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7 Actors Who Never (Or Rarely) Star In Bad Movies

How does one decide the merit of an actor? For those just starting off, he or she may be judged by the quality of the performance in their previous film and will only be considered for more roles if that film hits a chord with an audience. However, an actor that has already proved his or her worth in the industry may not need to find the highest-quality script to ensure he or she gets work. Given a lack of strong characters for aging actors, it is no surprise that films like Last Vegas and Elsa & Fred star some of the greatest thespians of all time, but get tepid reviews.

Daniel Day-Lewis

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What is there to say about Daniel Day-Lewis that could not be said better by Daniel Day-Lewis? He is a titan of the craft, a man with a fiery method work ethic as well as a graceful persona at events and award shows. (Watch his tribute to the late Heath Ledger at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2008 to witness both his passion and compassion.) He is the only actor in history to win the Best Actor Oscar three times, and while that is a testament to his unwavering dedication to creating vivid performances, it also shows that he almost always chooses quality films.

His mad, merciless performances of self-righteous men in There Will Be Blood and Gangs of New York brought him a new audience, while the exhaustive preparation he brought to the portrayals of Christy Brown in My Left Foot and Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans remain bewildering to read about. It is the strength of an actor as accomplished as Day-Lewis to routinely choose compelling characters and challenging projects.

Even Nine, which some label a misfire, this writer considers a success for its ravishing musical sequences and skilled performances, notably by the leading man. The musical adaptation challenged Day-Lewis to sing and dance for the screen, and few actors with such a track record would have welcomed such a daunting task. Of the 19 feature films Day-Lewis has appeared in, a whopping seven have received Best Picture nominations.

Certified Fresh Films: Gandhi, The Age of Innocence, In the Name of the Father, The Boxer, Gangs of New York, There Will Be Blood, Lincoln

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Up Next: No current projects on the horizon. The actor is famously difficult when it comes to embarking on a new film.