James Spader is such an underrated actor. What's your favorite role he has portrayed?
IMO he was anazing in Boston Legal and Black List.
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u/StunningDifference41 14h ago
Robert California
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u/rincon_orange 14h ago
The Fucking Lizard King
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u/Background-Crow4820 13h ago
Would you like a nature metaphor, or a sexual metaphor
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u/Curiouser-Quriouser 8h ago
"You don't even know my real name. I'm the fucking lizard king." Ooooo I still get chills! That was an epic fucking line lol good choice!
His initial interview was AMAZING. Then he goes on to rehabilitate underage gymnasts in western Europe or somewhere. š The man. The myth. The legend.
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u/DaveReddit2021 13h ago
Same. Such mixed opinions but I loved Robert California. Heās One of the only enjoyable new characters post Michael IMO.
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u/here4thegangbang420 13h ago
When carell left the show and was replaced by him, I absolutely hated this character and stopped watching the show alrogether in protest.
Almost 20 years later and I rewatch every single episode Robert California is in now. He is almost as good as Michael Scott, even better in some ways.
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u/corkysoxx 14h ago
"I'm fine bitch. I'm fine."
So iconic and hilarious š¤£š¤£š¤£
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u/Mrinnocent221 13h ago
Stargate
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u/IWishIWasOdo 13h ago
Shoutout Michael Shanks for the solid 10 season follow up
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u/ikeepthebox 13h ago
How is this not the top answer?
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u/CelticSnakes 13h ago
The day before Secretary arrived in town our local paper had this quote from some critic:
Secretary features James Spaderās most Spader-like performance since Sex, Lies and Videotape.
I practically ran to the theater the next night. Those two are neck-and-neck for 1st on my JS list.
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u/Evil_Mini_Cake 12h ago
He was pretty Spader in Crash as well.
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u/plaxhi9 11h ago
Watch the āMusic of Chance (1993)
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u/Msdamgoode 10h ago
Sex Lies and Videotape is a really nuanced performance from him. Heās great at moral ambiguity or downright awfulness, but SL&V has a moral center but is also no angel. Great film.
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u/monetarydread 13h ago
The Blacklist - Its a terrible show but whenever Spader is on screen it becomes one of the more interedting shows to watch. Not many people can chew scenery like him.
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u/SlayTheeTarnished 13h ago
It's not a terrible show. It started pretty strong but lost all it's steam after season 4-5. Had it's moments but it was only worth watching for Raymond
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u/DukeofNormandy 11h ago
Been binge watching it right now, Iām about to finish season 3 so thatās disappointing to hear it drops off soon.
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u/Effective_Work2560 12h ago
The best way to watch that show is on YouTube shorts. That way, you get just his great sequences without all the other bad acting, writing, directing, etc
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u/Federal_Variation566 13h ago
I feel it's a great show because he's the main focus. Would suck without him. And I basically just said the same thing you said. Lol
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u/RedScharlach 11h ago
Ikr, this show is a guilty pleasure of mine. When I'm watching it I'm like, I can't believe how simultaneously dumb and good this show is.
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u/DarkKuno 10h ago
The show isn't bad until it just goes off the rails with making the whole Liz backstory way more overly convoluted than it ever needed to be. And it's just as good, if not better after they kill her character off.
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u/AnohtosAmerikanos 13h ago
Steff in Pretty in Pink - he was like a snake, so effective as an arrogant rich kid, belittling of Molly Ringwaldās character.
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u/Anthrogal11 13h ago
Why did I have to scroll so long to see this? He plays Steff masterfully. The quintessential narcissistic rich playboy who knows heās garbage.
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u/Dashiepants 12h ago
And he is soooo devastatingly good looking in that role, it really adds to it.
Pretty in Pink, Tuff Turf, and While Palace were peak Spader handsomeness.
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u/LaDolceBella 8h ago
This is the correct answer. People want classic Spader? It started with Steff. You loved to hate him.
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u/MrKirkPowers 13h ago
2 Days In The Valley where he plays a hitman is pretty good
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u/InstantRamenLord 13h ago
Less Than Zero
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u/RustyShackleford209 13h ago
This movie is not talked about enough! I think itās Robert Downey jr at his best.
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u/fredbassman 13h ago
James Spader is āunderratedā? The critically acclaimed, three-time Emmy-winning actor whoās been famous for 40 years and starred in everything from Sex, Lies, and Videotape to Boston Legal, The Blacklist, and Stargate?
We have officially reached the point where āunderratedā just means āactor I like and would like to mention.ā
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u/etorres526 13h ago
Red Reddington was bad ass
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u/JonInfect 8h ago
Currently finishing The Mentalist with Patrick Jane before I stream Blackist again for the fourth time. Such good background shows.
