Does your taste in actors affect your taste in films?

[Tracy Rimmer]

Honestly, I don't think this is so weird, but my DH thinks I'm nuts.

If I don't like an actor, I instinctively know I will not like the films they're in. This is true for me, despite repeated testing, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.

DH can suspend his dislike of an actor, and watch the film. I can't do it. For instance, I cannot stand Edward James Olmos. I can't. The man gives me the creeps -- and I cannot get past the fact that it's him, and get to the role he's playing. Because of this, I cannot watch the new Battlestar Gallactica. I can't. It annoys me.

I can't watch anything with Tom Cruise in it. I can't get past the fact that it's Tom Cruise -- and he's annoying enough to put me off anything he might be in, no matter how many "stars" the critics give it.

So, am I alone in this? DH and I love to watch movies together, but we cannot often agree on one because he often wants to watch something with an actor in it that I absolutely cannot sit and watch. Granted, I don't have much patience for sitting, anyhow, but I do like movies, and if this is some strange thing about me, I'd sure like to get over it.

I do suspect that I'm not alone, though. Do your feelings about the actors in a film affect your ability to enjoy the film for what it is?

[RichieC]

I'm more like your husband, with one exception.

Julia Roberts. The woman ruins any movie she is in.

What makes it worse is that there seems to be a giant conspiracy to force everyone to pretend that she is a beautiful woman. She isn't. She was modestly cute when she was younger, but she has lost her looks.

[Janis Sauncy]

Tracy:

I am absolutely with you 100 percent on Tom Cruise. Other than "Risky Business" and "Top Gun" (when he was still cute and dancing in his underwear), I can not stomach watching him in anything. It seems like after those two movies, his ego just overwhelmed whatever I thought was appealing about him.

I'm sure there are other actors that will come to mind; Tom Cruise was just the first and most obvious one that came to mind.

On the other hand, I have been a big James Garner fan since I was a kid (Brett Maverick...what a hunk!) and I will watch anything he is in, including sitcoms (if they happen to be on the one t.v. channel I get). Anything. I think he's still a hunk, just an older one.

Janis

[Cabin Fever]

I cannot, will not, watch anything with Jane (Hanoi) Fonda or Barbara Streisand in it.

[Janis Sauncy]

I'm not a big Barbra Streisand fan but "Cat Ballou" (with Jane Fonda) is a really cute, entertaining movie.

Janis

[Oggie]

I have never eaten an actor or a film.

[Murron]

Tracy - Yep! Right there with ya! I run from the room if there's anything with (Ugh) Ed Norton in it, or Kevin Costner for that matter.

But I will drool fanatically over anything that Anthony Hopkins is in. (And yeah, it was difficult to sit through Red Dragon!) And of course I'll watch any movie with Ralph Fiennes... {swoon}

[RichieC]

Originally Posted by Oggie

I have never eaten an actor or a film.

Cripes, man, live a little.

[Murron]

Originally Posted by Tracy Rimmer

For instance, I cannot stand Edward James Olmos. I can't. The man gives me the creeps -- and I cannot get past the fact that it's him, and get to the role he's playing. Because of this, I cannot watch the new Battlestar Gallactica. I can't. It annoys me.

Tracy - You'll love this... Or maybe not.... I fell in love with him (when I was ten!!!) after seeing Blade Runner. And then watched every single episode of Miami Vice (loved his skinny ties)... I was an odd kid.

[midwsthomestead]

Oh you're far from alone in that, I think, Tracy. I know I'm one of those that's the same way--I just can't be bothered to even try a movie with an actor that makes me ug lol.

~~

[suzyhomemaker09]

Nope..you are not at all like me in that matter...Edward James Olmos .loved him in Blade Runner..Miami Vice and BSG...
Tom Cruise...meh..I don't see him as a big heartthrob like so many do but his work In Jerry McGuire was top notch...
I am completely willing to see any movie if the interest is there in the film itself regardless of the actor.

[Sherpadoo]

As soon as I read your question my first thought was Tom Cruise! I don't even try to sit through one of his movies! Ugh!

[Ardie/WI]

The only entertainer I cannot tolerate in movies is Tom Cruise. Heck, I don't like to see his pics on magazine covers. He creeps me out.

[ZMTmom]

I think it's more of a woman thing(unless it's really political like boycotting Hanoi Jane)....but I'll get on the "Tom Cruise gives me the creeps and his wife looks like a zombie" line. Top Gun and Risky Business..and then that Scientology stuff kicked in.
Susan Sarandon can pi$$ me off like nobody's business when she's talking politics, but her acting skill blows me away, so I can overlook it.
What I will do though, in reverse...is watch absolute drek because someone I like is in it

[LisaInN.Idaho]

Originally Posted by RichieC

I'm more like your husband, with one exception.

Julia Roberts. The woman ruins any movie she is in.

What makes it worse is that there seems to be a giant conspiracy to force everyone to pretend that she is a beautiful woman. She isn't. She was modestly cute when she was younger, but she has lost her looks.

I agree, and it seems that in every movie she is in, they find a way to work in her "trademark" startled laugh. And now Sarah Jessica Parker is going down the same path. Someone must have told her that she has a cute scream because she does her little yelp in practically everything she's in now.

[michiganfarmer]

I dont think so. I dont like tom cruise, or brad pitt, but I realy liked rainman, and legend of the falls.

[Kris in MI]

I don't do shoot-em-ups, horror movies or anything with Bruce Willis! Don't know why, but I just don't like him!

[oldgaredneck]

Cannot stand Hanoi Jane either!
On the male side, I will NOT watch anything with Will Ferrell, one of the most irritating so-called actors!

[Betho]

OH YES at least I'm not the only one who does this!

Sandra Bullock
Julia Roberts (Lisa that's so funny you pointed that out about her laugh... it drives me up the wall!)
Hugh Grant

And a few others but those are the main ones. OH and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

I guess if you think about it, the thing I can't stand the most about the above is that they seem to play the same role over and over and over again. That's something I really really can't stand. Makes it not worthwhile to watch the movie.

We're also not Tom Cruise fans although he at least has a bit of variety. But generally we will avoid his movies also. I'm glad my husband and I mostly agree on actors/actresses

[reese]

I don't intentionally go out and find movies that have actors I'm not fond of, but I've been known to watch occasionally flicks that do. I have to work harder to appreciate it, because of who might be in it though. I love Bridget Jones flicks, but can NOT stand Hugh Grant, for example. I generally avoid most of what he does, so it has to be pretty darn good for me to like it if he's in it. Another actor I avoid is Nick Cage, but he is in a couple of really good movies that I like. I tollerate them in order to enjoy the movie.

My dh, well, there are some he absolutely refuses to watch, buy, whatever, but for him it's all political. I don't watch most of his political banned actors due to not liking either the rolls they play or I don't like how they "act" out their characters or whatever, like Babs, (gaw I can't stand her voice, nor her acting), Jane, Susan, Janean (spelling) and a few others.

On the flip side, I have a handful of favorites that I love practically everything they do, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Harrison Ford, Doris Day, and James Stewart to name a few.