10 Movie Actors Who Only Played By Their Own Rules

Scottish Russian submarine commander? Very well.

The Spirit Samuel L Jackson
Lionsgate

Despite the film industry often being viewed as a wonderful place where dreams can come true every day and opportunity is always right around the corner, in reality, it can sometimes be a rather restricting and frustrating place for an actor.

For the most part, thespians are told what to say by screenwriters, who they will be playing by casting directors and how to perform by directors. This understandably can make some performers feel like nothing more than a small cog in a monstrous machine.

However, there are those few actors who said "screw that" and did things their own way, leaving very little room for discussion and forging their own idea of a career path in the process.

Whether this involved ripping up the script, taking roles which were deemed undesirable by others or putting their foot down when it came to a certain demand or decision, each of the following ten performers proved that it's still possible to go against the grain and become a global success at the same time.

With all that being said, let's celebrate some of the ballsiest, bravest and sometimes craziest actors to ever set foot into the world of movie making.

10. Sean Connery - Refusing To Drop His Scottish Accent

The Spirit Samuel L Jackson
Paramount Pictures

In a surreal time when an actor's skill seems to be often measured on their ability to successfully pull off an accent unlike their natural one, Sean Connery sits as a stern reminder that being a vocal chameleon really isn't actually the be-all and end-all when it comes to creating a character.

Instead of conforming and altering his accent for his most famous role of James Bond and many others, Connery stubbornly chose to retain his thick Scottish accent as he felt that "the emotion should be the same internationally." In an interview with Michael Parkinson, Connery also added:

"A Russian is the same as a Scottish, the same as an Irish, or a Pole. Even English."

This way of thinking was clear for all to see with Connery's portrayals of a Russian submarine commander in The Hunt for Red October, an Irish police officer in The Untouchables, and he even kept his distinct accent when tasked with playing an Egyptian immortal in Highlander.

More than anything, Connery's accent became something of a trademark as time went by and helped make each of his roles more memorable than the last.

The legendary actor eventually retired from live-action filmmaking on his own terms in 2006, staying true to his word until his eventual death in 2020.

Contributor
Contributor

Lifts rubber and metal. Watches people flip in spandex and pretends to be other individuals from time to time...