10 Actors You Think Won For Something But Won For Something Else

The Oscars are the ultimate prize in the movie industry, but the storied Academy, as anyone who has filled out an annual office pool can attest, sometimes fails to reward filmmakers and actors when you expect it. That’s why there are so many award winners who have Academy Awards for what we consider the wrong film. It’s a totally different issue than those completely snubbed for the honor (we feel for you, Ben Affleck). We’re talking about the disconnect between which movie a renowned performer or auteur deserved to win for and which actually landed them the golden statue.

If you think about the following 10 Oscar winners’ careers, we guarantee you’ll assume they won for a different movie.

10. Meryl Streep: The most nominated actor in Academy history is living legend Meryl Streep. With 17 nominations to her name, it’s difficult to remember exactly which three performances netted her the statue. “Sophie’s Choice” remains her four-decade career’s signature film, but the other two are harder to pinpoint, even if she won one just last year! In 2012, Streep upset favorite frontrunner Viola Davis with her portrayal of “The Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher, but what about the prolific actress’s unforgettable turns in “Doubt,” “The Devil Wears Prada,”  “Julie & Julia,” “Silkwood” and “The Deer Hunter”? She won for none of those, but for her 1979 family drama, “Kramer Vs. Kramer.”

9. Robert De Niro: The one, the only De Niro has two Academy Awards. One is definitely for his tour de force as aging boxer Jake LaMotta in “Raging Bull,” and the other … Is it also for a Scorsese-directed drama? Nope. It’s not for playing a loyal Vietnam vet in “The Deer Hunter,” a homicidal ex-con in “Cape Fear” or a psychotic Vietnam vet in “Taxi Driver.” De Niro won his other Oscar the first time he was nominated, for Best Supporting Actor in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather: Part II.” While his win for playing the young Vito Corleone was well deserved, De Niro has played so many extraordinary characters, it’s easy to believe those other roles earned Oscars.

8. Roman Polanski: He may have a both depressing and despicable personal history, but Polanski is a brilliant filmmaker who’s been nominated for Best Director four times (“Chinatown,” “Tess” and “The Pianist”) and Best Adapted Screenplay (“Rosemary’s Baby”). Even though “Chinatown” is considered Polanski’s best film, earning 11 Academy Award nominations, the neo-noir classic scored only one Oscar – for Robert Towne’s original screenplay. Polanski’s twisty Los Angeles-set drama had the misfortune of being pitted against Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather, Part II,” so it’s the Holocaust drama “The Pianist” (2002) that earned the Polish-French director his Oscar due.

7. Cate Blanchett: The amazing Aussie actress has memorably played the Queen of England, a royal elf and the bard of rock and roll, but her Academy Award isn’t for “Elizabeth,” “The Lord of the Rings” or “I’m Not There.” Blanchett’s one Oscar (she’s been nominated four times) is for her supporting role portraying Katherine Hepburn opposite Leo DiCaprio’s Howard Hughes in “The Aviator” (2004). The patrician New England accent alone earned her the award. We still can’t believe Blanchett has yet to win a Best Actress.

6. Whoopi Goldberg: If you were to play a montage of Goldberg’s film roles in your head, you’d pause and marvel at exactly one film – her starring role as Celie in “The Color Purple” (1984). Goldberg beautifully portrayed a woman who survives every indignity that comes along with being black, poor, ugly, a woman, a “nothin’ at all” in the rural Jim Crow South. But Steven Spielberg’s adaptation didn’t win a single Academy Award, despite 11 nominations. Goldberg went on to win a Best Supporting Actress award for playing an eccentric medium in “Ghost” six years later.

5. Judi Dench: Eight minutes. That’s how long Dench’s droll depiction of Queen Elizabeth I lasted in “Shakespeare in Love.” Her acceptance speech lasted almost as long, and she herself joked, “I feel for eight minutes on the screen, I should only get a little bit of him.” Considering Dench has impressed critics and audiences for 50 years in much more substantial roles, like playing England’s other famous female monarchs in “Mrs. Brown” and the eponymous Alzheimer-suffering novelist in “Iris,” not to mention her inimitable portrayal of Bond’s boss “M,” it’s hard to be sure which role should have snagged the grand Dame her Oscar.

