Sarahs acting abilities?

[KhaoticLove]

I talk with my friends about Buffy and Angel and sometimes good conversations start up but not always. This girl started to talk about bad actors and actresses and how no one can act anymore. I stared bluntly at her and said Sarah Michelle Gellar can- and she cut me off and said shes a horrible actress.
The thing is Sarah a bad actress, from what I know shes not shes wicked good. Maybe its just me but I don't think Buffy would be the 2nd TV show, or have this many fans.
And I don't think that girl can act that was talking crap.
But what do you think?

[NightBird]

I think that Sarah is a great actress, I haven't studied film or anything like that but I notice bad actors and Sarah and the whole Buffy cast always drew me in and I never 'noticed' anybody acting.

I feel that a long of TV actors get a bad rap and are very underrated because of the medium they work in, the same princple often applies with genre.

Sci-fi and fantasy writers get alot of stick, and if you even suggest that comics are a vaild litatary medium in some book stores they will through the 'book' at you.

[Karrde]

Well, that's very subject to discussion. We like Buffy because of SMG and how she created that character - but that's all she's done, isn't it? I can't say I've seen her in all of her movies, but I've watched the horrible Scooby Doos, not so horrible "Grudge" remake, Cruel Intentions (which was oh so wrong on so many levels, least of which was horrifying acting of everyone included so SMG didn't look that bad really). Scream 2, I know what you did last summer... anyone else see a pattern here?
She's terrific when she's fighting and running away from monsters, great for stunt work, but real acting? Like, Shakespearean on-stage or even off-stage acting when the director requires it? Not so much.
Look no further than the second come back in Season 6. If the text wasn't so well written, her conversation with Spike about what it was like being dead and all would look like they were talking about grocery shopping. On the other hand, running around town kicking demon butt half crazed after digging herself from the ground, that looked valid.

[Urgent Power]

I adore SMG's acting. And I watch her acting all the time when I watch Buffy or anything else she's in. And what I see is a depth acting. I mean, you can actually see what the character, let's say Buffy, is really feeling or thinking at the moment. That's what I call good acting. She's won so many awards for a reason. That's what I think.

[littlewilly]

Ive only seen her in 2 films, the Grudge, which i was too busy being annoyed with the crappy American remake to notice her acting abilities, and Cruel Intentions, in which i thought SMG was great, she done a really good job in that, and the movie was quite good too.
With Btvs, i noticed alot of times throughout the series when the acting(by everyone) isnt that good, but i hardly even notice because everything else is so good.

[white avenger]

I think that Sarah was a better actor at the end of "Chosen" than she was at the beginning of "Welcome To The Hellmouth," but she has a long way to go to achieve greatness as an actor. So far, from what I've seen, her roles since leaving "Buffy" haven't done much to really challenge her.

[hyperballadbrad]

you can tell that she works really hard in her acting, and she is great at what she does

But it's not a completely natural ability. Sometimes she does come across as very forced, but not often.

I think she is a very good actor, but not like amazing!

[Fake Shemp]

buffy was never my fav when i watched it when it was first on (but i knew she was still fantastic...) now on the zillionth time watching it all (i always have to start at the um start and watch it all... cant just watch a random episode weirdly) and i like the character of buffy more than ever and smg is FANTASTIC.... i mean she always knows where the light is right.... and the camera and she can make me laugh and cry in the same episode (just wished she did better other stuff... that suburban girl was boring)

[Bluebird]

For anyone who thinks she is a bad actress, tell them to watch The Body.

I defy anyone to say she can't act after seeing that episode. Of course it was fantastic writing and directing but she done a brilliant job in that episode.

[Yam Sham]

Sarah Michelle Gellar is no Johnny Depp, but she's a great actress nonetheless, especially since she started out on a rather low-budget, cult classic TV show. Let's be honest - acting-wise, Buffy-type shows usually aren't exactly amazing. Like Charmed; the acting in that show is pretty awful, even though I know people will disagree with me on that one. And besides, Sarah is a rare combination of pretty and talented.
Of course, that's not to say that she's the best actress on Buffy and Angel. I think the best would be Amy Acker or Alexis Denisof, but she was definitely talented either way.

