Whedonesque : Comments on 3495 : Where now for Buffy?

Well, for good or bad, I think he's right about the obit part....

yeah, but i think she'll do just fine...................

Well, better Buffy on her tombstone than Daphne! All kidding aside, if The Grudge is as good as it sounds, it could be the start of a great movie career. She seems like a smart girl, hopefully she'll choose good, promising roles. And even if her movie career isn't so great, a lot of actors would sell their souls to have had a role like BtVS and be as successful and as well known as she is. The difference with her and the other actresses mentioned (Mary Tyle Moore and Carol Burnett) is a truly excellent actress who can play anything and is truly believable in any part she takes on. Loved her on AMC, loved her in Cruel Intentions (even liked her in Scooby 1) and obviously she was fantastic as Buffy. One of my favorite Buffy episodes was when she "switched" bodies with Faith and she played it brilliantly (as did Eliza as well).

And if Tom Hanks could start off on Bosom Buddies and have the career he's had, I think SMG has a good chance at being successful at the movies too.

Firefly Flanatic | April 04, 06:31 CET

wow...comparing Tom Hanks to SMG...A very bold move!

Simpleba | April 04, 06:34 CET

Why do you think that is a bold comparison? You don't think SMG is as good an actor as Tom Hanks? And my main comparison is he started off his career dressed in drag in a mediocre television sitcom and had a few flops on the big screen before his career took off. She on the other hand started her television career winning a Daytime Emmy award and then starring in a hugely successful television series. Does anyone honestly think when Tom Hanks started his movie career he'd be such a well sought after, hugely respected star?

[ edited by blwessels on 2004-04-04 04:46 ]

Firefly Flanatic | April 04, 06:45 CET

good points, im hoping for the best for her movie career. i love watching her act, cant wait for the grudge

norman | April 04, 06:48 CET

Tom Hanks is a good example of how a seemingly unknown actor can develop into a wonderful talent...I just think it is presumptuous for anyone to condemn or unduly praise SMG's budding film career at this time... I think she has great potential but her current choice in movie roles (The Grudge, SD1&2) might propagate her fear of being typecast...I still believe she left BtVS because she became terrified that she would be forever equated with the role...I would bet the farm on it!

Simpleba | April 04, 07:57 CET

I don't think it's presumptious to admire excellent talent and think she has "great potential" just as you stated. Tom Hanks was well known for his role in Bosom Buddies even though it wasn't a great show but it was still popular. He had many flops such as Joe Versus the Volcano, The Money Pit, Bonfire of the Vanities, Turner and Hooch, Punchline and several others before he started really hitting it big with A league of Their own, Sleepless in Seatle and Philadelphia. He had a couple of good movies in his early career starting with Splash and then with Big but then he had a string of flops and a lot of critics had pretty much written him off. This was all documented on the Biography channel and that many thought he wasn't a big enough draw to bring in the big audiences. It wasn't until A League of Their own that critics started taking him seriously again and he then chose brilliant roles in movies such as Philadelphia, Apollo 13, Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan etc. Those were all later in his career and not in his early years.

I don't presume that SMG will have a huge successful career but I think she has the talent to have a great career if she chooses well. Which is basically what I said in my first post:

"if The Grudge is as good as it sounds, it could be the start of a great movie career. She seems like a smart girl, hopefully she'll choose good, promising roles. And even if her movie career isn't so great, a lot of actors would sell their souls to have had a role like BtVS and be as successful and as well known as she is."

I didn't proclaim that SMG will be the biggest star of the future. I never said she was definitely going to have a successful movie career and I even said that if she doesn't have a successful career, at least she had Buffy. I don't get how you get out of what I said that it is presumptious. All any actor needs to help them get a chance at the juicy roles is to have a huge hit. If The Grudge turns out to be that for SMG she'll have more scripts to choose from and hopefully, if that happens, she'll choose well.