4. Martin Scorsese: When Scorsese took the podium for his Best Director Oscar in 2007, many might have assumed he was accepting his second or possibly third Academy Award. After all, what were the odds that New York City’s quintessential auteur would win his first Oscar for “The Departed,” a Boston cops-and-mobsters drama? This is the filmmaker responsible for “Goodfellas,” “Raging Bull” and “Taxi Driver,” so surely Marty had already won for one of those homages to the “Mean Streets” of New York. Alas, no. Scorsese has been nominated for 10 Oscars but only has the one.

3. Tommy Lee Jones: Another Best Supporting Actor nominee this year, the “Lincoln” actor has brilliantly played stern-faced men for more than 40 years in unforgettable movies like “No Country for Old Men,” “In the Valley of Elah,” “JFK” and “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” But it wasn’t playing a West Texas sheriff, a grieving father, a conspirator to kill the president or Crystal Gale’s husband that led to Jones’s Academy Award but playing a persistent U.S. Marshal in the action thriller “The Fugitive.” It doesn’t help that Jones beat out the considerably more deserving Ralph Fiennes’s turn as the scary evil SS officer in “Schindler’s List,” for his win.

2. Denzel Washington: With his nomination for “Flight,” Washington has a cool half-dozen Oscar nominations and two wins. He’s one of only six actors to display both a Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor on his shelf. Thanks to that epic tear streaming down his face, there’s no doubt what movie was his Supporting “Glory.” And the leading role belonged to Washington for his career-best performance as black power activist “Malcolm X.” No other actor could have pulled off such a masterful depiction, and finally a black actor besides Sidney Poitier landed a Leading Actor award. Wait, what? Denzel lost in one of Oscar’s biggest upsets. Instead, he won nine years later for playing a very, very bad cop in “Training Day.”

1. Al Pacino: And just who was responsible for Washington’s loss in 1993? That would be none other than Al Pacino, who won the Oscar on his eighth (and so far, last) try. It’s unbelievable, but Pacino’s name was never called for playing mafia son-turned-boss Michael Corleone in “The Godfather” (either time!) or whistleblowing cop “Serpico” or the inept bank robber in “Dog Day Afternoon.” No, Pacino won for a movie that has not withstood the test of even 20 years, “Scent of a Woman.” His over-the-top hooahing as a retired blind Army officer certainly didn’t deserve the Academy Award, not when compared to Denzel, and not to his own best roles.

Categories: Awards

Tags: Al pacino, Cate blanchett, Denzel washington, Ghost, Judi dench, Kramer vs. kramer, Martin scorsese, Meryl Street, Robert de niro, Roman polanski, Scent of a Woman, Shakespeare in love, The aviator, The departed, The fugitive, The Godfather Part II, The Pianist, Tommy lee jones, Training Day, Whoopi goldberg

If Actors With Similar Names Swapped Movie Roles

It’s easy to get confused in Hollywood, what with so many people in the film industry sharing similar names. Everything else in Tinseltown makes absolutely perfect sense (isn’t that right, “Movie 43?”), but the potential for phonetic confusion between actors sure can get you all mixed up. This can be especially problematic because some of the actors with the most easily confusable names have created iconically singular characters, delivering performances that are so closely aligned with who they are that they seem inseparable from the role. We spent a little time thinking about some of our favorite actors with similar names and imagining how their most popular movies might have been transformed by a slightly different name on the poster.

If there’s anything that legendary broadcaster Edward R. Murrow hated more than witch hunts and no-smoking signs, it was bullies. Action star Jason Statham offers his take on the renowned media figure in “Good Night and Good Luck,” as the broadcaster fights Senator Joseph McCarthy over the airwaves by day and on the streets by night, conducting a relentless manhunt in his desperate search for the truth. Complete with an inexplicable British accent, Murrow’s bulldog determination results in a man who loves breaking stories as much as he does breaking necks, a man who hits first and asks questions immediately afterward, winning awards for his investigative methods and the respect of the country for his physical prowess.

As a mild-mannered courier caught up in a conspiracy beyond his wildest dreams, David Straitharn is a nameless mercenary on wheels, known only to his associates as “The Transporter.” The three-hour film is entirely comprised of long takes of Strathairn double-parked and staring into space, the packages he’s set to deliver tucked gently under his arm. Convinced someone is following him, he begins evasive maneuvers and calls his wife several times, discreetly mentioning his concerns and waving for other motorists to pass by.

