Actors who always make a bad movie better

Melissa McCarthy is a joy to watch in absolutely everything, from her early role as Sookie the chef in 'Gilmore Girls' to her award-winning 'Saturday Night Live' sketches. She's played the funny friend or neighbor in numerous cheesy rom-coms and always manages to inject some humor into the most tedious scripts.

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Christopher Walken -

Christopher Walken is an interesting actor with such a quirky style that he's fun to observe in any role. He's clearly got great talent, but he turns up in all sorts of odd movies, like 'Gigli' and 'Kangaroo Jack.'

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John Goodman -

John Goodman has proven his talents in all kinds of roles. He's a Coen Brothers favorite, having appeared in 'Raising Arizona' and 'The Big Lebowski.' But even in disastrous reboots like 'Stella' and 'Blues Brothers 2000' his jovial performances are still enjoyable.

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Rebel Wilson -

Rebel Wilson is an absolute riot in every movie. There's something about her Australian accent that adds a little something, and her deliveries are perfection. Her 2019 film 'The Hustle' was panned by critics, but no one could deny that her performance was as entertaining as ever.

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Samuel L. Jackson -

'Snakes on a Plan' should have been a 'Sharknado' level disaster, but Samuel L. Jackson turned it into one of the most quoted movies of all time. It's hard to imagine a boring Samuel L. Jackson movie.

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Jennifer Coolidge -

Jennifer Coolidge has appeared in very few movies that one would describe as good, but she's still fantastic every time. She seems to play almost the same character in every movie, which would lead us to believe she's just playing herself! Long-time fans were delighted to see her get the spotlight in the hit TV series 'The White Lotus.'

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Morgan Freeman -

Morgan Freeman is a respected actor who has appeared in many acclaimed films, but he's a comforting and charming presence even in some of his flops.

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Danny DeVito - Danny DeVito received critical acclaim for his roles in films like 'L.A. Confidential' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' and his ongoing comedic work in 'It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia' has defined his career. However, he hasn't always appeared in smash hits. His role in the 1988 movie 'Twins' is a prime example, but he's always fun to watch.

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Willem Dafoe - Willem Dafoe has an extremely expressive face and he's not afraid to throw himself into a role and give it everything he's got. He can make any character work, even when he played the villain in the tragically bad sequel 'Speed 2: Cruise Control.'

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Helen Mirren - Helen Mirren is a highly-respected actress who doesn't often appear in bad movies, but when she does, she manages to bring the same grace and dignity we see in her very best roles.

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Octavia Spencer -

The 2019 movie 'Ma' was criticized for having an incoherent storyline and was labeled a trumped-up B-movie. But Octavia Spencer's incredibly creepy performance was widely acclaimed.

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Maya Rudolph - Maya Rudolph earned her reputation on 'Saturday Night Live' where she showed her ability to make any sketch funny, whether the writing was good or not. The 'Bridesmaids' star even managed to improve the dreadful Adam Sandler film series 'Grown Ups.'

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Robin Williams - Robin Williams was one of the most beloved actors of all time, so it's a surprise to learn that many of his biggest movies were not well received by the critics. 'Patch Adams,' 'Hook,' and 'Jumanji' all received poor reviews. But Robin Williams was so wonderful that we didn't even notice they were bad!

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Sam Rockwell -

Sam Rockwell is always able to deliver the highly-entertaining psychopath energy we've come to know and love. He's perfect as the villain in 'Charlie's Angels' and the ego-maniac alien in 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.' Not particularly great films, were they?

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Philip Seymour Hoffman -

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of a kind. His unique performances were consistently fantastic, and even critical flops like 'The Boat That Rocked' and 'Along Came Polly' served him well.

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Robert Downey Jr. -

Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most sought-after actors in the world, but he hasn't always appeared in successful movies. Nevertheless, he's got a strong personality and a lot of energy that always comes across in his roles. 'The Singing Detective' was not praised by critics, but Downey Jr. gave a reliably manic and entertaining performance.

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Ron Perlman -

Ron Perlman makes an imposing presence in any movie. His deep voice and towering stature make him the perfect tough guy to add a sense of danger to a scene. Even in 'The Scorpion King 3' and the terrible 'Conan the Barbarian' remake he managed to bring a bit of extra depth to the story.

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Megan Mullally -

Megan Mullally is best known for her portrayal of Karen Walker in the series 'Will & Grace.' But her sharp whit also spiced up relatively dull comedies like 'Why Him?' and 'Stealing Harvard.'

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Nick Offerman -

Nick Offerman plays one character, and that's Nick Offerman. His deadpan delivery and iconic facial hair are always a hit. But he changed it up a little by playing the swinging DEA agent in 'We're the Millers,' and it was quite the treat.

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J.K. Simmons -

J.K. Simmons is just a great actor all round. He's appeared in some outstanding movies, and his skills have been recognized at the Oscars, but even his worst movies were pretty good. For instance, he appeared in the botched Steve Jobs biopic 'Jobs' and the trashy comedy 'All Nighter.'

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Steve Buscemi -

Steve Buscemi is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He has consistently given exceptional performances in practically every Coen Brothers movie and starred in the HBO series 'Boardwalk Empire.' He's never been afraid to take on an eccentric character in a questionable movie, such as Crazy Eyes in the Adam Sandler film 'Mr. Deeds.'