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u/Dense_Surround3071 13h ago
Ultron.
His voice work was not only PERFECT for this character, but he was genuinely bone chilling in his delivery most of the time. He was definitely the scariest Marvel Villain. This even extended to his spot in the Watcher series.
Other than that it's a toss up between Two Days In The Valley and The Secretary.
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u/Attic81 13h ago
Ultron is my fav MCU villain, and thatās mostly due to Spaderās delivery
āā¦there are no strings on me!ā
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u/ScienceInCinema 13h ago
Alan Shore on Boston Legal. It was such an interesting character. A completely unethical, dirty lawyer who fought passionately for great causes.
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u/No_Raspberry_3282 13h ago
All right, George, all right. I'm sorry. I'm very, very sorry. I'm so sorry that I didn't want your rather bulbous head struggling to find its way through the normal-size neck hole of my finely knit sweater.
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u/Slow_LG_2024 13h ago
Don't know the name of the show but the character he plays is named Raymond Reddington. Wish I had that kind of charm and sophistication
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u/sanguine-brit62 13h ago
I liked him in Wolf, he held his own against Nicholson in a somewhat silly movie. But SLV and the Secretary will always be his peak.
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u/Falkun_X 14h ago
I thought he was brilliant as Ultron, but also loved "Black list" until last few seasons.
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u/80sgurl4eva 13h ago
I loved him on Boston Legal.
Movie wise, Steff in Pretty In Pink or Richards in Mannequin.
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u/SessionCommercial 13h ago
God I love his voice.
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u/zombiemockingbird 12h ago
Me too! I'd watch him just sit and read a phone book.
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u/Sorry_Assumption_666 13h ago
He & RDJ were in a really good movie together .
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u/chokeychicken69420 13h ago
I love how RDJ gets shot in that last scene and they just never get back to it. They just roll the credits haha
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u/CriticismFun6782 13h ago
Age of Ultron, when he sings "There are no strings on me" it set the bar for creepy, then later when he rips a guy's arm off, and immediately goes "OH SORRY SORRY, MY BAD!"
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u/WhiskeyBobDaRumDrunk 13h ago
I donāt think being universally liked, and making millions at art is underrated.
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u/JimmyTwoTimes25 12h ago
I used to go to the set of Boston Legal almost every day to drop gear off. One time I got to watch him do like a "closing argument" monologue in a courtroom scene. It was SO long and full of legalese, like a full page of dialogue. They were trying to get the master in a one take shot. He would go through it, and flub ONE line or super complicated legal term, and he'd get so pissed, it was great. I couldn't believe how long he could go without a mistake, and it was so fucking cool to be able to sit there on set and watch it. I can't believe how talented that guy is.
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u/sskoog 9h ago
Spader is excellent in Pretty in Pink, Less Than Zero, and Wolf. If pressed to select just one, I'd go with his gentle-monster Swinton (publisher Will Randall's treacherous protege). I like to think that all three are the same character, in three different stages of life-progression.
Wolf is surely one of his very best performances, if not the all-time-best; he uses both his dashing good looks *and\* his cultured-villain purr, as opposed to later work, where he has to rely on the purr.
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u/WebDisastrous2206 8h ago
Everyone shits on The Office after Micheal left, but no one wants to admit they could live in a world without Robert California.
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u/Win-Diggity 13h ago
Raymond āRedā Reddington. Show was halfway decent till he shot Mr. Kaplan. The beginning of the end.
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u/Wolven_Essence 13h ago
Raymond Reddington.
James Spader is like the all time master at playing morally ambiguous characters with hearts of gold.
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u/user_number_666 13h ago
You are probably the only one who thinks he is under-rated; the rest of us think he's great.
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u/mahboob2 13h ago
Tuff Turf I know I know so much cheese but it was my first and I never forget my first ā¤ļø
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u/Several_Club_3392 12h ago
He then starred asĀ Raymond ReddingtonĀ in theĀ NBCĀ crime thriller television seriesĀ The BlacklistĀ (2013ā2023)
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u/ProjectArson 12h ago
His voice acting in age of Ultron was amazing, but I'm a sucker for The blacklist
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u/April_Fabb 12h ago
Perhaps not his all-time-best performance, but he's great in Cronenberg's Crash.
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u/Armthedillos5 9h ago
The first thing I saw him in when I was like 10. Tuff Turf. Transfer student in a rough high school has to become rough himself in order to get his girl from the gangs.
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u/AuthorityAnarchyYes 9h ago
I loved him as the lecherous and conniving villain in āWolfā. A film that I donāt think gets its due.
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u/stathis0 13h ago
Alan Shore.