Under Steven Seagal’s watchful eye, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” becomes a tough, neck-snapping action film. The unforgettably savage story of a father attempting to avenge the death of his murdered daughter (Mila Kunis), the film follows Seagal as he eventually makes his way to the villain’s compound on the tropical paradise of Hawaii. While being constantly reminded of her tortured existence amidst the tropical splendor, he takes names and kicks asses, eventually uncovering the truth of her survival and leading to a tearful, mutually pony-tailed reunion.

Meanwhile, as a former Navy SEAL turned fry cook, bumbling Jason Segel struggles to protect the crew of an American battleship from the threat of Gary Busey in “Under Siege.” His puckish and goofy everyman behavior is unintentionally hilarious, turning the film into a sweet comedy that’s punctuated by… wait, is that secondary villain Tommy Lee Jones cos-playing “Easy Rider?” Realizing they’ve hit gold, the producers quickly rush sequels into production, with “Under Siege 2” attempting to rebrand Jason Segel as an honest to goodness action hero. Hilarity ensues.

 

“Rebel Without a Cause” takes on a decidedly different feel as porn star turned actor James Deen stars as an angsty teenager hell-bent on smoldering his way to self-discovery. Deen romances everyone in sight, from the leading lady to the questionably gay best friend, delivering an overwhelmingly erotic performance that earns big bucks at the box office and horrifies parents everywhere. The film, meant to be a searing commentary on teen strife, is criticized as sensationalistic, hyper-sexual drivel that’s lacking in substance. In real life, of course, James Deen would never be involved in anything like that…

Oh hey, “The Canyons!” James Dean’s soulful and moving performance in Paul Schrader’s already notorious new film is so astounding that it overshadows the remarkable (and kinda frightening) technology required to reanimate him from the dead. Indeed, his work is strong enough to salvage the film from the wreckage left by Lindsay Lohan. Penned by scribe Bret Easton Ellis, the film reaffirms Dean’s gift for elevating so-so material into the stuff of legend. Dean’s final performance earns him an Oscar for his role as the abusive, relentless Christian.

 

Christian Bale stars in the drama “When in Rome” as a tense New Yorker whose anger management issues poke out during the Italian wedding of his beloved sister, ruining the ceremony.

When the maid of honor (Naomi Watts) follows him back to the United States, the pair strike up an unlikely friendship, despite the fact that Bale lashes out every time he’s in public.

As women begin throwing themselves at him at an alarming rate, he recedes into the depths of his mind, leaving him house-bound and terrified. When Watts’ stalkerish actions begin to border on insane, Bale is left with no option but to slip out of the city in the dead of night, taking his only friend with him as he searches for peace in the countryside.

 

In a stunning bit of role reversal casting, Kristen Bell dons the iconic cape and cowl for Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” series, continuing the longstanding tradition of goofy comic book films. Turning the entire process on its head, Nolan’s wild world pairs Bell as millionaire playgirl Betty Wayne, who seeks to fight crime as Batman and protect Gotham city, though no one knows that she’s really a girl!

With Ellen Barkin as the disapproving Alfreda, and Whoopi Goldberg as the talented inventor who stores all of her high-tech gadgets in the first place that Betty’s villains might think to look, Bell attempts to fight the Penguin (Chris Pratt) and keep Arkham under control while still quipping it up and having a ball.

 

In the zany, comedic world of “Total Recall,” Will Farrell stars as a construction worker who dreams of leaving behind his mundane world and traveling to Mars as a spy. When he’s given the opportunity to experience fake memories of Mars, at night, he soon grows attached to the false memories and spends more and more of his time visiting his secondary live on Mars. When he meets a young woman (Anna Faris) who is also on a mental vacation, he starts to spend more of his waking hours attempting to find her. Will the two meet up in real life or are they doomed to a virtual romance forever?

In “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” Colin Farrell stars as a hardened, alcoholic 1970s nightly news anchor, Ron Burgundy, whose addiction to pills and booze is threatening his work and his relationships. Once at the top of his game, Burgundy has given in and taken to covering puff pieces and inane stories, his awards gathering dust on the shelf. When a hard-nosed female anchor (Christina Applegate) is hired into the staff, she sees the potential that Burgundy still has and attempts to revive his career while working her own way up the ladder. Burgundy’s ultimate decision between the promise of love and the lure of addiction proves tragic, moving and profound.

