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Are there any good actresses?

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Are there any good actresses?

Old 05-02-03, 04:03 PM
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Can anyone name a truly unattractive Hollywood actress?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but here's a few I can think of.

Bette Midler
Shelly Long
Annette Bening
Kim Basinger
Jessica Lange
Old 05-02-03, 04:07 PM
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Originally posted by ncmojo
So I'll repeat my question -- am I wrong? Can anyone name a truly unattractive Hollywood actress?
Yes there is, how about:

Hillary Swank
Whoopi Goldberg
Susan Sarandon
Jodie Foster
Winona Ryder


Those are 5 very talented unattractive actresses I can name.
Old 05-02-03, 05:10 PM
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Originally posted by Rocky_Stallone
Yes there is, how about:
Winona Ryder
Those are 5 very talented unattractive actresses I can name.
My Lord,you have high standards!
She's a total fox!
Old 05-02-03, 05:36 PM
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Originally posted by Rocky_Stallone
Yes there is, how about:

Hillary Swank
Susan Sarandon
Jodie Foster
Winona Ryder


Those are 5 very talented unattractive actresses I can name.
I'd do those four in a New York minute.
Old 05-02-03, 05:42 PM
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Originally posted by ncmojo
And Hollywood rarely writes good parts for women, largely because so many of the writers, directors and producers in Hollywood are men. (As I guy, even I can recognize that.)

The best films about women have all been writen and made by men. H'wood rarely writes good parts for women, largely becasue so many of the writers, directors and producers SUCK at everything (not just women's films)
Old 05-02-03, 05:45 PM
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Great…we’ve degenerated from a discussion of acting skills into which chicks you guys would or would not have sex with. Somehow I find it hard to believe that many of you would refuse sex from any of the actresses mentioned. ;-)
Old 05-02-03, 06:14 PM
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Originally posted by audrey
Somehow I find it hard to believe that many of you would refuse sex from any of the actresses mentioned. ;-)
Whoopi,you'd get it on with?
Old 05-02-03, 06:50 PM
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It's always sad to me that no one ever thinks of citing Maggie Smith as a great actress. She's won two Academy Awards and I have never seen a performance by any actor, male or female, better than Maggie Smith in The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.
Old 05-03-03, 03:05 AM
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Okay...

Actresses that I admire, but have no interest in having sex with. At least not without a time machine.

Maggie Smith
Glenda Jackson
Helen Mirren
Ellen Burstyn
Jean Moreau
Jane Fonda
Cicley Tyson
Rita Moreno
Angelica Huston

(Honesty compels me to mention that all were solid babes in the past and still attractive women.)
Old 05-03-03, 11:05 AM
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Actually, I did think of some great actresses.

The first name that came to mind was Nancy Merchand (sp?) from The Sopranos. The show went straight downhill with her passing. She was 100% believable, detestable, and played every scene with such incredible energy and integrity that you totally believed.

I think Jodie Foster has some serious acting chops. One thing I always look for is range -- DeNiro is always my measure on this point -- and Jodie Foster has definitely gone here, there and back again. She was excellent in Silence of the Lambs, sad and seductive and childlike in Taxi Driver, wild in Nell, funny and flirtative in Maverick... for the most part, the list goes on and on.

I liked Rachel Weiz in Enemy at the Gates, and I think highly of Hillary Swank's performance in Boys Don't Cry. But it is tough to think of truly great actresses.
Old 05-03-03, 11:34 AM
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Rocky Stallone.....

4 of the 5 actresses you named are very attractive women.

Hilary Swank is sometimes pretty hot even
Susan Sarandon (I'm guessing you put her because she is older)
is a very pretty lady, even though Ic an't stand
her in real life
Jodie Foster, while I don't find her particularly attractive, I can
at least realize she is pretty
Winona Ryder, my goodness man, this girl is very hot!!!
Old 05-03-03, 01:25 PM
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As far as the unattractive actress thing is concerned, the one that immediately came to my mind is Juliette Lewis. She's not hideous or anything, but to be fair neither is Robert DeNiro or any of the other guy examples.

Another name that pops in my head in this category is Lili Taylor (who was the lead in movies like The Haunting and I Shot Andy Warhol). Unlike some of the other examples here she's clearly not attractive by MOST people's defintions.

Which is not to say I disagree with ncmojo's argument. Furthermore, it's far easier to "ugly up" a pretty actress (just look at the last two best actress winning roles) than to make a less attractive actress look gorgeous. So the beautiful ones are basically taking all the "ugly" roles as well!

