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The Actor Affectation

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Comment Diversions | Comments (97)

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This is an idea for a Seriously Random List that I can’t seem to flesh out on my own, so I put it to you good folks to come up with other possibilities. The topic is actor affectations, specifically, who originated them. I’ll offer two examples, and y’all can weigh in on other potential examples. For instance:

The Pause: Popularized by Marlon Brando, and now an everyday part of acting. It involves pausing to think in between statements or in answer to a question, often for excruciating periods of time.

The Stammer: I’m assuming this was popularized by Woody Allen, and a centerpiece for every nervous romantic lead in the history of film since Woody Allen. It involves expressing one’s vulnerability through a nervous stammer. Note: No females ever seem to have this stammer in movies.

Can you folks help add to the list? It could potentially make for a splendid little SRL.









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Comments

I'm not sure what to call it, but I guess I'll go with...

The Cud Chew: Late-period Robert Duvall opens and closes his mouth multiple times between lines of dialogue, often punctuating with little "heh"s. Most notably in The Road, which made me wonder why they bothered with all the makeup, since he was just doing his Robert Duvall thing. To be fair, this hasn't seemed to catch on with other actors....

Posted by: sansho1 at August 26, 2010 4:07 PM

The Sloowww Line Deliverance: Popularized by someone I don’t know, but it’s perfected by Alan Rickman.

Posted by: Scully at August 26, 2010 4:10 PM

The squint to show concentration, as perfected by Robert Redford.

Posted by: StephMoop at August 26, 2010 4:13 PM

The Overly Loud Laugh That "Charms" Everyone: Julia Roberts started it in Pretty Woman, and she's the master of it.

Sexy Face: This one has been used and perfected for decades, but Megan Fox is possibly the best example of it today, closely followed by Scarlett Johansson. I think we all know it: lowered eyelashes, dead eyes completely unfocused, mouth slightly open as if they can only breathe through their mouths. Used in almost every magazine cover ever, but present in every one of their movies as well.

Posted by: figgy at August 26, 2010 4:13 PM

The Staccato: Made famous by William Shatner it involved the short, forceful enunciation of individual syllables or words of dialog. Bill has even transferred this mode of delivery to the musical medium making this style immediately recognizable the world over.

Posted by: admin at August 26, 2010 4:14 PM

The Squint is a great one, Steph, and often used by actors half-assing their parts, where they look off into the distance, eyes narrowed, chin jutting out. Tries to be heroic, looks stupid.

Posted by: figgy at August 26, 2010 4:15 PM

The. Inappropriate... Pause. a.k.a. The Shatner.

Posted by: gothdoctor at August 26, 2010 4:16 PM

I think Jimmy Stewart was doing the Stammer long before Woody Allen.

Posted by: jimbob at August 26, 2010 4:17 PM

The Stammer made me think of an episode of Family Guy when they show a clip of a Hugh Grant movie and he stammers some line and then says "I'm just so chahmingly befuddled!" Good one, Family Guy, he totally is! In every movie ever!

Posted by: Dorothy Snarker at August 26, 2010 4:17 PM

The Emphasis: Christpher Walken emphasises certain words in a sentence, often for no discernible reason.

Posted by: ben at August 26, 2010 4:18 PM

Fast Talking Quirky Girl: (I don't know how to bold) Definitely around forever, but currently popularized by Lauren Graham. May she bite her tongue nearly in two.

Posted by: king at August 26, 2010 4:19 PM

The Sudden Shouting Rage: perfected through the years by Al Pacino. I think he first used it in The Godfather, where he's first just sitting in the chair all calm then transforms into a shouting monster. Now he's just a shouting monster in everything.

Posted by: figgy at August 26, 2010 4:19 PM

The Lip Purse
DeNiro does this a lot. Purse your lips, give a shrug, say your line.
Duvall also does this.

Posted by: Odnon at August 26, 2010 4:25 PM

The Squint reminds me of the acting class taught by Joey Tribbiani. "One of the most important things in soap opera acting is REacting. This does not mean acting again."

