After reading another poster's comments about her aversion to Will Ferrell, and in the spirit of holiday silliness, let me post this:

When I was a kid, I was surprised how enraged my mom would get at the appearance of certain celebrities. She'd practically froth at the mouth when she saw Vladimir Horowitz, and rant against his bad technique. The mention of Audie Murphy also drives her into a rage.

I thought this was irrational, but I've noticed I do the same thing. For instance, I can't stand Tom Cruise. I think I wrinkle my nose at the mention of him. There just seems to be something "wrong" with him, and he gives me the creeps in general. I also can't stand Robin Williams -- he seems too manic and coked-up for me, but probably the primary reason is that he's as hairy as an ape. He practically looks like he's draped in some sort of animal-skin rug.

Any actors you just hate, or can't stand to look at, for some irrational reason?

Absolutely. Will Smith, who always appears to be smirking at me whenever I see him on screen, like it's some big dumb joke on me that I'm paying to watch him this time around.

There's no real female equivalent. There are some female actors who's talent and appeal escape me -- Jennifer Garner, say, who seems perfectly pleasant and pretty, but little else, at least to me -- but I can't really say I'm actively irritated by any female actress the way I am by Mr. Smith.

doug

Two words:

ASHLEY JUDD!

Although I consider my hatred for her* to be neither "irrational" nor "silly", since she is the single worst actress in all of human history.

Vincent

* As an actress, because for all I know, in real life she may be a saint.

But as an actress...

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leonardo Dicaprio - I think he's just awful.

Juliette Lewis - She's so hideous looking that everytime she appears on screen, I cringe and her performance in Cape Fear is one of the worst performances ever!

Mena Suvari - If a retarded person and an ewok had a baby, it would look like her and that gives me nightmares.

Robin Williams - But only in comedies, I can stand him in dramas.

Dicky Cheung - Every single film I've seen him in, he's doing a Stephen Chow impression and that pisses me off.

I also dislike Di Caprio. I can't explain it.

Tom Hanks - although I must confess to warming to him a bit more of late. Suprisingly, I actually enjoyed Catch Me If You Can.

Kenneth Branagh - he always looks so bloody smug!

Gwyneth Paltrow - I can't relate to her at all in any of her rolls. I really wanted Michael Douglas to kill her in that awful film A PERFECT MURDER.

Julia Stiles - don't know why. I guess that's why its an irrational hatred...

Tom Hanks and Leonardo Di Caprio - not enough room to list the reasons

Steven Seagall - if you can call him an actor

Britney Spears and Mandy Moore - stick to singing so I can simply change the radio station

Johnny Depp - I know I'm in the minority here but after PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN and just now seeing that awful CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY trailer, shrug

Sarah Jessica Parker must die.

Whoever got the idea in their head the she was sexy, must also have a horse fetish, and think that Waylon Flowers' puppet Madame was the hotest thing since sliced bread. Big time gasface!

Patricia Arquette used to bug me, but I'm over it now. I won't be watching her new show, however.

Robert Deniro, Joe Pesci, Sean Penn, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Steven Segal. Sylvester Stallone. Kurt Russell. Jason Robards. Leonardo Decaprio.

Obviously I enjoyed Deniro in TAXI DRIVER, Pesci in MY COUSIN VINNY, Hopper in BLUE VELVET, and Nicholson in THE SHINING, EASY RIDER, and TERMS OF ENDEARMENT. But in general, these men really make my skin crawl. And lately I have really wanted to puke whenever I see Christopher Walken. All is of course forgiven if he has gotten a haircut.

I generally have absolutely no use for gangster movies, so any actor whom I associate with gangster movies I don't like (except for Marlon Brando). Just the idea of a really well dressed man with a machine gun makes me want to vomit.

Maybe I just don't like tough, ugly men.

Some actresses: Glenn Close, Meryl Streep, Demi Moore. Laura Dern. Michelle Williams. Julia Roberts. Sandra Bullock.

I think I dislike just about everybody, really, when it comes down to it. But the above persons most of all.

Julian Sands. Nuff said.

marc

There are plenty of actors I don't care for, but the one that just gets under my skin for no good reason is John Lithgow, though the chain may have been broken. I went to see "Kinsey," not knowing he was in it, and he gave a terrific performance.

Kevin Pollack, although I can't think of a more rational aversion aside from hot flame.

Halle Berry- the most over rated actress ever in the history of film. monsters ball was only below average at best and everything else she has been in is a complete mess and i hate her. she is also not as "pretty" as most people claim she is. ugh.

Gwyneth Paltrow- see above comments. horrible in everything. over rated and yucky. i wont see anymore movies that she is in.

Jessica Biel- a nice piece of ass who i hate. sure she is cute, but i dont know of any other reason she is in anything. she ruined blade trinity (along with other stuff) for me.

Hugh Grant. Although I'd like to think his fake stammering and general bumbling could be remedied by a few quick slaps in the face.

Jeremy Piven. For some reason this 'character actor' has always gotten under my skin and festered there. Just too smarmy and annoying to stand.

Nicole Kidman does it for me. While I've liked her in a couple of films (MOULIN ROUGE immediately comes to mind), I have increasingly grown irritated with her inability to play anything other than a cold fish in her films. She also has a tendency in my opinion to simply mail her in performances, as if she feels her presence is enough to make the roles interesting instead of actually ACTING.

My wife an an intense hatred of Andie MacDowell, for which I never could quite understand. It certainly made watch FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL an experience, however. :lol:

Speaking of FOUR WEDDINGS, while I don't hate the actress, I do tend to avoid anything that has Kristin Scott Thomas in it. Besides RICHARD III, she has an amazing ability to pick projects that I find to be boring, pretentious, or both. I could be readily interested in a film from seeing a trailer, but if she appears I know best to skip it.

Wow, surprised to not be seeing Keeanu Reeves in here. But he is a main one for me.

I echo Sarah Jessica Parker. I even turn off the commercials when she is on TV for those (I think) Target ads. Perfect pairing though with Lenny Kravitz, as I also can't understand his popularity.

Andie MacDowel. Ugh. Liked her just fine until I read an interview about her most romantic time or whatever. It was ridiculous and she came across as a materialistic monstrosity.

Don't like Angelina Jolie in anything other than Pushing Tin and in that one, I am not so sure why I liked her.

Nicolas Cage is an old fave running close to suddenly becoming very dislikable.

DeCaprio. No real irrational reasons, as no reason is irrational with him. His greatest fault is that he turned out to NOT being mentaly hanidcapped. :lol: I loved him in Gilbert Grape

Used to like Kevin Costner. Now it all depends on the film.

Ben Stiller is GREAT when he isn't doing one of his funny characters, but when he goes Zoolander on you, watch out.

Ben Affleck is a pendulum for me. I like him, I hate him, I like him, I hate him. 100% film related feelings. Matt Damon is the same way, but I finally admit to kind of liking Matt and pulling for him to succeed each time out.

Now we need a thread on people we like for some odd reason.

Frankly, that thread would be a welcome relief at this point. I've considered closing this thread a couple of times, and have now decided to do exactly that after seeing the level of discourse dip progressively lower the longer the thread's been active. I think everyone that feels strongly about the issue has had their say at this point anyway.

Dave