These are just a few of my favorite swaps, but there’s plenty of others out there!

Categories: Features

Tags: Actors swap roles, Christian bale, Colin farrell, David Strathairn, Diane Keaton, James dean, James Deen, Jason segel, Jason statham, Kristen bell, Michael keaton, Movie Swap, Steven seagal, Will ferrell

The Actors Statistically Most Likely To Get Oscar-Nominated This Year

Every year, the race to the Oscars includes a list of contenders that range from previous Academy Award winners to hopeful first-timers. This year brings much of the same, with buzzed-about actors like two-time winners Daniel Day-Lewis (“Lincoln”) and Denzel Washington (“Flight”) and previously nominated actresses Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”) and Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”).

Who has the advantage when it comes to Academy voters? Forget about chance and take a look at the statistics, which show how much of a lock Day-Lewis is, compared to never-been-nominated Bradley Cooper. Here’s how this year’s slate of possible nominees stacks up — we’ll show you the number of times they’ve been nominated against the number of substantial roles they’ve had.

Best Actor:
Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln” (4 nominations, 19 roles: 21%)
At age 55, the Method actor of his generation makes a movie only slightly more often than director Terrence Malick. Considering his amazing performance as the United States’ legendary 16th President – not to mention his penchant for racking up awards, Day-Lewis is sure to score an Oscar nomination this year.
Denzel Washington, “Flight” (5 nominations, 40 roles: 13%)
Like Day-Lewis, Washington has won two Oscars, but he has the most overall nominations of any actor in the mix this awards season. Denzel’s nuanced turn as a troubled pilot has been considered a triumph, so an Academy Award nod should be expected.
Joaquin Phoenix, “The Master” (2 nominations, 24 roles: 8%)
Yes, he did say he was retiring from acting at one point, but Phoenix’s return to the big screen was nothing short of transcendent. There’s no doubt that Phoenix will be rewarded for his masterful portrayal with a third Oscar nomination.
Anthony Hopkins, “Hitchcock” (4 nominations, 62 roles: 6%)
One of Hollywood’s most esteemed elder statesman playing one of its most iconic filmmakers is a formula made for Academy voters. How could Hopkins, who memorably won the Oscar for “The Silence of the Lambs,” NOT get a nod for playing the portly genius behind “Vertigo” and “Psycho”?
Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained” (1 nomination, 26 roles: 4%)
The last time Waltz worked for Quentin Tarantino, he scored an Academy Award (in addition to nearly every other acting honor) for his first English-language role. With his upcoming depiction of a dentist-turned-bounty hunter in Tarantino’s much-anticipated antebellum thriller, Waltz could go 2 for 2 in QT films.
Bill Murray, “Hyde Park on Hudson” (1 nomination, 47 roles: 2%)
Since his days on “Saturday Night Live,” Murray has transformed himself into a indie film favorite, vehicle for Wes Anderson’s visions, and the finest actor to step off of “SNL”’s studio 8H. In the comedy “Hyde Park,” Murray plays FDR and once again demonstrates why he’s the master of droll.
John Hawkes, “The Sessions” (1 nomination, 53 roles: 2%)
A character actor turned leading man, Hawkes is one of those critically acclaimed actors who never fails to impress. As a disabled virgin hoping to get a whole lotta love from a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt), Hawkes has a good chance at scoring his second nomination.
Hugh Jackman, “Les Miserables” (0 nominations, 22 roles: 0%)
We had to double check that Jackman had yet to receive an Academy Award nomination, but it’s true. Playing protagonist Jean Valjean could and should change that for the Tony-winning actor, because he’ll get to show off his acting and singing skills in one of the most beloved musicals in the world.
Bradley Cooper, “Silver Linings Playbook” (0 nominations, 22 roles: 0%)
He might be the outgoing Sexiest Man Alive, but Cooper’s far more than a pretty face. This hunk can act, and anyone who doubts it should see him opposite Jennifer Lawrence in David O. Russell’s fabulous relationship drama. If dozens of Oscar pundits are to be believed Cooper is destined for his first Academy nod.

