Is That A Gun In Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

Every so often I get an e-mail from a model who has been on FH who worries their images might have an impact on an acting career. There has long been an assumption that nudity could affect one's ability to be taken seriously on screen. It is interesting however, that some of today's biggest superstars have at one time or another appeared naked on screen or in print. Some, like Tom Cruise have displayed the goods on screen (All The Right Moves), others, like Brad Pitt, have been victims of a well situated photographer (in the Caribbean with G Paltrow).

Antonio Banderas

As time moves on and thoughts on sex and sexuality have become a little less puritan like; and with the internet often catching celebrities with their pants down (Jude Law), posing or showing a little flesh on screen seems almost a non issue with regard to gaining success as an actor. Now I know it may be slightly different with someone trying to break into the business but if I were the agent to an upcoming actor, there is something even worse to be grabbing on film than one's own pistol.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

It is almost inevitable that most actors these days will at one time or another be asked to hold a gun. American's preoccupation with violence shows no signs of stopping, and action movies are sadly, still one of the countries biggest exports. I would however, caution any young actor to avoid holding a gun, especially a machine gun or automoatic weapon on a movie poster. It has nothing to do with my stance on gun control (which should be obvious), it is more the difficulties action stars often have to be taken seriously in other roles.

In most action movies, the hero very often shows their butt, thankfully something avoided by those who directed Steven Seagal... A Van Damme movie without a bootie shot, is hardly worth the price of admission! Many action stars have even gone full frontal. Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Willis have all shown all on screen. It has not been the tool between their legs that has caused typecasting as much as the tool in their hands.

Tom Cruise

There is just something that happens when one becomes an action hero that makes it difficult for an actor to be taken seriously in other roles. There are of course exceptions, Daniel Craig and Bruce Willis are still weaving into drama from time to time but most action stars have not been so lucky. Sylvester Stallone maybe one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but he struggles to get any role in which a gun is not a central part of the role. It is simply not as easy to accept a Rambo as a griefing husband, a manic depressive or single father trying to make a living working at the mall. Movie viewers don't like their heroes crashing back down to earth.

Daniel Craig

Tom Cruise had a pretty diverse acting career going on until he decided to become the king of the summer blockbuster. Since then, box office numbers have shown, that most studio executives want to see him doing anything else. (Rock of Ages....)

Dolph Lundgren

Schwarzenegger, Seagal, Van Damme are not likely to ever to win an Oscar for Best Actor. Acting, or a lack of acting ability aside, they have pigeon holed themselves as action heroes, not as actors. So all you young thespians looking to be taken seriously on screen, stop taking on those action movies. Stop the violence, stop the car chases and spending all your time in front of a blue screen! There is a much simpler way to make it big. Pull a Fastbender, drop that gun, and then just drop your pants. It's not a hindrance, to be naked anymore!

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Sylvester Stallone

Bruce Willis