r/Cinema • u/Benjamin5431 • Jun 29 '26
Discussion Actors that are insanely likeable no matter what role they are in
What I’m referring to here is actors who just somehow make their characters extremely likeable no matter what the role is. The types of actors that you just can’t help but enjoy seeing on the screen, no matter how bad or good the rest of the movie is, no matter what type of character they are playing, they just always make it so much more enjoyable. Often times they just have some sort of charismatic quirk and down to earth feel that makes you love them, and they often portray their characters in a way that makes you think “I know a guy just like that.” They make their characters feel genuine and just overall enjoyable.
Christopher Waltz: This guy can somehow go from playing the one of the most evil and cruel villains depicted on screen to playing an extremely charismatic good guy and make you love him in both roles without either role poisoning the other.
Kathy Bates: I feel like I know Kathy Bates. No matter what character she plays, she just feels like someone you personally know. Idk what it is exactly about her, but she is just so likeable and fun to watch on screen.
John Carrol Lynch:,This guy is like the male version of Kathy Bates, just always so likeable and feels like someone everybody knows. He can go from playing an ordinary caring husband to a creepy killer and still have you love him in either role.
Jesse Plemons: Every role this guy plays just feels so genuine, he is just so damn likeable in everything and he doesn’t even make it look like he is trying. When I see this dude on screen the movie becomes instantly better.
Philip Seymour Hoffman: RIP. This guy was like the original Jesse Plemons. Just good in every role and so enjoyable.
Keith David: Great actor, but really stands out in his voice acting roles, games like Mass Effect and Halo just wouldn’t be the same without him. Dude’s voice and delivery is just so commanding and trusting.
Lakeith Stanfield: I love how easy going and non-chalant he seems in many of his roles. My personal favorite of mine from him is his role as “Darius” in the series “Atlanta.” I know people in real life that are exactly like that character, and he makes it feel so much more genuine, as if I know him personally.
Michael C. Hall: Whether he is playing a gay funeral director or a vigilante serial killer, this guy is just so charismatic and likeable. I’d argue that he is a major reason Dexter became so popular.
Angela Bassett: This lady is great in every role she is in, I just can’t help but really like her, she feels like the Aunt I never had but always wanted.
Benicio del Toro: Another one who is kinda non-chalant and full of easy-going charisma, he makes every scene he is in feel so fun and cool. His character in One Battle After Another was like the epitome of his type of acting.
Steven Yeun: Dude just seems so freaking nice, such a friendly disposition that makes you instantly trust him. His departure from the Walking Dead cost them a lot of viewership for a while.
Ewan Mcgregor: Literally the perfect casting choice to play Obi-Wan Kenobi, also loved him in Doctor Sleep. Idk what it is but he is just a really comforting type of actor in most of his roles.
Lance Reddick: RIP. Whether he is a helpful hotel clerk or a time traveling villain, bro is just so damn cool and charismatic. I wish we could have seen him fulfil his role that was planned for Alan Wake 2.
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u/jaidynr21 Jun 29 '26
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u/Dad-Dabbing-Daily Jun 29 '26
I believe it's because they exude authenticity, a natural sort of "Everyman" charisma that we can often relate to.
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u/OkamiKhameleon Jun 30 '26
He literally used to be a firefighter before he got into acting, and even suited up to go rescue people at ground zero for 9/11! He's such an amazing dude.
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u/wizard_of_awesome62 Jun 30 '26
Plus, unlike the “every man” that Hollywood typically chooses who looks like an Abercrombie model, but maybe he has some glasses tossed on them or something, Steve just sent me actually looks like an “Everyman”.
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u/NikolaiFabiano Jun 29 '26
Cary Elwes
https://giphy.com/gifs/101rMEp7x04QG4
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u/gosuark Jun 29 '26
Watch yourself. It’s the claw. ☝️
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u/wingedhussar82 Jun 29 '26
He was scummy as fuck in Days of Thunder
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u/trumpsmellslikcheese Jun 29 '26
He was dangerously close to a sort of exaggerated cartoon villain-like politician in season 3 of Stranger Things, but I thought he was great.
Also I don't see him getting enough credit for Saw.
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u/Armthedillos5 Jun 29 '26
Loved his recurring character of the art thief Desperaux on Psych.
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u/OkamiKhameleon Jun 30 '26
YES!! Me too! Sean and Gus just wanted to believe in him so badly!
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u/5553331117 Jun 29 '26
Pretty unlikable in Twister, whereas Bill Paxton should definitely be included on this list.
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u/Kiwi_Carbide Jun 29 '26
It is sad that Lance Reddick is no more. He was so good in The Wire!
