What Actor/Actress do you feel has given the best performance as a Service Member or Veteran?

2014-06-18T10:15:51-04:00

We've all seen movies referencing military service and veterans so who is your favorite and why?

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 18 at 2014 10:22 AM

2014-06-18T10:22:06-04:00

Denzel Washington in "Courage Under Fire"

Probably a composite character, but LTC Nat Serling seems to be the quintessential officer. He's lost soldiers, he's a commander with combat experience, he has problems that bleed over into his career and family, and most importantly he has to face himself when he hits rock bottom and decide whether to press on or "take the train" like Lou Diamond Phillips's character SSG Monfriez.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Jun 18 at 2014 10:22 AM

2014-06-18T10:22:21-04:00

I'll start this one off with an under appreciated and nearly forgotten movie that I have always thought hit home hard. My pick is James Earl Jones as CSM "Goody" Nelson in 'Gardens of Stone'. He portrays the role perfectly.
Of course some of my bias towards this film may be due to having been in The Old Guard.

In a near tie would be R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket. No additional justification needed!

Response by SFC Stephen Carden made Jun 18 at 2014 10:38 AM

2014-06-18T10:38:52-04:00

There have been so many.... I think the character that I remember most as feeling very authentic was Damien Lewis as MAJ Dick Winters in "Band of Brothers". I also thought Sam Elliott (one of my favorites) was awesome as CSM Basil Plumley in "We Were Soldiers".

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jun 18 at 2014 10:44 AM

2014-06-18T10:44:12-04:00

Daymon Wayans - MAJ Payne
Oscar worthy....I cried.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jun 18 at 2014 10:51 AM

2014-06-18T10:51:06-04:00

Oh, and Sylvester Stallone DOES NOT COUNT.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Jun 18 at 2014 10:53 AM

2014-06-18T10:53:04-04:00

Actors who've ddi well:

Denzel Washington - Courage Under Fire/ Crimson Tide
Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump/ Saving Private Ryan
Gary Sinise - Forrest Gump
The whole cast of Band of Brothers
Sam Elliot - We Were Soldiers
Mel Gibson - We Were Soldiers

Response by CMSgt James Nolan made Jun 18 at 2014 10:55 AM

2014-06-18T10:55:34-04:00

Robert Duvall in The Great Santini
Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men
Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge (corny but great)
Whoever played the SgtMaj in Generation Kill (Police those Mooostaches)
Sam Elliot in We Were Soldiers
Cuba Gooding in Men of Honor
Kevin Bacon in Taking Chance
Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now
Ed Harris in Enemy at the Gates and The Rock

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2014 11:05 AM

2014-06-18T11:05:37-04:00

R. Lee Ermey - Siege of Firebase Gloria (FMJ is a no brainer)
Daman Wayans - MAJ Payne (Killin is my biddness...and BIDdness is goood!)
Audie Murphy - To Hell and Back (I mean c'mon, can you not like this?)
Clint Eastwood - Hearbreak Ridge
James Caan - Gardens of Stone

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Jun 18 at 2014 11:37 AM

2014-06-18T11:37:05-04:00

The guy who was glory seeking as the Company Commander in Band of Brothers, he was a total jack wagon.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2014 11:43 AM

2014-06-18T11:43:23-04:00

Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge and John Wayne in The Green Berets.

Response by LCpl Steve Wininger made Jun 18 at 2014 11:44 AM

2014-06-18T11:44:10-04:00

We Were Soldiers...Mel Gibson

I think it portrays the full spectrum of what war is like for us, the enemy, and the families at home. I think the movie was true to form in many respects.

Response by MSgt Lancia Stewart made Jun 18 at 2014 2:10 PM

2014-06-18T14:10:33-04:00

Gary Cooper "Sergeant York"
Robert DeNiro "The Deer Hunter"
Henry Fonda "Mister Roberts"
Kirk Douglas "Paths of Glory"
Dong-gun Jang and Bin Won "Tae Guk Gi" (a Korean movie about two brothers forced to fight in the Korean War)
Robert Mitchum "Heaven Knows Mr. Allison"
Pretty much the entire cast of "The Longest Day" and "The Great Escape"
The cast of "The Dirty Dozen"
The cast of "Dr. Strangelove"

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2014 2:41 PM

2014-06-18T14:41:57-04:00

I'm going to go with Michael Ironside for his awesome authoritative personality. I loved him in Starship Troopers. Classic. Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men is a close second.

Response by TSgt Scott Hurley made Jun 18 at 2014 4:47 PM

2014-06-18T16:47:18-04:00

Oh there there are many.... Henry Fonda and John Wayne did great jobs portraying military men in the WWII movies they stared in. I especially liked Fonda's portrayal of Admiral Nimitz in Midway. I would like to say he played him very well. George C. Scott did a great job of Portraying Gen. Patton.