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Alex Borstein -

Alex Borstein is your typical rude, loudmouth comedian, except better. She's the voice of Lois Griffin in 'Family Guy' and the surly agent Susie Myerson in 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.' She's appeared in several comedy flops like 'Dinner for Schmucks' and 'A Million Ways to Die in the West,' and her performances always provide a few much needed laughs.

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John Leguizamo -

John Leguizamo is a talented man who has established himself as an actor, a playwright, a stand-up comedian, a producer, and a screenwriter. That being said, his talents haven't always been well placed. The 1993 movie 'Super Mario Bros.' was a disaster, but he still managed to entertain as Luigi!

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Kathryn Hahn -

Kathryn Hahn is one of the funniest working actresses today. She's recently earned some much deserved recognition for her roles in 'Bad Moms' and the HBO series 'Mrs. Fletcher.' She's a comedic genius and has successfully lifted several dreary rom-coms like 'A Lot Like Love' and 'How Do You Know.'

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Stephen Tobolowsky -

Stephen Tobolowsky just has the most pleasant demeanor in all of Hollywood. It's impossible not to like the guy. As a character actor, he pops up here and there and works his lovable magic.

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Pamela Adlon -

Pamela Adlon is an exceptional actress, writer, and producer. She was the voice of Bobby Hill in the animated series 'King of the Hill,' and has produced and starred in her own FX series called 'Better Things.' Both of these pursuits have earned her awards, but she brings the same humor and energy to every project, even the horrific 'Pulp Fiction' parody she made in 1997 called 'Plump Fiction.'

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Stephen Root -

Stephen Root is that actor that everyone knows but few people could name. He's been playing the supporting comedy role for decades, and he's nailing it. He was fantastic in 'Office Space' and got the chance to show his skills a little more recently in the hit series 'Barry.' Some of his best oddball characters helped to redeem movies like 'Robocop 3' and 'Imagine That.'

Sources: (Mental Floss) (Ranker)

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Melissa McCarthy -

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Christopher Walken -

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John Goodman -

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Rebel Wilson -

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Samuel L. Jackson -

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Jennifer Coolidge -

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Morgan Freeman -

Morgan Freeman is a respected actor who has appeared in many acclaimed films, but he's a comforting and charming presence even in some of his flops.

NL Beeld

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Helen Mirren - Helen Mirren is a highly-respected actress who doesn't often appear in bad movies, but when she does, she manages to bring the same grace and dignity we see in her very best roles.

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Octavia Spencer -

The 2019 movie 'Ma' was criticized for having an incoherent storyline and was labeled a trumped-up B-movie. But Octavia Spencer's incredibly creepy performance was widely acclaimed.

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Sam Rockwell -

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Philip Seymour Hoffman -

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman was one of a kind. His unique performances were consistently fantastic, and even critical flops like 'The Boat That Rocked' and 'Along Came Polly' served him well.

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Robert Downey Jr. -

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Ron Perlman -

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Megan Mullally -

Megan Mullally is best known for her portrayal of Karen Walker in the series 'Will & Grace.' But her sharp whit also spiced up relatively dull comedies like 'Why Him?' and 'Stealing Harvard.'

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Nick Offerman -

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J.K. Simmons -

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Steve Buscemi -

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Alex Borstein -

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John Leguizamo -

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Kathryn Hahn -

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Stephen Tobolowsky -

Stephen Tobolowsky just has the most pleasant demeanor in all of Hollywood. It's impossible not to like the guy. As a character actor, he pops up here and there and works his lovable magic.

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Pamela Adlon -

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Stephen Root -

Sources: (Mental Floss) (Ranker)

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Actors who always make a bad movie better

Nicolas Cage opens up about the movies he made to pull himself out of debt

19/05/23 | StarsInsider

CELEBRITY Best

Nicolas Cage is truly an enigma. A dedicated and talented actor with a reputation for doing surprisingly terrible movies, he nonetheless wins our hearts and our curiosity. Cage famously ended up in enormous debt in 2009 and stories of his bizarre and extravagant spending have become the stuff of legends. Following his financial ruin, Cage started churning out several movies per year to keep himself afloat and pay off his debts.

In a recent interview on '60 Minutes,' Cage explained that he ended up US$6 million in debt due to ill-fated real estate investments that went south during the crash in 2007. He's been open about the fact that his prolific acting career and the movies he chooses are still heavily influenced by his financial situation. "Money is a factor. I'm going to be completely direct about that. There's no reason not to be," told the New York Times in 2019. "There are times when it's more of a factor than not." Cage most recently appeared in the vampire flick 'Renfield,' directed by Chris McKay. Like so many Nicolas Cage movies, it was completely destroyed by the critics, with his performance described as its only saving grace.

In regards to his dedication to acting despite some of the more questionable projects he's worked on, Cage told '60 Minutes,' "Work was always my guardian angel. It may not have been blue chip, but it was still work," he said. "Even if the movie ultimately is crummy, they know I'm not phoning it in, that I care every time."

Not every movie can win an Oscar. Sometimes, we just want to watch something fun and silly without having our minds blown or tears brought to our eyes. Thankfully, there are plenty of movies out there that hit that sweet spot between gentle entertainment and total trash. Oftentimes the storylines are lacking, but there are a few great actors that always know how to spice it up and get a laugh. It certainly says something special about an actor's skill and general personality when they can give an enjoyable and memorable performance in almost any movie.

This list is in honor of those who might not be on magazine covers every day but deserve serious kudos for their special charm and consistent performances. Click through to see the top actors that have a magical talent for making bad movies bearable.