Jack Nicholson or Gene Hackman

Who's the better actor?

 

Nicholson is by far my father's favourite actor, but Ive got to buck the family trend on this one. Hackman should bag this for the role of Royal Tennenbaum alone, LOL.

 

Really tough one.

I think Hackman has a lot more range and is probably the better actor. I enjoyed his role in The Quick and the Dead and in Unforgiven. He's also played everything from the President of the US to Lex Luthor.

Nicholson is just very likable. One of his underrated roles IMO and one that I really enjoyed was in The Witches of Eastwick.

I'll go with Hackman.

 

I think there's no question Gene Hackman is the better "actor".

However, Nicholson has him licked in charisma.

That's why Jack has always been known as a "Movie Star" and Hackman is simply known as a great actor.

 

Gene Hackman....

I like Nicholson in some roles..but for the most part he is annoying..

 

Jack is Good, Gene is Grrrreat

 

Ah.......wordplay.

:nono:

 

Oh, I thought you were being a wise ass. "Licked in charisma". ::


It's a good question. Can't think of anybody off the top of my head.

 

I think Hackman is the far better actor in supporting roles.

On the other hand, even to this day, Jack is the MAN in leading roles.

Hackman's lead in movies like the French Connection or Mississippi Burning are great but, to me, don't hold up to Nicholson in 'One Flew', 'Ironweed' or 'Five Easy Pieces'.

Call it charisma or whatever, but Jack owns the screen in a lead role. You can NOT NOT pay attention.

Oddly though, I think Hackman's range of character roles is greater. For example, I can see Hackman in most of Jack's major roles. But I have a hard time picturing Jack in stuff like "The Quick and the Dead" or along side Denzel in 'Crimson Tide'.

Regardless, two of the best ever.

 

This basically sums it up.

 

Every time I see Jack Nicholson, no matter which movie he's in, I don't even take note of the character he's playing. All I see is Jack Nicholson being Jack Nicholson. Same old same old.::

 

Was going to say, I'd give serious consideration to Nicholson in this poll if it took place 30 years ago. And you can add Chinatown to that list as well.

But Jack reached a point where nearly every role was simply "Jack Nicholson playing..."

But for their overall body of work, Hackman is the better/truer actor. Not a wide gap at all between the two, but enough to where I don't hesitate to pick him here. In fairness, historically there are not a lot of actors I'd pick over Hackman.

 

hackman is more versatile and is the better actor especially when he's doing non-serious roles.

 

Hackman. He's more versatile.

Nicholson does have charisma though.

One actor who may have the potential to have close to Nicholson levels of charisma is Ray Stephenson.

I would say Brando had Nicholson levels of charisma until he got way too fat. Anthony Hopkins has charisma around that level.

 

Brando had FAR MORE charisma than Jack...not even close.

Just look at Jor'el. Have you ever seen a more charismatic dude than that??

 

I'd say Nicholson, Hopkins, and Denzel are the three most charismatic actors in history.

 

I don't know that Nicholson ever gave a performance as good as Brando was in The Godfather. The part where he gets mad at Johnny Fontane: "YOU COULD BE A MAN!!!!!"

And yes, I don't see how anybody can do a better Jor El than Brando in the 1978 version of Superman. When he was facing off against the Kryptonian council, he was the epitome of coolness. "YOU would accuse me of INSURRECTION? Has it now become a crime to CHERISH LIFE?"

He was a very interesting actor and a very interesting man.

 

Thought everyone would disagree with me & go for a sentimental favourite, in Nicholson.

Good to see saner heads prevail.

 

Hackman is obviously a top of the line actor, but I always found him slightly unlikeable. He never seems to connect with other characters, you get the feeling he'd be just as comfortable going through his scene in front of a green screen with the co-stars added in later.

He still gets my vote though if only because The Conversation is one of the best 5 films I've ever seen and he was paint strippingly good in that.

 

I think conversation might be the only film I've seen Hackman show authentic vulnerability in. Obviously I haven't seen all his films but thats another issue I have with him (related to the first one I think). He very slightly autistic as an actor.

Still brilliant though, dont wanna sound like Im down on him

 

word.

His performance as Jor El is one of the most underrated performances in history. Due to it being a comic book flick people overlook it.

 

Believe it or not..... as far as charisma goes..... Alec Baldwin deserves mention. Theres VERY FEW actors that have the type of charisma Baldwin has. Love him or hate him, its impossible to not be drawn to him when he's on the screen.

 

Jack Nicholson is COOLER, but Gene Hackman has ALOT More RANGE...



REED:Lok:

 

Nonsense.

 

Watch Glengarry Glenn Ross, Malice, The Cooler, The Departed, The Aviator, The Juror, and tell me HONESTLY that Baldwin "aint shit".

Baldwin is awesome!

Is he amongst the all time great actors? Hell no! But he has a charisma about him(especially when he's playing a villian) that makes him compelling as an actor.