In Your Opinion Which Actors Are True Chameleons?

John Heard

 

All great actors are chameleons,as in they are convincing in any role they play going from sane to nuts and pulling it off,someone mentioned[John Wayne]now I love the Duke,but take away his cowboy hat or army helmet and both he and the picture are lost.

 

My Left Foot shows he is chameleon.

 

I just found this thread and I had the same actor in the same role as you. Uncanny. Absolutely agree with you. Lewis' portrayal of Christy Brown is as great a performance as any in the annals of cinema.

 

I couldn’t agree with you more.

 

Slight aside: "My Left Foot" came with one of the most groan-worthy lines in the annals of cinema!

Mrs. Brown: "Go ahead, Christy. Make your mark."

When I heard that line, my eyes rolled up so high it took five years for them to return to their normal position!

 

John Hurt as Merrick was devastating as well. He played the character as such a caring, thoughtful man overcoming his affliction you couldn’t help but become emotionally moved by him.

 

It was the first film Vickie and I saw together, and we were both moved to tears. She says it was how she knew we were meant for each other.

 

Vincent D'Onofrio

 

Edward Norton

 

The Great Santini -- Tender Mercies (Robert Duvall)

 

Say what you want about the guy, but Johnny Depp fits the bill perfectly. I would also put Helena Bonham Carter in the same category. If there were only someone who could put these two in the same movie...

 

The “same movie” thing is a great idea as these two are real winners.

 

Although working mainly in TV, Tracey Ullman is amazing at not only taking on the characters she plays, but at looking utterly different in the process. To me, she should have had some major film roles.

Lon Chaney, Sr. was the grand-daddy of the "multiple personality" game

 

I think one of the greatest VOCAL chameleons was Mel Blanc.

 

Andy Serkis

 

Does being or having been familiar with the real life subjects of movies (whether on a personal level or not) affect your ability to accept the actor’s portrayal ? Under those circumstances can the performance ever be enough to draw you in ?

 

the guy who played Borat

 

Good call - Sacha Baron Cohen shows real range!

 

Spencer Tracy
Cary Grant
Peter O'Toole
Louis Calhern
Walter Matthau
Jack Lemmon
David Strathairn
Jean Arthur

 

The only one I can think of that hasn’t been named yet is Jared Leto.

 

Klaus Kinski
Willem Dafoe
Mickey Rourke
Bryan Cranston

 

Of the ones mentioned above (living), Oldman and Daniel Day Lewis are the standouts. Ed Norton is good too.

Once upon a time, John C. Reilly and Mark Ruffalo had range and talent but we don't see much of that from them anymore. I also miss pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr even though he always played some version of himself.

 

Daniel Day Lewis
Michael Stuhlbarg
Woody Harrelson
Christian Bale