Posted by: sansho1 at August 26, 2010 4:27 PM

There is a perfect demonstration of The Pause in Inception:

Yusuf: "A dream within a dream? Two levels?"
Pause
Pause
Cobb: "Three"

It was excruciating to watch this. Gah. It. Was. So. Lame.

Posted by: Scully at August 26, 2010 4:28 PM

The Stutter- There is one person I can think of that does this. Neve Cambell. Ugh. In Party of 5, that was all she did! "B-b-b-ut Bailey..."

Posted by: My Pants are Full of Chinchilla Droppings! at August 26, 2010 4:30 PM

figgy, I'm with you completely, only I call it The Vapid Stare of Nothingness As A Sign Of Sexual Desirability.

Posted by: Courtney at August 26, 2010 4:30 PM

The Stunned Bunny Hugh Grant pre-Bridget Jones. I heard his acting style described this way once and thought it was perfect. His hair flops, he stammers, he looks like he is focusing so hard on what he is trying to say.

I suggest that The Emphasis and The. Inappropriate... Pause are the essence of Walken and cannot be disentangled.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at August 26, 2010 4:31 PM

The Chuckle. George C. Scott built an award-winning career out of a well-timed chuckle.

@king : What you're thinking of is part of a much larger phenomenon known as the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, as first defined in The AV Club:

Dunst embodies a character type I like to call The Manic Pixie Dream Girl (see Natalie Portman in Garden State for another prime example). The Manic Pixie Dream Girl exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures. The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is an all-or-nothing-proposition. Audiences either want to marry her instantly (despite The Manic Pixie Dream Girl being, you know, a fictional character) or they want to commit grievous bodily harm against them and their immediate family.

Other MPDGs include Holly Golightly, Penny Lane and Annie Hall.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at August 26, 2010 4:32 PM

I meant actress, not person. My bad.

Posted by: My Pants are Full of Chinchilla Droppings! at August 26, 2010 4:32 PM

The Lip Bite: Popularized by Kristen Stewart in everything she's ever done, ever.

Posted by: Brittany at August 26, 2010 4:32 PM

Any girl can look glamorous. All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.

Hedy Lamarr

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at August 26, 2010 4:33 PM

The Clooney: a variation of the Brando pause. It involves a smug actor looking down, looking back up, and squinting through his eyebrows to seem sincere. This was first documented by the hit Fox series American Dad in the episode "Tears of a Clooney."

Now try watching any live action George Clooney film and see him do it. He does it in every single scene he's in. It's infuriating.

Posted by: Robert at August 26, 2010 4:33 PM

The double-take. An old and valuable tool, but for some actors a crutch -- Robert Redford pulls one in almost every movie, so much so that Debra Winger points it out in Legal Eagles.

Posted by: Ned at August 26, 2010 4:34 PM

The Soulful Look That Breaks Your Heart in Twain

See: Adrian Brody, in anything.

Posted by: Lindsey with an 'e' at August 26, 2010 4:34 PM

The Chin Down Eyes Up Crazy Look : Can be used as the basis for your entire performance (75% of all psychotic killers) or to signify a sudden shift in mental illness (D'Onofrino in Full Metal Jacket) or most of your basic demonic possessions.

Posted by: the sandwich at August 26, 2010 4:35 PM

The Hum Jack Lemmon is the king of this and he does it in a lot of movies. A little nonsense song, a little ode to Daffy Duck, c.f. The Apartment and Mister Roberts. It's always charming.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at August 26, 2010 4:36 PM

The "I Talk Like A Retard, But I'm Really Not": Perfected by Juliette Lewis in every role (except in "The Other Sister" for which this was casting genius), Anna Faris, Giovanni Ribisi and Jay Baruchel.

Posted by: Neo at August 26, 2010 4:37 PM

I'm trying to find a good name for this one, but can't quite get there. Maybe you guys can help.

It's that thing Michael Cera, Justin Long, Michael Eisenberg- in short, the nerdy boys do where they sort of say something embarrassing while looking down at the floor, whispering, probably stuttering and just kinda trailing...aw...trail...trailing away...into......*whisper*silence*whisper*.

You know, that thing? The Whisper Trail or something.

