMO. Or maybe I've seen Nathan Lane in so many funny things, I'm incapable of perceiving him as a villain. I had no problem with the way Roy Cohn was written/played in Fellow Travelers. That's who Roy Cohn was IMO.

r64, it's not a musical, dimwit.

R52 Richard Jenkins was my first thought. I like him as an actor. Especially loved him in Cabin in the Woods, Burn After Reading, and The Shape of Water

R58 glad to hear it!

I always liked Miguel Ferrer (RIP). He was usually good for a dickhead type character. But he often made them somewhat likable so you didn’t outright hate them, like in Robocop or Deep Star Six. He had a pretty decent voice as well.

Catherine Deneuve

María Casares

Check out Olive Kitteridge if you haven't already seen it, r69. He's great in that.

James Marsden

R66 and her husband, Jesse Plemons.

Angelina Jolie's three ex husbands are each usually quite watchable. She had good taste in men.

The great Alan Rickman.

John Lithgow

Patricia Arquette

Sigourney Weaver

Harry Dean Stanton

Dame Harriet Walter

Anna Torv. And not just because she has the best resting bitch face in the business.

I’m going to catch shit for this, but Jennifer Lawrence. Great in everything I’ve ever seen her in.

M Emmett Walsh.

Laura Linney, despite how annoying her character became on Ozark.

Toni Collette.

John Carroll Lynch.

Margot Martindale.

Ann Dowd.

Julia Garner.

Just learned that M Emmett Walsh just died two weeks ago. So sorry to read that. He totally made “Blood Simple.”

Bill Nighy

Liam Cunningham

Walton Goggins. He’s great in everything.

His Uncle Baby Billy from the Righteous Gemstones is one of my favorite characters ever. He’s so ridiculous and funny. Plus his roles in Justified, Vice Principals, and The Shield. Not to mention, Venus Van Dam from Sons of Anarchy. That was wild.

I love it when this guy shows up in things.

DL fave Judy Davis

The entire cast of "Mike and Molly." One of the best sitcoms (IMHO) of the past 15 years. I have the entire series on disc and can watch any episode of any season and still laugh my head off.

The casting was brilliant.

Robert Duvall. I’ve never not liked a performance.

R46

Watch Hot Fuzz - he’s fantastic in it.

The greatest of them all:

Jessica Lange

I like Don Cheadle.

OP, Jim Broadbent! Yes!! He's both the best policeman and the best criminal, menacing as either! If you haven't seen the 2-Part "The Great Train Robbery," with Luke Evans as The Mastermind and Jim Broadbent as The Copper, please do so! Likewise, with Jim as a criminal, "King of Thieves," starring Michael Caine. Both productions are fact-based.

Frances McDormand

Bonita Granville

Paddy Considine

Shea Whigham

Wes Studi

Scott Glenn

In parentheses recommended and maybe little-known works:

Tom Wilkinson. (Essex Boys) (In the Bedroom)

Peter Firth. (MI-5)

Sam Rockwell. (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind)

David Straithairn. (The Bourne Ultimatum)

Guy Pearce. (L.A. Confidential)

Willem Dafoe. (To Live and Die in L.A.)

John Williams. (Dial 'M' For Murder)

Paul Scofield. (Quiz Show)

John Turturro. (To Live and Die in L.A.) (Quiz Show)

Jeremy Irons. (Damage)

Diane Lane. (Nights in Rodanthe)

Owen Teale. (Conspiracy)

Chris Cooper. (Breach)

David Harbour. (The Equalizer)

Brian Cranston. (The Infiltrator)

John Castle. (Miss Marple)

Shelley Duvall has never turned in a dud performance to my knowledge.

Annette Benning, Jessica Lange, Robert Downey Jr., Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Tilda Swinton, Joan Cusack, Toni Collette, Kathleen Turner, Veronica Cartwright, Donald and Kiefer Sutherland, Kyle McLaughlin, Patrick Stewart, David Tennent, Wallace Shawn, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Norton, Gabriel Byrne, Tim Roth, Diane Keaton, Jodie Foster, Helena Bonham Carter and Whoopi Goldberg are all people I look forward to seeing in films.

Angelica Houston has had some misfires, but when she is on, she is on. The Dead, Prizzi's Honor, The Grifters, The Witches, The Addams Family = all superb.

I'm not sure if Jeff Bridges can act, but he exudes likability.

Nicole Kidman can be amazing with the right director/material and she's taken far more chances than it seems people give her credit for.

R94, NK is a plastic person.

Jeff Bridges is excellent in "Arlington Road" and "Jagged Edge."

Alanna Ubach --- Never the star but always interesting. She has a LOT of range.

R95, Kidman is amazing in The Others and the only reason to watch The Golden Compass where her melancholically evil Mrs. Winters completely dominates a talented but otherwise hamstrung cast.

Benedict Cumbarbatch

Christian Bale

James Rebhorn (RIP)

Bryan Cranston

More, in perhaps lesser-known roles:

Jeremy Northam. (The Statement)

Ian McKellen. (The Good Liar)

John Hurt. (A Man For All Seasons)

Roger Allam. (Endeavour).

Tom Hardy. (Child 44) (The Take)

Brian Dennehy. (Presumed Innocent).

