Madonna: A Gifted Actress?

[Brian Damage]

Thandie Newton has defended Madonna's ill-received movie career - insisting the pop superstar is a talented actress. The Crash star says many critics underestimate Madonna's acting skills-- and that she will be remembered as a talented thespian.

The "Holiday" hitmaker won critical acclaim for 1985's Desperately Seeking Susan and in 1997 landed a Golden Globe award for her role in Evita. But her acting career has also been plagued with a string of box office flops including 2002's Swept Away.

But Newton says, "Actually I think Madonna is a great actress and it's only in years to come will people see that. But for me, she is truly gifted."

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

[MusicJunkie]

well, Madonna isn't exactly Bette Midler or Barbra Streisand in terms of a singer-turned-actress, but I do think her badness comes more from the scripts she picks than her lack of acting talent. She is halfway decent with the right movie, such as A League Of Their Own, but most of the crap she has taken in her career have been vanity pictures, and a number of them have been rejected by other actors. I remember Julia Roberts rejected The Next Best Thing because she hated the script before Madonna took it for instance.

IMO, an actor is only as good as the script they're given, even Meryl Streep or Judi Dench wouldn't be able to save Shanghai Surprise

[Brian Damage]

well, Madonna isn't exactly Bette Midler or Barbra Streisand in terms of a singer-turned-actress, but I do think her badness comes more from the scripts she picks than her lack of acting talent. She is halfway decent with the right movie, such as A League Of Their Own, but most of the crap she has taken in her career have been vanity pictures, and a number of them have been rejected by other actors. I remember Julia Roberts rejected The Next Best Thing because she hated the script before Madonna took it for instance.

IMO, an actor is only as good as the script they're given, even Meryl Streep or Judi Dench wouldn't be able to save Shanghai Surprise


Very true about the scripts. Speaking of Meryl Streep, She Devil anyone?

[Janice]

Not straight acting, but am I the only person in the world who liked Evita?

[MusicJunkie]

Not straight acting, but am I the only person in the world who liked Evita?
no, I think Evita was rather well-received. That, A League Of Their Own and Desperately Seeking Susan have been the only performances of hers that received really good reviews.

Regarding her script choices, it's funny that she has turned down some well-received movies to do flops. I remember hearing that Bette's role in Ruthless People was written for her and she turned it down to do Shanghai Surprise, and she was also wanted for Catherine Zeta-Jones' part in Chicago and she turned it down for Swept Away. That casting agent should've been fired pronto :lol:

[Schmoopie]

no, I think Evita was rather well-received. That, A League Of Their Own and Desperately Seeking Susan have been the only performances of hers that received really good reviews.
I haven't seen Evita yet, but I want to. It looks good. And as for A League of Their Own, I absolutely LOVED her in that! One of my all-time favorite movies! Considering her past reputation, I thought that part was perfect for her and she "hit it out of the park" (pun intended!)!!


I remember hearing that Bette's role in Ruthless People was written for her and she turned it down to do Shanghai Surprise
Wasn't she married to Sean Penn at the time? And wasn't he in it? She probably did it just to be with him-although it was definitely a bad choice.
and she was also wanted for Catherine Zeta-Jones' part in Chicago and she turned it down for Swept Away. That casting agent should've been fired pronto :lol:
I loved Catherine Zeta Jones in Chicago, but Madonna would have been great!

Andrea

[MusicJunkie]

I haven't seen Evita yet, but I want to. It looks good. And as for A League of Their Own, I absolutely LOVED her in that! One of my all-time favorite movies! Considering her past reputation, I thought that part was perfect for her and she "hit it out of the park" (pun intended!)!!

have you ever seen Desperately Seeking Susan? Like ALOTO, that role worked because Madonna was playing a character similarly to herself.

Wasn't she married to Sean Penn at the time? And wasn't he in it? She probably did it just to be with him-although it was definitely a bad choice.

very true. Even an Oscar winning actor like Sean couldn't save that movie. What I find funny is that every actor who knows firsthand about not making a movie with your loved one are always the repeat offenders. Madonna and Sean both made bad movies with their second spouses after seeing the bomb of Shanghai Surprise. Same with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, they've done movies with their spouses after Gigli. Unless you're Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward or Woody Allen and whoever you're with at the time, it's a bad idea to do a movie with your spouse or girlfriend :lol: And for gods sake, if the first movie is a bomb, learn your lesson and don't do it again! :lol:

[MonarC]

"Madonna: A Gifted Actress?" All I have to say is... :lol:

[Schmoopie]

have you ever seen Desperately Seeking Susan? Like ALOTO, that role worked because Madonna was playing a character similarly to herself.
I've only seen the video for "Into the Groove", so I'll put it on my Netflix list! Thanks for the info!


very true. Even an Oscar winning actor like Sean couldn't save that movie. What I find funny is that every actor who knows firsthand about not making a movie with your loved one are always the repeat offenders. Madonna and Sean both made bad movies with their second spouses after seeing the bomb of Shanghai Surprise. Same with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, they've done movies with their spouses after Gigli. Unless you're Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward or Woody Allen and whoever you're with at the time, it's a bad idea to do a movie with your spouse or girlfriend :lol: And for gods sake, if the first movie is a bomb, learn your lesson and don't do it again! :lol:
You're right! I never thought about that!

Andrea