Have you ever done a complete-180 on an actor? Here’s why I’m asking: Unbeknownst to Vincent D’Onofrio (pictured), he and I have been on the outs since 2000, when he made The Cell. His serial-killer turn traumatized me so heavily that I haven’t been able to watch him in anything since save Adventures in Babysitting. Literally, I just whimpered when I YouTube’d the movie to find a clip.
Then last week, I stumbled across a Law & Order: Criminal Intent repeat and decided it was finally time to face my fear. (I credit that cute, non-threatening logo promo for CI’s move to USA with giving me the strength.) Now, I can’t get enough of D’Onofrio’s Detective Goren: those awkward mannerisms, that disregard for personal space, that empathetic voice that makes you believe he’d be fascinated by a man (Perfect Strangers‘ Mark Linn-Baker) with Asperger’s. They say if you initially dislike someone then grow to appreciate him, you actually like him more than you would’ve had you been fond of him to begin with — something about compensating for the guilt over misjudging him. My DVR supports that theory.
Your turn. Which actor or actress has had to win you over (or back)? Anyone else surprised to find themselves enjoying David Boreanaz’s comedic timing on Bones, for example?
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One actor who just recently won me over was Christopher Meloni. I didn’t get the appeal at all but recently I started watching Oz and have been very impressed with him (and his complete lack of shame and his chest).
One actor who’s had to win me back was Tim Robbins. I loved him up until I saw The Player, a movie I despise with the heat of ten-thousand suns. After sitting through that crap, I couldn’t abide by anyone who had anything to do with the film (except Lyle Lovett, who was the only one who didn’t suck). Fortunately, my sister dragged me (kicking and screaming) to see Shawshank Redemption, which completely redeemed him for me. I still hate everyone else associated with The Player though.
We were just talking about D’Onofrio/ Det. Goren last night and how he/his character are definitely love him or hate him.
I have not seen a Kevin Spacey movie since American Beauty, which I hated. Someone who has won me back though? I’ll go with Tom Cruise. Like everyone I was sick of him around the “glib”-gate time, but thought MI3 was great and thought his battle of wits with Meryl Streep in Lions for Lambs was terrific. He just needs to keep his personal life to himself.
Weirdly enough, I keep a running list of this. I’m just…a listmaker. Anyway, here’s my Top Three People Who Have Changed My Opinion About Them 180 Degrees:
1. Leonardo Dicaprio–I hated him on principle back in his “Titanic” days, but how can I not love him now? Guy’s one of the best actors around.
2. Ben Affleck–One word: “Gigli”. Three words: “Gone Baby Gone”.
3. Hayden Christiansen–let’s face it, he wasn’t the most compelling Little Darth Vader ever, but those promos for “Jumper” have got me interested…
Crispin Glover. In turns, he fascinates and repulses me.
Back and forth witn Christopher Walken.
I’ve never been able to like Val Kilmer. He makes my stomach turn. It drives my husband nuts that I can’t watch anything with him in it.
I actually have to go with the much-maligned Nicolas Cage.
Not that he’s won me over completely (or that he can ever win me over completely because his taste is so schizophrenic). Also, the atrocity that is his hair is well-documented.
But he’s won me back countless times over the past decade. I was ready to quit on him after Con Air and Gone in Sixty Seconds, then boom, Adaptation.
Now he’s doing more steadily crappy films, but out of nowhere he’ll throw out Lord of War and The Weatherman (both of which I REALLY enjoyed). Whenever I think I’m out, he pulls me back in!
Laura Linney. I thought she was the worst part of “Congo” (a stinker of a movie that was overflowing with stupidity), “Primal Fear,” “Absolute Power,” and “The Truman Show.” I couldn’t imagine ever appreciating her as an actress. A couple years later, however, I begrudgingly went to see “You Can Count on Me” because of the rapturous reviews, and I was totally blown away by her lovely and heartbreaking performance – could this be the same woman who had been blasting rogue apes with a laser a few years earlier, stiltedly delivering the line, “Put ‘em on the endangered species list!” To me, her acting in “You Can Count on Me” is still the best by any woman this decade (I get chills just thinking about it), and I have been a huge admirer of her work ever since.