Capt. Dale Dye did a very good job in Band of Brothers as Col. Sink. And he made sure those actors who were never in the military learned quickly in a 10 day boot camp.

GYSGT R. Lee Ermey. His protrayal of a Marine DI, is accurate since he was once a DI himself, in Full Metal Jacket. (I almost put in Full Metal Panic!). Other than military roles, he is a good actor, and a Vets Best friend.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 3:34 AM

2014-06-19T03:34:36-04:00

The entire cast if Platoon. Honorable mention to Tom Berrenger. Back in the day I watched Platoon and then afterwards watched Major League and didn't realize he starred in both movies.

Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman in Crimson Tide. One of my favorite all time movies.

What about the 4-Star General in War Games working in NORAD, who said "I'd piss on a spark plug if I thought it would help right now."

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 8:27 AM

2014-06-19T08:27:25-04:00

One of my favorite performances would have to have been Sam Elliot as CSM Plumley in 'We Were Soldiers...' I would also say R. Lee Ermey in 'Full Metal Jacket' but the fact that he 'acted' in a role he played in real life almost disqualifies him from the discussion.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 19 at 2014 9:08 AM

2014-06-19T09:08:53-04:00

My favorites would have to be
Every German dude in 'Das Boot'
Sam Elliott, total badass
George C. Scott for both Patton and Dr. Strangelove
And Nicholas Cage in Windtalkers.............

J/K Nicholas Cage is garbage

Response by LtCol Garret Whiteside made Jun 19 at 2014 11:35 AM

2014-06-19T11:35:21-04:00

Mine are: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Lee Majors and Miss Gore (who actually was a WWII nurse) she was a bit part in Midway.

Response by Capt Lance Gallardo made Sep 21 at 2014 2:21 AM

2014-09-21T02:21:31-04:00

The Great Santini! Robert Duvall eat up the role of a heroic Marine Fighter Pilot Aviator, who struggled with alcoholism, was a largely dysfunctional family man and father. But as a combat leader, a squadron Leader, his men would have followed him to hell and back. We have all known our own versions of the great Santini. Men who probably could not do anything else than what they did, as warriors, living up to their code of honor as they saw it, while the civilian world outside the military seemed to be going down the toilet with permissive behavior, drugs, and a culture that valued individualism and self-gratification, over selflessness, sacrifice, and the accomplishment of a mission greater than oneself.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 21 at 2014 4:18 PM

2014-09-21T16:18:20-04:00

The entire cast of Band of Brothers.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Sep 22 at 2014 1:18 PM

2014-09-22T13:18:05-04:00

On a purely Romantic Classic who doesn't like George C. Scott as Patton but there are plenty of others that probably sparked my interest in serving. Loved Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye in the Original Movie Mash.

Response by SSG Maurice P. made Oct 17 at 2014 12:16 PM

2014-10-17T12:16:33-04:00

AUDIE L MURPHY hands down is the best he portrayed himself...................

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2015 6:10 AM

2015-05-08T06:10:42-04:00

The cast of Hamburger Hill. The lingo and everything just seemed authentic.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 9 at 2015 10:33 PM

2015-06-09T22:33:47-04:00

The Movie about Eisenhower. I forgot the title of the movie and actors name. The movie gave the viewer a window in to planning the European theater, and friction caused by maverick generals like Patton and Montgomery.

Response by SGM Steve Wettstein made Jun 9 at 2015 10:51 PM

2015-06-09T22:51:09-04:00

Nathan Fillion did an outstanding whinning and crying private as the first, and incorrect, Private Ryan.

Tom Sizemore, did a pretty good job as a SNCO (MSG) (even though they didn't have MSGs in WWII).

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 10:54 PM

2015-06-09T22:54:39-04:00

It's near impossible to choose a favorite, however one I don't see here is Brad Pitt as Don "Wardaddy" Collier in Fury.

Response by SFC Maury Gonzalez made Jun 9 at 2015 11:12 PM

2015-06-09T23:12:02-04:00

R. Lee ermey, boys in company C
Josh Harnett, Blackhawk down
Mel Gibson, we were soldiers

Response by AN Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 9 at 2015 11:16 PM

2015-06-09T23:16:22-04:00

Tom Hanks- Forrest Gump
Bradley Cooper- Chris Kyle

Response by SFC Maury Gonzalez made Jun 9 at 2015 11:23 PM

2015-06-09T23:23:30-04:00

Gene Hackman, uncommon Valor

Response by SGT Edward Perez made Jun 9 at 2015 11:34 PM

2015-06-09T23:34:28-04:00

Sorry for mispelled words. Telley Savalas. As Maggot dirty dozen. Shoot the entire crew for that matter

Response by SGT Edward Perez made Jun 9 at 2015 11:37 PM

2015-06-09T23:37:55-04:00

How anout Matthew Brodrick in Glory.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Jun 9 at 2015 11:57 PM

2015-06-09T23:57:47-04:00

Gary Sinise- LT Dan! Duh!!
Robert Duvall - LTC Kilgore
Sam Elliott - CSM Plumley

Response by MSgt E. W. Forbess made Jun 10 at 2015 12:13 AM

2015-06-10T00:13:50-04:00

There were several excellent performances in Saving Private Ryan - it would be difficult to choose just one.