[SpikedBuffy]

I think viewpoints on what's good or bad acting from a person is all based on the viewer. Personally, I love Sarah, and I think she does a great job on any role and can do what's expected of her. She comes off as very professional.

There are other people though that I absolutely hate that have bee nominated or own awards, and I don't think they are good actors at all. They just happen to look nice. Some examples would be Scarlett Johansson and George Clooney. Other people think they are fabulous, but I can't stand them. So, I think it's all personal preference.

[KhaoticLove]

\ I agree, she did an amazing job in The Body, it looked really real. And her acting has gotten better since the show started. Shes a wicked good actor maybe not the best but certainly good. And she has talent at what she does or she would be half as good.
Shes probably one of my favorite actresses and when people talk bad about her I defend. Shes good and for someone to say shes terrible it angers me, even more if they arent an actor ot actress themselves.

[Primal Slayer]

I also think she is a great actress. But I also think that post-Buffy, she hasnt really been choosing that many great acting roles that she can show off her ability to its fullest.

[MSchett]

She is a good actor but like everyone else said not the best i think JM and AD are great actors they both play ppl with english accents,but their both american and they have to use those accents 100% of the time ;)

[Dlou444]

I DON'T think she's a good actress. She was good in Buffy, but I think Buffy is a lot like HER.
I think David plays a good Angel, but Booth isn't much different than Angel.

I think it has to do with what you count as a good actor. I think they have to be able to do LOTS of things and play many different type people.
When I watch Scoobie Doo, or even I Know What You Did Last Summer or The Grudge....I see Buffy, not another character. (Although she's more wimpy in IKWYDLS)

When I watch Bones, I wait for him to get mad and go all Bumpy.

Whereas, Tony Shaloub who plays Monk, when I see him in all the stuff he's been in the roles are SO different and he makes different characters SO WELL that I can't SEE Monk in these other characters.
Before I saw Murder In The First, I thought Kevin Bacon was only good at playing cocky arse-holes. But, you watch that and he's almost totally unrecognizable as even Kevin Bacon, much less "Footloose" boy.

In my book THAT is what makes a GREAT actor. To be able to be in something and NOT have people be able to see the roles your most famous for. To be able to morph into many different people...not the same person over and over again.

I don't think Sarah STINKS, and I have to admit to liking her in Buffy. But, I wouldn't say she's a great actress or even a really good actress.

I DO think James is a GREAT actor and Amber is too. But, I think that has to do with them being able to play different types of people MANY types of people and also be able to play OFF the other actors in a way where they seem to light up the screen when they're on it with anyone else and not only look great but make the OTHER actors look great too.

I'm picky about actor talents though.

[MSchett]

When I watch Scoobie Doo, or even I Know What You Did Last Summer or The Grudge....I see Buffy, not another character. (Although she's more wimpy in IKWYDLS)


thats cuz uve watched so much buffy uve typecasted her to the role of Buffy because its a role she did relate to and played quite well
if youd never seen an episode of buffy ud see her in her different roles changing constantly but 7 seasons playing 1 character makes it almost immpossible not to typecast her

[Dlou444]

thats cuz uve watched so much buffy uve typecasted her to the role of Buffy because its a role she did relate to and played quite well
if youd never seen an episode of buffy ud see her in her different roles changing constantly but 7 seasons playing 1 character makes it almost immpossible not to typecast her

Maybe, but remember, I only started watching Buffy a year or two ago. BEFORE I had, I just thought she downright stunk because she always played the "same person" and had no depth.
I just happened to think that the one person she plays works GREAT for Buffy.