Best Actress:
Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook” (1 nomination, 10 roles: 10%)
Nearly every pundit agrees that Lawrence, who was nominated at age 20 for her breakout performance in “Winter’s Bone,” is on track to receive her second nomination – not for “The Hunger Games,” but for her relationship drama “Silver Linings Playbook.”
Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty” (1 nomination, 11 roles: 9%)
Chastain had a career-changing 2011, earning a Best Supporting Actress nod for her feisty role in “The Help,” and she’s clearly on a roll. She’s already being touted for Kathryn Bigelow’s Bin Laden drama, which comes out at the end of the year.
Helen Mirren, “Hitchcock” (4 nominations, 58 roles: 7%)
Mirren is the most decorated actress likely to get nominated this year, and at this point in her career, she could easily get Oscar buzz for asking for a bus transfer in a movie. Luckily for us, she does a whole lot more as Hitchcock’s wife and professional partner, Alma Reville.
Keira Knightley, “Anna Karenina” (1 nomination, 26 roles: 7%)
Knightley has made a living out of playing corseted characters in costume dramas, successfully earning an Oscar nomination for 2006’s “Pride & Prejudice.” After taking on yet another legendary literary protagonist, she’s likely to get Academy votes again.
Marion Cotillard, “Rust and Bone” (1 nomination, 36 roles: 3%)
Unlike most of the other women being buzzed about for an Oscar nomination, Cotillard already has an Academy Award for her transformative portrayal of Edith Piaf in 2007’s “La vie en rose,” so being on the shortlist again for the French drama “Rust and Bone” is a no-brainer.
Naomi Watts, “The Impossible” (1 nomination, 39 roles: 3% )
Watts last had the honor of being an Academy Award nominee in 2002 for “Mulholland Drive,” and 10 years later, it could happen again, thanks to her heartbreaking portrayal of a mother and wife trying to survive the South Asian Tsunami of 2004.
Emmanuelle Riva, “Amour” (0 nominations, 53 roles: 0%)
Riva’s most famous role came 53 years ago, as the unnamed lead in “Hiroshima Mon Amour,” a forerunner of the French New Wave. Now 85 and a veteran of French cinema, Riva plays a stroke victim, one half of an elderly couple. “Amour,” from controversial director Michael Haneke, won the Palm D’Or at Cannes, raising Riva’s odds for a nom.
Laura Linney, “Hyde Park on Hudson” (3 nominations, 34 roles: 9%)
A leading actress of her generation, and one of the most honored on this list, Linney displays her trademark versatility in this comedic portrayal of FDR’s mistress.
Quvenzhane Wallis, “Beasts of the Southern Wild” (0 nominations, 1 roles: 0%)
It’s not unheard of for a child actress to snag an Academy nomination for a universally revered performance. Wallis’ Hushpuppy is the protagonist and the heart of Benh Zeitlin’s fantasy drama, so it’s possible the Sundance darling could be a contender.

Best Supporting Actor:
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, “The Master” (3 nominations, 47 roles: 6%)
Though he took the title role in P.T. Anderson’s epic, he’ll likely find himself nominated as a supporting actor for his performance. No doubt one of the finest film and theater working today (he won an Oscar for “Capote” and also has three Tony nominations), he shines especially bright in Anderson’s ensemble masterpieces.
Alan Arkin, “Argo” (3 nominations, 60 roles: 5%)
A veteran character actor, Arkin received two nominations in the 1960s but didn’t get nominated again until 2007, when he won in this category for “Little Miss Sunshine.” In Ben Affleck’s recreation of a daring rescue during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, Arkin portrays a film producer instrumental in bringing the plan together.
Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln” (3 nominations, 51 roles: 6%)
Jones donned a wig and a certain additional gravitas to complement his lined face to portray an abolitionist Civil-War-era senator struggling to reconcile his ideals with his political goal of full emancipation. Playing, again, the most serious man in the room may earn Jones another Academy nomination.
Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook” (6 nominations, 86 roles: 7%)
Hollywood’s ‘70s legend appears opposite Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, two of Hollywood’s brightest young stars. As the oddball patriarch of a sports-obsessed Philadelphia clan, De Niro puts aside the comedic self-parody of the recent past to deliver a genuine, emotionally engaged performance that could earn him his seventh nomination.
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Django Unchained” (3 nominations, 25 roles: 12%)
DiCaprio is the star of many a commercial and critical hit by a long list of iconic directors (Scorsese, Cameron, Luhrmann, Spielberg, and Eastwood) He finally takes a turn with Quentin Tarantino, playing a brutal plantation master in this slave-revenge tale that could land him his fourth nomination.
Russell Crowe, “Les Miserables” (3 nominations, 34 roles: 9%)
Crowe brings the trademark intensity that won him an Oscar in “Gladiator” to the role of Javert, the relentless police inspector in the Hollywood adaptation of the long-running Broadway hit.  Beloved by the Academy, Crowe getting another nomination seems more than likely.
Javier Bardem, “Skyfall” (3 nominations, 35 roles: 9%)
Bardem’s lantern jaw and heavy brow make him the perfect villain, and his Oscar-winning role in “No Country for Old Men, ” defined the relentless villain of unstoppable evil. Though no Bond film has ever received an acting nomination, Bardem’s unforgettably campy villain Silva may break that streak.
Matthew McConaughey, “Magic Mike” (0 nominations, 35 roles: 0%)
Though not generally placed in the same category as others on this list, McConaughey’s depiction of Dallas, the enigmatic father figure and strip club owner, in Steven Soderbergh’s summer hit could land him a surprise (and his first) Academy nomination.
Ewan McGregor, “The Impossible” (0 nominations, 45 roles: 0%)
The versatile McGregor, who got his start in indie favorites and got worldwide recognition in the “Star Wars” prequels stars opposite Naomi Watts as the father of a family torn asunder by the 2004 Tsunami. His harrowing on-screen search for his wife and child amidst the carnage may wash up a nomination for McGregor.

Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, “The Master” (3 nominations, 27 roles: 11%)
Equally talented in family comedies (“Enchanted,” “The Muppets”) and more adult fare (“The Fighter,” “Doubt,”), her role as the true-believer wife of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s title character lands her in the latter category.
Helen Hunt, “The Sessions” (1 nomination, 34 roles: 3%)
With only one nomination (but a winning one, for 1997’s “As Good as It Gets”), Hunt has been winning renewed critical praise for her nakedly honest portrayal of a sex therapist working with a virginal polio victim.
Anne Hathaway, “Les Miserables” (1 nomination, 22 roles: 5%)
In high school, Hathaway sang at Carnegie Hall. In 2012, Hathaway will sing on screen as Fantine, the tragic young mother in the highly anticipated film adaptation of the Broadway hit. Will “I Dreamed a Dream” earn her the dream of a second nomination?
Jacki Weaver, “Silver Linings Playbook” (1 nomination, 16 roles: 6%)
An Australian sex symbol from the 1970s, Weaver was nominated for 2010’s crime drama “Animal Kingdom. ” Weaver could score another nod for a very different kind of  family ensemble, as the on-screen wife of Robert De Niro and mother of Bradley Cooper.
Susan Sarandon, “Arbitrage” (5 nominations, 36 roles: 14%)
It has been six years since Sarandon last impressed Academy voters (her fifth and winning nomination was for “Dead Man Walking”) , but she’s garnered such universal praise for Nicholas Jarecki’s high-stakes drama “Arbitrage” (as financier Richard Gere’s put-upon wife) that a sixth could be in the works.
Maggie Smith, “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (6 nominations, 52 roles: 12%)
Along with Judi Dench, she’s the grand dame of British actors, able to make even the smallest of roles award worthy. Her last time on the Oscar short list was 2002 (and her last win was in 1979); could 2012 bring lucky number seven?
Sally Field, “Lincoln” (2 nominations, 33 roles: 6%)
Field has been nominated for exactly two Academy Awards, and she has won both times. While accepting her second, for the 1984 Great Depression drama “Places in the Heart,” she famously said “I can’t deny the fact you like me right now, you really like me.” We’re betting the Academy will like her again after her powerful portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln.
Samantha Barks, “Les Miserables” (0 nominations, 1 roles: 0%)
Barks may be the only actor on this list to win her place due to a reality show. In 2008, after placing third in “I’d Do Anything, ” a BBC show hunting for the next West End theater star, Barks was cast as Eponine in the London production of “Les Miserables,” the role she’ll reprise in the filmed adaptation, her first feature role.
Emily Blunt, “Looper” (0 nominations, 22 roles: 0%)
Sci-fi thrillers don’t get a lot of love from Academy voters, but “Looper” proved to be one of the best of genre, and Blunt delivers a performance full of secrets that she unspools in refreshing fashion.

