Is Evangeline Really That Bad An Actress?

[Kiowa Warrior]

Originally Posted by *SP*

In a word....Yes.

She really is that bad an actress.

I agree with Abbs' sentiment that she would be perfectly cast as a tree, given her wooden delivery of most of her script.

Yes, it's a well known fact that I despise the character of Kate and I can't deny this may cloud my judgement on occasion. After all, like has been said, the writers had more of a duty to create a decent leading character. But then, I never really rated Charlie as a character...apart from in 'The Moth' and then right at his bitter demise...but I always thought Dom acted his little pants off. So I don't think the two go hand in hand.

To use Murg's quote would convey how I feel about EL. I think she has one single expression to convey whatever emotion she's supposed to be carrying off at any given time. It's not dissimilar to the one Matthew Fox has employed on many an occasion and suggests being torn somewhere between 'I'm gonna cry' and 'I'm dreadfully constipated'. From the pilot, when she's using Jack's counting technique while hiding from the BS, right up to escaping the hydra with Sawyer or deciding to go back for Jack. One lonely little expression. As for the less taxing scenes...such as most of her interaction with Cassidy....it's mainly devoid of expression altogether so. This is where the wooden allegations come into play. It'd be more interesting watching paint dry.

Yes, it may seem an emotive response, lacking objective and reasoned arguements but this just my viewpoint.

Like Roco says, if she was just another minor character then fair enough, I wouldn't get so wound up by it. But crikey!!! She's supposed to be a leading lady. And is consistantly over shadowed by several actresses of a much greater calibre.

In short, she doesn't have anywhere near the talent required to lead in a show like Lost.

Seconded, word for word!

Originally Posted by Roco

Have you ever watched the film 'Training Day'? Well, Evi is like Ethan Hawks character and the rest of the cast are Denzel Washington..in other words she gets owned everytime she appears in a scene with another main character.

Yes, exactly!
Evi just does not have any screen presence at all imo. None whatsoever. I dislike both the characters of Jack and Kate with a passion, but whereas Matthew Fox leaves me wondering what will happen with Jack next because he invests so much in his character - even if it usually is to make Jack cry - as soon as Evi's scene finishes I pretty much forget that it's ever been on because she just doesn't make any impression at all. I just think it's a shame that the leading female character of Lost is played by such a lukewarm and underwelming actress, not to mention how pointless the character of Kate became in S3.

[lost-lover]

I am really hoping they don't make Kate be pregnant as was implied in S3, just because she's the lead female, because Sun its already. It would ruin it so badly.

[*SP*]

Originally Posted by hundredand8

I'm sure you haven't

*re-reads posts on this thread by SP, Murgatroyd and Rocco*

But surely having opinions, not only on themes, plots and theories, but also about specific characters is all part of our Lost experience and being involved on the forum?
So should we only voice our opinions when they are positive and cheery? I don't (genuinely) think I slag characters/actors off just out of ignorance or pettiness or just for the sake of it. It's a whole hearted opinion and although I may sometimes say I despise Kate and Jack, I'll just as often back that up with what I consider are valid reasons. And I more often than not focus positively on the characters that I love, like Ben and Locke.

It's all good. I just like the chat even when I have different opinions to others.

[IM-LOST-WITH-LOST]

One word - No

[Him]

I don't think she's anything special either...
However, I've always maintained that real life people generally don't respond with a huge array of expressions for different situations anyway. Evi falls into this category rather nicely considering she plays a steely character, so I'm not really bothered by her acting at all, apart from the odd blips.

