I hate seeing blockbusters on their opening weekends — mainly because I think a $12 ticket shouldn’t come with color commentary from the inconsiderate goon in the seat behind me — and thus it was that I only recently got around to seeing Iron Man. Thankfully, for me, the movie lived up to Owen Gleiberman’s positive B+ review (click here to read it); like Owen, I enjoyed the way the film seamlessly married the human side of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark character with his iron-clad superhero persona. And like my colleague Ken Tucker, I’d agree Downey shouldn’t be excluded from the Oscar race just because he happened to be starring in a popcorn flick that’s made $300 million (and counting).
Still, the first thing that crossed my mind as the credits rolled was something along the lines of: "Hey, that was Richard from Old Christine!" Which is to say I was surprised and delighted to see Clark Gregg, who plays Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ goofy ex-husband on CBS’ underrated sitcom, more than hold his own as a Strategic Homeland Intervention agent opposite Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow and Oscar nominees Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard. The weird thing is, even though I watch Old Christine every week, I needed IMDb to come up with Gregg’s name — although I did know the guy wrote the script for What Lies Beneath. ("I think she’s starting to suspect something?" "Who?" "Your wife!" Shudder.)
Anyhow, all this got me wondering if I’m the only one who does the happy dance when under-the-radar TV actors get cast in blockbuster movies. If your answer is "yes," let’s hear about the most recent small-screen-to-big-screen casting choice that left you boogying with joy (or perhaps engaging in some slightly less effusive response).
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I actually had a similar moment with Clark Gregg in Iron Man, not because of his tv work, but because he is a well-respected theatre actor. I suppose it’s a comparable feeling. Yay Clark!
This is easy: watching the Janitor from “Scrubs” (aka Neil Flynn) in Indy 4. I’m a HUGE “Scrubs” fan, but my girlfriend actually spotted him first by his voice (leaving me a little embarrassed). Still, I got WAY to excited over what turned out to be a nothing role in a semi-crummy flick.
I also liked seeing Buddy Garrity from FNL (Brad Leland) in “Hancock” yesterday, though I’m 100% I was the only one in my row who noticed (or cared).
I agree with Ceballos 100%! I gasped aloud in the theater and yelled “Janitor!” I think people thought I’d spilled something…
I love seeing Rachel Bilson from The O.C. in movies. No matter how mediocre the movie (I’m looking at you Jumper and The Last Kiss), she makes it worthwhile for me.
My most recent experience of this nature worth commenting about was while watching “The Savages” for the first time a couple weekends ago. It was nice to see Gbenga Akinnagbe, otherwise known as Chris Partlow from “The Wire,” make a couple appearances.
Spoiler Warning: He doesn’t kill anyone.
Yes, the Janitor from Scrubs in Indy 4 was hilarious because, as Scrubs fans know, J.D. once noticed the Janitor in his brief role in another Harrison Ford movie, “The Fugitive,” and outed the Janitor as a former actor. So to see the Janitor in Indy 4 just made me laugh.
To Ceballos: Janitor (Neil Flynn) was also in another Harrison Ford movie (in a cameo appearance). Actually was a running gag in a Scrubs episode…any ideas?
Long shot, but my mother and I have been obsessed with the actor who plays Aaron (the bodyguard) in 24!! We spoted him in The Fugitive and few other movies. He usually plays a secret agent and he seems to be everywhere!!! It always makes me smile!
Scratch thet not The Fugitive…Air Force One! (I was a little mixed up in my Harisson Ford movie…)
Kate and Binky:
I can’t believe I forgot to mention “The Fugitive” gag from “Scrubs” because it DID occur to me that it wasn’t his first time sharing the screen with Harrison Ford. Maybe they’ll reference it next season on “Scrubs.” A lot of people think the Janitor’s name will turn out to be “Neil Flynn”, so that’d be an excellent way to work it in.
Catherine: Aaron from “24″ (Glenn Morshower) was in “Transformers” towards the beginning and I enjoyed spotting him too (since he’s also done some good work on “Friday Night Lights”).
