The Hollywood Resurrection Game

In recent years, its become the "in" thing for big name actors who have sort of faded off into obscurity to take a role on television and if possible use it to restart their career, now, in alot of cases, this works, in the case of the hit television show "The Closer" it restarted the stalled careers for Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons and G.W. Bailey, all very well or fairly well known in their own right, but had somewhat stalled their careers at the point the show went to air, now they've all gone on to become high profile actors again, in a similuar vain, the series "Saving Grace" saved the career of Holly Hunter, there are others too, Glen Close's career was saved by two television shows, "The Shield" and "Damages", and Harvey Kaitel's career was saved to a degree by the US version of "Life On Mars", or Patrick Swayze on "The Beast", there are many others too, but those will serve as my examples, now, with that said, I've been thinking about this long and hard, and after laughing at myself for saying "long and hard", I compiled a list of actors and actresses who I think should make the full time move to the small box that we all spent so much time infront of, as a means of reviving their careers. After all, all the good writers in hollywood got into Television after the writer's strike anyway, so television is the new movies..

With that said, lets get into this shall we? Here is my list of actors and actresses that need to make the move to the orthicon box...

Ray Wise

Now, I know that I rave alot about Ray's work on Reaper as the devil, but with that over now, Ray needs something bigger, he needs to find a dark comedy where he can play a mob boss or a ruthless business man, or even a scumbag lawyer or some kind, the kind of person we can love to hate because he's both awesome and the biggest dick in the world at the same time. Thats Ray's strength, and his true bread and butter, he has the perfect look for the slimy yet awesome type, he does it so well that letting it go to waist would be a crime. Maybe if he was the tyranical boss on a dark dramedy about Advertising or Law, or maybe if he could get in on that ABC stateside remake of Outrageous Fortune called "Good Behavior" as a rival mobster or something, now THAT would be a great role for him. Not that anyone at ABC would listen to me mind you. But still...

Vin Diesel

Ok look, regardless of if I find him boring actor or not, hollywood needs actors who specialize in action, they can't keep using the same two guys over and over, and well, Vin is a name in that field, people will still go to his films, mostly his action films, now Vin should play to these strengths, because I feel in this era of F/X the television action star is being lost. Now Vin might not really be main focus character material, but think about this, in a tv show about like, a military unit that does black ops, or deals with paranormal super science stuff, they are going to need the token big muscular heavy duty tough as nails combat guy, who cares the big guns and dispenses ownage apon the masses and such, Vin could be that guy. There was recently talk of taking obscure old comic book "Blackhawks" out of obscurity and making it a military sci fi/paranormal show, where the unit uses super high tech super science-y equipment to deal with everything from terrorist created monsters to evil ghosts possessing people trying to use them to come back to life, it could kind of be like a Fringe or X-Files meets Stargate kind of show. Vin could totally be the big dude in that. Just get him in the right mix of cast and he would shine.

Will Farrell

Ok, I like Will, I really do, but he has this problem with his acting roles sense he left Saturday Night Live, they are abit hit or miss, when he is funny, he is very funny, but when he is not, it becomes Step Brothers. Now, I know Will's done tv before, but well, seriously, voicing Bob Oblong on the horrible animated comedy The Oblongs really was the wrong choice, like alot of his movies really. Will also have the habit of playing the same character over and over again in different movies, mostly the cluelessly bad at sports guy that thinks he's great, he's been doing this role over and over again sense Kicking and Screaming, and though it worked in Talidagia Nights and somewhat in Semi-Pro, doesn't really mean its gonna work every time, Will needs to learn that. But see, with television, he can play the same role over and over again, and not make us tired of it. He needs to get involved in a comedy thats acts serious but is an out and out comedy, kind of like The Office or something in that same vain, that seems to be his strong suit.

Wesley Snipes

Now, I know alot of people say Wesley tanked his career because when he dated Hallie Berry he beat her so bad she's deaf in one ear from a slap to the head, and yes, thats horrible, but, the way I see it, if the world can forgive Rob Lowe for sleeping with a 17 year old and videotaping it, Robert Downey Jr. and Micky Rork for being abusive and violent drug addicts, and even the likes of Mathew Broadrick and Brandy Norwood for accidental vehicular homicide, and countless others for other things, for the sheer fact that there is a huge lack of known black lead men on television, the world can look the other way on Wesley Snipes. He doesn't need to have a big prolific role, maybe something as a hardened older cop or drill instructor or something of that like, something that doesn't require alot of leaving his good range, Wesley has been good at comedy too, but only in small amounts, i wouldn't play to that aspect, he would over act the role and make it unwatchable. He'd maybe be good in as a rival or fellow operative in Patrick Swayze's The Beast honestly.