I wouldn't want her to be playing an emotional character though... ever. :P

[Easily confused]

I never used to have a problem with EL’s acting until I started reading comments here in the LC (from January onwards) then when watching the show I started to notice that she wasn’t exactly brilliant and could see that the Kate haters could have a point but in doing the re-watch I think she was actually better in S1 than she was in S3 I think in S3 she kind of lost her timing there were lots of “dramatic” pauses which weren’t necessary and it let her down

I don’t have a huge problem with her acting but like others say as she is the main female perhaps she should be better - or perhaps we should have more female representation. I think this is mainly why I miss Shannon I didn’t much like her character but I do feel she has left a whole in the show I know she wasn’t exactly a main character but she didn’t fade into the background like Rose does or Sun and Claire sometimes have to. I know a lot of people now consider Juliet as a main character but to be honest I always forget about her (not intentionally) so therefore I personally feel she cannot claim to be a main character yet.

As for MR I always felt she overacted the tough gal routine and couldn’t warm to her at all

Originally Posted by Wiz

I haven't really noticed any glaringly bad acting on the show, the only thing that stood out for me was when Claire was shouting 'Where is it? Give it to me!' at Rousseau in the staff, I was begging her to stop

yeah I remember that being quite painful to watch too

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted by Kiowa Warrior

Seconded, word for word!

Yes, exactly!
Evi just does not have any screen presence at all imo. None whatsoever. I dislike both the characters of Jack and Kate with a passion, but whereas Matthew Fox leaves me wondering what will happen with Jack next because he invests so much in his character - even if it usually is to make Jack cry - as soon as Evi's scene finishes I pretty much forget that it's ever been on because she just doesn't make any impression at all. I just think it's a shame that the leading female character of Lost is played by such a lukewarm and underwelming actress, not to mention how pointless the character of Kate became in S3.

That's the thing, she really doesn't have the screen presence that a lead actress should have.

Someone earlier said that if JJ made her lead actress then she must be good. I disagree, shows oftem miscast actors, especially in an esemble as big as Lost's. I think that JJ took a chance on her (he saw something he liked) but got it wrong (imo) and before he knew it, it was too late to get rid of her without breaking to crucial relationships and investment (in terms of Jack/Sawyer) that her character had built up.

Going back to you point Ki, agree, Evi's portrayla of Kate doesn't leave much of an impression on me either. It's a shame really.

Originally Posted by *SP*

But surely having opinions, not only on themes, plots and theories, but also about specific characters is all part of our Lost experience and being involved on the forum?
So should we only voice our opinions when they are positive and cheery? I don't (genuinely) think I slag characters/actors off just out of ignorance or pettiness or just for the sake of it. It's a whole hearted opinion and although I may sometimes say I despise Kate and Jack, I'll just as often back that up with what I consider are valid reasons. And I more often than not focus positively on the characters that I love, like Ben and Locke.

It's all good. I just like the chat even when I have different opinions to others.

I agree - this is what debate is about - presenting your own views and ideas and seeing what others have to say, good and bad. And you made a good point in that most of the views in this thread have been backed up with reason and not just random anti-kate/evi statements. We can't always speak about the positives in Lost, otherwise we'd never have any real debates.

[b-r-a-d]

i think theycast Evi because she had 'The Look'

which i agree she does fit the look of Kate, but she shouldnt of gone into a show like this for her first actual speaking role!

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted by hundredand8

I'm sure you haven't

*re-reads posts on this thread by SP, Murgatroyd and Rocco*

I don't get what you seem to be implying here
I have backed up my viewpoints on Evi/Kate. Not everyone will have positive things to say about the actress or the character. This is the nature of debate and opinion, you have yours and i have mine

I'm honest with my views but i certainly haven't gone over the top. Afterall, i do believe that she can't act for toffee..no harm in saying that

[Kiowa Warrior]

Originally Posted by Roco

That's the thing, she really doesn't have the screen presence that a lead actress should have.

Someone earlier said that if JJ made her lead actress then she must be good. I disagree, shows oftem miscast actors, especially in an esemble as big as Lost's. I think that JJ took a chance on her (he saw something he liked) but got it wrong (imo) and before he knew it, it was too late to get rid of her without breaking to crucial relationships and investment (in terms of Jack/Sawyer) that her character had built up.

Going back to you point Ki, agree, Evi's portrayla of Kate doesn't leave much of an impression on me either. It's a shame really.

