Will Smith immature? thats an oxymoron

Umm. . umm.  . .i don't know what to say. But he is on fresh prince of bel-air.
Oops, that's not a movie. anywayz, you get my point.

Comparing Will Smith to Denzel? Wetin i no go see for this Nairaland.  

Until Smith does some good acting  close to "Training day", no one should ever ever compare this duo again. Never Ever!!!!

IMO, by using "Training day" to judge, am even lowering the scale and dowing the antes for comparison between 'em two.

Training day brought Denzel an Oscar and it is his most useless film. Will smith has to trade Jada to some Babalawo/Dibia to ever come close to that acting.

Oh My Gosh, All Y'all Will Smith sci-fi lovers should go see Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" and Denzels portrayal of Steven Biko, before indulging in more trumpery on this site.

Am still foaming, i can't believe it! Denzel and Smith in the same breath? Its like pairing comedian I Go Dye and Richard Pryor on the same wavelength.

No Homo! Is it even in looks sef, swagger, finesse? Denzel carries the day!

Hey hey, you're pushing it. Will smith is also a cutie, can't say Denzel is cuter. Anywayz, me no care. They're both old.

Nawa ooo

while they are both getting paid

you are still trying to get a raise!

Gamine:

Nawa ooo

while they are both getting paid

you are still trying to get a raise!

Are we talking bout salaries here? must you behave infantile in all your posts? If you wanna discuss Salaries, go to www.salaries.com

chiogo:

Right, and like i mentioned earlier, i didn't want to bring religion into it either but either way you look at it, the words apply. Ok, in real life, if one has a friend or someone in their life that stops them from achieving their goals, what do you do?? Say bye to the friend and move on with your life. Same theory as the one i took from the bible.

It's not really easy for Monty to remain celibate just because he moved to the mountains or whatever. For one who is a philanderer, it is a hard decision to make to move to a zone where you know you won't be able to get sex anymore. That itself, is a challenge - the decision to move from one's comfort zone.

I don't really get what you mean by their movie choices. Last time i checked, all these actors have their movies written for 'em. so, what movie choices are we talkin about here?? I def. agree that Denzel is a better actor but by a very thin line. For one, he's older and therefore, he is given mature roles and he's been playing that role since forever. I'm sure either of them would do well in other roles but it'd be less interesting to watch because the audience won't be used to their new characters. Will smith does not play those roles because he's immature and Denzel doesn't play those roles because he's so smart - They're used to their roles, point blank.

Goodness!

I didn't think the underlining meaning of my analogy will be this difficult to understand. Obviously, you'd rather see it a certain way, that's why you insist on bringing philandering men into it.  So let's just agree to disagree on that since there is nothing I can say or do to make you see where I was going with it.


Re: Movie Choices.
Alright I don't know how much you know about movie making but rarely do screenwriters write with a particular actor in mind. This is why they have casting sessions. Do you think anyone is holding a gun to an actor's head forcing him to act a movie? You do know they have the option of turning down scripts and by doing so, they are asserting their right to CHOOSE. . . hence their Movie Choices.

Denzel Washington turned an offer to play Martin Luther King.

Will Smith Turned down Superman and Neo in The Matrix.

Ben Affleck turned down Brokeback Mountain

Halle Berry turned down Gigli (thank heavens for that)

Angelina Jolie turned down Charlie's Angels

Al Pacino Turned down Pretty Woman.

I can go on and on but I'm sure you get the point. . . Actors have choices!

So when I say his choice in movies, I mean HIS choice in movies because HE makes the final decision (except he owes money to the Mob, then they make the decision)

What you wrote here They're used to their roles is known as typecasting. On the What actors DREAD most list, Typecasting is #2.

After Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio got many offers to play romantic leading man, he turned them down because he didn't want to be typecasted.

Jennifer Aniston barely has a movie career because people can't stop seeing her as Rachel Green from friends.

The Seinfeld Gang can't escape their Seinfeld characters (well Julia Louis seems to have gotten over the curse, I hear her new sitcom is good)

Matt Damon did the Bourne Identity movies to break away from the sensitive leading man role people were starting to identify him with.

Again, I can go on and on but I have faith you get my point. Typecasting is BAD and most actors. . . except Will Smith of course,  will do anything to break away from it by acting against type. What's the point of calling yourself an actor is you can't be versatile


Oh #1 on the list - Not getting movie offers.