Posted by: figgy at August 26, 2010 4:39 PM

@Robert - That is one of the affectations that makes Clooney so smokin' hot!
Add in The Head Tilt and you have Sam Elliott and, often, Jeff Bridges.
Ah yes, the biological button pusher of a good looking man with his head tilted to
one side to show vulnerability.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at August 26, 2010 4:41 PM

I like the Eeeeeeehhhh mouth used quite frequently by Christian Bale when out of Batman mode. Used it in American Psycho, as bruce Wayne in the Batman movies, and in the Prestige. Slightly parted lips that look like they should be accompanied by finger guns.

Posted by: meh at August 26, 2010 4:44 PM

Good Girl Goes Insane: honed to perfection by Diane Keaton. It happens in eeeeeeeevery single one of her movies; she's the perfectly good woman who wouldn't hurt a fly, then something makes her snap and she goes shrill and her hair flies all over the place and her hands go EVERYWHERE and maybe she screams incoherently a few times. Then she cries.

Posted by: figgy at August 26, 2010 4:55 PM

For my money "SMELL THE FART ACTING", as perfected by Joey Tribiani is the only stansalvskian tool any actor needs in his repertoire.

Works for models too.

Posted by: Juice in LA at August 26, 2010 4:56 PM

The Ben Stein School of Line Delivery:

Credit this back to Ferris Bueller's Day Off when Ben Stein did the great, "Bueller? Bueller?" and "Voodoo Economics." It's that one damn actor/actress that's got a metal pole up their ass, or the director decided to use it for effect.

Example: Virginia Madsen as Princess Irulan in DUNE:

Princess Irulan: A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then, that is is the year 10191. The known universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam the Fourth, my father. In this time, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The Spacing Guild and its navigators, who the spice has mutated over 4000 years, use the orange spice gas, which gives them the ability to fold space. That is, travel to any part of the universe without moving. Oh, yes. I forgot to tell you. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe. A desolate, dry planet with vast deserts. Hidden away within the rocks of these deserts are a people known as the Fremen, who have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah, who would lead them to true freedom. The planet is Arrakis, also known as Dune.

Posted by: Kahntahmp at August 26, 2010 5:00 PM

PS: @Mrs. Julien: The Walken Pause and


Emphasis

should be documented as A Number One Best Acting Affectation Ever. Even without more cowbell.

Please forgive if my HTML tags don't work- I honestly forgot how to use them.

Posted by: Juice in LA at August 26, 2010 5:01 PM

Sorry @Ben- should have given proper credit to the originator...

Posted by: Juice in LA at August 26, 2010 5:03 PM

The Dumb Blonde Giggle: Popularized by Marilyn Monroe, and possibly followed up by a fingertip in the mouth and a breathy, "Huh," or, "What?"

It's supposed to be charming and endearing and helpless in an "I don't get it, and isn't that so cute" kind of way. In reality, it's kind of grating. At least, it has become so now - maybe it actually was enchanting back in the day, but now it sort of make me want to vomit in my mouth a little. Boys, answer me this - what on earth could possibly be appealing about a chick with no brains?!? Color me puzzled.

Other perpetrators: Anna Faris, Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton

Posted by: noodlestein at August 26, 2010 5:15 PM

Ugh, and my typo makes me want to vomit a lot in my mouth!

Posted by: noodlestein at August 26, 2010 5:17 PM

Action movie affectations ...

The Head Crick, tilt side to side, in prep for some serious ass-kicking

The Slow Stand Up, as the beaten, formerly-dead bad/good guy rises from wreckage / flames / ooze because it ain't over yet.

The Glower like George's manly come-hither, but full of attempted bad-assery.

Other people came first, but I think all three of these hit their peak with Wesley Snipes.

And for bonus points, Evil Face, put on by every bad, mean, evil sorceress / princess / witch / queen in every fantasy movie ever. Perfected by Sarah Douglas - Conan the Destroyer & Superman the Movie. But, the affectation continues through at least Tilda Swinton in The Chronicles of Narnia.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at August 26, 2010 5:19 PM

Could you imagine The Pause accompanying The Stammer? It would be brutal. Especially if emplyed by Woody Allen. Little miss ditzy Annie Hall would grabbed herself a shotgun and ENDED that shit in about 9 minutes. Maybe THEN I would be able to stomach a Woody Allen movie. Yeah. In every movie he writes/directs/stars/gaffers/rig/besy boys/light/caters. 9 minutes in WoodyAllenShotgunFace! Bang. Oscar.

