Is Nathan Fillion a better actor than Harrison Ford?

POSTED BY: agirlyman
UPDATED: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 00:19
VIEWED: 16184
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AGIRLYMAN

Friday, March 24, 2006 10:28 PM

In a word, "yes". Even though I think Nathan had better material to work with, you still have to be able to pull it off, not only is Nathan "Captain Malcolm Reynolds", he's a better "Han Solo" as well.
When I watch Fillion on the screen, and in the show I can see that he can do it all, action, drama, and comedy. He make you laugh, cry, and move you. Harrison Ford never made me sad, or care so deeply, about any of his characters. I think he has the emotional acting range of a good looking rock, good for action films I guess.

AM I NOT MERCIFUL?!?!?!?

Tee Hee

AZHEA

Friday, March 24, 2006 10:38 PM

Sweetness indeed!!

You hit the nain on it's head!!! Harrison Ford is alwasy Harrison Ford in differin' costumes. Nathan has way more depth, that's certain.

*************************************************
I look out for me and mine... that don't include you 'less I conjure it does.

FIRESHINE

Friday, March 24, 2006 11:25 PM

Hmm...to be fair harrison ford is a good actor......but not half as good as nathon fillion!

"She Crashes - You Crashed Her!"

LEIGHKOHL

Friday, March 24, 2006 11:43 PM

Did anyone see Hollywood Homocide? That alone put me off of Harrison Ford, and I was a devoted fan since five. My mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said Princess Leia, because she marries Han Solo. Of course I had just seen Return of the Jedi....but I disgress. It's funny when you begin to notice an actor's work and after seeing Firefly, I began to notice Nathan Fillion in a lot of stuff. Every time I saw him he was great. He's a natural actor, he takes to his roles and makes them his own, without it being him. I think he will blow up like Harrison Ford did, and we will be on the ground floor of his fandom! So my vote is for Nathan, but of course I may still be bitter because I didn't get to marry Han Solo. It's all good, now I'm in it for the hot doctors!:D

OLDFOGEY

Saturday, March 25, 2006 12:37 AM

There was that little bit in The Message where the Captain is talking on the wave to some cops who keep asking him about what he's carrying. Captain thinks they must be talking bout stuff he's smuggling, but they're talking about his mail delivery. He starts talking fast, trying to put them off & stall till he can figure out what's going on. Right there he's doing a perfect Han Solo. So I've already seen him do Han Solo & I think he's just *real* fine. Can Mr. Ford do a Nathan Fillion? I haven't seen that yet, but I'm skeptical. That makes Nathan a better actor right there. There's other reasons too but I'll just stop here for now.

...ok maybe one more. There's *three* different preacher roles I've seen Nathan be. Each one was a completely different man from the others, so much that you might not even recognize them as the same guy if you weren't expecting it. That's impressive.

ok just one more thing, Nathan has better looks and a more beautiful voice, and a wickeder sense of humor. That makes him more interesting, and more fun to watch. IMO

INDYBLUES

Saturday, March 25, 2006 1:08 AM

So, what you are saying, is because Nathan can mimic Harrisons "Han Solo" work, he's a better actor?? Thats insane. I can do some damn good impersonations of alot of actors, but I am NOT a better actor. Hell, I'm not an actor at all, lol.

This is a fun thread, and Nathan is an awesome actor,....but let's be real.
Harrison laid the groundwork that Nathan is following. It doesn't mean he is better.
Different,..better at some things, maybe worse at others. Give Nathan another 20 years, and then we can judge.
'Blues

P.S. I know this is a Firefly board, and I think Nathan has proven he has got the chops. If there was no Han Solo, there would be no Firefly.
Not the way we know it, anyway.

KHEI

Saturday, March 25, 2006 6:45 AM

Tough call in all honesty.

My Biased opinion is "Yes"

Now Unbiased it's harder to say and yes Nathan's resume is a bit shorter than Harrison Ford's but based on the actual work these two actors do and Based on their range I have to say still that Nathan is, IMO, the Better actor.

I'm not saying Harrison Ford is a bad actor but He doesn't have the range Nathan does.