@Rikkyjen

sorry ooh, Mr Grownup.

kev-d:

There is a big difference between an action movie star and  great character actor,the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger,Sylvester Stallone,Jackie Chan,Vin diesel give great box office returns but are not character actors, the great actors include Robert Deniro,Al Pacino ,Denzel Washington ,Anthony Hopkins,Jack Nicholson,Daniel Day Lewis,Sean Penn and Rusell Crowe may not have sold out Theatres but are regarded as the best in the business due to their intense performances in dramatic roles.

Now as for Will Smith he is mainly an action star but has shown capacity for great dramatic roles like in ALI and The Pursuit of Happyness but to compare him with Denzel as an actor is ridiculous, Performances in Malcolm X , Glory ,The Hurricane,Siege,Training Day, Remember the Titans,American Gangster,Crimson tide cannot be matched.

If your the type of person that goesto the movies for sheer entertainment you will defintely love Will smith more, but if you love movies for their artistic content and ability to make you think and for  challenging character portrayals i'd say Denzel is way on top.

I'm quoting Kev-d's post because sums up why Will Smith should never be compared to Denzel Washington.

By the way, I love how you grouped the actors . . Character Actors and Entertainment Actors. It's unfortunate they have to use the word Actor for the latter group but can you do, eh?

Thanks.

rikkyjen:

Comparing Will Smith to Denzel? Wetin i no go see for this Nairaland.  

Until Smith does some good acting  close to "Training day", no one should ever ever compare this duo again. Never Ever!!!!

IMO, by using "Training day" to judge, am even lowering the scale and dowing the antes for comparison between 'em two.

Training day brought Denzel an Oscar and it is his most useless film. Will smith has to trade Jada to some Babalawo/Dibia to ever come close to that acting.

Oh My Gosh, All Y'all Will Smith sci-fi lovers should go see Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" and Denzels portrayal of Steven Biko, before indulging in more trumpery on this site.

Am still foaming, i can't believe it! Denzel and Smith in the same breath? Its like pairing comedian I Go Dye and Richard Pryor on the same wavelength.

No Homo! Is it even in looks sef, swagger, finesse? Denzel carries the day!

Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!

God Bless you, my brother. Your post is ON POINT. Willy Smith to Denzel Washington? How does he want it?

I'm kinda late for something but I just had respond to this.

Tom Cruise's career is on the decline and he doesn't seem to know it!

According to a new report, Tommy boy lost the lead role in Columbia's pix flick Edwin A. Salt.

What? Why would someone turn down Tom Cruise

Well, producers didn't want to pay the fee Tom was demanding.

Looks like Hollywood doesn't think he's worth the $20 million per pic he used to get!

The studio is supposedly eyeing Tom's friend Will Smith as the man to take on the lead.

Aw…will that spark a lover's quarrel?

@chiogo
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was eons ago


Training Day was his worst film? what would you say about Man on Fire?

Ok, to be honest.

When Will acts, its pure entertainment for me.
even in his serious movies, i could find myself laughing at him.for trying to be so serious

But when it comes to Denzel, sometimes its like C'mon man! take a chill pill, its not real life!!!ur just acting!!!
i dare not laugh at him!

Gamine:



But when it comes to Denzel, sometimes its like C'mon man! take a chill pill, its not real life!!!your just acting!!!
i dare not laugh at him!

hehehe

I'm not sure how you define "Oscar worthy", but your movie choices will not sniff an Oscar nomination anytime soon.

Who are you again? Was I even referring to you? and yes "MY movies" HAVE won Oscars, the most recent for example like the critically acclaimed NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN so please go and sit down or better yet mind your business.

davidif, only thing Jamie is good for is Imitations, he's just not that great an actor. Yea Ray was good like I said before BUT there were other nominees I personally found to be better then again, there has to be a token black win every year abi? So I aint mad at him

I don't like either one of them all that much. I much prefer Chiwetel Ejiofor to have some of the roles that Washington and Smith have. He is an excellent actor, and I'm sure he will do a much better job than the two.

Orimili:

I don't like either one of them all that much. I much prefer Chiwetel Ejiofor to have some of the roles that Washington and Smith have. He is an excellent actor, and I'm sure he will do a much better job than the two.