I also submit The Lock Jaw as perfected by every speaking line ever delivered by Dustin Hoffman. Characterized by delivering every line with a very deliberate tone, slightly above a whisper, by only moving one's lips.

Posted by: PissBoy at August 26, 2010 5:19 PM

1. Soap Opera Face. Every actor on every soap opera ends every scene with this face just before it cuts to a commercial. Eyes staring, mouth hanging slightly open, almost but not quite saying, "Nuh-uh!"

2. Jaw Grind. Daniel Radcliff does this every time Harry Potter is supposed to be mad. It's really getting distracting. His jaw goes sideways like he's grinding his teeth. It's probably what he does in real life, but it just looks fake.

3. Hair Muss. Robert Redford did this in a couple of movies, where he leans back and musses up his hair. The first time he did it I said, "I bet he's going to do that through the entire movie," and he did. Hated it. I can't even remember which movies he did it in, because I gave up watching his movies.

4. The Stammer. I think this properly belongs to Jimmy Stewart.

Posted by: BWeaves at August 26, 2010 5:19 PM

The "Cruise": Everything I say is so freakin' intense that my eyes bulge out and the veins of my neck pop out. An eerie smile will creep across my face -- not from happiness, NOT from delight, just a smile of insanity. What I am saying is the single most important thing you will ever hear..."Respect the cock"

Posted by: Corey at August 26, 2010 5:20 PM

The Lock Lip: I know there's an actor or two who never move their upper lip, but I've gone blank on who they are.

Posted by: BWeaves at August 26, 2010 5:20 PM

OOO!

The Non Blink as originated by Tobey Maguire. Characterized by the fact that the dude NEVER FUCKING BLINKS! EVER!!! Does he even have any fucking eyelids? Not to be confused with The Vacant Stare as made famous by Keanu Reeves. As adapted by Kristen Stewart, Charming Potato. Also not to be confused with The Psychotic Gaze as perfected by Vincent D'Onofrio in Full Metal Jacket.

Posted by: PissBoy at August 26, 2010 5:24 PM

The Knuckle Bite: Mary Pickford, et al. When something terrible happens, look horrified and bite your knuckle. Jimmy Stewart even did this in one of his early movies ("After the Thin Man," I think). Does anyone do this in real life?

Posted by: BWeaves at August 26, 2010 5:27 PM

Sideface Talkin' a.k.a. Strokeface - as made famous by Sylvester Stallone, Drew Barrymore, and Holly Hunter.

Posted by: PissBoy at August 26, 2010 5:27 PM

Lemon lips: Renee Z. Purse those teeny tiny lips.

Posted by: BWeaves at August 26, 2010 5:31 PM

The Intimidating Index Finger: Harrison Ford. There are entire web sites devoted to this.

Posted by: Tranjo at August 26, 2010 5:31 PM

The Spitfire: Rosalind Russell. Nobody could fast talk like her.

Posted by: BWeaves at August 26, 2010 5:35 PM

The "Someone Just Slapped My Balls" Look of Consternation as perfected by Robert Pattinson.

That furrowed brow and tensed jaw just screams "I just took one in the nut sack".

Posted by: nannorama at August 26, 2010 5:42 PM

The Living Dead: Keanu Reeves in everything.

Posted by: peanut at August 26, 2010 5:46 PM

The Non Blink made me think of Anthony Hopkins' Dr. Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs, but I guess he did actually blink sometimes. Perhaps the Doc gets The Sloooow Blink.

