Luke Cage Appreciation

[Ajala]

The fact that you're using the term softie in reference to a professional wrestler is part of the reason I frankly question your definiton of toughness in the first place.

Tough is both a physical and mental thing, and frankly you need BOTH to be a professional wrestler. The fact that he did what he did for a long as he did qualifies him as being legitimately one of the toughest human beings walking the planet period. Moreso than the vast majority of actors out there.

You can be a nice guy (a "softie") with no hardened edge and still be a good professional wrestler. This is about attitude (or in The Rock's case, a certain flavor of it). See Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston. Both of whom were flatout awful "tough guys" when they briefly went down that route. Because they weren't convincing.

The Rock as a street tough character would be laughable and would come across as satire. It's the same case with your average Hollywood actor who doesn't come form that world and/or doesn't have that wide range in acting ability to make it believable. The Rock can't check either of those boxes off.

[XPac]

You can be a nice guy (a "softie") with no hardened edge and still be a good professional wrestler. This is about attitude (or in The Rock's case, a certain flavor of it). See Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston. Both of whom were flatout awful "tough guys" when they briefly went down that route. Because they weren't convincing.

The Rock as a street tough character would be laughable and would come across as satire. It's the same case with your average Hollywood actor who doesn't come form that world and/or doesn't have that wide range in acting ability to make it believable. The Rock can't check either of those boxes off.

I guess the problem here is that you're creating a correlation between being a nice guy and "natural" toughness. A correlation I don't believe actually exists. You can be nice guy and still be tough in EVERY sense of the word.

[Greg]

As much as I love The Rock, I can't see him as Luke Cage whatsoever. I just can't see him playing and tapping into the "street/hood" character that would be required to play him.

[XPac]

What I read is your statement about lacking natural toughness. And I'll say again... as a former pro-wrestler Rock natural toughness will probably equal if not exceed any other actor named on this thread, or any other person on the planet. And I'll say the same thing for Daniel Bryan.

It's not a question of whether they act tough or seem tough or look tough... they quite simply ARE tough. It's as simple as that.

Some actors just need a certain degree of natural toughness to make certain roles convincing.

This was the part of the quote you left out. And this is the part I personally don't agree with.

I'll say again, Rock has as much if not more natural toughness as anyone on the planet. Other actors may "act" tough... but he actually IS tough.

[Ajala]

I ignore the "street" part of the post because that's not the part I have issues with. If you don't think he can play a street character, then you don't think he can play a street character.

What I disagree with is the part which argues the actors lacks natural toughness (which is not a quality exclusively inherent in the streets, or anywhere else for that matter). Whether Rock can play a certain character well is subjective... whether or not he lacks natural toughness is not. He is. And so is Daniel Bryan for that matter.

Except that my "too soft to play a street character" for The Rock is based on the fact that he doesn't have that upbringing or exposure. Which would make such a portrayal of a character like Luke believable. Because that's required. My use of the phrase "natural toughness" would logically be referring to street toughness, since my only mention of any sort of strength was "softness" when used in conjunction with "street hardened".

[Ravin' Ray]

People, cut it out with the biting rejoinders, ok? I'm content with editing posts for now but if this gets out of hand I will delete entire posts and send PMs. I will not give a second warning.

On second read, I've deleted egregious posts and sent a PM. No further rudeness is allowed.

[Raymone]

Cage is the man... Can't wait to see him on the screen..

[Jabare]

VOTD: Actor Mars Crain Makes His Pitch to Play Luke Cage

http://www.slashfilm.com/mars-crain-luke-cage-video/




I doubt he gets the part, but you never know so I thought I'd share

[Raymone]

Cage finally makes an appearance in the "Big Event" book... Haven't seen him have actual dialogue in a main book since Civil War I think...lol..

[UltimateTy]

Cage finally makes an appearance in the "Big Event" book... Haven't seen him have actual dialogue in a main book since Civil War I think...lol..

Cage played a big role in Age Of Ultron, he even had two covers with only him on it iirc

[XPac]

Cage played a big role in Age Of Ultron, he even had two covers with only him on it iirc

Yeah, I thought Bendis used him pretty well in AoU. He died (as did pretty much everyone else), but I thought his death was actually pretty heroic and stood out.

[Cage32]

Yeah, I thought Bendis used him pretty well in AoU. He died (as did pretty much everyone else), but I thought his death was actually pretty heroic and stood out.

He needed to die with that hair cut he had going

[Raymone]

Cage played a big role in Age Of Ultron, he even had two covers with only him on it iirc

Oh yea... lol.... It was such a short and boring event I forgot about it.. He did One-shot She Hulk and leveled a city block with that punch too..

[Herowatcher]

Derek Morgan might make a good Luke Cage /Power Man.
He'd have to bulk up some too.

[Daredevil is Legend]

What writer has written Luke Cage the best?