Categories: Awards

Tags: Alan Arkin, Argo, bill murray, Christoph Waltz, emmanuelle riva, helen mirren, jessica chastain, joaquin phoenix, keira knightley, laura linney, naomi watts, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, robert de niro

Alliterative Actors Alphabet

You know those times you start thinking about how most comic book characters have names like Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, Sue Storm, and Matt Murdoch, and then have thoughts like “If you have an alliterative name, does that mean you are more likely to become a superhero?” which leads to other thoughts like “My name is stupid” and “I’m gonna change my name” which eventually turns into “Calm down, you don’t want to be a superhero anyway, superheros are dumb, who wants to be them?!?!” and finally “I wonder which actors out there have alliterative names and are therefore primed and ready for superherodom, unlike me, but whatever, I don’t care…”

I have really valuable trains of thought.

So upon compiling a massive list of famous people with alliterative names (which relates to sound, not letters, i.e. Clark Kent is alliteration. Keira Knightly is not), I decided there was only one thing to do. Write a poem naming one famous person with an alliterative name per letter of the alphabet. Some of the references are obvious, some are not; some of these people are well-known and some are … decidedly not.

Without further ado,

The Alliterative Actors Alphabet.

Amy Adams soon reporting for the Daily Planet
Barry Bostwick to a hot chick once kept saying, “Damnit Janet”

Colin Cunningham is definitely a Falling Skies fav
David Duchovny, every Sunday, we watch him get laid

Emilo Estevez is quacking til this day
Fionnula Flanagan, because she can, helps Desmond on his way

Greta Gerwig, delightfully awkward with Ben
Helen Hayes won praise as an EGOT back when

Irving Ishkabibble from some movie, Terror Eyes
Josh Jackson’s relaxin’ because Fringe has survived

Kevin Kline doing fine taking time off from the screen
Lucy Lawless looks flawless in every Spartacus scene

Mary McDonnell deserved an Emmy, you see
Nick Nolte, why won’t he, admit he’s Gary Busey

Ozzy Osbourne bit a bat clean through its neck
Parker Posey we all know she stole her scenes on Parks and Rec

Quentin Crisp played a version of himself on TV
Ryan Reynolds has some tentpoles in both Marvel and DC

Susan Sarandon’s mother-lovin Timberlake
Tony Todd, acting god, resume so long it looks fake

Umit Ulgen, no really, he’s an actor, I swear
Vince Vaughn’s not gone, but we’re starting not to care

Wally Wingert undoubtedly a voice-over expert
Xin Xin Xiong in Hong Kong, is a badass you can’t hurt

Yasuo Yamada is the Japanese Kermit
Ziyi Zhang, that gorgeous thang, is killing fools as she sees fit

Which of The Super 8 Actors Is Most Likely to Break Out?

Whenever the cast of a movie consists almost entirely of unknown youngsters, however critically acclaimed or shamed, whatever number it hits opening weekend, one thing is for certain: the film will jump-start at least one, if not multiple fresh-faced careers. It’s always fun to look back on kid-driven movies of yore and observe who succumbed to Child Actor Syndrome, who left the business, and who managed to break out in some way, still working to this day, behind the camera or in front of it, as the lead or the sidekick, the villain or the love interest, on television, in the movies, on stage or creating their own work on the Internet. So we decided to take a look at the kids of J.J. Abrams’ flawed but sweetly fun Super 8 to try and figure out who has the best chances of moving on to a long and luscious career in the entertainment industry. As a bonus, we’ve thrown in some possible directions their careers could take, based on potential counterparts that have already made the transition.

Zach Mills – Preston
Age: 15
IMDb.com Credits: 26
While not featured enough in the movie to get a real sense of his ability as an actor, Mills boasts an already impressive resume, proving he’s is in it to win it, for now at least. And with those floppy ears and lanky frame on his side, there’s always the possibility of a bright future playing the dorky friend until he can graduate to playing the quirky, dirty, and/or smarmy character roles. In terms of romantic lead potential, I wouldn’t say that’s necessarily in the cards for young Mills, but hey, that’s not a bad thing — just ask Jackie Earle Haley. This type is valuable and Mills is already well on his way to cornering that market for his age group.
Possible directions: Jackie Earle Haley, Lukas Haas, or Wil Wheaton.