Firefly Flanatic | April 04, 08:24 CET

Personally I think Tom Hanks is highly overrated. I think SMG probably is a better actor. Unfortunately there are far, far fewer truly decent roles available for women in the film industry than for men so the competition is far more fierce. To knock her choices might not even be relevant--she may get a lot of offers in numbers but the range is probably pretty limited.

marmoset | April 04, 08:31 CET

I think whatever Tom Hanks virtues or lack of virtues are, what happened to his career has nothing to do with SMG. Not putting either one of them down, I just mean there is no calling this.

It is however extremely rare for actors that are known from TV shows to really hit it big on the big screen. George Clooney is an example that made it. But extremely rare. And Tom Hanks or Jim Carrey did TV yes, but were they as known in those characters as SMG is as Buffy? Too young for Hanks' TV stuff, (and too european at the time) but I had never heard of Carey before 'Ace Ventura'.

Ah there's just no calling it. But the odds are against her. Not because of any lack of talent, just because 98% of TV actors that are really known for a TV role and that try for a movie career simply don't make it all that big and are forever known for their TV stuff.

But who knows. Only time will tell.

EdDantes | April 04, 12:11 CET

EdDantes - I agree with you, she'll be lucky if her movie career takes off. That's why I said "if" The Grudge is a hit, it could open doors for her. And if her movie career doesn't take off, she'll always have Buffy to look back on.

Bosom Buddies was a big hit and popular show. Tom Hanks was well known when he did Splash. This all started because I said that if Tom Hanks made it on the big screen after doing Bosom Buddies, SMG had a chance too and Simpleba, who obviously thinks Tom Hanks is some God thought I was way off base for daring to compare the two.

The way I see it, whether the movie is a critics hit or not, SMG is getting a lot of attention for the Scooby movies. Now she's going to come out with The Grudge. If that is a big flop or really sucks, she may still do some movies but she's not going to get great roles offered to her. If it comes out and it's a major hit and she gets good buzz by the critics, she'll be considered a good bet and more promising scripts will be sent to her. Then it comes down to choosing the good ones.

Tom Hanks had a big hit with Splash and then picked a bunch of movies that were considered big flops and his career was almost over. Big kept him on the radar and A League of Their Own started opening more doors for him and great movie roles to pick from.

I think SMG has a big enough name where she may be able to survive a couple of flops before Hollywood forgets about her. George Clooney hasn't been that successful in Hollywood but he's done just good enough where he's still a good draw.

And how can anyone not discuss John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino and then making it big in the movies? His career has also been very up and down. He had a couple of hits and then major flops that almost knocked him out of the ballpark. He was offered roles like "An Officer and Gentlemen" but chose "Urban Cowboy" instead. A definite good example of making a smart choice when choosing a move that he obvioulsy didn't take.

I'm looking forward to The Grudge and hope it's as good as it's starting to sound. If her role is basically going to be her running around looking scared, I don't see how that will help her get the good roles. But if it's a role with some oomph to it hopefully it will help her career.

Okay, I guess my biggest point is this. She has just as much of a chance as anyone else, including stars who've been in well received movies, because even they have struggled at times and if she can find a couple of good roles that could be the start of a great career.

Firefly Flanatic | April 04, 18:53 CET

but I had never heard of Carey before 'Ace Ventura'.

yeah jim carey was on tv with the wayans brothers "in living color" he was great on that show. i still wish it was on. as for SMG, i will probably see every movie she does just because i like her so much. the grudge sounds really good, but it is a horror movie so there will not be much acting outside of the scaredness but im sure she will be great at it. cant wait.

norman | April 04, 19:03 CET

As I was reading the article I realised something that the writer seems to have forgetten and made the article ironic for me seeing how it is in a British newspaper

He seems to be saying that because she comes from a tv background she may have trouble breaking into movies but a lot of the British screen stars of recent times have come out of a tv background

garda39 | April 04, 19:50 CET

I think you are coming up with good examples blwessels but can we think of any female actors? I can't at the moment but I'm pretty tired.