Posted by: Morgan Lefai at August 26, 2010 5:50 PM

Clint Eastwood also does the squint. And I don't think he half-asses his parts. Just watch these clips in their entirety. Old Clint could make Robert Redford shit in his pants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXldafIl5DQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpZjvbSC9_M&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeFpM2OEWPs&feature=related

Posted by: KV at August 26, 2010 5:55 PM

The Black Lady - usually accompanied by neck and eye rolling, The Black Lady puts another character "in their place" with her sharp-tongued comments. Sometimes also played by a Latina, but she's usually overweight and/or has big butt/boobs. Also, must have lips that are easy to purse.

Posted by: jzhz at August 26, 2010 6:01 PM

The eyebrow lift to convey a crazy wild persona perfected by Jack Nicholson and John Belushi.

The misting of the eyes without actually shedding a tear perfected by Neve Campbell and Jennifer Connelly.

The blank stare for comedic effect perfected by Bill Murray.

Posted by: John W at August 26, 2010 6:04 PM

The Funny Line Muttered without Conviction: The best example I can think of is Martin Starr in "Freaks and Geeks". Dude had some hilarious lines that he'd just kind of mumble, because the character himself had that little confidence that he was actually funny.

Posted by: Jessie at August 26, 2010 6:08 PM

The Kidman: Not so much an acting technique as it is a reaction to some serious botox-related issues, this is used when the actor has lost all ability to move their forehead and so over-compensates by making their eyes go all bulgy and wide and spends virtually the entire film talking in a loud whisper (possibly to soften the hash effect of the rest of their face).

Posted by: Ashley at August 26, 2010 6:11 PM

Dammit, I meant HARSH!
Whatever, Nicole Kidman sucks! *scuttles off into the corner*

Posted by: Ashley at August 26, 2010 6:12 PM

How about The Breathlessly Low and Growling Male Voice?

Case in point: Alec Baldwin. Go back and watch "Miami Blues", guy's got a normal voice. See him in "30 Rock" now and he's speaking so softly it sounds like his voice is lower than a snake's asshole.

Other notable offenders: Russell Crowe, Sam Worthington.

Notable exceptions: Will Arnett. That guy can keep on doing the "Michael!" voice allll day long as far as I'm concerned.

Posted by: Ed at August 26, 2010 6:21 PM

The misting of the eyes without actually shedding a tear perfected by Neve Campbell and Jennifer Connelly.

Ah, but then they can CGI a tear in, like in Blood Diamond.

Posted by: Todd at August 26, 2010 6:26 PM

The counterpart to figgy's Good Girl Goes Insane is the Good Guy Goes Insane, perfected by Tom Hanks in all of his movies pre-Philadelphia. Same definition and all, except maybe not the crying.

Posted by: katy at August 26, 2010 6:29 PM

The Single Tear

- Popularized by that littering PSA starring an Italian guy dressed as a Native American who's bummed about how you bitchass pilgrims are treating the environment, but not enough to squeeze out that second tear (He's saving it for when the last polar bear bites it).

- Commonly seen from actors that have only paid for the first half of their acting lessons. If you're lucky, you'll get to see that second tear in the sequel.

- Often proceeded by the Eyes Wide Open, Welling Up, and Praying for Rain move. Because if there's enough air circulating, you don't blink, and you think about your dead goldfish/cat/sea monkey from third grade people might actually think you care about your girlfriend leaving/cancer kid/entire family being murdered.

Posted by: jM at August 26, 2010 7:06 PM

The Open Mouth Thing:popularized by Mary-Loise Parker in just about every scene of every film she's in.

Posted by: balenga at August 26, 2010 7:43 PM

The "Turn Your Head Toward the Bad Guy (or 2nd tier antagonist) Rather Than Your Entire Body," popular in action movies.

The "Now I Get It!" look of shock that every protagonist in every M Night Shammalyan (too lazy to spellcheck) does right before the twist is revealed in flashback.

The "Childlike Look of Wonder" seen on the fact of every kid (or kid at heart) in every Spielberg family movie or imitation thereof.

The "Blank Stare of the Walking Dead" popularized by most of the cast in the Star Wars prequels.

Posted by: Irving Washington at August 26, 2010 8:12 PM

Oh, and lets not forget "The Psycho", patended by Anthony Perkins. It consists of looking away from the camera, then directly at it with a crazed look in your eyes and a twisted smile.

