Recently, Devika Fernando tagged me in a game where each person had to name five of their favourite actors, three of each actor’s works and then tag their friends to play along. I joined forces with Elena, we put our thinking caps on and we came up with a list of ten actors we love and movies or series they starred in. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Alina
- I find Colin Firth as being an aristocratic and mysterious person in some of his roles, take for instance Mr Darcy in the Pride and Prejudice series. However, in The King’s Speech we see another side of his talent and even a glimpse of vulnerability, while as Roman General Aurelius in The last Legion, he shows strength and determination to protect the young Emperor.
- Audrey Hepburn is one of the icons of her time, she was classy and the embodiment of innocence, in my opinion. Just remember her roles in Roman Holiday and Sabrina, while in My Fair Lady she played the role of Eliza Doolittle, the girl who spoke with a cockney accent and sold flowers for a living, but later on became a well-mannered young lady.
- I grew up with Rowan Atkinson’s Mr Bean and I guess that I said it all. If this guy doesn’t make you laugh or brightens your day, I don’t know who will. The films I picked are Mr Bean’s Holiday, Johnny English and the Blackadder series
- Hugh Laurie is usually sarcastic in his roles and he makes fun of everyone especially ignorant people in the House MD series and I pretty much think he is the same in real life. I can’t say much about the other two series, but I’m going to mention them anyway, because I liked the episodes I found on TV: The Night Manager and Blackadder II.
- I think that Keira Knightley is suited to bring to life strong female protagonists or characters such as her epic role in Anna Karenina, which I think it surpassed her performance as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. I also watched Love Actually, but I can’t remember much right now. However, I like Keira both as an actress and as a person.
Elena
This is the first film tag we’re doing on eLitere and I’m glad that we finally have something like this here. The more I thought about my list, the more difficult it became to choose, so I decided to go with the first names and titles which came to my mind. I can’t claim that these are the best works of the actors I mentioned, but I enjoyed them and I recommend watching them.
- Alan Rickman: Sweeney Todd, Robin Hood, Harry Potter series. I love this man and I still can’t believe he’s no longer alive. Watch his films. You might not like his characters, but it’s impossible not to admire his talent and the way he slips into stories.
- Julie Andrews: Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, The Princess Diaries. It’s Julie Andrews, come on! Who doesn’t love her? The voice, the talent… her elegance and beauty. Perfect!
- Tom Hiddleston: Crimson Peak, Thor – The Dark World, The Deep Blue Sea. I found Tom Hiddleston through his fandom and first saw him as Loki. I did not expect to be so drawn not only to his work, but also to his fans. I regret nothing!
- Tilda Swinton: Constantine, Only Lovers Left Alive, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. She fascinates me. And I might have developed a crush on her when I watched Constantine. I don’t know what she does with her characters, sometimes I forget that it’s the same woman playing them. I love it!
- Morgan Freeman: The Bucket List, The Shawshank Redemption, Bruce Almighty. The voice (are there any books read by him?), the acting… how could I not pick his name for this list? In fact, I feel like watching one of his films soon.
Have fun with the tag!
by Alina Andreea Cătărău & Elena Atudosiei
I’m so glad you two played along. I love your choices. And now I realize I should have included Keira Knightly too. I can’t say I like her, but I have a huge respect for her acting abilities and love the roles she’s played.
The list would be too long if we tried to include every actor we admire. But it was fun to gather these titles, especially since I want to watch some of the films again.
Thank you for the tag, Devika, we’re happy that you tagged me and that through this tag you gave us the idea for a new film-related article. I wish you all the best!
Okay, this was a hard one, but I managed to pick only five actors that were sitting at the top of my head. Here goes.
1. Daniel Radcliffe – because I liked him in “Harry Potter” and every role he’s chosen after that. I adore the roles that he chooses and the movies he keeps associating his name with: “The Woman in Black”, “Horns”, “Kill your Darlings”, “A Young Doctor’s Notebook”, “Victor Frankenstein”, even the slightly cheesy comedy “What If” – I enjoyed them all and can’t wait to see him in “Now You See Me 2” and the weird comedy “Swiss Army Man”. Needless to say, I’ve become a true fan of his work without even trying too hard.
2. Rowan Atkinson – well, when I was little, it was because of “Mr. Bean”. As I grew older I discovered “Blackadder” and that character became sort of like a role model for me. Also, his stage work is staggeringly good. His early roles in “Not the Nine O’clock News” show just how talented he was from the beginning of his career and his most recent work, as chief inspector Maigret prove that he can pull off even a dramatic role in a classy way.
3. Jim Carrey – the most favourite role for me will always be “The Mask”. That character defined my whole childhood. But I can’t deny his comedic genius in works such as “Liar Liar”, which will always be one of my favourite comedies. But there are others to mention, such as “Yes Man”, “Bruce Almighty” or “Mr. Popper’s Penguins”. Can’t deny his talent to be evil in movies such as “The Cable Guy” or “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, or the creepy thriller “The Number 23”. I don’t really enjoy all of his works (“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” comes to mind) but I do tend to think twice about a movie that he stars in, because it usually might be good thanks to him.
4. Alan Rickman – I guess I began to gain interest in him after “Harry Potter”, but seeing him in “Sweeney Todd” was a sweet treat and I only watched the scenes were he acted in “Robin Hood”. I even watched “Love Actually” for his sake (and Rowan Atkinson, and the fact that Ben Elton wrote the script)but I must confess I always found it delightful to see him in a role. “Rasputin” for instance was amazing because of him, “Closet Land” is so much like a stage play and he manages to create a sense of claustrophobia and dread, in “CBGB” he was awesome and in “A Little Chaos” he played the majestic king Louis XIV so well, actually managing to make him look human.
5. Benedict Cumberbatch – ever since “Sherlock” came out, I sort of began watching this actor’s career very closely. I confess I only watched “The Hobbit” and “Star Trek: Into Darkness” because he was in it. Somehow, his name manages to attract me into watching the movies he stars in, such as “Parade’s End”, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, “The Fifth Estate”, “The Imitation Game” or “Penguins of Madagascar”. Admittedly, I did not enjoy all of these movies but I always found his performance electrifying. I even came across him in “Zoolander 2” and he managed to steal the attention from the two protagonists. Needless to say, I’m looking forward in seeing him as Dr. Strange and in the new season of “The Hollow Crown”.
This was fun. It’s lovely to talk about things that stir up one’s passion every once in awhile. Life can get a bit sad without something that makes us get all excited and happy to blow away the monotony, and you’ve managed to do that for me today. So, thank you. 🙂
Thank you so much for answering, love! It seems that my “to watch” list grows along with the “to be read” list. :*
Thank you very much, Mihaela, for your comment and I’m happy that this article has brightened your day and has chased away the monotony for a while. I wish you all the best!