*sigh*

[lirazel]

Oh, Joss. I do not understand your infatuation with Eliza Dushku. She's very excellent at playing a specific kind of character (badass, uninhibited: Faith, pretty much), but she has a very limited range, and I would rather Joss do a project with literally any other Dollhouse cast member than him try to do something with her again. With the amount of incredible people in that cast--Enver and Olivia Williams and Reed Diamond and Dichen Lachman and pretty much everyone else--I can't imagine why he'd rather work with Eliza. *sigh* But clearly, everyone at whedonesque disagrees with me.

Also! Just in case someone missed it, this thread (and yes, you have to read all the comments, since that's where the fun is) might be the greatest thread in the history of lj. Just sayin'.

Thank y'all so much for going with the Three Sentence Fic-a-Thon. It's making me really, really happy, and there's some great, great, great fic being written. Keep it up!

Comments

[mollivanders.livejournal.com]

*voices unpopular opinion* I heard that Eliza... can't act. Why her? Perhaps because all his other actors have moved on to other projects :(

Have fun with your fic-a-thon! :)

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I really hope they all have moved on, and especially that Enver's found something great. But I suspect it's just because Joss has a thing for Eliza. Bleck.

Thank you! It's been much, much fun! I'm hoping for lots more fandoms soon!

[madcap-shiny.livejournal.com]

Man, Joss. I love Eliza, but I agree that she is not so much with the range.

ficathonficathonficathon

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I love her, too, when she's doing something she's comfortable with. No one else could ever has been as awesome at Faith. But seriously?

YAY!

[next_to_normal]

Oh, Joss. I do not understand your infatuation with Eliza Dushku

So. Much. Word. I mean, I realize that just about every writer/director has an actor or two that they like to reuse in all their projects. But Joss has attracted some AMAZING talent over the years, and yet the one he loves most is... Eliza? Really?

I remember reading an interview, back when the news first broke about Dollhouse, where Joss called Eliza one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood. And I couldn't help thinking, "Did you even watch the episodes you were making? She wasn't even the most talented actress on your show."

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

It really, really bothers me. A lot. And because I don't understand it, it makes me think that he's just taken with her because she's hot. I don't like to ascribe bad motives to people, so I fight thinking that, but...there's no other explanation I can think of.

"Did you even watch the episodes you were making? She wasn't even the most talented actress on your show." WORD.

And it also really bothers me that people on whedonesque are always going on about how they love her (well, there are quite a few who think she's not that great, but still) while also going on and on about how SMG isn't that great. DID WE WATCH THE SAME SHOW?

[angearia.livejournal.com]

It's the pretty hair. Gotta be. Just ask deird1 about it...

[brunettepet.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I don't get it. Eliza's great looking, but she just doesn't deliver the goods. Her performances lack nuance and I still haven't seen her do anything that's blown my mind. I wonder what Joss sees in her that we're missing.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Exactly exactly.

All he probably sees is that she's sexy.

[anythingbutgrey.livejournal.com]

i don't understand why joss is so obsessed with eliza. i get that he's obsessed with all of his people but like seriously. no.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I sometimes get impatient with his obsession with his people, but at the same time, it's kind of endearing. But I kind of wish he'd stop trying to convince us that Eliza's more talented than she is.

[herself_nyc]

Crushes are always irrational, and it's obs that Joss is all crushed out on Eliza.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

You are absolutely correct.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Why can't he be like Hitchcock and have a crush on our generations Grace Kelly or Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart...? Or Clint Eastwood loving to work with Morgan Freeman? I like it when star crushes are about talent.

Just sayin'. :-\

[caboca.livejournal.com]

Nyerk, Eliza, why.

Hi! I have been writing you an email for, like, three days now. (Not 'cause it's long, I'm just overbooked by maths.) Be on the lookout in your junk-mail folder like tomorrowish.

In the meanwhile: EEEEEE, FICATHON.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

Yeah, why?

Oh, goody! I'm very much looking forward to it!

FICATHON AWESOMENESS.

[angearia.livejournal.com]

I felt the exact same way upon hearing this news (HIVE MIND) and am convinced he's somehow infatuated with her and blind to her flaws.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

I'm Lauren, and I approve this comment.

