Actors/Actresses

[Kana]

I couldn't find a thread on this but I was wondering what people's thoughts were on the actors and actresses on the Whedonverse. This could include their performances on Buffy/Angel and Firefly or the actors performances on other projects.

This is how it was set out in another forum but feel free to simply to discuss the actors and/or use this model, there are no rules lol.

Best Overall Actor/Actress: SMG

It has to be Sarah for me. She is so versatile and is equally comfortable with drama or comedy.

Most Improved Actor/Actress: David Boreanaz

This guy has worked really hard on his craft and it's paid off. He admitted he didn't really know what he was doing in Buffy (it's obvious he was hired to be the pretty boy) but he really improved throughout the show and on Angel. Joss didn't even think he would be able to portray Angelus very well and we all know how wrong Joss was there. I believe it was the speech in passion that gave Joss and David (Greenwalt) the idea that David could hold his own series.

Best Comedic actor: Emma Caufield

Anya never stopped making me laugh. Spike and Andrew get me sometimes but Anya is just great. Emma's timing is nigh on perfect yet her poignant performance in Hell's Bells (and others) proves she can mix comedy and drama quite well. She is very talented.

Best Angel actor Amy Acker

I was going to leave it at that but I have to give Amy a special mention as I have always been lost in her performances and her transition to Illyria? Fantastic!!!!

Other mentions

I have to mention James Marsters as Spike. Overall great performer. A close second/third to SMG in the overall category and second to Emma in the comedic section.

DB and Vinnie Kartheiser (sp) were fantastic in Home.

Best chemistry has to go to Sarah and James.

Stephanie and Christian were great and Lindsay and Lilah.

Worst performances were (for me)

CC in Rm w/a Vu

Graham (can't remember the actors name nor do I care) scary crap.

Clare Kramer. Sometimes it seemed as if she was reading from an autocue it was so bad. Acting shallow isn't an excuse. Reese Witherspoon, Alicia Silverstone etc have played relatively shallow people but put in a good performance. Clare was pretty rubbish in my opinion.

CC in Season 4. This is a question mark one because CC was pretending to be Jasmine, pretending to be Cordy. Something just didn't work, it all felt a bit forced.

[Allan]

Interesting thread, Kana.

For me, it's:

Best Overall Actor/Actress: Eliza Dushku. She brought Faith to life like no other actor/actress did in the series.

Most Improved Actor/Actress: I'll go Nicholas Brendan here. His acting still isn't earth-shattering, but it definitely improved.

Best Comedic actor: Emma Caufield. I agree 100% here. Her comedy's a bit broader, which is why I selected her above Alyson Hannigan.

Best Angel actor: Amy Acker. Agreed 100% again. Nothing more to add.

I'm a little tired right now, so won't go into the rest at the moment, though I would say that Charisma Carpenter really showed what a limited actress she is in Season 4. Once it called for a "different" character, she fell over. Unlike Amy Acker's brilliance.

That also feeds into my decision to rank Eliza above SMG. When the two characters swpped bodies, SMG pulled off a nice riff on Eliza, but Eliza really became SMG. I thought she really showed what an amazing actress she is then.

[Laura]

Best Overall Actor/Actress: Alyson Hannigan

I always found Alyson Hannigan's acting amazing. Whenever she got upset or cried, it made me want to cry. The way she acted just always put me in her shoes.

Most Improved Actor/Actress: David Boreanaz

I agree, Kana. I also think David improved the most. He actually was hired on the street walking his dog, but he turned into an amazing actor- especially as Angelus.

Best Comedic actor: James Marsters

I loved James' comedy. I also loved him as a serious actor, but he always made me laugh. The expressions he had and the way he cracks a joke/wisecrack always gets me .

Best Angel actor Amy Acker

I also agree here. Amy was a great actor as Fred, and as Illyria. She made a hard transition, and yet she still acted greatly.

Other mentions
Christian Kane was great as Lindsey- he pulled off the evil sometimes, good sometimes character.

Emma Caufield also played her role very well- she was third for best comedic actor.

SMG did a great job as Buffy, she was close to overall performance winner.

Charisma, Nicholas, and Michelle were also good actors IMO.

Worst performances were (for me)

I can't think of any major ones, probably some of the side characters.