I'd like to see her try her hand at, say Fred. Quiet, shy, super genius would work nicely for me.
Or something where in the opening scenes I could say, "Hey! There's Buffy" but by 10 minutes in be totally convinced it's NOT Buffy but someone else entirely.

Like James can do. I made a point to see him in everything I could get my hands on because I wanted to see if he was really as good as I thought. But, I know I watched a whole episode of Saving Grace without even realizing HE WAS IN IT! When I found out later I said, "Yeah, maybe that was him" and it wasn't until I watched it again that I REALLY noticed and even then, I had to remind myself everytime he came on the screen because it just SO wasn't Spike. Not only the hair and accent, but just NOT Spike. Not even resembling Spike in ANY way or mannerisms....except, perhaps, that I think he was the murderer.

I think Alyson HAS it, but she's been kind of typecast as a "goof". I think she's a victim of typecasting, but I just don't feel like Sarah has been. I just don't think she has the range that the really GREAT actors do.
But, Kevin Bacon fooled me, I suppose Sarah could too.

[KhaoticLove]

I think that in some ways your right, she is probably like buffy. But she acted completely different in Scooby Doo, and it was pretty good. I mean I think shes a good actress no shes not the best but I think shes up there. She was pretty young when she started as the show went along I think her acting changed.

By the way nice paintings!!!

[The Ferg]

I don't think she's amazing, but she's pretty damn good. Sometimes, she seems a little too corny for my tastes, but after I get past that, it's cool.

[sk8rj04]

Like Charmed; the acting in that show is pretty awful, even though I know people will disagree with me on that one.

HOLY CRAP! I couldn't agree more. I HATED Drew Fuller in Season 6. He tried to hard for me. And Rose after her initial season went WAY downhill. And even Alyssa has had some REALLY bad acting scenes. Holly is probably the best out of the four sisters. Shannen could get really.. well, I loved Prue (so much more than Paige), but Piper was BY FAR the best on Charmed. Besides Brian, who just took it there EVERY time.

[Dlou444]

Yeah, I can't say much good about Charmed, but I was thinking today that Piper isn't half bad. Cole too, but everyone's always so "BEAT YOU IN THE HEAD YOU'RE BAD" all the time I can't even see the guy I love in all the other shows he's in.

Perhaps this is why I don't like Charmed and DO like Spike. I ADORE gray areas!

[Slayher]

Sarah is a great actress.
I can say that without a doubt because there is nothing i hate more than bad actors in a big role.
Sarah is completely believable when she speaks her lines. It always bothered me when people say she cant act.

[Fake Shemp]

i think she's fantastic and has just had bad luck in what she's chose film wise.... please send her luck everyone who likes her come on *mind power*

[fly on the wall]

BtVS wouldn't be at the level that it is if the main actress stunk.

I love Sarah Michelle Geller, I think she's a really good actress. She is totally and completely believable as Buffy. Even during fight scenes when it's so obvious the stunt double isn't SMG, you still believe in Buffy, you still believe in Sarah. Yes, that has a lot to do with the writers, directors, etc, but BtVS wouldn't be what it is (timeless) if SMG sucked.

[Dlou444]

I agree.
She doesn't suck.
And she IS GREAT in Buffy. She IS Buffy and as much as I've always rolled my eyes at the sight of her name in credits....I have to admit that once I saw Buffy I said, "AH HA! Perhaps this is IT!"
She's definately Buffy. Other people...I don't know. I've really never seen her in anything else that I saw the character and not either SMG or Buffy.

But, she gets VERY high points for Buffy.

I actually do have faith that she's better than she comes across. I don't think she's taking the roles that would or could steer her away from Buffyness and into other things. She needs to steer clear of both horror and movies where she's gotta Kung-Fu people.
If she's gotta do horror...I think she should be the scary killer person.

I do think that with all the actors out there, she's on the losing side of the teeter totter, but I'm not sure that she HAS to be. I think she just needs to work less on trying to get us to seperate her from Buffy and more on doing less "Buffy type" rolls.
Like, CSI investigator!

