History Main / HamandCheese

* Richard Burton did this a few times, ''The Wild Geese'' is a case in point.

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* [[ShawnMichaels Shawn Michaels]] used this to do a [[TakeThat]] to Hulk Hogan, when backstage politics lead to him getting buried in a match. Michaels, rather than try to turn in the normal top-tier performance you're supposed to try for a PPV, spent the whole match flying around the ring in ways that would make a ragdoll physics programmer think he was overdoing it.

* [[StarWars Ian McDiarmid]]'s [[EvilIsCool performance]] as [[MagnificentBastard Emperor Palpatine]] is ''made'' of this trope. He was clearly having a grand old time playing a [[ChewingTheScenery scenery-chewing]], EvilOverlord.

* ChristopherWalken in ''The Country Bears''. It's one of Disney's typical, live-action 'family film' crapfest. However, Walken's completely over-the-top performance as the evil banker makes it a lot more tolerable.

--->-- '''Raul Julia''' as M. Bison, pictured left

-->'''Time:''' What were you thinking when you accepted a role in ''{{Bloodrayne}}''? It's hard to imagine someone so gifted not realizing what a terrible film that would be!
-->'''Kingsley:''' I don't know whether to be upset or flattered by that question. To be honest, I have always wanted to play a vampire, with the teeth and the long black cape. Let's say that my motives were somewhat immature for doing it.

* Richard E. Grant as the flamboyant, over-the-top villain in Bruce Willis's musical heist movie ''HudsonHawk''. From his very first scene, it is wonderfully obvious that Grant is hamming it up to 11. Richard E. Grant also has very interesting views in hindsight of the film, if you can find interviews on the web somewhere.

** Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort in the ''[[Film/HarryPotter entire series.]]'' Hell, this applies to most actors in the films: reportedly, on the set of the second film, AlanRickman, Kenneth Branagh, and Jason Isaacs had a contest to see who could turn in the hammiest performances that still made it into the final cut of the film. The third movie had GaryOldman, having lots of fun twitching, and the fifth brought in BrendonGleeson as a giant leprechaun with NoIndoorVoice. All these actors (well, maybe not Branagh) are quite capable of being understated and minimalistic, but they didn't feel like it.
*** Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange in ''Order of the Phoenix''. Skipping down the halls singing "I KILLED [[spoiler: SIRIUS BLACK!!!!]]!!" is Made of [[strike:Win]] HamAndCheese.

* Pictured above: Raul Julia in ''Film/StreetFighter''. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome Doubly]] so because not only was it a [[VideoGameMoviesSuck bad movie]], but Raul was ''[[DyingMomentOfAwesome dying of cancer]]''.
** Raul Julia, knowing that it was going to be his last movie, let his grandchildren pick which movie he would star in from a group of scripts he had been sent. Being fans of the ''Street Fighter'' games, they picked that one. So part of his hammy performance was also him trying to [[SoMyKidsCanWatch play up his presence for his grandchildren]]. He succeeded in completely stealing the show from ''Jean-Claude Van Damme'' and both [[TropeNamer naming]] and [[TropeCodifier codifying]] an [[ButForMeItWasTuesday utterly awesome trope]].
*** [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asDvjuiNNLw OF]] [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF1KKAs-RmY COURSE!]]
** Speaking of Raul Julia, didn't he also do this in ''Overdrawn at the Memory Bank'' (as seen on ''{{MST3K}}'')?
*** '''TheAddamsFamily'' too, but then, the ''whole cast'' was hamming it up except for Angelica Huston, and that's probably because her character just didn't work that way.
*** Raul Julia just seems to love this trope. If he had a reason to invoke this trope - ''any'' reason - he would. His performance in a production of ''Kiss Me, Kate'' (a take on Shakespeare's ''Taming of the Shrew'') is a wonderful example of it; he takes the over-the-top Petruchio and manages to turn the hamminess UpToEleven.

* {{Alan Rickman}}'s completely over-the-top, campy performance in ''RobinHood: Prince of Thieves''. He must have realized the film was going to be critically killed, because he signed onto the film on the condition that ''he get to play the part however he wanted''.

** Both of them must have realized that you have to work hard to be remembered in a movie with [[BrianBlessed BRIAN BLESSED]]!

