Joe Carnahan: Denzel is greatest actor alive. Only Oldman is close.

[Slippage]

hopefully you won’t think any less of me if I don’t take the opinions of the guy who directed Smokin’ Aces as gospel.

just because Denzel will never give a performance as nuanced as DDL’s in Phantom Thread doesn’t mean he’s not great at what he does.

He also wrote and directed Narc and The Grey. The guy is a talented fillmmaker.

Is Phantom Thread what counts for nuanced with DDL now? For the first time in over 15 years he's not caked in make-up or screaming like a loon, and you want to give him a special prize for overacting less than usual?

Watch Denzel in Devil In A Blue Dress. Or American Gangster. Or Philidelphia. Or Courage Under Fire. Or any dozen othe movies in his filmography.Denzel actually does nuance and subtelty on a regaular basis. When DDL does it, it's an event, because it's so rare. He tends to go big, or go home.

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

It's not changing. It's changed. That's what it is. Every actor who doesn't play lead roles on a regular basis refers to themselves as a character actor. Talent level or "wide range of characters" is irrelevnt to the distinction.

how do you distinguish someone who plays different character (lead or no lead) instead of themselves over and over?

I have heard DDL, Brando, Pacino, Deniro, Depp, etc being called character actors,

 

[Slippage]

how do you distinguish someone who plays different character (lead or no lead) instead of themselves over and over?

DDL, Brando, Pacino, Deniro, Depp

No one plays themselves over and over. People who claim that tend not to really understand acting.

Denzel fits into the same mould as Brando and Pacino. They play many very different characters and have trememdous range, but often bring a strong sense of self and essence that registers strongly. Brando can rarely disguise his lisp, for example, even when he does an accent, and reuses many of the same tricks and techniques in his characters. Denzel and Brando are very similar.

DDL is a chameleon. Like Oldman and Alec Guinness and Jared Leto. Depp is almost in that mould as well, but he's more of a caricature. They tend to disguise their physical traits from role to role (this includes make-up), so there is a less stronger sense of their own essence.

Neither approach is better than the other.

 

[Meap]

I just don't think Denzel is a great actor. He's talented & he's cool but he just kind of yells or smiles his way through every scene, sort of like Pacino.

However, we should recognize that Denzel and Tom Hanks freed the gays in 1993. The real world impact of that film was remarkable.

 

[gspieler]

If we're going to rate actors in general classes, then certainly Denzel would be on the highest level. There's no way he stands alone as the greatest living actor in a world that contains DDL, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, RDJ, etc.

 

[dc007]

But a lot of people, who are knowledgeble about acting and are not actually idiots, don't think it's hyperbole at all. It's very clear a lot of Denzel's peers and people in his industry feel the same as Carnahan. He didn't get 8 Academy Award nominatons as an actor because they think he's not as good as DDL or Oldman (different styles). He's looking good to overtake the all-time male nomination record.

If you say he shits on everyone else and it’s not even close, it’s hyperbole.

 

[Slippage]

If you say he shits on everyone else and it’s not even close, it’s hyperbole.

LOL!

Fair enough. i think Carnahan is probably a bit annoyed at how some people refuse to credit Denzel as the greatest in the world, and didn't feel like being diplomatic about it, so said it in no uncertain terms.

 

[Slippage]

Disagree. Greatest black actor though

And this is probably why Caranahan said Denzel wipes the floor with everyone. Because he knows if Denzel wasn't black (or was white), this statement wouldn't even be made.

He'd be Brando to everyone, even white fanboys who feel uncomfortable admitting how great he is.

 

[DM1982]

LOL!

Fair enough. i think Carnahan is probably a bit annoyed at how some people refuse to credit Denzel as the greatest in the world, and didn't feel like being diplomatic about it, so said it in no uncertain terms.

How do you even quantify/judge who the best in the world is?

It's all just opinion

 

[Slippage]

If he was white i wouldnt think hes the goat. I think him being black makes him greater if anything. Since there is a lack of great black actors as opposed to white. If he was white, id probably notice him less

You'd notice a white actor less who has been nominated 8 times for an Oscar?

No you wouldn''t. That puts him in the exact same teritory as Pacino and Brando. You couldn't miss him.

 

[ObsoleteSoul]

Dude just wants to be the coolguy. Denzel is great, but certainly not the best.

 

[Slippage]

How do you even quantify/judge who the best in the world is?

It's all just opinion

Of course it is. It's just interesting how some opinions make people feel more comfortable than others. Calling Denzel the best actor in the world makes some people uncomfortable, and I'm not sure it's all about the acting.

 

[Darth_Inv1ctu5]

I was shocked to see this guy and Commissioner Gordon were the same person. Oldman aged a lot in 15 years.

Then pulled a Churchill and won himself a statue. Just watched it, well deserved too. The man is just great. Great.

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

No one plays themselves over and over. People who claim that tend not to really understand acting.

.

I don't really. You said "Most character actors are hired to play pretty much the same type all the time" and a leading man is a type, so they are all character actors. There has to be some kind of term for actors that will challenge themselves by playing different types

The term, often contrasted with that of leading actor, is somewhat abstract and open to interpretation

 

[Mr Mojo Lane]

I do think DW is one of the best leading men in Hollywood w/ some range though

 

[DM1982]

Of course it is. It's just interesting how some opinions make people feel more comfortable than others. Calling Denzel the best actor in the world makes some people uncomfortable, and I'm not sure it's all about the acting.

I love Denzel (I'm white), I can't speak as to his presence in the industry being a thing of discomfort.

I assumed even racists didn't give a shit about race/colour when it came to our acting icons.

Denzel is always awesome and sells whatever role he does 100%; I just think he hasn't really been stretched as an actor. Hence, he gets lost in the pack of excellent actors.

There are other, more eye catching performers, who I'd put ahead.

That's my take.

 

[Slippage]

I love Denzel (I'm white), I can't speak as to his presence in the industry being a thing of discomfort.

I assumed even racists didn't give a shit about race/colour when it came to our acting icons.

Denzel is always awesome and sells whatever role he does 100%; I just think he hasn't really been stretched as an actor. Hence, he gets lost in the pack of excellent actors.

There are other, more eye catching performers, who I'd put ahead.

That's my take.

in his last movie (Roman J Israel, Esq), he played a socially awkward man with aspersgers syndrome. A cross between Forrest Gump and Rain Man. He was oscar nominated.

He won an Oscar for playing the most evil, corrup cop on the planet.

He's physically and technically embodied Steve Biko and Malcolm X.

The "he hasn't got enough range", or "hasn't stretched himself enough" has always felt like something deliberately designed to discredit him in these greatest actor debates, and feels especially false after his last performance. Unless you want him to play a woman or a white man, he's done everything.

 

[DM1982]

in his last movie (Roman J Israel, Esq), he played a socially awkward man with aspersgers syndrome. A cross between Forrest Gump and Rain Man. He was oscar nominated.


The "he hasn't got enough range", or "hasn't stretched himself enough" has always felt like something designed to discredit him, and feels especially false after his lsast performance. Unless you want him to play a woman or a white man, he's done everything.

Now you're talking.


That would about do it for me.


GOAT

Spoiler

 

[dc007]

LOL!

Fair enough. i think Carnahan is probably a bit annoyed at how some people refuse to credit Denzel as the greatest in the world, and didn't feel like being diplomatic about it, so said it in no uncertain terms.

Probably right. I think he is among the greats but I wouldn't say he's the best and certainly not by a wide margin. I've been more impressed by other actors on a more regular basis.

 

[TidWell]

Denzel is one of the few actors who can command the stage, one of those few enigmatic actors who just have that presence.