This should liven things up. Hehehe.
I've noticed that those I'm going to list are people I've seen many times mostly in "black" movies. They've worked, we've seen them, but for some reason they don't get into movies that are mass marketed. I don't know much about Hollywood, but, in honor of the Academy Awards, these are the actors I would like to see in more major motion pictures. In no particular order...
1. Sanaa Lathan - Maybe you caught her in the recently released Something New. I had a civic duty to see it, being in an interracial relationship, and I was wary after watching Guess Who with one eye open and one finger on the stop (and destroy) button on my remote control. I love Bernie Mac, but if you've seen the original with Spencer Tracy and Sidney Poitier, Guess Who is an embarrasing piece of crap. (OK, there were two funny moments. One being when they thought they were being audited when they saw the white guy.) Sanaa was also in Love and Basketball, one I loved that no one saw of course.
2. Jamie Foxx - Now, you're all going to say, "Hey he won an Oscar, it doesn't get more mass market than that!" I beg to differ. Oscars are awarded to the most obscure movies (or the blockbusters you can't ingore, like Titanic and Lord of the Rings) just so the enlightened ones can continue to feel enlightened and proclaim, "Oh my GAWWD. You didn't see blah blah blah?" Yes, he won an Oscar for pretending to be Ray Charles. And he's never stopped. He's incredible, versatile(Collateral) and yet all we see is Ray Freaking Charles. If he goes on Oprah one more time and sings, Georgia on my mind I'm going to throw a brick at the TV. I look forward to seeing him in Miami Vice, although I admit, I'm more looking forward to Colin Farrell, rrrraawwwwwrrrr.
3. Laurence Fishburne - (Matrix) He may play serious better than anything else due to his looks, but still he's amazing. We need to see him outside of the sinister/serious role.
4. Kerry Washington - Just gorgeous. Google her. And then watch her again in Ray. Lovely.
5. Golden Brooks - I love Girlfriends and I've seen her in other movies (Beauty Shop, Something New) and she's really good. She pulls off intelligent, urban, funny perfectly. And she's beautiful. What's not to like?
6. Terrence Howard - Nominated for an Oscar this year for a movie I'm not really interested in seeing, Hustle and Flow, but I CRIED my eyes out at Crash. What an amazing, gripping film. So, so good. And it doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes.
7.Cuba Gooding, Jr. - This is probably his fault for making movies that don't appeal to all of us (Snow Dogs, Boat Trip anyone?), but damn he was good in Jerry MacGuire, Men of Honor and stole scenes in Pearl Harbor. Hell, he was probably the ONLY thing some people liked about that movie. PLEASE someone cast him in a movie we can like, I mean, he's half the show, give us a good story.
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I realize these are black "actors" and not "actresses" but I really like Kimberly Elise in "Close to Home." Not that I watch the show regularly but I do catch it occasionally. She is a MUCH better actress than the I-NEED-to-eat-a-sandwich blonde. I wish they would have given her the title role. Oh well.
My word verification is: POKEN (WHAT?!)
you are right, all of those are excellent actors. but you know.. that's "hollywood". once in a while someone like denzel will break through but it's like they always have to work twice as hard.
How about Ving Rhames (pulp fiction / mission impossible, I think he is an amazing actor.
Also consider Samuel Jackson, although he is in every movie made, I don't think hes considered A-list. And hes great too.
BTW it is great to be back, I have not written much lately but I was glad seeing your comments... you are one of my favorites and I will be back writing more... 3 in 2 days aint too shabby
3 posts in 2 days I meant.... ;-)
Um, Mos Def? Where is Mos Def? That dude is freaking amazing. Check him out with Kevin Bacon in The Woodsman. He's awesome. Being an incredible hip-hop artist doesn't hurt either. If he and Don Cheadle were to team up, it'd be like cinematic dynamite.
J. August Richards, from Angel fame is also quite good, as is Gina Torres (Firefly, Alias, Angel).
Ooh! Ooh! Chiwetel Ejiofor! From Dirty Pretty Things and Serenity! He kicks ass! This is too fun!
Wow, you all brought up some actors I definitely overlooked,
Heather - Kimberly Elise has some big time screen partners like Denzel, and wasn't she in Oprah's disappointment, Beloved? Which reminds me of Lisa Gay Hamilton who I loved on The Practice and Thandie Newton, but she's British I think...she may have done other big movies over there, I don't know.
cityslicker mom - And while I would watch Denzel read the paper, we do need to mix it up with the leading black man role. Then there's Halle. Like her, but she's just the female version of Denzel. Imagine if the only two major white actors were Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks. Yawner.
CaptCrash - I did think about Sam Jackson, but I fault him for not being a bigger star. He's definitely a talented guy, but I heard him say one time that he has to be working 24-7 which shows in his work - he'll do anything. If he was more selective with his roles I think that he would be a bigger star. Does that make sense? Sort of like Cuba, but then I wonder, maybe they just weren't getting offered big roles..that's a whole other issue.
Ving Rhames - good, but haven't seen him in enough roles to really think of him as a great actor. Action, yes.
SJ - You brought some new ones to my attention. I saw Serenity but I don't remember recall that actor's name. And yes, I would say I overlooked Mos Def. I'm always scared to see a rap artist become an actor (50 cent. Vomit.) but Mos has proven to be more than a one-trick-pony. However, I can't get away from the image of him with that stupid towel in that bizarre movie, Hitchhikers guide...
I'm scared to watch the Woodsman. I love the chick from Alias too!
I must put in a plug for Hustle and Flow, which really surprised me with a great story. Obviously not as gritty as real life would be, but still a great performance by Howard.
Wouldn't it be something if Hollywood made movies reflective of the actual face of our nation?
I love Kimberly Elise. She's such a classy gal.
Don Cheadle is great! I agree, he should be added to the list.
Now that you mention it, I do think that Kimberly Elise was in beloved. I don't think it was her acting that made that movie go bad. Perhaps it was Oprah's tendancy to lean towards the depressive? Ah well.
And I TOTALLY AGREE with the Halle thing. I don't even think she's that great of an actress. Hey, Hollywood - Change it up a little!
And I think Tom Hanks sucks too. He is so corny. I can't stand to watch him in the movies.
The Woodsman can be a tough movie to watch, especially if you have kids, but it's a really good film with some very solid performances. Mos is awesome. I didn't see him in "The Hitchhiker's..." so I know not of this towel.
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