Defining Roles

abouttobebanned

My annual ritual of watching all three Back to the Future films and i was thinking about Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd...their respective roles in this film can be arguably called their defining roles.

So...if the poster comments about the previous post, and then posts his own actor/actress that the next poster will then give their opinion on that actor's defining role.

I've mentioned Fox and Lloyd, of which you can comment...but another one....

Mel Gibson.

MagicMarker

I think most would say Mad Max defined Mel Gibson, which is probably true. He peaked with Braveheart though, truly awesome movie.

Christian Bale.

abouttobebanned

I'm going to say American Psycho...Machinist is what it is, and batman doesn't do a whole lot for Bale as an actor - nothing positive anyway.

A hard one.

Robert De Niro

Otis Driftwood

Hard one to call,he has had so many stand out roles,Travis Bickle,Sam Rothstein,Jimmy Conway but Im going to have to plump for his portrayal of Jake La Motta in Raging Bull.Everything about this movie is awesome.He took method acting to a new level and it is the benchmark for for every other actor.

Ed Norton.

damselnat

Fight Cub, has to be for me

Humphrey Bogart

Otis Driftwood

This has the potential to be decent thread but unless people justify WHY they think the particular role IS defining then its just going to become a pointless list thread and get locked.

abouttobebanned

nedtheshed wrote: »

This has the potential to be decent thread but unless people justify WHY they think the particular role IS defining then its just going to become a pointless list thread and get locked.

exactly...thanks Ned

Eirebear

damselnat wrote: »

Fight Cub, has to be for me

Humphrey Bogart

It has to be Casablanca really doesnt it?

Yes there are plenty of classic films in which he appears, but none of them have the pulling power of "the most quoted film in history"

Johnny Depp

shenanigans1982

I think it has to be Pirates of the Carribean. The first one seemed to have everything right about it but the next two were just self indulgent pieces of sh*t.

Clive Owen.

Children of Men

It was just an amazing role for him I thought, carried out to perfection.

And from the same movie .. Michael Caine.

longshanks

hard to pick a defining role for michael caine as he spans so many different eras. zulu, get carter etc from years ago, modern films like cider house rules or children of men.
sleuth with olivier. the man who would be king, educating rita, mona lisa.
he has a legendary body of work, moreso than a defining role in my opinion. just think of some of the titles i haven't mentioned

meryl streep

JP Liz

longshanks wrote: »

meryl streep

I think Sophie's Choice was her defining role - she won a best actress Oscar and it was her first lead role

Next Sean Penn

Nichololas

JP Liz wrote: »

Next Sean Penn

Mm difficult. His best role (imo) is the lawyer in Carlito's Way but I wouldn't say it really 'defines' him. Mystic River, perhaps?

edit:

Ron Perlman!

longshanks

his defining role would have to be hellboy, pretty much a bit part/supporting actor till then, eg. blade 2, happy texas etc. lots of tv work too.
although in a couple of years, what with his improving status, that opinion could change.


richard pryor

abouttobebanned

Intelligent threads just don't take off do they?

Maybe I should go and start a twilight or batman thread...or maybe a what's the best film with werewolves in it...

djkeogh

Let's try keep it going. Richard Pryor is an interesting one. Quite the character which he never really managed to encapsulate onscreen for me. Obviuosly first came to my notice as a kid in Superman 3 then onwards in his See No Evil, Hear No Evil and other Pairings with Gene Wilder. For me his best was Brewsters Millions.

James Caan

MagicMarker

In fairness, I think most would view Prior as a stand up comic who made some movies, not a full on actor. I wouldn't say he has any defining roles.

JP Liz

djkeogh wrote: »

Let's try keep it going. Richard Pryor is an interesting one. Quite the character which he never really managed to encapsulate onscreen for me. Obviuosly first came to my notice as a kid in Superman 3 then onwards in his See No Evil, Hear No Evil and other Pairings with Gene Wilder. For me his best was Brewsters Millions.

James Caan

I would say The Godfather for Caan - he was oscar nominated for his role

JP Liz

Dustin Hoffman

bnt

JP Liz wrote: »

Dustin Hoffman

Got to be Midnight Cowboy - I thought he was astonishing as "Ratso", and this only a couple of years after playing the squeaky-clean kid in The Graduate. If you haven't seen it, you will not be prepared for the ending. :eek:

Next: Gene Hackman.