[ohwaluvusbab.livejournal.com]

Meh. I'm not gonna jump to the conclusion that he's motivated by The Shallow; though I have to say I never got his overwhelming love for Willow or Fred. In that case, I'd take Eliza in a heartbeat *snerk* Yeah, what snickfic said, he probably just gets along great with her...

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

That's what I like about snickfic: she gives people the benefit of the doubt. I try to do the same, but when it comes to Hollywood I'm cynical. So let's go wit hthe whole "they get along" thing.

One of my problems with him feminism-wise is that he always seems to have to have a character who gets buy on the fact that (how did he put it about Kaylee?) when she smiles, everything's okay. Willow, Fred, Kaylee, Mellie--he seems to expect us to love him the way he does just because they're adorable and vulnerable.

I remember someone saying something about how they don't like Willow because Joss so clearly expects them to, and I totally understand that.

Of course, I actually did like Mellie, but I think that's because Miracle Laurie's just really good than anything else.

But give me Buffy (who most people think is bitchy) or Lilah (evil as she is) or Zoe (the most capable person ever!) or Adelle any day.

Which is not to say that I don't like sweet--Annie from Being Human is one of my favorite characters ever--I just don't like when sweetness is the reason we're supposed to like a character.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I don't think she's horrible at doing non-badass, but I agree that she should stick to badass.

Also agreed about Dichen and Olivia - I felt Dichen's different personalities came naturally, as did Olivia Williams's personality change.

I think the thing with Eliza is that she'd probably be good in non-badass roles if she got them more often. She cameo'd in Ugly Betty, and even there she was a crazy chick.

I kinda wish she'd done a Faith spinoff, because that would've been fun. I know they were talking about it, but she didn't like the idea.

[joans-journal.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I don't get the infatuation, either. The two are just good friends, I believe. Really good freinds, apparently. He calls her "my Eliza." Yeah... *shrugs*

I don't get it.

[dontgetanyolder.livejournal.com]

agreed, agreed, agreed on that whole first paragraph!
I loved Eliza as Faith, and I think she's stunning, but in Dollhouse, the rest of the cast was who I watched for, not her. Her acting skills are, like you said, limited. and there were so many other talented actors that I'd love to see showcased in a new Joss project, instead of her.

[silverusagi]

Nothing to add, but I enjoyed reading all the comments! I don't really get his "Eliza is so talented" thing, either.

[queenofdenile.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that Eliza must just be a real pleasure to work with. She comes across as very sweet, humble, hard-working, and fun. Maybe that's why Joss keeps going for her instead of, say, SMG, who is more talented but also rumored to be difficult.

[serendipily.livejournal.com]

Well think about it, why is ANYONE in like with Eliza Dushku? Hee.

I understand though. I lov eher badassness. But when she trie sto edge away playing the sincere good girl or the mindless idiot, it tends to be a bit ... difficult. There were times in Dollhouse where she would play the niave and sort of nitwitted characters and I just didn't buy into it. But I also guess it's sort of like a Buffy thing. The golden years. Cling to what you ahve and hold onto that for dear life. I dunno.

THREE SENTENCE FIC-A-THON?! It's times like these, I wish I could write.

[oracle42.livejournal.com]

I think the problem I have with the other two is that they are very one-note - Summer Glau almost always plays socially awkward/crazy and Nathan Fillion plays pompous ass. Both of which they do very well, but it's pretty much all they do, and I find both of those character types annoying.
I haven't really seen SG display range with the exception of a few T:SCC episodes where she played a real girl but I think NF was good even when he was on a soap.

I liked Eliza as Faith but I haven't seen her portray any other character successfully. In fact, anytime she played a badass during Dollhouse she just seemed to default to Faith.
I think she was the least interesting character on DH and agree that she had the most limited range. I'd happily watch any other member of the cast doing just about anything but I'm less than excited about a new ED project even if she's working with Joss

random commenter

[rowanda380.livejournal.com]

Oh, I totally agree with you. I had a complete mix of emotions when they mention them working together again. Happy to hear of an upcoming Joss project, wishing it was with someone else!