One actor/actress to rule them all

[Bubba]

If you had to only watch movies by a single actor or actress for the rest of your life... who would you choose?

Would you pick someone from your favourite film so you could just watch that over and over... or maybe you'd go with a film whore with 200 movies to their name for a bit of diversity.

Choose wisely.

Edit: You can choose ONE actor and ONE Actress because I'm kind.

[Pheesh]

Matt Damon probably, but Robin Williams is an extremely close second and the only reason I didn't pick him is because I wouldn't get any new movies ( ;_; ). With either of them I get my favourite movie. Matt Damon has some great action films, some quality comedies (not as many as Williams though) and he consistently puts out movies.

[Bubba]

That's a good shout as he's been in some crackers.

There are sooo many options but I'd maybe go with Harrison Ford for an actor. The you've got Star Wars and Indiana Jones covered... plus you get his other gems like The Fugitive, Airforce One, Apocalypse Now

For an actress I'm leaning towards Sigourney Weaver for the Alien films, Avatar, Ghostbusters.

THIS ISN'T MY FINAL ANSWER THOUGH. It needs more thought.

[Colonel Angus]

I'll have to think about this. I'm sure for actress I'll go w/ ScarJo, so I can still watch (most) of the Marvel movies.

[Pheesh]

For actress I'm going with Allison Janney so I can still watch all of West Wing.

[Bubba]

I was thinking that Pacino or De Niro would be good choices due to the sheer number of quality films they've been in. Though that would mean I'd have to endure the Godfather films again...ugh.

Similarly with Jodie Foster. She's been in some great films but then I'll have The Accused to watch. Nope.

[Calliope]

Samuel L Jackson has a pretty impressive portfolio - Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, Star Wars, Kill Bill, etc.

I'm having trouble thinking of an actress, as usual :P

[Night Fury]

Christopher Walken.

[Bubba]

For actress I'm going with Allison Janney so I can still watch all of West Wing.

Sorry man, as the original post states this only applies to movies.

If you go with Allison Janney you'll just be restricted to films like American Beauty and Juno. Enjoy.

[Loony BoB]

Honestly it sounds like a horrible problem to have. Here are the ones that spring to mind, though...

Leonardo DiCaprio
Tom Hanks
Tom Cruise
Brad Pitt
Cameron Diaz
Morgan Freeman
Ralph Fiennes
Nicole Kidman
Michael Caine
Maggie Smith

In time, probably Jennifer Lawrence. But yeah, opting for older people because of the volume of films I know I like by them.

Reeeeeeeeeeeeaally tricky to pick just one, though. I'm... urgh, no, I can't do it.

[Night Fury]

For women I'd have to pick Reese Witherspoon on the basis that I can't survive without watching Legally Blonde at least once a year. It's my 'get motivated' movie for sure.

Also Walk the Line is a hell of a film.

[Bubba]

For women I'd have to pick Reese Witherspoon on the basis that I can't survive without watching Legally Blonde at least once a year. It's my 'get motivated' movie for sure.

Also Walk the Line is a hell of a film.

PLUS JUST LIKE HEAVEN IS THE GREATEST FILM OF ALL TIME.

[Vyk]

This makes me aware of some weird problem in the industry. And I'm not sure it's sexism, but some sort of stigma is keeping good actresses from playing a lot of consecutive good roles, because I can think of some favorite actresses, but only because of one or two roles

I like Jennifer Lawerence due to her personality, I've never seen a movie of her. I've only seen one series with Emma Watson, who would also be in the running, but mostly because I like her as a person. Emma Stone has been in quite a few good movies, but it seems like Hollywood is done with her

Sigourney Weaver is a great choice, so would be Jamie Lee Curtis. But those are the only age old actresses I can think of with a diverse set of great movies I'd enjoy

Whereas I can think of a few dozen actors I could probably enjoy for a good while. Old favorites like Schwarzaneggar, Stallone, Ford, Jackie Chan. Newer favorites like Jason Statham, Cumberbatch, Downey Jr (who have admittedly been around almost as long, but only really broke out in the last decade)

But I have these weird images of the hijinks Emma Stone and Sean Connery would get into if I chose them and they had to make a bunch of future movies together and pull his ricketty old ass out of retirement for a while before he kicked off lol

[Loony BoB]

Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Katharine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Cate Blanchett, Jodie Foster... Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock...

I think it probably is a sexism thing. I imagine it's half due to society and how people can look at attractive females as "got the role for good looks" first, actress talent second (and this is a view I have seen from people of both gender). The other half is probably down to lead roles being primarily written for men rather than women, be it intentional or unintentional for the sake or ratings or any other range of things.

[Cell]

Just recently I've been picking up on some films by Phillip Seymour Hoffman that I'd missed while binging on 70's, 80's and 90's trash. With him, you get:

Charlie Wilson's War
Capote
The Master
Moneyball
Synedoche, New York
Punch Drunk Love
Almost Famous
State and Main
The Big Lebowski
Magnolia
Boogie Nights
Hard Eight

Which is not bad, but I'll still be an action fanboy and say I'd pick Arnie.

As for an actress...I'd probably go for either Meryl Streep or Marion Cotillard. Can't go wrong with either of them, mostly.