Gabriel Basso – Martin
Age: 16
IMDb.com Credits: 11
Based on his performance in Super 8, I would have guessed Basso was exactly like Martin, the case with most child actors. So you can imagine my surprise when I found out that not only is he a regular on The Big C, but he plays a character nothing, not even remotely a little bit like his role in Super 8, proving the 16-year-old already has some epic range. Plus, once the period thick rims are removed, we start to notice Basso’s intriguing look and wonder if Sam Worthington will need a teenage version of himself on the screen anytime soon. Based on The Big C and Super 8 simply on their own, perhaps no one would think twice about Basso as a performer to be reckoned with, but if there’s anything rare in kid actors, it’s the ability to actually act, so I’m already expecting lots more to come from this one.
Possible directions: Josh Brolin or Christian Bale.

Ryan Lee – Cary
Age: 14
IMDb.com Credits: 20
A veteran of short films and nameless small roles and guest spots, Lee’s first major part was in Super 8 and since wrapping it, he has appeared in two more movies; The Legend of Hell’s Gate: An American Conspiracy, co-starring Eric Balfour and Summer Glau, and Meeting Evil with Sam Jackson and Luke Wilson. The delightfully goofy Lee hands-down has the best comic timing of the entire Super 8 crew. His range beyond that beats me, but innate comic timing has launched plenty of successful careers, and if he (or rather, his agent) plays his cards right, there’s no reason this kid shouldn’t start playing with the comedy big boys right away.
Possible directions: Seth Green or Shia LeBeouf.

Riley Griffiths – Charles
Age: 14
IMDb.com Credits: 1
Practically stealing the movie (in my opinion) in his first role ever, Griffiths is a strong candidate to continue on with a successful career. Simultaneously tough and soft, the leader and the follower, the sympathetic comic relief, Griffiths pulls off a lot more in Super 8 than we may initially notice. His enthusiasm as Charles is infectious and he managed to completely convince me that the film we saw running through the credits was in fact a Charles Kaznyk production. Plus, based on interviews I’ve read, it seems the teen, who has been acting in theater his whole life, has a good head on his shoulders and despite deciding to pursue a career in acting, knows that he doesn’t want to sacrifice his childhood to do so. As long as he can avoid the pitfalls of suddenly becoming famous, which it seems he is prepared to do, I have high hopes.
Possible directions: Jerry O’ Connell or Sean Astin.

Joel Courtney – Joe
Age: 15
IMDb.com Credits: 1
Another total newcomer, Courtney is the emotional center of Super 8 and does a fine job grounding the extraordinary events unfolding around him. I thought EW’s Lisa Schwarzbaum said it best when describing his biggest strength as an “unteachably open-faced sweetness.” Spielberg’s knack for discovering the ultimate adorable everyboy is just as right on here as it ever has been, as I bought everything the relatable Courtney was throwing at me, no matter how ridiculous the movie may have gotten at times. But nailing the endearing qualities of a young teen doesn’t always mean there is an acting ability beyond that effortless naturalism and definitely doesn’t always translate into a huge career (see Henry Thomas). While Courtney was wonderful in this role, I wouldn’t be surprised if he chose not to pursue acting as a life commitment.
Possible directions: Henry Thomas, Joshua Jackson, (or, hey, Nicholas Hoult, no one saw his career coming!).

Elle Fanning – Alice
Ace: 13
IMDb.com Credits: 32
Mature, statuesque, honest, and daring, Fanning is already an actress well beyond her years. I am consistently shocked when I hear how old she is and it really makes me wonder what gypsy put what magic into the Fanning blood that has produced two such talented and humble actresses at such young ages. There is no doubt in my mind that Fanning will continue to be awesome over the next five years, go get a great education somewhere, possibly at NYU, following in her sister’s footsteps, then return to acting once more, better than ever. This girl’s got it in the bag, so much so that while we would be remiss in not mentioning her here, she isn’t actually in the running for Most Likely To Break Out simply because she already has — that ship has sailed. Keep on keeping on, Elle Fanning.
Possible directions: Dakotah Fanning, Natalie Portman, or Martha Plimpton.

So based on the evidence presented here, who do you think will come away from Super 8 with the most illustrious career? Not including the lady of the group who already has one, of course. Did you see something in any of the actors that I didn’t? Know of a part right now that any of them would be perfect for? Obviously, only time will tell which of these talented kids will stay on the acting track for the long haul, but in the meantime, I’m absolutely looking forward to seeing what each one does next.