As for the original question, I think you're using unfair comparisons for the actresses. Yes, they are the last three best actress winners. But by most accounts Julia Roberts isn't generally considered to be at the top of the female acting heap. She had one award winning performance (which many felt overrated) and a lot of charming star turns. Same goes for Halle Berry. Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, has stepped up her game a bit. I will say that I think her Hours turn was overrated (her nuanced turn in The Others impressed me much more).
Old 05-03-03, 01:42 PM
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I like Helen Hunt, Jodi Foster, Minnie Driver (Grosse Point Blank and Good Will Hunting comes to mind), Michelle Pfiffer (can't spell, sorry) and Catherine Zeta Jones....
Old 05-03-03, 03:34 PM
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Originally posted by C Roberts
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but here's a few I can think of.
Kim Basinger
Are you serious? Have you seen the Getaway or 9 1/2 Weeks? I'd love to see your girlfriend/wife.
Old 05-03-03, 05:46 PM
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does anyone agree with me that Uma Thurman is a great actor??? No one has mentioned her yet (besides me).
Old 05-04-03, 04:10 PM
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Uma Thurman is a very talented actress, other than her hot looks too, I think her acting is great.

I can't wait to see her in "Kill Bill".
Old 05-04-03, 05:02 PM
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Emily Watson, Rachel Griffith, Kate Winslet, Frances McDormand are all excellent actresses that are not "eye candy" in the sense of a Julia Roberts/Demi Moore celebrity.

Other fine actresses working today: Kate Blanchette, Uma Thurman, Sarah Polley, Melora Walters, Laura Linney, Tilda Swinton, Christina Ricci, Kirsten Dunst...

I will admit that a current list of the top 10 male actors is more impressive than a list of the top 10 female actors, focusing only on actors now working in the prime of their careers, but it seems as if a serious male actor can be a box office draw (Ed Norton, Kevin Spacey, Daniel Day Lewis), while only a sexy or comedic female actor (Sandra Bullock, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellwiger) can be a box office draw.
Old 05-04-03, 08:53 PM
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A couple of favorites not mentioned above: Toni Collette and Gillian Anderson
Old 05-05-03, 09:53 AM
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jennifer connely is one of my favorite actresses.
Old 05-05-03, 01:29 PM
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I love Cate Blanchett and very much look forward to her performance in Veronica Guerin.

Nicole Kidman has really grown in recent years and Dogville by Von Trier should be interesting. I am happy for her success because she appears to have something that many actors and actresses lack: taste.
Old 12-30-04, 12:00 PM
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emily watson, Meryl Streep...
It´s not such important the beauty in men that in womens, it´s ovbious.
Old 12-30-04, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by audrey
Yikes…where have you been? While I would agree there’s a lot of empty eye candy gracing the silver screen, there are legions of great actresses…Betty Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwyck, Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Isabella Rossellini, Isabelle Adjani, Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand, Susan Sarandon, Jodie Foster, Emma Thompson, Kathy Bates, Sissy Spacek, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Faye Dunaway to name a few.
I agree with Meryl who is my favorite. Also Lily Taylor, Cate Blanchette, Jennifer Jason Leigh...

I've noticed when it comes to females in the business, that there tends to be more "Movie Stars" in the limelight rather than say... "Actresses." Take Julia Roberts, Gweneth Paltrow or Halle Berry who have won Oscars and are not that good, but seem to be more popular and probably paid better than some of the really good actresses out there.
Old 12-30-04, 02:33 PM
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To name a few.....

Meryl Streep
Signourney Weaver
Sissy Spacek
Jessica Lange
Angela Bassett
Julianne Moore
Cate Blanchett
Sarah Polley
Emily Watson
Alfre Woodard
Jodie Foster
Ellen Burstyn
Diane Ladd
Susan Sarandon
Toni Colette
Holly Hunter
Old 12-30-04, 05:19 PM
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Originally Posted by LiquidSky
To name a few.....
Toni Colette
Well, if you are going to mention Muriel, you have to mention Rhonda as well. Rachel Griffiths is an excellent actress.
Old 12-30-04, 05:34 PM
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There are many great actresses.
I think the problem is looking towards the mainstream Hollywood films, these movies usually get cast more because of looks and popluarity than acting skills.

Some of my favorite actresses performing today include:

Joan Allen
Samantha Morton
Isabelle Hupert
Juliette Binoche
Audrey Tatou
Patricia Clarkson
Ellen Burstyn
Jessica Lange
Sissy Spacek
Cate Blanchette
Meryl Streep
Julianne Moore
Emily Watson
Angela Basset
Jessica Lange
Alfre Woodard
Sarah Polley
Helen Mirren
Frances McDormand
Laura Linney
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Frances Conroy


There's more out there, but that's a pretty solid list in my opinion.
If you can't find many great actresses, I think you're watching the wrong films.

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