kooky? Yes...but these actors are also damn good

[Dominic]

This thread is for giving props to your favorite nutcase of an actor or actress who is usually thought of these days as a joke - either through bad career choices, insane personal behavior, or paparazzi oopsies.

I'll start.

Ann Heche



Long before she switched teams to be with Ellen (and then switched back again), long before she briefly lost her mind and wandered around the Pacific Northwest talking in her very own made-up language, and long before she was the model for Heather Graham's character in Bowfinger, Ann Heche was - and still is - a darn good actress.

In films like Donnie Brasco, Walking and Talking, The Juror, Wag the Dog and the criminally under-rated Return To Paradise, Heche has proven she's got the chops, and her range goes from light comedy to heavy-duty drama. She is always immensely watchable and a striking screen presence. Even in supporting roles your attention is on her.

She has been mostly relegated to TV these days, but her work on shows like Ally McBeal and her great but unwatched show this year - Men in Trees - prove that no matter how crazy she may be, Ann Heche always delivers the goods.

I defy anyone to watch her in Return To Paradise and not completely fall in love with her as a woman trying to stop the execution of her younger brother in a Malaysian prison. This woman is intense with a capital "I". The last scene between her and Vince Vaughn is utterly heartbreaking - and it's because of Heche.

Plus, she's also a gal who never shied away from gettin' nekkid. And boy, was she a looker. Even now at 39, Heche is still a lovely and sexy woman.

Others I could write about include Lindsay Lohan, Cher, and Tom Sizemore...but I'll let the rest of you pick your own wackos to praise!

[RJT]

Are you an actor or do you only direct? Never mind, just kidding, Dom.

[diebitter]

Love this thread.

Dennis Hopper must have been nuts for a while.

Margot Kidder?

[AJay2000]

Dom,

I mistakenly thought your reference to Return to Paradise was a reference to the crap movie she made with Harrison Ford.

I think Return to Paradise is an incredible flick, destroying the other two Indonesian-themed movies made about the same time with Patricia Arquette and Claire Danes.

Plus, it co-stars a Vince Vaughn who actually flexes the acting chops he posesses. I loved him in Swingers, but much better here, and especially in A Cool, Dry Place,

- Jay

[Coffee]

Sizemore was the first one to come to mind. What a personal trainwreck, but he always turned it solid work.

But...I nominate Robert Downey, Jr. Make no mistake: he's really, really, REALLY good. Watch Two Girls and a Guy if you don't believe me. But good God, what a freaking drug fiend! It seems like if you're a successful actor, you really have to screw up actually land in jail for drugs, but both these guys did it.

[CharlieDontSurf]

After always wanted to screw the brains out of her and Penelope Ann Miller.

[katyseagull]

I luv this kind of thread! I was even thinking about this awhile back, how so many of the great actors seem mentally unstable.

You picked the nutcase of all nutcases Dom! I think Anne Heche is a great choice - flat out crazy but boy can she act.



For an old one I have to go with Vivien Leigh. Her turn in Gone With The Wind is one of my favorites. You can tell by the time she did Streetcar that she was becoming a little bit odd. I read up on her awhile back and she got nuttier and nuttier as she got older and had to be babysat a lot. I think she was bi-polar if I remember correctly. What an actress!


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For a more recent pick, I kind of like Winona. Well maybe she's not crazy. But a few years ago when she got busted for shop-lifting I thought she was a real nut. Anyway, I happen to think she can transform herself into many roles so I like her.


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[Wynton]

I don't know why, but I always had a thing for Winona, ever since Heathers.

[Borodog]

And for the record, I have always wanted to see these two guys play brothers in a film:

[katyseagull]

Not sure if this guy qualifies as "kooky". But he came to mind.



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