Are there any actors who have given a bad performance in a film or have been in a bad film, yet you still have respect for them?

Some that come to mind for me are:

Ewan McGregor (some might call the SW prequel trilogy cheesy/bad, but the man can act)
Nicolas Cage (I know, but I still think with the right role he can pull it off)

Some that don't make the list:

Halle Berry (due to Catwoman)

Vincent Price, Basil Rathbone, and Boris Karloff. Price had fun with it, Rathbone resented being stuck in B-movies, and Karloff was grateful that he didn't have to work for a living.

Pam Grier

I can't say I would lose respect for an actor just because he was in a movie I don't like. For just about any of them, you could point to something they did that sucked. Sometimes they do things for their kids, or for fun, or for a paycheck, and I wouldn't hold that against them.

Eric Bana, he probably thought Hulk would boost him to A star fame but the movie sucked hard.

Ioan Gruffold, pretty cool actor that hasn't had a lot to work with it.

Lance Henriksen is an awesome actor but he's appeared in some of the most truly awful movies ever made.

Agreed. I think he's highly underrated.

Same for Christopher Walken. Incredible actor, horrific filmography.

As far as Walken is concerned, I believe he once stated that he takes nearly any role offered to him, regardless of the potential quality, because he feels that every film is an opportunity to grow and learn.

I can understand his ideology, however, and respect the choices he has made in regards to it. But, yes, he has been in some truly bad films...

I've heard that as well. He just loves the process of filmmaking. Even in his bad movies, he still manages to come off very well.

Christopher Walken is always good no matter what movie.

Saw Michael Caine on a talk show once:

"I saw this house in Beverly Hills I wanted, so I made The Swarm. Found this estate in Britain I liked, so I made Jaws: The Revenge".

Highly entertaining/good/likable actors in a majority of bad movies:

Bruce Campbell
David Carradine
Christopher Lee
Carl Weathers
Monica Bellucci
Harrison Ford
Val Kilmer
Robert Downey Jr.
Wesley Snipes
Vingh Rames
Luke Wilson
Michael Clarke Duncan
Keith David
Michael Wincott
James Remar
Christopher Lambert
Ryan Reynolds
John Malcovich

Samuel L. Jackson and the guy quoted in my sig.


A few more:
Eddie Murphy
Steve Martin
Tommy Lee Jones
Patrick Swayze
Al Pacino
Robert DeNiro

Rutger Hauer is a great actor who has been in a lot of shit.

Bad movies my ass.

Just Friends
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
Waiting...

Some highly entertaining movies right there.

Shit, he was the only decent thing about Blade: Trinity.

Donald Pleasence has been in classics like The Great Escape, You Only Live Twice, Halloween, yet almost never refused a dark role he was given, being the best thing in many of his movies.

Same with Malcolm McDowell. He seems to make 90% crap, but every once in a while he gets a movie like "My Life So Far" or "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" that reminds you how good he can be when given the chance.

Will Patton - he picks alot of weird characters and movies for that matter (some hit or miss) but his latest Code Name: The Cleaner must have been a much needed check in the bank.

he was also great in 'Entourage'

sorry, but 'Waiting...' was dreck IMO.

I agree, 'Blade: Trinity' was fun... but that was because he wasn't wearing a shirt a good deal of the film...

He must have the same Agent as Eugene Levy.

And New World Disorder is maybe among the worst.

Robert DeNiro has been in some truly dreadful movies:

Meet The Fockers
Analyze That
Showtime
The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle

I see your Lance Henriksen and raise you a Robert Patrick. He is far better than most of the shit he's appeared in.