D.W of course.

One of my favorite movies was from him: "Antwone Fisher"

Another 2 Cents from me.

This is ridiculous,

You guys should stop giving your opinions and trying to shove it up everybody's throat.

Everybody likes both of them, separately, but when compared together seems like most ppl favor Denzel because of the memories they have about him and his movies.
Again, like someone said earlier, how do we classify or compare them side by side, what are the criteria. Seems like some people bank on talent and then ignore other details, some others rely on money per movie or how much each actor can generate. Others just listen to their gut and decide.

I say we take a different approach and compare all of the criteria together?

First who has the most bang for a movie?

Second who is more talented?
- Action:
- Adventure/Western:
- Comedy:
- Romance:
- Chick flicks (different from romance):
- Drama:
- History:
- Kids/Animated:
- Voice overs (its a talent):
- Historical:

Would you mind watching his movies over and over again and not get tired? (I get tired of Denzel's movies personally

Score each actor based on this, the person with the most nudges win. Is that acceptable? If not, give reason.

Cosign with that post ^^^, true talk.

Denzel should only be compared to a great actor such as Robert De Niro not Will Smith. Will Smith will be up up there someday not yet.

@santony makes a lotta sense.

santony2k:

Another 2 Cents from me.

This is ridiculous,

You guys should stop giving your opinions and trying to shove it up everybody's throat.

Everybody likes both of them, separately, but when compared together seems like most people favor Denzel because of the memories they have about him and his movies.
Again, like someone said earlier, how do we classify or compare them side by side, what are the criteria. Seems like some people bank on talent and then ignore other details, some others rely on money per movie or how much each actor can generate. Others just listen to their gut and decide.

Thanks guys for co-signing with me. I read a lot of the post, and it was interesting.

A lot of different characters on Nairaland. Can't live with'em, can't live without'em.

Abi oooh

@A-40

Why Halle let a whiteman pop her to get an Oscar?
Why Denzel had to be crooked before he took it?

First of all, Jada kiss is not the guy you want to taking movie analysis from? Secondly, what did Halle Berry do that was Oscar worthy before she won the Oscars "Executive Decision" he he he. Agreed her performance was great in Jungle Fever but not enough to warrant an Oscar nominee. Also, Denzel should have won an Oscar for Malcolm X and NOT "hurricane" or "Training day", Russell Crowe had the better acting performances for both years: Gladiator (probably the greatest acting performance ever) and a beautiful mind which was better than Denzel's performance in Training day. The reason why i think he didn't win that year for "Malcolm X" was because brotha malcolm was such a divisive figure in America that they didn't want to touch the movie, and the movie and its director Spike Lee were very controversial in hollywood at the time.

Halle is another one with a token black award. Not worthy of it at all esp NOT for Monster's Ball

Her "best" role was in "Losing Isiah".

davidif:

@A-40
First of all, Jada kiss is not the guy you want to taking movie analysis from? Secondly, what did Halle Berry do that was Oscar worthy before she won the Oscars "Executive Decision" he he he. Agreed her performance was great in Jungle Fever but not enough to warrant an Oscar nominee. Also, Denzel should have won an Oscar for Malcolm X and NOT "hurricane" or "Training day", Russell Crowe had the better acting performances for both years: Gladiator (probably the greatest acting performance ever) and a beautiful mind which was better than Denzel's performance in Training day. The reason why i think he didn't win that year for "Malcolm X" was because brotha malcolm was such a divisive figure in America that they didn't want to touch the movie, and the movie and its director Spike Lee were very controversial in hollywood at the time.

.

Not really. . . This was not the main reason the Academy shunned Denzel's powerful performance in Malcolm X, though you have a point.

This is the thing. .The Academy folks are crazy and infact they work like a mafia. Denzel was not given an Oscar for Malcolm X, because the Academy have/had something something about paying your dues in the industry. In that year (1992), Denzel was up against Al-Pacino's, "scent of a woman". Crazy enough, Scent of a woman was not even Al Pacino's best performance in a motion picture.