Posted by: Irving Washington at August 26, 2010 8:15 PM

My pet name for Michael Cera is MumbleMumbleSQUEAK!

Posted by: ceejeemcbeegee at August 26, 2010 8:21 PM

*The Look of Constipation*: popularised and perfected by Keanu Reeves.

Posted by: supafly at August 26, 2010 8:25 PM

Neo I'd add Drew Barrymore to that list.

What y'all call The Clooney I call a precursor to Parkinsons. Seriously, the guy's got a head-bobble to rival Michael J. Fox.

Posted by: ceejeemcbeegee at August 26, 2010 8:54 PM

The Sheepish Guilty Look: used by just about every single child actor in a terrible family movie, after they have committed some horrible, yet adorable, act that involves destroying a part of their parents' house.

Posted by: figgy at August 26, 2010 9:01 PM

"The Sloowww Line Deliverance: Popularized by someone I don’t know, but it’s perfected by Alan Rickman."

Ob-vi-ous-ly.

Posted by: EJ at August 26, 2010 9:01 PM

Gary Oldman has The Angry Smile

Posted by: SkinsFanPG at August 26, 2010 9:07 PM

The John Wayne Speak, immiated by many but accomplished by only one. He just has his own rhythm and meter - no one else can duplicate it.

The I'm So Cute Looking Down Over My Glasses Stare. I don't know who invented it, but Meg Ryan perfected it and does it all the time.

Posted by: Cindy at August 26, 2010 9:37 PM

The Doubting Eye Dart: When confronting those in whom she has lost trust, Bette Davis' eyes dart frantically towards all of her traitors, faster than her words can keep up. Perfected (though slowed) by Susanna Hoffs, but I don't know why.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at August 26, 2010 9:39 PM

I actually think the single tear was popularized by Denzel Washington in Glory. @jM

Posted by: Littlejon2001 at August 26, 2010 10:27 PM

If the "Lock Jaw" is what Dustin Hoffman does when talking, then what could you call what Ray Liotta (and other handsome-and-charming-yet-potentially-dangerous-or-psychotic men)does when he is about to get angry and then clenches his jaw so hard that you can see the muscles in his face bulging out? The "When Given the Opportunity I Will Chew Your Face Off"?

Posted by: couch and pants at August 26, 2010 11:48 PM

The Borderline Retard, best exemplified by Vin Diesel and Sly Stallone.

Posted by: Uriah Creep at August 27, 2010 12:13 AM

I remember watching James Spader sort of stammer and self-edit his way through "sex, lies" and thinking, yeah, that's how people really talk, not in movie-speak where no one ever misspeaks.

Posted by: , at August 27, 2010 12:50 AM

As an actor, i LOVE this thread. I think this should be submitted in it's entirety to every goddamned acting class in the nation. An affectation is a crutch, at best a character choice. I love Pajiba so much. Also, Ed, I'd like to submit Bale's Batman and Brody's jaunt in the latest Predator movie for heightened, sustained gruntery.

Posted by: ginabeana at August 27, 2010 2:25 AM

Here is an affection - being a fucking jack wagon
Examples

Keanu Reaves
Michael Serra
Jason Swartzman

Being fucking awesome
Examples

R. Lee Ermey
Denzel Washington
John Wayne

Posted by: Sack Lodge at August 27, 2010 2:46 AM

The Dance: Perfected by Paul Rudd and Walken... A 'when all else fails' move to charm audiences young and old alike

Posted by: Camilla at August 27, 2010 2:47 AM

@sansho1- The squint is often followed by the "I have a fish hook in my eyebrow... and I like it." eyebrow raise/ smile so I think you're on to something there.

Posted by: lumenatrix at August 27, 2010 3:37 AM

This was a crazy SRL. I love it.

Posted by: Mick J at August 27, 2010 4:13 AM

The misting of the eyes without actually shedding a tear:

Bypassing the fact that she's mostly a television actress there's no better example of this than Lucy Lawless.

Also Dark Steel Stare from Under - Can't think of anyone in particular but really popular in Westerns where, mostly the guy, stares from under his eyebrows almost. Head down, staring eyes up, angry, menacing face.