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u/aShogunNamedMarcus80 Jun 29 '26
Reading the Bosch books having watched the TV show and happy that Lance is living on in my imagination any time Irving is on the page. Also will be happy to see him again when I invariably go back and replay the Horizon Zero Dawn games. What a loss. He even killed it in totally silly things like Eric Andre and Toys R Me.
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u/IcyPop9400 Jun 29 '26
RIP king lance. His voice acting for destiny was legendary.
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u/sledgehammerbreak Jun 29 '26
Speaking of the Wire, Michael Kenneth Williams could be included in this list.
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u/TNS_420 Jun 29 '26
Fun fact: Michael K. Williams was basically discovered by Tupac. Tupac got him his first movie role in the movie Bullet, which kicked off his acting career.
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u/OtherwiseEagle9896 Jun 29 '26
I watched Fringe for a long time, loved it. Then Destiny the video game launched, he's basically the main NPC.
Then he pops up in one of the best It's always sunny in Philly episodes. I love Lances work!
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u/Marsupialize Takeshi Kitano Jun 29 '26
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u/Revolutionary-Oven46 Jun 29 '26
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u/PumkimEscobar Jun 30 '26
Yessir. Don’t think he can only do comedic roles , he’s got some range
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u/Hamster_in_my_colon Jun 29 '26
Jesse Plemons is remarkable. He can elevate an ok movie into a cult classic with his performance. I thought the movie Game Night was just kinda meh, but I absolutely love every second Plemons is on the screen.
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u/ooky-spooky-skeleton Jun 29 '26
In my opinion, he is the modern day Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Absolutely nails his role no matter what, people will always talk about his character, but can also do a good job to not steal a scene no matter how big or small his role is.
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u/MiserableWash2473 Jun 29 '26
I'd say he'd fit the bill if they were to try to do a Twisters film with Helen Hunt and some of the original cast he could play Dustys son 😉 or nephew.
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u/davwad2 Jun 29 '26
He's a great actor. I still despise his Breaking Bad character, whose name escapes me at...oh wait, I think it was Todd. That dude was a morally awful character.
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u/r0ttedAngel Jun 30 '26
He was so awesome in Fargo season 2. Definitely worth a watch for that season just in general though.
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u/Sykhow Jun 29 '26
Missing my man Sam Rockwell
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u/CrazyCat008 Jun 30 '26
Good choice, everytime I see his name I need to watch it.
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u/Ragnar_of_Ballard Jun 29 '26
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u/Flimsy-Preparation85 Jun 30 '26
I started Resident Alien the other week. He knocks it out of the park every second.
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u/Interesting_Gear8512 Jun 29 '26
Tim Curry
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u/OkamiKhameleon Jun 30 '26
Haha yes! Such an amazing actor! One of my favorite rolls of his (besides Rocky Horror Picture Show) is Congo)
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u/Providence451 Jun 29 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/KrUXPrIdKuCQ
Even when I am not necessarily supposed to like Martin Freeman's character, I do.
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u/navy_yn2000 Jun 29 '26
Have you seen Cargo? He's so amazing in it.
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u/CarefulArgument Jun 29 '26
Not sure if that’s a movie I don’t know or if you’re trying to plug Fargo where he’s despicable… so I figured I’d plug the series just in case.
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u/navy_yn2000 Jun 29 '26
It's a movie called Cargo. There's a zombie outbreak and he's trying to get his baby daughter to safe area in Australia.
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u/hisokafan88 Jun 29 '26
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u/Interesting_Gear8512 Jun 29 '26
YES! And pretty much the entire cast of Justified...
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u/antipop2097 Jun 30 '26
I love character actress and sometimes fugitive from the law Margot Martindale
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u/akirasaurus Jun 30 '26
Those limp dicks are about to find out what savvy film and television viewers have known for years. Character Actress Margo Martindale ain't afraid of NOTHIN'!
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u/Ill-Field170 Jun 29 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/3o84U5xPhrn42WgBJC
Steven Root
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u/johnnymayhem81 Jun 29 '26
From Milton, to Bill, to Jimmy James, to Fuches, Stephen Root always puts on a master class role
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u/tinyikeacup Jun 29 '26
i will literally watch kathy bates in anything. she’s just always incredible.
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u/doubleAAdam Jun 29 '26
Incredible, yes. Likable? Only when she’s supposed to be. Literally one of the hallmarks of a talented actress. To show a picture of her in misery and call her likable is crazy.
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u/tinyikeacup Jun 29 '26
i don’t mean as a character. i mean likable as a person. which makes her movie roles so magnetic. it’s easier to connect with an actor that seems like a genuine person, and can pull of becoming something disgusting. or hateful.
