Stars playing themsevles

Jon Starr

Jon Starr

Veteran
I'm sorry, I just have to say it, but doesn't it bug you when some big famous star in a hollywood blockbuster plays himself/herself?

I don't remember it too well, but didn't they do that with bruce willis in oceans 12 or whatever? He played himself, yet next to him were other even more famous stars that weren't playing themselves. It was just weird.

The thing is that a movie for me is like an alternate reality. If you've seen this person before and they're famous, they CANNOT play themselves or else it feels like they break the 4th wall and take me out of the film. It pisses me off. Anyone else agree?
 
I agree. It's also an obvious cheap excuse to be able to say that actor was in it, without investing at all in the story. Especially when other famous actors are in the scene, which is just stupid.

The main exception would be when it's done for comedic effect in a movie that fits with that concept. Sometimes it works.
 
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bruce willis again in "what just happened" but the mother of them all hasta be john malkovich in being...well you get the picture.
 
Anyone ever see "The Boys and Girls guide to Getting Down"? I know it was a small part and he's not that famous but Principal Spelding from Saved by the bell...well the actor that plays him, plays himself in that Indie film...worked i guess
 
Elmy said:
Anyone ever see "The Boys and Girls guide to Getting Down"? I know it was a small part and he's not that famous but Principal Spelding from Saved by the bell...well the actor that plays him, plays himself in that Indie film...worked i guess
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MR. BELDING!! :violin:Mourns the butchery of Belding


I like when actors refer to past character's they played, ala "Rambo was a pussy" delivered by Stallone in Tango and Cash. Or Jim Carry in Liar Liar when his son asks, "If I make this face will it stay this way," and then Jim says, "No! And in fact some people make a good living doing that" of course referring to himself.

I love that stuff.
 
one of my favorites is Ron Silver as himself in Heat Vision and Jack, Ben Stiller's pilot starring Jack Black as the smartest person in the world and Owen Wilson as his talking motorcycle. Ron Silver is the bad guy. When he shows up and introduces himself someone says, "You're the bad guy from Timecop!"
 
Tons of great examples here which I think have proved by far that it's legitimate to play yourself. And personally I got a big laugh from Bruce Willis in OC12, especially when hes talking about The Sixth Sense and making commentary on his own career, which can be unique and not necessarily a cheap way to avoid developing a story, besides not every movie has to be plot driven anyways.
 
Ocean's 12 is one of the worst films ever made. I had to try 3 times to make it through the whole thing before saying "poo poo it".

On the other hand, for good examples, see...

Pepe
Hollywood Canteen
Silent Movie
Nashville
Canonball Run II
L.A. Story
The Player
 
it gives the audience a bit of double weirdness. they're watching a film wherein say, Bruce Willis and everything about him, exists within the world of that story...yet the star he's playing opposite against, say, Robert Deniro, does not. Or if he does, does Bruce Willis say to himself, "damn, this guy looks like Deniro"

or am I over thinking this

I like seeing stars play themselves. It gives the world of the film credibility, and thats probably the number one reason Hollywood screenplay writers go that route
 
Bob Barker in Happy Gilmore was pretty funny..."The price is WRONG Bob!" (I know Sandler says this, but it's still funny)... lol

Shatner in Free Enterprise though was... surprisingly weird.

I guess sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. Entourage must use some sort of arbitrary star power ranking system to choose which 'stars' get to play themselves on the show. I mean Brett Ratner gets to play himself, but not Martin Landau?? I guess the decision was mutual.

On a sidenote: Will Smith makes a damn fine career out of mostly playing himself. :grin:
 
Shatner was brilliant in that movie where DeNiro was a cop, and Eddie Murphy was partnered with him for some reality TV show... (yeah, I'm too lazy to look it up on IMDB, sue me :p )

"You OK there, TJ?"
 
Captain Pierce said:
Shatner was brilliant in that movie where DeNiro was a cop, and Eddie Murphy was partnered with him for some reality TV show... (yeah, I'm too lazy to look it up on IMDB, sue me :p )

"You OK there, TJ?"
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Showtime and it was freaking hilarious. And what about JCVD. The critics actually liked it. And what about Charlie Sheen's part in Being John Malkovich .

-Nate
 
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