He doesn't pull off funny all by himself.. He has to be the butt of the joke every time and there always has to be some other characte rinvolved to make a funny. Nathan can pull of funny intentionally, unintentionaly, insanely, butt of the joke, pulling the joke, and every other way you can pull off funny including Physical humor.

Harrison ford has never, to my knowledge, played the bad guy and I don't mean renagade bad guy I mean bad evil nasty kill everyone type bad guy. The guy who's doomed to die by the end of things.. Nathan's played that roll at least once as Calab on Buffy. Played the part incredibly well too.

As for Firefly owing it's existance to Star Wars? Feh Star wars is not and will never be the first ever "Space Opera" Ain't even the first American Space Opera.

Hell with that kind of thinking you could say Star Wars owes it's existance to Buck Rodgers.

Firefly would still be Firefly with or without Star Wars. Might have had a few minor tweeks because Firefly was ment to be entirely unlike everything else out there but it would still be Firefly.

Everyone likes to say Mal is very much like Han Solo.. Actually I think Mal is like a blend of Han Solo with alot of Captain Tylor and a bit here and there from Trigun in the mix.

Actually I think Mal's very much just Captain Tylor after he's been War hardened and Shaved off some of his irresponsiblity.. That and Mal doesn't have an entire crew that hates his guts or an Alien (Enemy) princess who thinks he's her "Pet"

Getting back to the topic at hand.. Nathan is one of those rare Actors who can make you forget you're watching an Actor play a role.As someone's said before.. Harrison ford is always just Harrison ford in a new costume.. Doesn't matter if you're watching six days seven nights or star wars or even indiana jones it's allways the same gruff, rugged, mostly selfish anti-hero.

But then That's just My Opinion.

~ I aim to misbehave!

FOLLOWMAL

Saturday, March 25, 2006 7:33 AM

Yes, far and away. And it's not that I don't like Harrison Ford either. I do. Loved him as Han Solo and Indiana Jones.

And I don't think that Mal is "like" Han Solo either. Mal is Mal, completely and entirely a unique character. Han Solo was a rake, a scoundrel, never a man to keep an army together and fighting when it was hopeless. Mal is. And Nathan played him with perfection.

That is the single most important thing I judge an actor's ability by. Do I forget that he is who HE is, do I become lost in the character?
When I watch Harrison Ford I like his characters, I enjoy the movie he's in, most of the time. But I never forget that he is Harrison Ford. He doesn't have that depth. Nathan does. I forget that he is Nathan when he's Mal. I forget that he is Nathan when he's Caleb. ( Gave me the creeps, my skin crawled.) I even found myself forgetting he was Nathan in a B grade movie, in which he shone.

I predict fine things for our Cap'n. He hasn't inspired this loyalty in us for nothing. He makes us dream. I think that is the most important thing an actor can do.

" You hold. Hold til I get back." Mal

CANTONHEROINE

Saturday, March 25, 2006 8:23 AM

I don't think you can make the comparison.

From what I've read of this thread, everyone is comparing Nathan now to Harrison Ford now.

What about Harrison Ford THEN? Thirty years ago when he was in Nathan's shoes, back before the action hero typecasting began. Some of his early work is really good, "Witness" especially comes to mind - he was nominated for an Oscar for that. And he was really funny in "Working Girl". The man has a huge back catalogue - you can't judge him as an actor from just a few roles. Same goes for Nathan.

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STDOUBT

Saturday, March 25, 2006 11:09 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Leighkohl:
Did anyone see Hollywood Homocide? That alone put me off of Harrison Ford, and I was a devoted fan since five. My mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I said Princess Leia, because she marries Han Solo.

There it is -PROOF women prefer BAD MEN!
(even when they're five!LOL)

Even further off topic: Anyone ever hear of the theory that the Rebel Alliance were actually the Bad Guys? That the oligarchic royals (i.e., Leia Oragana and her ilk) prefered to surround themselves with criminals since the criminal mind can withstand Jedi mind controls? Oh yes... we're all doomed!
http://www.ammon-ra.com/skywalkerparadigm/

The better actor? Can't judge until Nathan reaches "old-guy" status. But I of course prefer the Captain (walks away leaving all to wonder "which captain did he mean?") ;] (what? he's a general now?)...

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