Posted by: Miss Scallion at August 27, 2010 4:46 AM

The Charming Semi Improvised Coy Eyes Combined With Chuckle Where He Looks At You From Under His Eyelashes All Charming popularised by George Clooney and mocked by American Dad...I'm told.

I'd go back even further than the sound boys up at the top and name Buster and Charlie. Charlie mastered the cheeky grin when caught misbehaving and Buster(Who in case you didn't know is one of my most serious and unusual crushes[srsly]who mastered the Great Stone Face in the face of comedic disaster.

Shit, now I've got Buster-urges. Strong ones.

Well I know what Dvd's I'll be watching all afternoon

Posted by: Nadine at August 27, 2010 6:58 AM

I strongly recommend ______ Mixed friends -- C o m ______ to you where I just found my interracial boyfriend! You know it is a great place to meet black men and beautiful women. What's kind of relationship do you want?

Posted by: taylorrr at August 27, 2010 10:11 AM

The Double: Repeating short lines of dialogue. Used by Robert Deniro in every movie he’s ever done. “Put your hands on your head. Put your hands on… That’s right” (Midnight Run). Also frequently used by Vincent Gallo, whose acting style, after all, is just equal parts Robert Deniro and Woody Allen.

Posted by: Harry Coverts at August 27, 2010 10:29 AM

"The Karate Chop"
Emphasizing words with a bent arm, chopping down right in front on emphasized words.
Offender? Me. My director pointed it out during our production of Glengarry Glen Ross...now I can't stop doing it...

Posted by: Ian at August 27, 2010 11:27 AM

The Knuckle Bite: Mary Pickford, et al. When something terrible happens, look horrified and bite your knuckle. Jimmy Stewart even did this in one of his early movies ("After the Thin Man," I think). Does anyone do this in real life?
Posted by: BWeaves

***

Jimmy Stewart definitely did this in "It's a Wonderful Life" and I think also "Mr Smith Goes to Washington" though I'm not completely sure about the latter. And no, nobody does that in real life.

Posted by: foolsage at August 27, 2010 12:00 PM

the Goldblum repeat - Just repeat the last two or three words from the previous sentence before starting the next sentence in a decidedly higher pitch with very little time in between sentences. did that make sense? Probably not.

Posted by: seeder at August 27, 2010 1:01 PM

The Sidelong Middle Distance Glance: In close-up conversation scene, actor glances off to side while talking, like he's carefully weighing the import of what he's about to say, before quickly focusing back in on his interlocutor. The diner scene between DeNiro and Pacino in "Heat" is pretty much composed entirely of this move.

Posted by: Dave at August 27, 2010 3:59 PM

@seeder

I know exactly what you're talking about. He also tends to break up sentences with "ahhs" and other random sounds, rather than with spaces.

Posted by: LowSlash at August 27, 2010 7:28 PM

The Crooked Head by Tim Roth. Try watching an episode of "Lie To Me" (yeah, I know it sucks) and see if his head is ever vertical. It's not.

Posted by: Uriah Creep at August 27, 2010 10:44 PM

THE BLINKING
popularized by Kirsten Stewart in the Twilight series
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfWeLPtZvsk

Posted by: mimi at August 28, 2010 3:14 AM

@seeder

You mean 'Goldbluming'?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjZuzC7IQfY

Posted by: Mr F at August 29, 2010 11:42 PM

The "Under-Lash Over-Bite", in which ingenues shyly peep out from under lowered lashes whilst tentatively nibbling on their lower lip, thereby achieving their intended goal (sex/cash/engagement/attention/loot of all kinds)
Sadly for feminists everywhere, this works equally well in real life. Then again, how do you think I got my overdraft paid?

Posted by: cinekat at August 30, 2010 8:54 AM

"The Head Crick, tilt side to side, in prep for some serious ass-kicking."

Wesley Snipes has this down to a fine art.

Posted by: Ginginho at August 30, 2010 10:45 AM

The Precision MF-Bomb Strike: Samuel L. Jackson, obviously, although Morgan Freeman realy did an awesome one in Wanted.

Posted by: Danny from Puerto Rico at August 30, 2010 8:28 PM