Just Because You’re In a Movie Doesn’t Mean You’re an Actor. There was recently an item in the news that porn star Jenna Jameson thinks actress Scarlett Johansson would do well to play her part on the big screen. Is this a lost and out of control ego or what? Why on earth would a talented, respectable, hard-working actress play the part of a porn star? That would be like David Beckham taking soccer lessons from my old high school P.E. coach.

This got me to thinking: Just because you’re in a movie doesn’t mean you’re an actor. Porn movies are terribly written, but the acting is worse, if that’s even conceivable. Why do they even make an attempt at a plot? Or dialog? A recent poll taken by Blogby, Zogby and Fullbright, 2007, revealed that 71 percent of all porn watchers are actually turned off by porn films. The reason? Bad acting. The same poll showed that they would rather watch Marcel Marceau in a porn movie than Jenna Jamieson. Why? Because Marcel Marceau was a mime.

So, what makes a good actor a good actor? Certainly not popularity. Afterall, Coca Cola is very popular, but it’s not good for you. Television is very popular but it can make an idiot out of an Einstein. Porn is popular but it’s junk; even most people who watch it will readily admit this. And SUVs are popular but they are destroying the environment.

Is Tom Cruise a good actor? He’s very popular. I don’t think he’s anything special. He can be fun to watch sometimes (except when doing calisthenics on Oprah’s sofa), but his range is limited. A good actor is someone who knows his craft and can play different roles well. Tom Cruise always plays the same person no matter which role he’s in. Compare this to Edward Norton who played a nebbish in Everyone Says I Love You, but also played a skinhead in American History X. He’s not only very good, he’s very versatile. Or Tom Hanks who was beyond excellent in Saving Private Ryan, but equally as enjoyable as a giant kid in Big.

Following is my list of the top 37 actors. If these people are not in the film you’re watching, then watch at your own risk. This list is in no particular order other than who comes to mind; some are unfortunately no longer with us…
1. Dustin Hoffman
2. Al Pacino
3. Meryl Streep
4. Marisa Tomei
5. Martin Sheen
6. Leonardo Di Caprio
7. Jack Lemmon
8. Sean Connery
9. Harrison Ford
10. Gene Wilder
11. Nathan Lane
12. Matthew Broderick
13. John Cusack
14. Roberto Benigni
15. Giancarlo Giannini
16. Bill Murray
17. Steve Carrel
18. Alan Arkin
19. Johnny Depp
20. Paul Giamatti
21. Virginia Madsen
22. Liam Neeson
23. Kate Winslet
24. Judi Davis
25. Judy Dench
26. Rene Zellweger
27. Juliette Binoche
28. Daniel Auteuil
29. Denzel Washington
30. Tom Hanks
31. Edward Norton
32. Penelope Cruz
33. Ossie Davis
34. Louis Gossett, Jr.
35. Kate Blanchett
36. Adrian Brody
37. Jerry Stiller

This was no easy list to compile. And it’s by no means complete. Maybe I left off some of the best of the best. But these are real actors who deserve the accolades and the big bucks. By looking at the list above, I think you’ll agree that for Jenna Jameson to consider herself an actor worthy of being portrayed by Scarlett Johannson would be better judged by a psychoanalyst than a film critic.

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