Yeah I think that JJ and co. took a chance on Evi because she seemed to have 'the look' and maybe something that JJ or someone else picked up on and really liked, but unfortuantely personal preferences don't always mean that the person you like is suitable for the role in mind. Kate is Evi's first major acting role, so maybe if she had had a few years worth of tv acting behind her then she'd be better as Kate. If she's still settling into what major tv acting is all about then fair enough and I wish her well in whatever else she does, but I think it's just far too much of a gamble to put an actress with very little experience in the lead female role of a majorly expensive tv series.

And if the Kate/Jack/Sawyer triangle had been all planned out from the start - or near enough from the start - then there's really no way they'd get rid of Kate, because a lot of people like that romance angle and they didn't want to alienate those viewers I guess.

Originally Posted by EC

I know a lot of people now consider Juliet as a main character but to be honest I always forget about her (not intentionally) so therefore I personally feel she cannot claim to be a main character yet.

As for MR I always felt she overacted the tough gal routine and couldn’t warm to her at all

Personally I think Juliet is the strongest female character on the show, and that Elizabeth Mitchell is a very good actress! I've seen some scathing reviews of her as Juliet, but I don't see why because she portrays Juliet very well indeed I think.

MR as Ana however had only two styles of acting - angry and agressive - for most of the time, and I never considered Ana to be a well portrayed 'lead' female character. In fact I never considered Ana to be anything more than downright awful I'm afraid!

[Murgatroyd]

I think, for me, while I don't consider Lilly's performance in any sense a standout, I also don't notice it, and that's kind of enough. She doesn't have many moments where I think 'Great acting job there', but neither does she have many moments that I can recall where I'm particularly aware that she's acting, which is surely a good thing. It's doesn't impact in any way of my contemplation of the character (whom I clearly can't stand, but that isn't the point) - which is more than I can say for (don't look, 108 - critic time) Ana Lucia, Rousseau and, I'm sorry to say it, Sawyer... it's just that those last two are engaging and kind of delightfully camp even with their respective actors' melodramatic and one-note performances hindering them that I don't in any sense mind. Now, obviously it's subjective as several viewers on this forum - though I can't say it's a view I've seen net-wide - have had the bubble broken by Lilly's performance and been aware of her having an inability to convey what she needs to convey in order to make Kate believable. Personally, I've not been troubled by that. She's not brilliant, and I can see why people have issues with her role as a lead female actor (my issue is with the way the lead female character is forced to be such a reflection of two of the lead males), but that's the worst I can see in her performance.

[hundredand8]

Originally Posted by *SP*

But surely having opinions, not only on themes, plots and theories, but also about specific characters is all part of our Lost experience and being involved on the forum?
So should we only voice our opinions when they are positive and cheery? I don't (genuinely) think I slag characters/actors off just out of ignorance or pettiness or just for the sake of it. It's a whole hearted opinion and although I may sometimes say I despise Kate and Jack, I'll just as often back that up with what I consider are valid reasons. And I more often than not focus positively on the characters that I love, like Ben and Locke.

It's all good. I just like the chat even when I have different opinions to others.

Originally Posted by Murgatroyd

(don't look, 108 - critic time)

Originally Posted by Rocco

I don't get what you seem to be implying here
I have backed up my viewpoints on Evi/Kate. Not everyone will have positive things to say about the actress or the character. This is the nature of debate and opinion, you have yours and i have mine

I'm honest with my views but i certainly haven't gone over the top. Afterall, i do believe that she can't act for toffee..no harm in saying that

The opposite to slagging characters and actors off is an over the top eulogy. I'm not advocating "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".

It is not necessary to emotionally over charge statements with clever put downs. These only serve to enrage those who hold a different view. And I can assure you that they are not nearly as fun to read as they are to write if you disagree with the point they are trying to reinforce. If you do that, you get the kind of endless point and counter point threads that we have so many off. No agreement, not even an agreement to disagree.

This thread hasn't actually been too bad. But most people who have posted are at it at some level.