* Uma Thurman's performance in ''BatmanAndRobin'' just screams this trope: she clearly thought she was signing up for something good (Batman? And George Clooney and ArnoldSchwarzenegger are gonna be in it? Sounds awesome!) and then...got the script. And saw the sickeningly neon costumes. She plays Poison Ivy as a completely over-the-top villainess, and she's clearly having a fabulous time doing it. One of the very few saving graces of that movie.

* In the 2004 ''KingArthur'' film, Stellan Skarsgård as [[BigBad Saxon king Cerdic]]. Skarsgård also said in a later interview that he deliberately inflected his character's voice with a slight Texan accent as a TakeThat to George W. Bush, pretty much just for the hell of it.

* As ''{{The Nostalgia Critic}}'' points out, Dennis Hopper in ''Film/SuperMarioBros'' seems to not to waste any good acting on the movie.

* Michael York's performance in ''Megiddo: The Omega Code 2'': what is other wise a terribly acted, terrible special effect filled Christian BMovie becomes a SoBadItsGood laugh riot solely due to York playing his role as the Antichrist with record breaking amounts of ham. You can tell he's enjoying himself immensely.

* [[StarWars Ian McDiarmid]]'s [[EvilIsCool performance]] as [[MagnificentBastard Emperor Palpatine]] is ''made'' of this trope. He was clearly having a grand old time playing a [[FeedMe scenery-chewing]], EvilOverlord.

* Kenneth Branagh was clearly having a good deal of fun in the terrible 1999 rendition of ''Wild Wild West''. His hamtastic performance is the only really redeeming thing about that movie.

*** You may be the first person to mention Salma Hayek's rear end before the other major factor of her sex appeal.

** Speaking of Bana, Brian Cox seems to be the only cast member from ''{{Troy}}'' who thinks "Ah, ItWillNeverCatchOn.", judging by his performance.
* ''[[{{ptitleer3dxllk}} GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra]]'' is a [[GuiltyPleasure cheesy, stupid movie]]. ''Nobody'' took that film seriously, but ChristopherEccleston and Joseph Gordon-Levitt realize exactly what kind of movie they're in and have fun with it. The problem is that there's not much Hammy latitude for the good guys. Marlon--"''Whoo!''", Storm Shadow and Baroness actually seem to be enjoying themselves immensely, though. It's part of the reason why it's so fun.
* In his long career, [[ChristopherLee Sir Christopher Lee]] played this trope many times. An awesome actor, he nevertheless played ([[TypeCasting mostly villains]]) in many, many awful B flicks, and then [[RefugeInAudacity deliberately]] set his acting to [[LargeHam over-the-top mode]]. As a result, these movies often ended up into the SoBadItsGood zone, almost only because of him. ''TheWickerMan'' comes to mind as a perfect example and it is now considered to be one of the greatest suspense movies of all-time.

* AlPacino, from iconic performances in classic films like ''TheGodfather'' and {{Dog Day Afternoon}}, was widely believed to be one of the greatest actors in the history of film. Al "HOO-AH!!" Pacino, from oversized performances in films like ''[=~S1m0ne~=]'', ''{{Gigli}}'' and ''88 Minutes'', is widely believed to enjoy [[MoneyDearBoy money]].

* Uma Thurman and Steve Coogan seem to be the only actors having a blast in the otherwise bad and forgettable film adaptation of PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians. And it shows in their over-the-top but awesome performances.
* Nicholas Cage's overacting is part of the reason for the humor in many scenes of the SoBadItsGood remake of ''TheWickerMan''. He admitted in an interview that after finding out he was going to punch a woman wearing a bear suit in it it became impossible to take it seriously, and it shows in the film's much plentiful Narm.

** {{YMMV}}, but Liam Neeson comes seriously close to out-hamming him, if not succeeding. Either way, the real clash in this movie is the HamToHamCombat both actors are clearly enjoying the hell out of. '''RELEASE THE ''[[strike:KRAKEN]] LARGE HAM''!!!'''