[Beck]

Best Overall Actor/Actress: Anthony Stewart Head or James Marsters.

Unwaveringly brilliant all the time imo. ASH didn't have as much opportunity to spread his acting wings so to speak, but he's brilliant. Alyson Hannigan comes a close third. SMG has her moments, but she lets me down in too many episodes to win best actor here.

Most Improved Actor/Actress: Nicholas Brendon

Started off fairly badly honestly, then became very good. Special mention also to David Boreanaz who I still dont think is a terrific actor, but improved drastically.

Best Comedic actor: Emma Caufield

Agree with everything said. She's not the funniest character, but she's the best actor at it.

Best Angel actor Alexis Denisof

Portrayed all the changes in Wesley so well.

Worst performances were (for me)

Clare Kramer, hands down Also David Boreanaz for most of Season 1.

[Allan]

Re the Clare Kramer comments, she's probably not a brilliant actress, but her Glory worked for me. Her acting really brought the character out as someone completely over the top.

[Glenn]

Best Overall - Anthony Stewart Head. Never put in a bad performance

Most Improved - DB definately. Was not great when he started but really carried his own show well.

Best Comedic - James Marsters. Had me laughing a lot. Anya i found too irritating to find the actress funny

Best Angel actor - Alexis Denisof. Not may actors could go through such a seasonal transition and play each one perfectly.

Worst Performances - CC pretty much all of the time, most notably in "Room With a View" and Season 4. AH whenever she cried, made me want to a) laugh at her noises b) destroy her to stop the weird noises

Clare Kramer, pure rubbish ;D

[Kana]

OH my God, how stupid am I? I can't believe I forgot Alexis and ASH. I can't single out any of ASH's performances at the mo but I can't remember him ever putting out a bad performance. Also agreed about Alexis' work through the transitions, he made Wes one of my fave characters.

[Bre]

Best overall Actor/Actress - Anthony Stewart Head. I've seen bad acting qualities in everyone else at least once - but never with him.

Most improved Actor/Actress - David Boreanaz. Some of his stuff made me cringe on BtVS, but when he got his own show he definitely stepped up. And I don't think Nick Brendon ever improved.

Best Comedic -Harmony. Ahaha just kidding. I'll see Emma Caulfield too. Her punch lines were brilliant.

Best Angel Actor - Alexis Denisof. His character changed a whole lot and every time he did, Denisof nailed it.

Worst performances - Eliza Dushku never made me believe she wasn't acting. I loved her character, but it wasn't believable. And I've tried so hard to see what everyone else sees in her, but I just can't. But she did improve.

I also liked Clare Kramer as Glory.

[Loz]

Best overall Actor/Actress - James Marsters and Anthony Stewart Head by a mile. Like Joss himself says James can turn on a dime. Perfect example being in Chosen in the basement. And ASH is just a brilliant actor no matter what he is doing.

Most improved Actor/Actress - David Boreanaz. I still don't think he's fabulous but he definitely got better. His Irish accent will always haunt me though I never had a problem with Nick Brendon.

Best Comedic Anya shit me a lot of the time so that rules out Emma Caulfield, even though she has great comedic timing. I've got to go with James.

Best Angel Actor - Alexis Denisof. No contest. The man is a brilliant (and underrated) actor.

Worst performances - Clare Kramer i despise. The girl cannot act at all. She's so bad she makes me shudder. Michelle Trachtenberg sucked a lot early on.

[Nico]

Best overall Actor/Actress - Anthony Head, I think he is an amazing actor, whichever style he was playing, he would draw you completely in, Band candy He performed Brilliantly, and drew you into his character.

Most improved Actor/Actress - Nicholas Brenden, I think he improved a great deal, he was never a bad actor Persay, but his more dramatic scenes, got a hell of alot better with time IMO.

Best Comedic Xander or Anya, Close call between the two, together they were just Marvellous, I think Anya just pips it though.

Best Angel Actor - Alexis Denisof. From the bits and pieces ive seen (Season 1 and season 5) he has made an incredible change, very good acting.

Worst performances -Michelle Trachtenberg, When she first started on the show, was pretty crappy. [/quote]

[Glenn]

I think Nick Brendan was terrible in the first episode but then had a dramatic shift. By "The Pack" he was great and then maintained a high standard throughout.