But guess what, Al pacino had been nominated for the Academy Award 8 whooping times WITHOUT a win . Pacino had overpaid his dues and yet he wasn't recognized. Infact at that time, there was this huge noise and allegation levelled against the Academy as being anti-Italian and prejudiced against second/third generation Americans (Pacino is one),  But personally am happy Al aPacino got that OScar because since then he hasn't won any and his latter films have not been Oscar worthy. .  Imagine a scenario where Al pacino has no OScar after 8 nominations. . .  The Academy would never rest for denying him the chance to be among the pantheon of the greatest actors

So when AL pacino got the Oscar for 1992, people had mixed feelings that well at last Pacino got an Oscar, while some said "scent of a woman" was not even a million miles near his Godfather series, but Boom! the Academy made their point. At that time, lets don't forget Denzel just won an Oscar in 1989 for "Glory". .  Denying him the 1992 Oscar was the Academy's way of preserving the "speciallness'' of the OScar,  .  Winning 2 Oscars in a spate of 4 years woulda been too much for Denzel ( even though he deserved it)

In 2001, guess who benefitted from this same bias and theory? Denzel himself!!!!. .  His performance in "traning day" was ecceletic and electrifying. Personally, have watched Training day 15 times or more, no exaggeration. .  I still saw it again last week or so! Oh My Gosh, Denzel (Alonzo) was a ruthless and heartless vato in that movie,  . . .But we all know that Rusell crowes "A beautiful mind" ought to have fetched Rusell the Oscars a million times and over. Crowe over deserved the Oscar, but hey Its all about paying your dues as Denzel paid his befor getting a 2nd Oscar. Giving Crowe a 2nd Oscar befor e Denzel woulda been criminal to say the least

And besides, some couple of weeks before the Oscars in 2001, news filtered out that Crowe beat the hell out of a Camera man during the shooting of the film. .  That also worked against him

Does the Academy rob Jane to pay Janet? Absofuckinlutely!, yes they do but i guess the unpredictability of the Oscars is what makes it the most prestigous award in Showbiz since humans began entertainment. If a moronic and "unnecc" Actor wins an Oscar, his wage demands sky rocket like F@ck. .  That Shows the sanctity and prestige of the Oscar!

@santony22. No one can set a perfect crieria for jujging the quality of an actor.Like i said people go to see movies for different reasons, some to be entertained ,some for something artistic, some to challenge their intellectual inertia. the most impotant thing any movie is the experience and for any actor is believability and Range.Personally i have an eclectic taste for movies but i do try to keep a balance .
On your criticism of Denzel for being the same, i understand that complaint being that you are not the samebut the same can also be said of Will, ou know Independence day (aliens),Men in Black I & II ( aliens), IRobot ( some form of alien),I am Legend (some form of Alien), right now a lot of movie goers in the Us are complaining of Will Smith Fatigue. But the most important thing is believability and Range

@ santony,I meant to say u are not the first to complain of Denzel being the same in each movie.Sorry for the error.

Denzel is in the lead at the moment
very good

No problem kev-d. No offense taken.

ON A VERY VERY IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE - REMEMBER WILL SMITH USED TO BE A RAPPER. WITH A "R"!!!!

But the question of versatility arises? 

Do you think Denzel can play an action hero?
Do you think Will can play a serious character?
Can either of them play a compelling role outside of their comfort zone? If so, which one of them can do it better?

Let's not kid ourselves, they are both talented and smart. Their managers aren't dumb either. This is their job, they aren't doing this for fun. They want to make the $$$$$, if the role is too radical and people don't like it, your credibility will go down the drain (Eddie Murphy anyone?), but you still want to do something different and not be labeled as boring and so on - We've already beaten the idea of Will doing the same role to death (Which I believe is wrong)

kev-d:

@santony22. No one can set a perfect crieria for jujging the quality of an actor.Like i said people go to see movies for different reasons, some to be entertained ,some for something artistic, some to challenge their intellectual inertia. the most impotant thing any movie is the experience and for any actor is believability and Range.Personally i have an eclectic taste for movies but i do try to keep a balance .
On your criticism of Denzel for being the same, i understand that complaint being that you are not the samebut the same can also be said of Will, ou know Independence day (aliens),Men in Black I & II ( aliens), IRobot ( some form of alien),I am Legend (some form of Alien), right now a lot of movie goers in the Us are complaining of Will Smith Fatigue. But the most important thing is believability and Range

I agree 100%