Giovanni Ribisi. (10th & Wolf)

Mark Strong and his sexy bald head.

Especially love when he’s wearing glasses.

Don't know if he's been mentioned yet, but my vote goes to Viggo Mortensen. Sexy, talented and a little quirky is my favorite combination. I loved the movie where Michael Douglas asks Viggo to kill his wife, and the one where he plays a diner owner with a dark past. I think he’s a great actor who chooses interesting roles, but perhaps his above average looks were a distraction for the Hollywood suits, I don't know why he never became bigger. He's underrated.

Greg Kinnear. He has great instinct for choosing interesting roles.

r70 he had a gorgeous voice. I still can't believe throat cancer took him from us.

Sam Rockwell

Woody Harrelson

Andrew McCarthy

Jonathan Schwartzman

Richard Gere

Lauren Ambrose

Edward Norton

Diane Keaton

Goldie Hawn

Lily Taylor.

R98, If you have not seen Bryan Cranston in "The Infiltrator," you MUST!

And then watch the heartwarming "Jerry and Marge Go Large" (he's Jerry).

Two quite disparate true stories and roles. Bryan is superb in each.

R100, Mark Strong is a pivotal part of the incredible cast of "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy."

Lots of good choices. For me, it's Samantha Morton, Samantha Morton and Samantha Morton, She's astonishing,

I like Joan Allen but I never see her in anything anymore. She was great in "The Contender" as were Gary Oldman and Jeff Bridges.

Bill Nighy (Worricker)

Cherry Jones, Mark Ruffalo, Miranda Richardson

Tom Hardy

Matthias Schoenaerts

Your list is too long for me. I agree with you about six of these actors but the rest suck. I wish I could WW you but can't.

R112, who are you talking to?

To R21-I totally agree with you on Margo Martindale. The 2nd season was "Fucking genius". She deserved a 1000 Emmy's for that season. Margo was brilliant!! I would include Timothy Oliphant in that season too& also into consistently interesting actors.

Peter Firth.

Willem Dafoe.

Tom HollandER. (Terrific in the Sit-Com "Rev," with the ubiquitous Olivia Colman)

To add to r115:

Chris Cooper.

Gary Cole.

Stephen Rea.

Robert Duvall.

John Lithgow.

John Leguizamo.

Andy Garcia.

More R115:

Dirk Bogarde.

Helen Mirren.

Frances De La Tour.

Ian McKellin.

Ian McShane.

Aidan Gillen.

Aaaaand---

Ed Harris.

Diane Lane.

Matt Damon.

Tom Wilkinson.

Vincent Ricotta.

Joe Mantegna.

Vincent Riotta. ^^

Peter O'Toole

Jeffrey Wright

Michael Cane

Jon Voigt

If these actors are on my TV, I'm putting down the remote and watching whatever it is.

Michael CAINE

Beth Grant

Mary Woronov

Margo Martindale

Elizabeth Perkins

I would've also said Parker Posey, but not even she could get me to watch "Superman Returns"

R120, "The Statement" with Michael Caine. If you haven't seen it, please watch ASAP! Also with Jeremy Northam, Tilda Swinton, Ciaran Hinds, Alan Bates, Charlotte Rampling. Suspenseful!

R10 - I would add Eve Plumb.

Jean-Louis Trintignant

I'll add British actress Ruth Sheen. She's so underrated.

^ Billie Whitelaw

Willem Dafoe.

Tilda Swinton.

Michael Stuhlbarg.

R126 I love Ruth Sheen. Her character in Unforgotten was so complex and few actresses could have pulled it off in the way she did. I love the fact that a woman who, well, isn’t a “classic beauty” can have a successful career in the UK. I doubt she would have gotten far in Hollywood (their loss!)

James McEvoy. If you haven't seen Split, you must.

Tilda Swinton

Viola Davis

R131, I agree. She is so natural in Another Year. It’s like she’s not even acting. You get the feeling that you’re interacting with your neighbor.

NOT James (Fat Fuck) Corden.

The thread is Consistently interesting actors. I don’t know why people are listing actors in the one role they may have found interesting.

I must add:

Mark Wahlberg.

I know! But he is excellent in "The Departed" (phenomenal cast**), "Patriots Day" (about Boston Marathon bombings), "The Italian Job," and "The Perfect Storm" (with the great Diane Lane, whom I noted above).

**Including the very underrated but dependably wonderful Vera Farmiga.

Andy Garcia. He and Vera co-star as parents of college freshmen in the charming "At Middleton."

Finally, there's my main man Jerry Orbach. It's not every TV detective who gets a NYC street named for himself!

Link to see "Jerry Orbach Way":

From her electrifying performance in the international sensation “Basic Instinct” to her Oscar-nominated role in Martin Scorsese’s legendary film “Casino,” Sharon Stone has displayed the talent, versatility and star power to be counted among the most fascinating thespians in Hollywood history.

With a beauty best described as defying time, Sharon will continue to leave critics and audiences breathless as she continues to be Tinseltown’s most desired and in demand leading lady for generations to come.

Lena Dunham

[Quote] Janeane Garofalo

No! lol!

Charlotte Pugh, Jenny Stewart, Ruth Bater, Marcella Dung.