Sylvester Stallone may have missed out on the Best Supporting Actor Oscar to Mark Rylance, but his turn in Creed has given fresh impetus to a career that had rapidly declined into mediocrity and habitual Razzie nominations. It may seem daft now but Sly’s breakthrough in Rocky in 1976 drew legitimate comparisons with Marlon Brando and suggests that it is perhaps poor choices (and a tendency to do anything for money) that clouds our view of actors, rather than necessarily lack of talent. Here are other actors who have given performances that suggest there may be more depth to them than we originally thought.
Hayden Christensen (Shattered Glass 2003)
Let us make no bones about it – Hayden Christensen’s performance as Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels is insufferable, taking a potentially iconic cinematic creation and turning it into a brattish, whinging pretty boy of unspeakable woodenness. As real-life journalist Stephen Glass, Christensen is, while not outstanding, certainly suggesting that his problems may be at least partly attributed to George Lucas’ notorious lack of direction and wretched dialogue. Although overshadowed by an excellent Peter Saarsgard as Glass’ editor, Christensen certainly holds his own here; endearing and likeable on the surface but with a bubbling sense of weasely smugness underneath.
Sharon Stone (Casino 1995)
As far as Scorsese films go, Casino is not one I am massively fond of – overly cold and too derivative of Scorsese’s vastly superior film, Goodfellas. It does unquestionably possess one outstanding feature: a career best performance from Sharon Stone as Robert De Niro’s trophy wife Ginger McKenna. Best known up until that point for baring her…ahem lady bits in Basic Instinct, Stone’s passionate, multi-layered performance is something to behold. She is simultaneously on perfect crazed, manipulative psycho bitch setting yet equally child-like, needy and in thrall to a scumbag pimp (James Woods). It is just a shame that she has never found a role like this since, with utter shit like Catwoman and Basic Instinct 2 cluttering her CV.
Kate Hudson (Almost Famous 2000)
Talk about making one role your calling card. Kate Hudson’s name is almost synonymous with bad films – from You, Me and Dupree to Bride Wars, it is enough to make one wonder how she had a career in the first place (and yes, leave aside the fact that she’s Goldie Hawn’s daughter). Except there is a reason thanks to her glittering turn in Cameron Crowe’s nostalgic autobiographical film about a touring rock band. As ditzy groupie Penny Lane who is hopelessly in love with the band’s front man, Hudson brings a deep fragility to what could have been a two dimensional role. Her heart-breaking question “Why doesn’t he love me?” sounds corny on paper but Hudson sells it brilliantly.
John Travolta (Pulp Fiction 1994)
For the record, I am not a John Travolta fan. As someone who enjoys a hammy film villain as much as anyone, it is still important to differentiate between good ham and bad ham. Gary Oldman and Alan Rickman – good ham. John Travolta at his absolute worst he can be an insufferable gurning caricature of bad ham (his performance in the notorious scientology flop Battlefield Earth has to be seen to be believed). In Quentin Tarantino’s classic however, Travolta rejuvenated his career which had fallen into the doldrums during the 80s with his role as a heroin addicted hitman. Travolta is hugely entertaining to watch, making us enjoy the company of someone we really wouldn’t want to know in real life.