Going along with the theatre actor post–I had a double-dork moment Thanksgiving weekend when I spotted Norbert Leo Butz in Dan in Real Life, AND Idina Menzel in Enchanted!
I LOVE playing spot the actor!
One more, though it’s considerably less fun:
Did anyone else spot Michael K. Williams (Omar on “The Wire”) in “The Incredible Hulk”? I don’t blame you if you missed him since he’s only in the movie for one shot, and he doesn’t have any dialogue. All he does is looks surprised and scared. I found it pretty depressing that a guy who played one of the more complex characters in recent TV history is reduced to a silent cameo as “Harlem Bystander” (his credit on IMDb). Ok, I’m done for now.
Ok so I’m slightly OBSESSED with Buffy the Vampire Slayer… so I got super excited when I saw Tom Lenk (Andrew) in Transformers. Then, I noticed One Tree Hill’s Colin Fickes (Jimmy Edwards). Two of my favorite shows in one place!
I’m not surprised you thought Clark Gregg held his own in Iron Man…he played a pretty high-up secret service agent on The West Wing for years…Agent Casper, I think.
Also, I have more fun watching older movies and seeing actors before they became famous (or at least before I knew who they were..)
Celina from “Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods” at the beginning of the “Sex and the City” movie
i think neil flynn must be just one of those actors, because i freaked out when i was watching mean girls the other day and realized the janitor from scrubs was lindsey lohan’s dad in the movie.
To Catherine and Ceballos: This is completely random and doesn’t meet the requirements for this Popwatch (sorry Michael) but I just happened to see Glenn Morshower on a repeat episode of “Full House” yesterday…the one where Jesse and Rebecca get married? Glenn Morshower is the country guy driving the tomato truck. I was so excited! I love him!
NBCUniversal is especially adept at placing their TV actors in films. Deep Impact had Ron Eldard, Blair Underwood, Tea Leoni, and Laura Innes.
Just saw The Siege the 90s terror flick featuring Lance Riddick as an FBI agent and Wood Harris as a NY Cop.
Yeah, Mr. Cregg will always be Agent Casper to me, so I had the thought, but for a different show!
Ceballos – I also noticed Buddy Garrity in Hancock and my friend and I both turned to each other and whisper yelled “JANITOR!” in Indy.
John Krasinski pops up in one scene in The Holiday.
Hiro from Heroes has a small part in Get Smart.
I also had the “Janitor!” response when I first saw “Mean Girls” in the theatre and I had to explain to the friend I was with what “Scrubs” was and why I was excited. More recently, I was watching “Get Smart” and got very happy seeing Patrick Warburton at the end of the film. He may have done other movies but I know him primarily from “The Tick” live-action series. Love him!
Ethan from Lost popped up in “World Trade Center” as one of the rescuers. It pretty much ruined the moment for me, as I couldn’t help thinking, “Ethan! NO! GET AWAY from them! Hey! HEY! That’s ETHAN! He’s EVIL!” Luckily for those around me, I kept my distress to myself.
I was excited to see Chris Pratt, who I loved on Everwood, in Wanted. I too, also enjoyed seeing Buddy Garrity (Brad Leland) in Hancock.
I enjoyed seeing Omar Little (that’s Michael K. Williams character on the Wire) run out of the store in The Incredible Hulk.
Slezak, I’m just glad you’re back.
In a hotel room in Denver, before breakfast was a little movie on Showtime called CAFFEINE – Marsha Thomason and Sonya Walger from LOST, and Katherine Heigl from GREY’S – trifecta!!
BJ novak (aka the temp from the office) has one hilarious scene as a gynecologist in knocked up
Marshana from this part season of the Bachelor is in one of the opening crowd scenes of Sex and the City. This also is known as the moment I lost all respect for myself.
I freaked when i saw Neil Flynn in Indy 4. And when John Krasinski turned up in Dreamgirls. then last week when I saw Rose from LOST in The Fugitive.