I think that it might be even harder for women because women are not allowed to age whereas for men there is a whole mature male niche. Geez, George Clooney was nearly forty before his film career started taking off. For many female actors it means instead of getting to pick among choices of playing the Victim, the Bimbo, or the Coniving Bitch, they get to play the Mom or ummm...hmmm, let me think...

I actually think she may move on to do well in films for a while but if she doesn't I won't necessarily be surprised, nor will I lay the blame at her feet.

marmoset | April 04, 20:09 CET

Great points Stakeholder. I do think it is much harder for females to be successful in Hollywood then males. Even when a woman is an established actress like, say Meryl Streep, the roles seem to dry up once she hits a certain age, regardless of how talented and successful the actress was. Meg Ryan is someone who went from soap operas to movies as is Ann Heche and Kathleen Turner. Oh, and Sarah Jessica Parker started off on tv doing Square Pegs and has been both successful in TV and movies. I'm sure there are more but they don't come to mind as easily as the men.

I think SMG would be wise to take on guest TV appearance and maybe another television role as she pursues a movie career. A half hour sitcom is not as time consuming as an hour long action filled sci-fi show. I also hope that Alyson Hannigan will pursue doing movies as well as her new sitcom.

[ edited by blwessels on 2004-04-04 19:38 ]

Firefly Flanatic | April 04, 21:36 CET

Sally Field started out as Gidget and The Flying Nun. She had a tough time breaking into the movies, but even when she got to show her range in big dramatic productions (Sybil, Norma Rae, Places in the Heart), she never became an A-list type of star. The numerous movies she did with boyfriend Burt Reynolds (remember when he was really really popular and not just a joke?) suggest that there weren't that many good roles to choose from. Apologies to any Smokey and the Bandit fans! However, SF continues to work steadily in both tv and film as a character actress.

SMG has the talent to work for a long time, but talent has very little to do with megawatt movie star success.

punkinpuss | April 04, 22:27 CET

yeah it usually takes one good role, then your set.

norman | April 04, 23:45 CET

". I do think it is much harder for females to be successful in Hollywood then male"

On one hand, yes. Because many roles for women are nothing but'damsel in distress/love interest' or 'sexy villain'. Men have bigger chances there. But then some actresses manage to get a career out of little more than being really pretty. Men have less chance with that.

Of course if being really pretty is the main attraction for you then your career may not be all that it's cracked up to be. I won't start a debate on certain acresses merits, but there's quite a few that can hardly act their way out of a paper bag yet are the main attraction for the project. Because they're hot.

Oh and there's another factor we've not even mentioned here. Like that a movie you're in IS successful, but somehow doesn't help YOU out at all. Like Girl Interrupted. That projects was Winona's baby. She was really hoping it would put her back on the map and show her as a serious actress and maaaaaybe get a little oscar nod in there. And what happened? It boosted Angelina Jolie's career, got her an oscar and Winona didn't even get a nomination.

Or my favorite example: The Terminator. It made a star of Cameron, who wrote and directed. It made a star out of Arnie even though he hardly had any lines and played a machine. But it somehow did bupkiss for Michael Biehn, or for Linda Hamilton who were technically the heroes of the movie. Sometimes you're still buggered. Must be frustrating.

EdDantes | April 05, 01:03 CET

I saw Ju-On: The Grudge at a film festival this weekend. I'm kind of curious about how they are going to remake this movie, because (1) there is virtually no plot, and (2) there really isn't a main character. The closest would be the Rika character. Basically, the original Ju-On is a lot of good, creepy ideas in search of a plot; it spins it's wheels so much, it becomes kind of comical towards the end.

Shroomy | April 05, 06:42 CET

i heard that japaneese movies like that have main characters but are specifically about them, that they dont just focus on one person. i do want to see the original, plus the new one. but movies that are weird like this is suppose to be are my favorite so i already know i will like it. cant wait

norman | April 05, 07:38 CET

April 04 2004