Susan Ward

Now, chances are, you've never heard of Susan Ward, or her few roles of note, but for what she has been in, she has infact been incredible in each thing, even the horribly bad, and let me tell you, if you haven't seen The In Crowd, her movies get REALLY bad. But through those moments of horrible film, Susan herself always shined. Her strengths have always been her ability to seem in constant control of her dramatic ability, and thats where her acting roles should stay, maybe in one of those steamy adult aimed prime time dramas, kind of like Melrose Place was, but not as crappy as that or as crappy as its remake. There was talk of a drama about a new york city high school where the main teacher was going to be similar to House, in that says the most horrible and insulting things, but in the end does brilliant things with their students, Susan would make a great female lead for that kind of a series, she could showcase her serious side, and the fact she has that "hot teacher" kind of vibe to her. Or maybe some kind of a drama where she plays the middle sibling out of a trio of sisters or something, maybe with Moon Bloodgood playing the younger sibling... I can't see her doing comedy though, otherwise I'd say she could attempt to breath some life back into that aging trainwreck Desperate Housewives. She can also sing really well, so you know, take that as you wish.

Carol Kane

Now I know she's been around for a very long time, and i know she's had her share of memorable roles, but I have to say, Carol is the kind of actress that i just love, she can play serious, and make you believe its serious, she can play comedy and make you laugh alot, and she can play crazy, and make you believe she is truly crazy. We've all heard the stories of how she was the only person alive that could out Kaufman the great improvisational comedian Andy Kaufman, and how he used to praise her constantly for it, even stating once she was the only person he couldn't get to ever break role when filming the tv show Taxi. Carol is a great actress all around, and a great person from what I read as well. Carol needs something thats a mixture of Drama and Comedy, not to far dramatic, not to far comedy, somewhere right in the middle of the road because it wouldn't be fair to slant her one way or the other whe she's so good at both. I can see her in a role similar to what Lily Tomlin played in the excellent but short lived and just about forgotten series "12 Miles of Bad Road", the half crazy family matriarch, or possibly a mystic old fortune teller in a sci fi series of some kind, she's really the kind of actress that any role will be made her own just by letting her do what she does best. I do love her ever so.

Julia Roberts

Now, alot of people find this one abit shocking, but, hear me out, how long has it been sense you've seen Julia Roberts in a movie? Yeah, see, you can't think of one either. Julia is one of those actresses that everyone loves when they see her, and kind of forgets when she hasn't acted for awhile. Which is kind of a shame really, she's got a great work ethic and is said to be a joy to be around, for any network thats always a PR plus. As for Julia's acting, there is alot of it thats just great, I've really never seen her in anything I didn't like, except maybe Charlie Wilson's War, but that was more just boring script for a well acted movie then anything else. Its hard to pick though what kind of a role she should play, she can do drama, but its not always the best choice for her, she fits quirky sassy comedy more then anything really, so maybe thats where to aim her, with dramedy being all the rage right now. Either way she really should get herself back in the game, I would hate to see her just fade away.

Elizabeth Hurley

I know this one's kind of out of left field too, well, in truth they all are to a degree, but when you think about them, they are true. Now for me personally, this one was an easy choice, because allowing an excuse for those horrible Austin Powers movies, I have enjoyed most of Elizabeth's career, I know alot of people can laugh at me for that, but hey, thats how life goes, though i will admit I find her attempts at comedy alot better then her drama, with her playing the devil in the modern ate of Bedeviled being the stand out among her work given the completely over the top nature of the film and the role, one of those "so bad its awesome" type of deals. I think that might be where to aim Ms. Hurley's career actually, not so much a sitcom, because well I do hate that concept, but one of those single camera comedies thats are shot like a drama kind of deals, maybe something similar to the show Ugly Betty, but like, in the interior design business instead of the fashion business, maybe pair her with awesome british actress Cathrine Tate for something, i could see that working.

Ok well, thats enough for now, I might do afew more of these later, but, for now i've got afew other things i should think about getting posted... so.. on to the next!


---

BC