Above and beyond Awards

[paula]

We have all seen the 'Miscast Movies' thread here, where actors/actresses were in roles they were unsuited for.

Because I am up at all hours with baby Sera, I thought 'What if we name roles that actors and actresses NAILED and performed beyond what we expected?"

Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight (sad that he would have been the next 'big name' for that role, say what you want if you are purist...his performance was outstanding)

[Trevor]

We have all seen the 'Miscast Movies' thread here, where actors/actresses were in roles they were unsuited for.

Because I am up at all hours with baby Sera, I thought 'What if we name roles that actors and actresses NAILED and performed beyond what we expected?"

Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight (sad that he would have been the next 'big name' for that role, say what you want if you are purist...his performance was outstanding)

I agree about Heath Ledger as the Joker, Paula.

My vote ~ although I am a Trekkie / Trekker from wayyyy back, would go to most of the cast of JJ Abrams' Star Trek, with special mention going to Chris Pine, Karl Urban and Simon Pegg. Not Zachary Quinto though.

[paula]

We have all seen the 'Miscast Movies' thread here, where actors/actresses were in roles they were unsuited for.

Because I am up at all hours with baby Sera, I thought 'What if we name roles that actors and actresses NAILED and performed beyond what we expected?"

Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight (sad that he would have been the next 'big name' for that role, say what you want if you are purist...his performance was outstanding)

I agree about Heath Ledger as the Joker, Paula.

My vote ~ although I am a Trekkie / Trekker from wayyyy back, would go to most of the cast of JJ Abrams' Star Trek, with special mention going to Chris Pine, Karl Urban and Simon Pegg. Not Zachary Quinto though.

fair enough, I liked Quinto a little more than you.  I actually thought Pine gave the 'worst' performance out of the group.  Karl Urban takes the gold though...great.  I hope he has more screen time in subsequent movies.

[Mr. DS]

Harry Potter series has a lot of great casting.  Rickman as Snape was simply the perfect choice.  His standard delivery and tone of his voice was made for that role. 

[Leah]

Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in The Shawsank Redemption
Tor Johnson in Plan 9 (I'm Serious  )
Michael Keaton as Batman

[lester1/2jr]

Sharon Stone in Casino

[Mr. DS]

Ian Mcdermid in Return Of The Jedi as the Emperor.  Just awesome.

Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Empire Strikes Back.  He just hit his stride in the role plus delivered the pimp ass lne "I know" to Leia's declaration of love.  He kind of pussed out by ROTJ and was too amateurish in A New Hope. 

Ewan McGregor as Obi Wan in the prequels...one of the few shining lights. 

[retrorussell]

McGregor was terrific in Episode III.
Vincent D'Onofrio was unbelievable in Men In Black as the possessed farmer.  He cracked me up with his hyper, twitchy delivery.  I didn't much care for the movie otherwise.

[Mr. DS]

McGregor was terrific in Episode III.
Vincent D'Onofrio was unbelievable in Men In Black as the possessed farmer.  He cracked me up with his hyper, twitchy delivery.  I didn't much care for the movie otherwise.

I actually love Tommy Lee Jones in the MIB movies.  His "oh well" attitude toward the earth being destroyed is what made those films work for me.

[The Burgomaster]

Lee J. Cobb in THE EXORCIST.  One of my favorite supporting performances ever.

[indianasmith]

Sir Anthony Hopkins in AMISTAD.  He brought John Quincy Adams back to life.

[the ghoul]

Another one for Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lechter.

[InformationGeek]

Cloris Leachman and Mark Hamill in Castle in the Sky.  Voice acting, yes, but sure made the movie even more fun to watch.

[The Burgomaster]

* Robert Shaw in JAWS
* Oliver Reed in OLIVER!
* Robert Mitchum in CAPE FEAR

[indianasmith]

And of course, Ian McKellen as Gandalf in the LOTR trilogy.  I really had always imagined Sean Connery in that role, but Sir Ian knocked it out of the park.