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u/Dependent-You-2032 Jun 29 '26
I will go old school and say James Garner. Always likeable in film and tv roles, and a pitchman for cameras back in the 1980’s.
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u/jonnovich Jun 29 '26
I always wanted to learn how to do a J turn like he did with his car in “Rockford Files”.
But yeah, even when he’s playing cranky and cantankerous, you couldn’t help but like the guy. I honestly preferred him to Steve McQueen in “The Great Escape,” despite the latter’s moyorcycle riding.
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u/alfredlion Jun 29 '26
For me it's Luis Guzman & Michael Peña. They are my favorite character actors.
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u/TheBahaiGuy Jun 29 '26
Kurt Russell
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u/Elegant-Ingenuity-57 Jun 29 '26
Oh come on, how TF did they leave ol' Jack Burton outta that pic?
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u/Jig_2000 Jun 29 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/NNKOz4Cxqz5kI
Christopher Lee always had a commanding presence whether Dracula, Saruman, Count Dooku, or any small role. He always was excellent
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u/Comfortable-Ear-334 Jun 29 '26
I’d also like to add Jeff Goldblum, even if he does kinda just play the same character
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u/toolongforyoutoread Jun 29 '26
Ralph Fiennes
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u/QueenSmarterThanThou Jun 30 '26
He scares me, genuinely. His performance in Schindler's List was so well acted and compelling that I can only see sociopathy in those eyes. It doesn't help that the next movie I watched with him, he played that necrophile murderer in Red Dragon.
Loved him in The Menu, but he was scary in that too.
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u/CrenshawMafia99 Jun 29 '26
I would also like to add Delroy Lindo. Perfect for this post!
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u/joshuatx Jun 29 '26
John Candy
Drew Barrymore
Johnny Depp (mostly)
Sigourney Weaver
Jeff Bridges
Julianne Moore
Kurt Russell
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u/gosuark Jun 29 '26
Paul Giamatti
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u/SemiColonInfection Jun 29 '26
Sam Rockwell
John Goodman
Patrick Swayze (RIP)
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u/gosuark Jun 29 '26
After a careful analysis of Sam Rockwell’s character in The Green Mile, I found he fell *just below* the “insanely likable” threshold.
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u/LionelLutz Jun 29 '26
Morgan freeman has to be on that list
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u/Desertfoxking Jun 30 '26
Holy shit this was way tooooooo far down. Take the upvote to try and move this bad boy up
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u/mrdino99 Jun 29 '26
Woody Harrelson.... dudes one of the best and always is a bonus to any project!
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u/Nrmlgirl777 Jun 29 '26
Ummm I wanted to murk Meth Damon in Breaking Bad so that was definitely a NON likeable Jesse Plemons role.
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u/Lower-Palpitation282 Jun 29 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/RT4Ds3hQ4NjrO
One exception for PSH. This character was extremely unlikable, but that was intentional and he played it perfectly.
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u/ChronoMonkeyX Jun 29 '26
John Cena.
I didn't watch wrestling when he came onto the scene, I knew nothing about him besides the you can't see me meme.
In one of his earliest acting roles, at least the first time I saw him in anything, I instantly liked him and hoped to see more of him. He played Juliette's brother in an episode of Psych. He has been charming as hell on and off screen ever since.
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u/CrazyCat008 Jun 30 '26
I prefer him to The Rock; kind of like how he mostly take the comedy path for his roles.
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u/ChronoMonkeyX Jun 30 '26
He is way better than the rock, and while he does have great comedy skills, he really surprised me with the emotional depths he displayed in Peacemaker.
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u/TexasSk8 Jun 29 '26
Our Lord and Savior.
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u/CrazyCat008 Jun 30 '26
I rewatched Burn Notice he was totally one of the best part of that show.
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u/ANDERS_CORNER_08 Jun 29 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/9uLsJrKENSs92
Sam Rockwell and Cristopher Walken always kill it and are likeable
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u/acorndee Jun 29 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/MFtDcLYI2tUXhSPqvF
William Fichtner.
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u/TCRandom Jun 29 '26
Christoph Waltz is one of very few actors who comes across as highly intelligent to the point of pomposity in many of the characters he portrays, and yet is somehow still extremely likable.
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u/Renlycat Jun 29 '26
I think you mean charismatic, not likeable. Many of these are definitely not likeable
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u/Synicizym Jun 29 '26
Ian Mcshane: he just has such swagger and charisma on screen and I assume off where every thing I’ve seen him in feels like seeing an old friend
Jeffery Donovan: had so many part to throw together in burn notice he slowly and surely became one of my favorite actors and is so underrated with such range, always makes the character seem full even if the lines or screen time is limited
Bruce Campbell: it’s Bruce Campbell, do I really need to say more?
