Talented "Pretty Boy" Actors (non-tourny) (1 Viewer)

[JessV]

I was flipping through a book on acting that had an interesting chapter on how actor's looks effect their careers. It mentioned that the very beautiful actors and actresses sometimes have a hard time being taken seriously, and that got me to thinking about which actors (maybe it's just me but they seem to get it worse than actresses) have been considered "pretty boys", but have also been very talented.

I think in the past Paul Newman and Robert Redford were considered "pretty boys". Today, maybe Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio have especially been focused on. Who else?

 

[Matt Stone]

I hear people consider Brad Pitt a pretty boy...and I think he's a pretty good actor....and he actually rarely takes "pretty boy" roles. I mean...he's Tyler Durden for God's Sake!

 

[JasenP]

Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp immediately come to mind when I think of pretty boys who can act.

 

[Marc Colella]

Ewen McGregor is now considered a "hunk" and he's definetely quite talented.

 

[Dean DeMass]

Ewan, Pitt, and Depp are all quality actors. Depp and Ewan get the respect, but I don't think Brad Pitt gets enough respect. I rarely see a film or a role of Pitt's that I have disliked.

-Dean-

 

[chris c]

Yes, Brad Pitt. I disliked him immensely until I saw Fight Club. Then I thought he was ok. Then I saw Snatch. Yes, I must admit the guy is good, and this despite my instinctive dislike for pretty boys.

 

[Rex Bachmann]

chris c wrote:

Yes, I must admit the guy is good, and this despite my instinctive dislike for pretty boys.

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."???

 

[MickeS]

What did the book say about ugly actors and actresses? Considering how few of them there are, I imagine their careers must be much worse off.

As for pretty boys/girls that can act, the boys have pretty much been mentioned already.

The girls: Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry would fit that, I think.

/Mike

 

[chris c]

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."???

somehow, Rex, I don't think that will be a problem.

 

[Eric Walsh]

Post edited......I was mentioning Leo but the originator of the post mentioned him already.....somehow I missed it. My mind is gone today.

But I do Def. think people discredit actors because of their good looks. I do not know how many times I have heard people say "I hate Tom Cruise/Brad Pitt/Leo with no real good reason for saying so. I just assume it is because they are "pretty boys"

-Eric

 

[Jim_C]

Pitt deserves much more credit for his work. I saw him in Legends of the Fall and I thought, yeah, pretty-boy. Then I saw 12 Monkeys and I've been a fan ever since. Fight Club was amazing.

Ewan is definitely one of these talented pretty boys. Depp didn't come to mind immediately but I have to agree with those upthread.

 

[Jeff Pounds]

I've always respected Brad Pitt for not doing a slew of cheezy romantic comedies or other "sell out" roles...
Sure he's done things like The Mexican....but other flims, such as Seven, Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, etc., more than make up for it.
Another "pretty boy" that impresses me is Matt Damon. In addition to Good Will Hunting, I found him very impressive in The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Rainmaker and espically Courage Under Fire.

 

[Terrell]

Is this a discussion about already established stars, or up and coming pretty boy actors?

 

[Terrell]

Here's an article that's very relevan to this discussion.
http://www.premiere.com/Premiere/Spe...ristensen.html

 

[Vickie_M]

Anyone who was surprised by Brad Pitt's acting ability in Fight Club obviously missed his incredible performance as a psycho killer in Kalifornia. Aside from his very small but impressive role in Thelma and Louise, it was the first thing I saw him in, so I've ALWAYS seen him as a serious and talented actor first, and a pretty boy second. Actually, he was so ugly and grungy in Kalifornia that I was surprised when I heard people talking about him as a sex symbol!
I hate hate hate HATE hearing idiots mention Leonardo Di Caprio is such a way that you know they're saying "insignificant Titanic talentless airhead pretty boy," which, although it only shows their own ignorance about his career and the craft of acting, is just freaking disrespectful.
I haven't seen Hayden Christensen in anything except the previews for AOTC, where he comes off looking like a really bad actor, but hopefully it's just bad editing, because I know people do respect his acting in other things. He wouldn't have been nominated for a SAG award if he were just a pretty boy. I'll find out in about a month. (Hmm, I just looked in IMDB to double-check myself, and see that he was in The Virgin Suicides, which I saw in the theater (great film!) but I don't remember him at all. It was Josh Hartnett, another pretty boy who's slowly proving himself, who stole the show in that.)
Ryan Phillippe's a pretty boy, but I've only seen him in Cruel Intentions (which I hated) and Gosford Park, which I loved. He gets points just for being married to Reese Witherspoon, but I have yet to be impressed by his acting.
Though he's not considered a "pretty boy" as such, I find myself defending Keanu Reeves' acting on a fairly regular basis. Some people will never be swayed, and I'm not that big a fan to spend too much time on it, but it still bugs me. I fully admit he's not on the level of Brad and Leo, but those who sneeringly chide him as if they're being oh-so-clever-and-original should see The Gift. He's truly frightening and hold his own next to Cate Blanchett.

 

[Elizabeth S]

Definitely Ewan McGregor.

I also don't think Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is taken seriously because he's extremely pretty, and I mean that as a compliment.

Though not a "boy", Viggo Mortensen.

 

[Terrell]

Vickie, Dan saw Hayden in a play in which he was getting raves reviews. Dan said he was very, very good. And I've heard many say he was fantastic in Life As A House.

 

[Calvin_Su]

As for women:

Jennifer Connelly, but now that shes being taken seriously she doesn't look so pretty anymore.

 

[JessV]

Is this a discussion about already established stars, or up and coming pretty boy actors?

Both.

 

[Duane Robinson]

Just a few of the top of my head:

Russell Crowe

Brad Pitt

Tom Cruise

EWan McGregor

Jared Leto

Ray Liotta

Denzel Washington

Ethan Hawke

Guy Pierce

Will Smith

Matt Damon

Mel Gibson

Billy Baldwin

Gabriel Byrne

Benicio Del Toro

Mark Wahlberg

Hugh Jackman