[Aussie]

I was thinking about this last night, I think she is awesome as Buffy. But I do think she also needs to choose her current roles more carefully. I haven't seen her in anything lately that has shown off her acting abilities at all. (Although I am fresh from watching Southland tales and I am still confused as to if the character was written badly or the acting was bad... maybe the whole movie was just bad...)

[Primal Slayer]

SMG needs to try to get into some high profile movies. She is becoming a DTD actress.

[Fake Shemp]

this is what she needs - http://www.mutantreviewers.com/rjg11.html

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[Rowan Hawthorn]

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[Dlou444]

That's what I say! Oscar movies are NEVER as fun as non-Oscar ones!

[Violette]

I adore SMG, I think she's a talented actress. She's great in all (or *most*) of her movies, especially the horror and drama ones (Cruel Intentions, The Grudge, The Air I Breathe). I think she's able to make the characters she plays "believable", in the sense that the viewers become engaged. She can play varied roles with different tones and approaches (some bad actors/actresses seem to be just one person in all of their movies). The one SMG movie that I dislike is The Return, I think both the film sucks and her acting is not at her best. I haven't seen Southland Tales yet (I heard pretty low reviews on it though).

She was excellent in Buffy, Joss couldn't have picked a better actress for that role. I think she's better suited in horror, mystery, drama, and action-type movies.

[hazzard]

i never had any desire to see any of sarah michelle gellar's other work because they weren't my "thing," but i loved buffy from the first episode i saw and i think smg is brilliant as buffy. she acts her well and believably, and i mentioned in another post the other day, that after a while the actors kind of "become" the characters in some form when they play one person for many years.

[Dlou444]

I do have to admit, that I think some of SMG BEST acting was as the Buffybot.
She was simply brillant then!

[DrewBarroo]

I think SMG acting is supperb, but in The Grudge 1 and 2 it wasn't brilliant. Then again the film wasn't that great either.

[punkypower]

I'm biased.

I've been a SMG fan since "Swan's Crossing" and "All My Children." She can play any emotion/characteristic almost flawlessly, rather it be the rich bisque (Swans Crossing/Cruel Intentions), i will survive chick (btvs), scream queen (ikwydls, scream2) or bitter, confused sloppy seconds daughter (amc). Honestly, I haven't watched anything of hers post-BtVS except Scooby Doo and The Grudge, which were forgettable for me.

I can't see anyone else playing Buffy. She gave us all of the blood, sweat and tears that Joss put into the script. She could go to that deep, dark place in season 6, and then in the next scene, have us cracking up with the BuffyBot.

I truly hope Sarah has a great comeback soon (I guess something Buffy-related would be TOO much, huh? :Þ)

[Xin Rong]

I'll have to say that I loved SMG in Buffy and think she acted well, however saying that I think she has been terrible in every other film i've seen her in.

[SpoonsAreCool]

I agree with some of you guys, everytime I see SMG in a movie all I think is "Buffy, Buffy, Buffy, she's Buffy"..SMG is great as Buffy, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role, but I think she is more suited to TV acting rather than movie acting though, I think as an actress she has peaked.

[luckystar]

i love sarah, always liked her as buffy i think her best acting performance would be as katherine in cruel intentions perhaps it was a lil different than anything else and the first time i didnt think of her as buffy, other than that shes not the best but an ok actress, i dont think she can do horror though she doesnt play fear very well i really didnt like her in the grudge it was awfull

[PurplePoof]

It's funny how most people say if you really wanna see what Sarah is capable of as an actress in Buffy, to watch The Body...while she was undeniably good there...I was most moved by her performance in The Gift, in particular her scene with Giles. When she says "I don't know how to live in this world if these are the choices" I found that to just be spine-tingling...maybe it's just me. Her acting came across as pretty forced and lame in some of the season 1 episodes...but all the actors seemed to struggle a bit in the first season.