Response by Capt Mark Strobl made Jun 10 at 2015 12:14 AM

2015-06-10T00:14:56-04:00

All good choices folks. But, I'm going to throw in these two:
Tom Hanks - for BOTH Forest Gump and Saving Private Ryan
Gary Sinise - aka "Lt Dan" Taylor (Forest Gump) & for all the work he has done for vets.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 10 at 2015 2:27 AM

2015-06-10T02:27:29-04:00

Gary Sinise as LT Dan in Forrest Gump and as front man of the LT Dan band.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jun 10 at 2015 2:31 AM

2015-06-10T02:31:27-04:00

I forgot to mention the Gunny himself, R. Lee Ermy. I actually had the pleasure of meeting GySgt Ermy when he filmed an episode of "Mail Call" on board the USS Nimitz during our 2003 deployment. He autographed my Full Metal Jacket DVD, "Semper Fi, R. Lee Ermy" I had to buy another copy of the movie so that I can still watch it, LOL.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 2:39 AM

2015-06-10T02:39:49-04:00

morgan freeman-glory
aaron eckhardt-battle los angeles
cast of black hawk down
r lee ermey-full metal jacket(no brainer)
just saw american sniper last week, bradley cooper did a great job

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jun 10 at 2015 6:37 AM

2015-06-10T06:37:08-04:00

I'm throwing in The Last Castle with R. Redford. The personality types, the calm bearing of the General, the "little" things they got right.

Response by SSG Sean Thoman made Jun 10 at 2015 11:18 AM

2015-06-10T11:18:28-04:00

Lee Marvin - Big Red One

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 10 at 2015 11:30 AM

2015-06-10T11:30:29-04:00

I'll chip in Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan. He played an ordinary guy very well. The rest of the cast were also good at making understated work better.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 11:31 AM

2015-06-10T11:31:32-04:00

Mel Gibson

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jun 10 at 2015 11:46 AM

2015-06-10T11:46:26-04:00

Sam Elliot - as Basil L. Plumley
Rent the movie for the "why"

Response by SPC Charles Brown made Jun 10 at 2015 11:49 AM

2015-06-10T11:49:27-04:00

John Wayne the reasons follow
In Harms Way; The Fighting Seabees; They Were Expendable; Sands of Iwo Jima: The Longest Day; Operation Pacific; The Alamo; Fort Apache; Back to Bataan; Flying Leathernecks and The Green Berets.......... Need I say more?

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2015 12:25 PM

2015-06-10T12:25:28-04:00

My cast of heroes is as follows:

Gary Sinise as LT Dan in Forrest Gump
Sam Eliot as CSM Plumley in We Were Soldiers
Mel Gibson as LTC Hal Moore in We Were Soldiers
Jeff Daniels as LTC Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg
Tom Berenger as Lieutenant General James Longstreet in Gettysburg
Sam Eliot as Brigadier General John Buford in Gettysburg
R. Lee Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann in Full Metal Jacket
Full Cast Band of Brothers
Full Cast The Pacific
Tom Sizemore as LTC Danny McNight, CDR, 3rd Ranger BAT in Black Hawk Down
Sam Shepard as MG William F. Garrison, Commander of Task Force Ranger in Black Hawk Down
Eric Bana as SFC Norm "Hoot" Gibson, Delta Force operator in Black Hawk Down
Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle American Sniper
Mark Wahlberg as Marcus Luttrell in Lone Survivor

There are more, but these are the ones that immediately come to mind.

Response by CPL Zachariah Chitwood made Jun 10 at 2015 1:41 PM

2015-06-10T13:41:52-04:00

I know a lot of folks will probably say Bradley Cooper. Well, didn't know CPO Kyle, but from what I have read and heard, he did do an amazing job. The movie itself was too much for me.

I think I would have to go with Mel Gibson and Sam Elliot as LTC Hal Moore and CSM Basil Plumley. They were phenomenal, and I know men who knew them very well. I feel like they were portayed accurately and the actors really seemed to care about their efforts.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Jun 11 at 2015 6:40 AM

2015-06-11T06:40:36-04:00

It's interesting to see how my views and picks have changed over the years.

Sam Elliot We Were Soldiers
Jack Nicholson A Few Good Men

There are a few more too.

