# 7 Actors with Actual Range



## Steve (Nov 21, 2011)

Came up in another thread that most actors have no real range.  So, I thought I'd post a list of actors I think actually do exhibit remarkable range, to the point that they become chameleons.  These are the guys who manage to completely convince me that they AREN'T acting in their movies.  Agree?  Disagree?  Who would you take off my list?  Who do you think I missed?

1:  Robert De Niro:  From Cape Fear to Meet the Fockers, De Niro has made some terrible movies, but he seldom plays the same character.  Also, and this will recur on my list, he's an actor that has undergone dramatic physical transformation in order to prep for a role, particularly for Cape Fear.

2:  Mark Strong:  He's a true chameleon, to the point that I didn't even recognize him from one movie to the next.  He's gone from Mr. Knightley to Godfrey in Robin Hood, to Sinestro in Green Lantern.  He was also Lord Blackwood in Sherlock Holmes and Guern in the Eagle.  While he seems to enjoy playing the bad guy, his characters are all very different.

3:  Kevin Spacey:  American Beauty alone puts him on this list, but with his roles in Horrible Bosses, Beyond the Sea, LA Confidential, Se7en, and the Usual Suspects, he makes a strong case to be at the top of this list.

4:  Christian Bale:  Batman, The Fighter, The Machinist.  Nuf said about him.

5:  Philip Seymour HOffman:  Brilliant in Capote, and equally brilliant in Along Came Polly.  He's played every kind of character a guy can play in Hollywood and moves between them seamlessly.

6:  Brad Pitt:  He does the likable, gregarious charmer alongside Clooney, Mickey O'Neil in Snatch, was in Se7en, Fight Club and played Achilles in Troy.  Pitt's Tyler Durden was gritty and ugly. 

7:  Dustin Hoffman - Kramer vs Kramer, Papillon and Tootsie.  He was in Rain Man, the Graduate and All the President's Men.  He's played dramatic roles and comedic roles, and has done so for decades.


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## granfire (Nov 21, 2011)

Billy Bob Thornton.

some movies you have to check the credits to see if it's him, though his preferred role seems to be Badnews bears and that dirty Santa guy...can't remember the name if I ever knew it...


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## frank raud (Nov 21, 2011)

Gary Oldman, nuff said.


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## Carol (Nov 21, 2011)

John Malkovich.  Just because 

Tom Jane.   

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005048/


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## Nomad (Nov 21, 2011)

Agree strongly with Christian Bale,  Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, and Gary Oldman.

Will add Ed Norton and Robert Downey Jr. to the list.


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## MPC1257 (Nov 22, 2011)

I definitely agree with John Malkovich and don't forget John Lithgow.


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## punisher73 (Nov 22, 2011)

MPC1257 said:


> I definitely agree with John Malkovich and don't forget John Lithgow.



John Lithgow is very good.  Just watch Harry and the Hendersons (ok not a great movie) or Third Rock from the Sun, and then watch the last season of Dexter or Raising Cain.


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## punisher73 (Nov 22, 2011)

I would add Anthony Hopkins to the list.  From playing Hannibal Lector to CS Lewis, his performances are always believable.


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