I’ve always loved Vincent D’onofrio, “The Cell” was a fluke, yes, but his performance as the bug in Men in Black deserved an Oscar.
I was on the outs with Tom Cruise for a while, because of his scientology nonsense, but watching some of his old stuff made me forgive him.
Why would I need to make up with David Boreanaz??? He’s been pitch-perfect since Buffy. He’s dramatic/comedic/sarcastic abilities carried well-through Angel and he has always seemed a natural on Bones. Our love affair has been consistent- albeit one-sided.
I did however just jump on the Matt Damon train…I never got his appeal until I recently saw The Bourne Ultimatum. Now I understand all too well…
I have to agree with Ceballos about Nicholas Cage. Could not initially stand him when I saw Vampire’s Kiss. Liked Peggy Sue Got Married, Adaptation and a few others, interspersed with others I hated. Thought he’d make a lousy Superman when he was up for it. However, he was on the outs with me after Ghost Rider but then I saw Lords of War the other night and I liked him again – maybe because it was just an original movie and a lot of the comic book movies are not. As for female, Tea Leoni – I used to love the series Flying Blind when she first came out but she has been in some real stinkers over the years. However, I liked her in it and I liked the movie “You Kill Me.”
It’s Jack Black for me. He seemed like yet another “having too much fun to grow up, let’s play to the immature males” type of actor judging by so many of his early works. I found him too intenses, too over the top in King Kong. But the character he played in last year’s “The Holiday” changed my mind. The calmed down version of him was actually very likeable and I could see a lot of appeal.
Cara, have to agree with you about Dicaprio. I still have a little grudge, but I have to admit he has done some good work lately. Most of my turns have been people I liked, then couldn’t stand, e.g., Jennifer Lopez.
Milo Ventimiglia. I was so annoyed with his character Jess on Gilmore Girls. The whole bad boy thing was cute at first, but really got annoying towards the end of the relationship. We made up after he joined Heroes, playing a totally different character. Although with this bizarre turn in the second season, he could be on the outs again. Then again, he is pretty buff now….mmmmm…. what was I saying…?
Diane Lane. I hated her in everything I had seen her in, most notably “The Perfect Storm.” I felt like I was always getting a Lifetime Movie of the Week performance from her and that she was also consistently picking horrible scripts. Then “Unfaithful” came along and I don’t hesitate to call it one of my favorite female performances of all time. The nuance she brought to the role, especially since so many of the big moments came not from words but from looks and reactions, was astounding and it’s been in the back of my mind ever since. She hasn’t quite found the right projects since (she needs a new manager) but now that I know what depths she can go to I eagerly await her next bravura performance and as crossing my fingers for an Oscar someday.
Diane Lane. I hated her in everything I had seen her in, most notably “The Perfect Storm.” I felt like I was always getting a Lifetime Movie of the Week performance from her and that she was also consistently picking horrible scripts. Then “Unfaithful” came along and I don’t hesitate to call it one of my favorite female performances of all time. The nuance she brought to the role, especially since so many of the big moments came not from words but from looks and reactions, was astounding and it’s been in the back of my mind ever since. She hasn’t quite found the right projects since (she needs a new manager) but now that I know what depths she can go to I eagerly await her next bravura performance and am crossing my fingers for an Oscar someday.
David Boreanaz’s painful “dramatic” acting on Angel was the only thing holding me back from loving him and his character as much as I think I was supposed to. I always loved his acting and connected to him more when he would go evil and be funny, sarcastic Angelus. And watching him on Bones has given me SO much appreciation for his comedic turn. He’s much more gifted in that area, but it also allows me to appreciate the drama he still brings to the table in the show. I enjoy him so much more now.