* {{Christopher Walken}} in ''The Country Bears''. It's one of Disney's typical, live-action 'family film' crapfest. However, Walken's completely over-the-top performance as the evil banker makes it a lot more tolerable.
---> [[TheNostalgiaCritic "THIS IS NOT OVAH!]] .....'''[+++BEARS!!!+++]'''
* GaryOldman in the film version of ''LostinSpace''.
* In the 1998 version of {{Les Miserables}}, Geoffrey Rush as {{Inspector Javert}} steals the show, and manages to be awesome despite his character being forced to play the villain instead of the original noble antagonist. But man, does he enjoy! And then he suddenly gives us that {{Tear Jerker}} ending.
* ALL of the killers from low-budget satire/horror ''$la$her$'' hammed it up like pro-wrestlers (quite beautifully considering they were all non-actors.) [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], since they're entertainers as well as psychopaths, and play it to the hilt for their studio audience.
* The new [[Film/TheATeam A-Team movie]] is very [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]], but the main cast looks like they're having an absolute blast, especially LiamNeeson and Sharlto Copley.

** Paul [=McGann=] also seemed to be doing this in the ''DoctorWho'' MadeForTVMovie, although it wasn't boring, [[{{Americanitis}} just]] [[PlotHole straight]][[SanDimasTime -up]] [[SoBadItsGood lousy]]. So did Eric Roberts, but he [[SoBadItsHorrible didn't pull it off as well.]]
** While we're on the subject, John Simm as the newest incarnation of Master seems to be really enjoying the role. That and combined with all what he has done in those episodes he's in, makes it rather [[NightmareFuel creepy]]

* In the later seasons of ''LawAndOrderSVU'', B.D. Wong can occasionally be seen doing this with some of Dr. Huang's increasingly silly MisterExposition / CaptainObvious dialogue.

* While David Caruso is known for being a somewhat pretentious asshole, he is really over the top as [[{{CSI Miami}} Horatio Caine]]. He said that the script forced him to do it initially, as in early episodes of the first season he appears to be more humane. Now, he's made of ham and cheese...[[GlassesPull * shades on* ]] and his performance is damn tasty. '''''[[MemeticMutation YEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!]]'''''

* [[DwayneJohnson The Rock]] seemed to be trying to top him during his later appearences.

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---> [[TheNostalgiaCritic "THIS IS NOT OVAH!]] .....'''[+++ BEARS!!!+++ ]'''

[[Film/StreetFighter http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Bison.jpg]]

* Michael Gambon's performance as Lt. General Leland Zevo in ''{{Toys}}''. And getting hammier and hammier as the movie approaches its climax.

* Tilda Swinton in the not-really-critically-acclaimed ''{{Hellblazer}}'' adaptation ''{{Constantine}}''. She seems to be having a fair bit of fun with the overacting opportunities of her role, and is [[FetishFuel damn sexy]] while at it, too (which is sort of [[FetishFuelStationAttendant inevitable]] if you have Tilda Swinton playing an insane, [[{{Bifauxnen}} androgynous]] angel with [[FootFocus well-pedicured feet]] and [[WaifFu impressive martial arts skills]]...).

---> [[ThatGuyWithTheGlasses "THIS IS NOT OVAH!]] .....'''[+++ BEARS!!!+++ ]'''

* AlPacino, from iconic performances in classic films like ''TheGodfather'' and {{Dog Day Afternoon}}, was widely believed to be one of the greatest actors in the history of film. Al "HOO-AH!!" Pacino, from oversized performances in films like ''S1m0ne'', ''{{Gigli}}'' and ''88 Minutes'', is widely believed to enjoy [[MoneyDearBoy money]].

* While David Caruso is known for being a somewhat pretentious asshole, he is really over the top as [[{{CSI Miami}} Horatio Caine]]. He said that the script forced him to do it initially, as in early episodes of the first season he appears to be more humane. Now, he's made of ham and cheese...[[GlassesPull * shades on* ]] and loving it. '''''[[MemeticMutation YEEEAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!]]'''''

*** Raul Julia just seems to love this trope. If he had a reason to invoke this trope - ''any'' reason - he would. His performance in a production of ''Kiss Me, Kate'' (a take on Shakespeare's ''Taming of the Shrew'') is a wonderful example of it; he takes the over-the-top Petruchio and manages to turn the hamminess {{up to eleven}}.

* The new A-Team movie is very [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]], but the main cast looks like they're having an absolute blast, especially LiamNeeson and Sharlto Copley.