Actors That Matter To Me
As I mentioned in my piece on Chasing Amy, it has always bothered me that Joey Lauren Adams didn't become a much bigger star. She possesses incredible acting chops, striking screen presence, and that distinct, raspy, charming voice that makes her instantly recognizable. If any of my own writing ever gets adapted for a film, she would be my absolute dream casting choice. She’s actually scheduled to do a Mallrats cast reunion at a local convention next month, but unfortunately, I'll be away on vacation and will likely miss it. I'd definitely love the chance to meet her in person one day and tell her how much appreciate her work firsthand.
Robin Williams
While I’ve always been a massive fan of his stand-up and comedy, I’ve always loved Robin Williams’ incredible range as an actor just as much. Jumanji actually happened to be the very first movie date my wife and I ever went on, and from that night forward, we made it a point to see basically every single Robin Williams movie together in theaters.
As impossibly funny as he could be, he also brought unbelievable warmth, vulnerability, and depth to his more dramatic roles. His death was such a heartbreaking tragedy, and to this day, I can’t help but wonder about the incredible stories and performances he would still be sharing with the world if he were here today.
Peter Stormare
I have a deep love for character actors, the "Hey, it’s that guy!" performers you constantly recognize in movies even if you can't immediately recall their names. I always go out of my way to learn who they are, and Peter Stormare has long been one of my absolute favorites.
Whenever he shows up on screen, you know you’re in for something memorable. His body of work is packed with iconic roles across every genre imaginable:
- Gaear Grimsrud in Fargo — Quiet, menacing, and unforgettable.
- Lev Andropov in Armageddon — Single-handedly saving the mission in a cosmonaut suit.
- Uli Kunkel / Karl Hungus in The Big Lebowski — A pancake-loving nihilist.
- John Abruzzi in Prison Break — Ruthless, dignified, and intimidating.
David Tennant
While David Tennant is deservedly a favorite version of Doctor Who's The Doctor for so many people, his body of work spans so many other roles that deserve equal celebration. His incredible range allows him to pivot seamlessly between dark drama, pure villainy, and sharp comedy.
A few iconic highlights that come immediately to mind:
- Alec Hardy in Broadchurch — Grumpy, brilliant, and deeply tortured.
- Kilgrave in Jessica Jones — One of the absolute terrifying and charismatic villains ever put on screen.
- Crowley in Good Omens — Pure swagger and charm alongside Michael Sheen.
- Scrooge McDuck in DuckTales — Bringing endless energy, grit, and heart to an iconic voice role. I was actually standing in Disney Store when they announced him as Scrooge in a fun little music video, and I cheered out loud.
Denzel Washington
I know including Denzel Washington on a list of favorite actors is a total cliché, but he has inspired and impressed me so consistently over the years that he had to be included.
Looking back, the very first place I saw him was probably on St. Elsewhere, but he hit my radar in a massive way with films like Philadelphia and Ricochet, a criminally underrated '90s thriller that doesn't get nearly enough love.
From explosive action roles and intense thrillers to heavy, character-driven dramas, his entire body of work is staggering. On top of his incredible talent, intense screen presence, and dedication to the craft, the man remains ridiculously handsome to this day. A true icon in every sense of the word.
Michael Rooker
I’ve been a massive fan of Michael Rooker ever since Mallrats and Days of Thunder. Lately, though, he seems to have become the absolute favorite target of director James Gunn, who seems to go out of his way to kill Rooker off in nearly every single project they make together.
By my count, Gunn has already killed him four separate times within his DC projects alone: The Suicide Squad (as Savant), Peacemaker (as Red St. Wild), Creature Commandos (as Sam Fitzgibbon), and arguably Superman (voicing one of the Fortress robots, even if it ended up being rebuilt by the end). Add in Yondu’s fate in the MCU and his roles in Gunn's earlier indie horror films, and it’s clearly a full-blown tradition at this point.
At the end of the day, it's just a hilarious testament to their longtime friendship. If you're a friend of James Gunn, you get cast in awesome superhero movies, you just shouldn't expect your character to survive until the end credits!
Anya Taylor-Joy
While I know most people didn’t end up seeing it, I genuinely enjoyed The New Mutants movie when it came out. Anya Taylor-Joy was absolute perfection as Magik. While the film version took some creative liberties and wasn't a 1:1 match with her comic book counterpart, I actually felt that gave her a much better platform to make the role uniquely her own.
In fact, Anya Taylor-Joy’s striking features and screen presence were the direct inspiration for the character of Moira in my book The Story of You. She is literally the only character in that book I built specifically around a real person.
Blu Hunt
Another New Mutants alum, Blu Hunt was phenomenal in Sherlock & Daughter , a show my wife and I got into recently. She and David Thewlis made for a fantastic, magnetic duo, bouncing off each other with a dynamic that carried the entire mystery.
While there hasn't been official word yet on whether the show will be picked up for a second season, I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that it gets greenlit. I’m giving her a shout-out here strictly to manifest some good TV karma into the universe!