Who made your Top 3?

Lately, I’ve been on a classic rock jag. I listen a radio station that fills my need for earthy 70s rock and other staples. I’ve really been feeling Bad Company and Foreigner. With that said, a local deejay is compiling a list of the most over-hyped rock bands/singers or the most underrated. I immediately thought of Pink Floyd and Judas Priest as overrated and Journey and Heart as underrated. I was intrigued by the idea.

Then it came to me. Why not apply this to actors? You already know my theory about movie stars vs. actors and the invention of the funky hybrid. This is an important question. The Hollywood star-making machine is a strong adversary. It can make movie stars out of anyone. People are stripped of their real names, dyed to perfection, molded into a matinee idol and plucked into an important film with major film stars.

Here are my picks for overrated actors:

Jennifer Anniston

No surprises here. I just don’t get he appeal. She’s not especially gifted as an actor or transcendent in her beauty. I don’t understand why she continues to get film work. She was bearable on the little screen but is dwarfed in motion pictures.

Tom Cruise

You know he is the bee in my bonnet. He plays the same character in every movie. The cocky guy who goes through something traumatic and is humbled and changed by the experience. With the exception of Magnolia, he is hyped beyond belief.

Lindsey Lohan

Does this girl even act anymore? I liked Mean Girls and thought her performance showed great promise but her private life has overshadowed her acting career, which is a waste. Young girls need someone to look up to. Who in the young guard is going to inspire teenage girls?


These actors are totally underrated:

Hugh Laurie

He is so unbelievably good in House. He’s crafted a complex character that could have easily been unlikable but you love him. He’s the Archie Bunker for the new millennium. While considered a drama, House plays like a comedy. He flirts with comedy and drama while outlining an original character.

Rachel McAdams

This starlet is definitely on the rise. She has that likable quality that makes her feel like your best friend. Kinda like a young Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts. The chemistry with her male co-stars in undeniable. Her beau Ryan Gosling is another underrated soul though his Oscar nom gives him more cred.

Maggie Gyllenhaal

She’s a cult favorite but has yet to really make it into mainstream movies and maybe that’s a blessing. Rumor has it she’ll fill the Katie Holmes void in the next Batman movie. She brings a grit and intelligence to her roles. I admire that indie streak that keeps her interesting. I also dig her partner Peter Sarsgaard.

Who do you think are the top 3 overrated and underrated actors?