I don’t think that anything could make me happier than reading about Vincent D’Onofrio and David Boreanaz in the same article! *sigh*
But, really… They are wonderful and if you are suddenly finding that you don’t mind these two men, check out The Whole Wide World (D’Onofrio and Renee Zellweger) and These Girls (Boreanaz). You can thank me later!
Ooh, I forgot an important one–Vicky reminded me with the “Gilmore Girls” reference. Jared Padalecki has had a big turnaround for me. Back in his “Gilmore Girls” days, I used to get so sick of his stilted, painfully awkward acting that sometimes I would turn off episodes, or skip scenes that he was in. Then, when he started the show “Supernatural,” I was still annoyed with him for a little while–his acting in the first few episodes of the first season was still terrible, very high-school drama. Then, possibly through the influence of his costar Jensen Ackles, he suddenly became a really fantastic actor! I’m not sure quite when or why the switch happened, but to watch him the end of the second season, the kind of gravitas he can bring to pivotal scenes, it’s like watching a completely different person. He has truly changed my opinion of his acting ability…probably because his acting ability itself has vastly changed.
Drew Barrymore and Rob Lowe. For the longest time I couldn’t stand the sight of either of them. Now, can’t get enough!
whoohoo, I recommend you rent “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. How can you not love Val Kilmer’s Gay Perry?
New York.
I thought she was totally annoying and ghetto unfab on Flava of Love, but now I think she is a brilliant and hilarious actress.
I’m with y’all on ‘Bones’. He previously seemed to have two acting styles: brooding, and brooding without shirt. If I had to see him mooning over Buffy with his brow all furrowed one more time, I was going to gouge my eyes out. Now I find him rather amusing.
I agree with the person who said Laura Linney…disliked her when my ex forced me to go see Congo. But the one role that turned her aound for me was “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”. Great creepy movie.
I also still hate (and has never been redeemed in my eyes) is James Spader. Hate him in the 80’s movies and even more on Boston Legal. But that is just my opinion.
Donald Sutherland. I saw him in “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” as a child and he freaked me out so badly that I couldn’t watch a movie if he was in it. Finally, my hubby made me watch “The Italian Job” and I decided he wasn’t so bad after all.
He does still creep me out a little though.
James Woods. I’ve gone from loving him to hating him, back to loving him and hate him again. He always plays scumbags so well that I can’t help but hate him. Then he’ll play some amazing role and I’ll love him again. Until the actor opens his mouth and makes himself look like a jackass.
Oh and Jenna Fischer from the Office. Hated her when the show first came out (she’s really different from the receptionist on the British version), but have come to really love her character.
Surprised by David Boreanaz comedic timing? Only if you were in a cave during the 5 seasons of Angel.
The cure for this so call shock: watch, say, Sense and Sensitivity .
One more: I used to love Jessica Alba, but now can’t stand her.
First love: She was the Dark Angel, and I was psyched to hear a Latina had gotten the role of Sue Storm.
Now hate: But first, she had to make a crappy movie that opened opposite of Serenity. She was okay in the first Fantastic Four, but looked like one of the “White Chicks” in part II. She lost a lot of points when she made a romantic comedy with Dane Cook and put the nail in the coffin when she said she doesn’t consider herself a Latina. She’ll survive without my fandum, but I sure feel better knowing she’ll never get another $8 from me for any of her movies again.
Kyra Sedgwick. I can’t even say for certain that I like HER now that The Closer has come into my life; I maybe just adore Brenda.
Half the cast on “Brothers and Sisters” used to be on my ugh-list, but since that show is my crack, they’re on my good side for now. Especially Stick Girl.
If you ever want to really and truly hate Vincent D’Onfrio for the rest of all time, watch the movie “The Velocity Of Gary.” It’s seriously the worst thing I have ever been forced to sit through.
Have to second Ep Sato on the James Woods back-and-forth. I was actually pretty psyched that he was going to be on TV with Shark, but after a few weeks I found him so irritating. Guess I like him better in small doses, separated by months or years.
Also, I didn’t watch the first few seasons of Buffy because I really disliked Sarah Michelle Geller on All My Chldren. Thank God I got over that!