[Kana]

Ok people can be free to carry on with the format but I'm just going to widen the topic a little. What were people's favourite performances for our favourite stars.

I loved ASH in Passion, his face when he sees Jenny broke my heart.

Amy Acker and Alexis were great in Fred's last scenes. Seeing Wes so helpless to stop what's coming.

[Nico]

I think he struggled threw season 1/2 definetly, but like I said Nicky wasnt a *bad* actor, I just think he relied on Humour way to much.

I agree, ASH in Passion, I also loved DB in Passion, one of his better performances.

There are alot more, I will have to think on it.

[Allan]

Passion brought out the best in both Anthony Stewart Head and David Boreanaz.

As for Angel, Amy Acker really made you feel for Fred when she was dying, but I was really impressed when she gave us Illyria, especially the scenes which had her switch between Illryia and Fred. Awesome stuff.

[shred]

Best Overall Actor/Actress: SMG
No question about it, it has to be SMG. We saw a hint of how brilliant of an actress she is in Prophesy Girl (that "I don't want to die" speech was amazing) and she didn't disappoint.

Unlike Eliza Dushku, SMG was much more believeable as Faith in Who Are You and she was such a joy to watch as Joan and as the Buffybot. And don't forget her incredible performance as pyshco/insane Buffy in Normal Again.

She really should have won an Emmy.

Most Improved Actor/Actress: David Boreanaz, Nicholas Brendon
It's a tie between DB and NB for me. I thought both improved really well throughout the years.

Best Comedic actor: Emma Caufield
This is a tough one for me. It's a toss up between EC and NB but I feel EC pulled it off better than NB.

Best Angel Actor: Alexi Denisof
He was absolutely amazing in Angel, esp from season 3 onwards. He reached his peak in season 4 and 5. I love how he's able to switch from serious, tortured Wesley to geeky, headboy Watcher Wesley so flawlessly (Spin the Bottle anyone?)

Other mentions

Props to Amy Acker for a great performance in Angel, esp in season 5. I was blown away at how she can switch from Illyria to Fred so well (e.g. The Girl in Question). She's also another actress who improved a lot throughout the years.

Worst performance for me has to be Vincent Kartheiser (sp?). I thought he was so bland and uninteresting as Conner. He was much better in season 5 though.

Hmm, I don't get why everyone hated Clare Kramer's performance as Glory. I liked her.

[Allan]

shred said:

Best Overall Actor/Actress: Unlike Eliza Dushku, SMG was much more believeable as Faith in Who Are You

Surely, you jest. I really thought that all SMG brought to that was a caricature of Eliza's performance as Faith, where Eliza's rendition of SMG was faultless.

It's funny how people can have such different opinions on that (as right as I am, ofcourse! ).

[Loz]

nico said:

I think he struggled threw season 1/2 definetly, but like I said Nicky wasnt a *bad* actor, I just think he relied on Humour way to much.

Yeah i doubt that was a personal choice. That would be the writing and directing that dictated that

And i hate Clare Kramer's Glory because it is horrendously bad acting

[Allan]

I really attribute Clare Kramer's performance for deliberately going over the top camp. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with anything else she's done, so can't cite anything she was good in, either.

I think a lot of the issues with Nicholas Brendan were ironed out when the character managed to grow a bit, rather than being that one note "funny guy".

[Nico]

Thats what I mean Allan, I dont mean Nicky Relied on comedy during his acting, I mean his Character relied on comedy (He was the buffyverse funnyguy), it didnt really give Nicky a chance to shine early on, where as on the Later seasons we started to see what Nicky could really do with his character, he was given diversity and situations his character couldnt use humour for.
Therefor he improved.

[shred]

batmite79 said:

shred said:

Best Overall Actor/Actress: Unlike Eliza Dushku, SMG was much more believeable as Faith in Who Are You

Surely, you jest. I really thought that all SMG brought to that was a caricature of Eliza's performance as Faith, where Eliza's rendition of SMG was faultless.

It's funny how people can have such different opinions on that (as right as I am, ofcourse! ).

To each his own.

I felt ED's performance as Buffy was a little weird. Especially the scene where she was trying to convince Giles that she was Buffy. It just bugged me for some reason.

But maybe that's just me.