Can't stand her offscreen, but what I've seen of her onscreen she did a decent job in a couple moves I liked such as Charlotte's Web (the live action version), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, and Conspircy Theory. I agree she's probably a bit overrated but she really hasn't been in any huge movies, A-list movies lately and hasn't won anything since Erin Brockovic so I can't say I'd put her in the top 10.
>> 9. Brad Pitt <<
Pretty much the same thing, I'd say he'd a tad bit overrated since he's always hyped as the perfect leading man, but I've liked quite a few of his films (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Babel, Fight Club, etc.) and at least he can act.
>> 8. Will Ferrell <<
AGREED. The VAST majority of his movies have been mind numblingly AWFUL but he keeps getting cast in A-list "comedy" parts and Hollywood begs him to be in their movies. Even on SNL, this guy was overrated. It practically became "The Will Ferrell Show" as he'd get more screen time than anyone else, but the only sketch of his I found really funny was his dead-on parody of James Lipton. He's got Jim Carrey's mugging without the talent.
>> 7. Viggo Mortensen <<
I've only seen him in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, so I can't say the guy is "overrated" if I never see him getting other major roles.
>> 6. Robert DeNiro <<
Are you kidding? Lately DeNiro's been typecast in gangster movies (odd considering his age), but he is rightly considered one of the most impressive actors in Hollywood. He's been in TONS of great movies and before his recent selection of work he's done some incredibly diverse range of characthers and done a great job in all of them... Bang the Drum Slowly, The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, The Deer Hunter, The King of Comedy, Goodfellas, Awakenings, Backdraft, Cape Fear, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Marvin's Room, Jackie Brown, Wag the Dog, Great Expectations, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Hide and Seek... that's your idea of overrated? Do you think he played a gangster in Awakenings or something? Most actors would kill for that kind of resume.
>> 5. Zoe Saldana <<
Eh, she's fairly new to the scene as an A-list actor, so I haven't seen many of her movies. I though she was really good as Uhura in the 2009 Star Trek and totally reinvented the character for modern times. The script for Avatar was completely lame but her performance inthe film was pretty good.
>> 4. Matt Damon <<
As much as I love to make fun of this liberal douchebag offscreen for his simple-minded arguments, he CAN act onscreen. He and Ben Afflack deserve credit for their work in "Good Willing Hunting" which capulated him to A-list. He's been fairly good in other roles, too.
>> 3. Halle Barry <<
Yeah, probably overrated. Can't think of any Halle Barry performance that was particularly good (saw one scene from the Oscar winning "Monster Ball" and her romance with Billy Bob Throton in the movie struck me as ridiculous), and even in good movies like X-Men I didn't like her acting, so I suppose I'll have to agree. But on the flip side I haven't seen alot of her movies.
>> 2. Cameron Diaz <<
Cute and perky. I can see why she became known in Hollywood after her debut in The Mask. Her acting talents aren't that good, but by the same token it's not like they're casting her in weighty melodramas or complex historical movies that are out of her range. She rightfully gets the ditzy blond roles and nobody takes her seriously.
>> 1. Sean Penn <<
Used to think he couldn't act until I saw "I Am Sam". He was very convincing in the part, much like Dustin Hoffman in Rainman. But yeah, given his overall track record he's probably overpaid for his casting.
Here are my suggested for "MOST OVERRATED ACTORS" (in no particular order):
Steve Martin (hasn't made anything REALLY funny since 1987, but keeps getting A-list roles. Constantly ruins good movies by starring in remakes of them)
George Clooney (only movie I EVER liked him in was 'O Brother Where Art Thou?') Even conservatives buy some of the George Clooney kool-aid and have been touting this douchebag's latest political film.
Shia Labeouf (how the hell did this weird-named guy manage to come out of nowhere and suddenly get cast in every major Hollywood blockbuster over the last few years? Especially given that he didn't help dreck like Indiana Jones 4 and Transformers 2)
Keanu Reeves (exactly the same in every role you put him in. Never-the-less, Hollywood gives this guy every A-list part from shakespeare, to Dracula, to the Matrix, to The Day the Earth Stood Still)
Kirsten Dunst (she was memorible as the creepy child vampire in "Interview with a Vampire". It's been downhill since then. Rather plain looking and completely boring as an adult address, but still gets cast in everything)
Christian Bale (He's now the lead in every action movie because his performace as throat-cancer Batman was more "realistic" than Michael Keaton. Sure. Whatever, Bale fanboys)
Heath Ledger (Ditto, Batman hyped this guy as the greatest villian of all time, even the filmmakers milked it after he died and everyone assumed "the Joker killed him" -- nobody even watched the final movie he was ACTUALLY in. And aside from Batman... Bareback mountain and Mel Gibson's son in The Patriot. Yeah, that's a great film career)
Johnny Depp (really great or really terrible performance, depending on what role you cast him in. He has a limited range. Unfortunately Hollywood and especially Tim Burton cast in EVERY big budget hit movie they have)
Bryce Dallas Howard (another wooden and lifeless actress that brings absolutely nothing to the parts she plays. But she also gets cast in scores of A-list movies...The Village, Lady in the Water, Spider-Man 3,Terminator Salvation, Hereafter,The Help... but don't you dare suggest it's because she's Ron Howard's daughter!)
Honorable mention: Rachel Weisz ("You can't have THE MUMMY without Rachel Weisz!" I didn't notice any difference when they changed actresses)
Lest ye forget, the list consist of the most overrated actors and actresses. The writer isn’t suggesting these people are not talented.
DeNiro plays DeNiro with a couple of exceptions. I’ve viewed most of his performances you’ve listed. No one plays gangster like DeNiro, and all of his roles are memorable, but he is overrated.
Johnny Depp is actually the exception. Quite a range.
Heath Ledger could act. Watch the remake of “The Four Feathers”; he’ll make you a believer. Unreal performance.
DeNiro in “Awakenings” was simply amazing acting
How anyone can call him overrated must be smoking some pretty potent stuff