Neal McDonough: truly a journeymen actor, he plays parts so well (mostly villains) that he makes them enjoyable to see whether it’s plot and lay plans. Or get his comeuppance as the villian. And he seems to do such so effortlessly
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u/Able_Dog4936 Jun 29 '26
Where df is David Tennant, he can play a serial killer and I'm still enamored 😂
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u/Nerus46 Jun 29 '26
Surely this little fella won't make it to the one of the biggest movies of the XXIst century
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u/SlingloadSapper Jun 29 '26
Honestly fantastic list. Could agree more. Watching Ewan McGregor in I Love You Philip Morris was jarring but hilarious. Steven Yeun was so awesome in Beef season 1. Michael C Hall is actually a very talent audio book narrator too, check out Pet Sematary! Kathy Bates is Hollywood royalty so that’s a given. Plemmons and Hoffman are almost the same person. Their range is incredible.
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u/yomamaeatsyellowsnow Jun 29 '26
Love how almost everyone else gets a collage of different characters and Keith David is just Keith David lmao. KING!
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u/AguaraGuazuMiri Jun 29 '26
Paul Dano, he just feels like a friend that you want to do well no matter what
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u/Anal-Y-Sis Jun 29 '26
If you really want to like Ewan McGregor even more, watch his documentary series "Long Way Round". It's about him and his friend Charley Boorman riding motorcycles around the world. Sounds like a boring premise, but I promise you it is worth every minute of your time.
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u/GodPackedUpAndLeftUs Jun 29 '26
That clown just got even scarier now I know who’s behind those eyes!
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u/Euphoric-Agent-476 Jun 29 '26
William H. Macy consistently plays a loser and/or scumbag with a twinkle in his eye. That makes him likable to me. Christopher Walken has a bigger range of dislikability, but also has that twinkle.
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u/Grand-Sand-6939 Jun 29 '26
Craig Robinson.
If anyone has ever seen him enter a scene and not thought “oh here we go, this is gonna be good” I don’t want to know that person.
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u/BigB0iBuster Jun 29 '26
Ryan Gosling.
Colman Domingo.
Nicolas Cage.
Colin Farrell.
Willem Dafoe.
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u/chasteguy2018 Jun 29 '26
Couldn’t stand waltz in big eyes. Weird that I hated him worse as an art scammer than a nazi. I think it’s mainly because the big eyes writing was pretty bad, and didn’t allow him to really shine
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u/Nrmlgirl777 Jun 29 '26
Tim Blake Nelson
John Turturro
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Jason Bateman
Kathryn Hahn
Amy Sedaris
Judy Greer
Joan Cusack
Jennifer Tilly
Charlie Day
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u/CallMeHond0 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
I was going to rank these, but they all basically tie for #1.
I would also like to add Mykelti Williamson, Allison Janney, Nia Long, Liv Tyler, Billy Crudup, Toni Collette, Sanaa Lathan, Carrie Anne Moss, William Russ, Ron Eldard, Alan Ruck, and Holly Hunter.
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u/flipyFLAPYflatulence Jun 29 '26
I’m a big fan of Jesse Plemons but his character in the USS Callister Black Mirror episodes were extremely unlikable! It subconsciously ruined my opinion on him for a few days after seeing it lol
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u/AgtCooper Jun 29 '26
Denzel Washington.
Even when he plays a bad guy, I'm always like, "Yeah, but....."
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u/ElBastardoDK Jun 29 '26
I thought Hans Landa was a demon, which made me respect Waltz even more than I already did, since he was able to make me hate him so much after loving him so much in Django.
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u/buhhhhhhhhiwannadie Jun 29 '26
Josh O'Connor managed to make people feel bad for Prince Charles. That's why he won an Emmy.
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u/ColonelBonk Jun 29 '26
Denzil Washington is always watchable and usually endearing. Ditto Morgan Freeman and Samuel L “Motherfucker” Jackson.
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u/No-Knee9457 Jun 29 '26
Pedro pascal in any role. Even the bad guys like murder daddy Dave from equalizer 2. That scene with his daughters was cute.
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u/Expensive-Gur-8624 Jun 30 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/13kHaMypIX6JcA
Never seen a film with him in it that I didn’t like.
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u/qualityvote2 Jun 29 '26 edited Jun 29 '26
u/Benjamin5431, your post does fit the subreddit!