Response by TSgt David L. made Jun 11 at 2015 8:02 AM

2015-06-11T08:02:39-04:00

Clint Eastwood has repeatedly portrayed either a service member or veteran in a positive way.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Jun 11 at 2015 8:15 AM

2015-06-11T08:15:43-04:00

Sam Elliot as Sergeant Major Basil Plumley in We Were Soldiers.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 8:34 AM

2015-06-11T08:34:17-04:00

I would say Tommy Lee Jones. R Lee Ermey was great, but Tommy has no prior military service and has done a great job in movies like Firebirds and Captain America for example.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jun 11 at 2015 1:22 PM

2015-06-11T13:22:41-04:00

Chris Evans - Captain America/Winter Soldier/Avengers 1&2/Thor 2

Response by Cpl Anthony Pearson made Jun 11 at 2015 1:24 PM

2015-06-11T13:24:20-04:00

Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan)
Mel Gibson (We Were Soldiers)

Both INCREDIBLE performances. Real, emotional, and pretty much not Hollywoodized (not a word, I know, but you get the point).

Also Private Joker from Full Metal Jacket. Outstanding job!

Of course, Mark Wahlberg and the other actors from Lone Survivor. They NAILED it.

I love Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, and other actors like that... but they FELT like they were acting.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 11 at 2015 8:06 PM

2015-06-11T20:06:27-04:00

R. Lee Ermy Gunny Hartman, Full metal Jacket and other war movies.
Meg Ryan CPT Karen Emma Walden, Courage Under Fire

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 12 at 2015 12:11 AM

2015-06-12T00:11:34-04:00

Demi Moore- G.I. Jane

Response by SSG Jeff Binkiewicz made Jun 12 at 2015 9:24 AM

2015-06-12T09:24:24-04:00

Clint Eastwood as Walt Kowalski in Gran Torreno. Reminds me of my Father.

Response by CPL(P) Bret Farritor made Jun 27 at 2015 8:34 PM

2015-06-27T20:34:22-04:00

Kevin Bacon in Taking Chance.

Response by SSG(P) D. Wright Downs made Jun 28 at 2015 2:01 PM

2015-06-28T14:01:49-04:00

There are so many. Have to start with John Wayne in Green Berets..I knew Gen Mike Healy, one of the people used to make the character he was portraying. Right On. The actors in Band of Brothers were all so good--one of the best movies of a great unit.

Response by 1st Lt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 29 at 2015 1:39 AM

2015-06-29T01:39:50-04:00

I'd have to say Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper and Mel Gibson in We Were Soldiers. I can think of others but those are two of my favorites.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jun 29 at 2015 10:26 PM

2015-06-29T22:26:49-04:00

I need to vote Denzel Washington in the movie "Courage under Fire".

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jul 8 at 2015 1:38 PM

2015-07-08T13:38:41-04:00

Lee Marvin in the Big Red One

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 20 at 2015 3:56 PM

2015-07-20T15:56:30-04:00

Mark wahlberg

Response by SSG James Arlington made Jul 20 at 2015 4:08 PM

2015-07-20T16:08:07-04:00

Gary Cooper.

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Jul 20 at 2015 8:08 PM

2015-07-20T20:08:20-04:00

Darren McGavin as a tough-as-nails Marine Corps D.I. in "Tribes"(1970) and Jack Webb as a Parris Island Gunny Sgt in "The D.I."(1957). Older movies, granted, but well worth viewing.

Response by SSgt Terry P. made Jul 28 at 2015 4:29 AM

2015-07-28T04:29:07-04:00

Jack Nicholson --A Few Good Men---Hardcore Marine Col. Nathan R. Jessup

Response by PO3 Leland Crawford made Jul 28 at 2015 12:58 PM

2015-07-28T12:58:54-04:00

Kevin Bacon plays a Marine who escorts a brother Marine to Wyoming.

Response by SGT Hector Rojas, AIGA, SHA made Jul 28 at 2015 2:55 PM

2015-07-28T14:55:35-04:00

Audie Murphy of course.

And all the veterans that played themselves in "The story of GI Joe"

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 28 at 2015 3:12 PM

2015-07-28T15:12:40-04:00

Jim Hutton as SGT Petersen in the Green Berets, a classic role!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 29 at 2015 3:17 PM

2015-07-29T15:17:04-04:00

The entire cast of Kelley's Heroes!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Jul 30 at 2015 8:28 AM

2015-07-30T08:28:11-04:00

Martin Sheen in "Apocalypse Now" A strung out Special Forces officer given a classified assignment to take out a senior US officer made his head spin and he portrayed that to the "T" especially when combined with the other insanities of war going on around him.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Sep 24 at 2015 12:29 PM

2015-09-24T12:29:58-04:00

Jeff Daniels in Gettysburg

Response by CW5 Jack Cardwell made Nov 16 at 2017 6:42 PM

2017-11-16T18:42:07-05:00

Gaudy Murphy was very convincing in To Hell and Back !