5 Actors Who Should Be In Everything

I was listening to the most recent episode of Ryan McNeil’s superb Matineecast and while there was much enjoyment and much information to be gleaned within its hour-plus, one sort of offhand remark, as is so often the case, struck my fancy. In discussing the Steve Carrell-starring magician opus “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone”, Ryan made mention of co-star Alan Arkin and remarked that Arkin should be in everything.

That, as it had to, totally got me to thinking: what actors/actresses should be in everything? Today I crack the case.

5 Actors Who Should Be In Everything

Bruce McGill. Most recently glimpsed as Edwin Stanton, “Lincoln’s” Secretary of War, McGill has been acting since the year I was born. Mostly (always?) seen in supporting parts, he is not so much a chameleon as a utility man, willing to lend wherever and do whatever is necessary to make a finished film crackle. I don't necessarily go into a movie thinking "Gee, I hope Bruce McGill is in this" but every time I leave a movie featuring Bruce McGill I think "Why isn't he in everything?"

Mark Ruffalo. You know how back in your party-going days (apologies to those still in their party-going days) there was always that one dude who was at EVERY party? Like, even if you saw him, said goodbye, left the party and cut across town to this other party, he would somehow have already materialized at this other party? Mark Ruffalo is that guy but for actors. If you bought a ticket for a heavy-handed drama but then theater jumped the rest of the day and saw a rom com and an action adventure on the high seas of yore, he would somehow be in all three movies. Make that, he should be in all three movies, because he should be in everything.

Hope Davis. Adept, beautiful, charming and quirkily charismatic, it makes absolutely no sense to me why Hope Davis is not a Star's Star (which, of course, is precisely why it makes complete sense to me). If I ran Hollywood, Hope Davis would be Julia Roberts. And I would decree that Hope Davis should be in everything.

Kevin Corrigan. I confess I am possibly blurring the line between Actors Who Should Be In Everything and Actors I’m Always Happy To See. But then doesn't every film need that ne'er-do-well miscreant lurking in the shadows and off to the side? Or, at the very least, a shady copier repairman or a Proust-loving garbageman or an off-kilter bartender or the unemployed dude just sitting on the stoop? Of course it does. And that's why Kevin Corrigan should be in everything.

Marisa Tomei. Plain and simple and without discussion, Marisa Tomei should be in everything. No, no, no. You clearly don’t understand. Marisa Tomei should be in E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

My work here is done.