Taking Sides: Heather Graham v.s. Cameron Diaz

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So, beautiful blonde women in late 1990s Hollywood. Under-rated as comedic actors, and they're both highly rated by men (call me Captain Discerning) but women don't sympathize or relate to either of them it seems. Graham because of her ease with all things sexual (Wikipedia: 'Due to her portrayals of sexual characters and nudity in films she has been described "completely up for it".[56][57]') and Diaz because she's a sexy tomboy. How many actresses do you think they're friends with? So dudes love 'em, and they're both really funny, but you never hear them mentioned in a roll call of actresses who haven't been given credit. Graham was even mocked on a sitcom for being the epitome of a bad actress. *sigh* So anyway, ILX, "wanna dance??"

Poll Results

OptionVotes
Heather Graham 56
Cameron Diaz 18


Cunga, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:22 (eleven years ago)

Heather Graham, no question. She is hotter and also funnier, i think. 2/2

the strange and important sound of the synthesizer (Treeship), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:29 (eleven years ago)

Heather for sure, for Boogie Nights and Twin Peaks. You've got a brand new pair of roller skates, she's got a brand new key.

clemenza, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:33 (eleven years ago)

im glad i dont live in the sick kind of world that would ever make me choose

bob_sleigher (darraghmac), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:34 (eleven years ago)

bob OTMFM.

arctic mindbath (President of the People's Republic of Antarctica), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:39 (eleven years ago)

not a huge fan of either, but have been impressed by Diaz in roles where she's unsympathetic or unglamorous or generally not being wacky cute rom com girl (In Her Shoes, Bad Teacher, Being John Malkovich, etc.)

some dude, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:53 (eleven years ago)

almost want to say this poll needs Christina Applegate & Christine Taylor, but I guess they're not in the same league star-wise (Taylor would win though - funnier and in better movies)

Kiarostami bag (milo z), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:53 (eleven years ago)

i think graham would still win against taylor but it would be close. heather graham is really good at working her positive, bubbly, painfully pretty schtick.

the strange and important sound of the synthesizer (Treeship), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:59 (eleven years ago)

I always forget Graham's in Drugstore Cowboy.

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:04 (eleven years ago)

gottfried

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:05 (eleven years ago)

(gilbert)

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:05 (eleven years ago)

This is def. Heather overall, but Cameron wins lifetime hero points for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3741K68dqo

Huston we got chicken lol (Phil D.), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:29 (eleven years ago)

diaz's career has been a mystery to me for years

i wanna be a gabbneb baby (Hungry4Ass), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:31 (eleven years ago)

heather by like a million miles, austin powers 2 alone justifies her

(The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:14 (eleven years ago)

heather graham in austin powers 2 was really major for me at 12 or whatever i was

the white queen and her caustic judgments (difficult listening hour), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:39 (eleven years ago)

i don't think i've seen enough diaz tho; i've never seen any of her Against Type roles except for being john malkovich. she elevated charlie's angels but she wasn't the only one.

the white queen and her caustic judgments (difficult listening hour), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:40 (eleven years ago)

for the-dark-side-of-bubbly it's hard to top heather beating that guy w her roller skates tho. and she didn't even have to be in an entirely different movie for that.

the white queen and her caustic judgments (difficult listening hour), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:42 (eleven years ago)

also, bowfinger.

the white queen and her caustic judgments (difficult listening hour), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 05:43 (eleven years ago)

http://snakkle.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/heather-graham-GC.jpg
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ewg51C7f1rozuddo1_400.jpg

A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 06:06 (eleven years ago)

i love Heather Graham so much

Doctor Who's on first (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 06:35 (eleven years ago)

Drugstore Cowboy, Swingers, The Hangover. Heather all the way. But it only works for me because 75% of folks love Cameron Diaz.

Leon Septamost, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 07:46 (eleven years ago)

i don't know anyone who "likes" cameron diaz

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 10:22 (eleven years ago)

this thread is sort of weird to me

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 10:22 (eleven years ago)

Wonder how many votes Diaz will get.

EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 11:42 (eleven years ago)

i read an arty a couple years ago making the case for diaz as one of the great screen comediennes of her time, which is something that had honestly never occurred to me, and i dont think i really buy it. she does have an outsize, forceful kind of charisma in the same way tom cruise does, which makes them both grating-yet-memorable - u can call it star quality i guess. a lot of perfectly attractive and talented actors dont really have that and their careers never take off like people expected them to

i wanna be a gabbneb baby (Hungry4Ass), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 11:48 (eleven years ago)

Will be voting for diaz, like her energy better than grahams winsomeness

bob_sleigher (darraghmac), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 11:51 (eleven years ago)

Eh also bcos of lol nostalgia resemblance to an ex no srsly

bob_sleigher (darraghmac), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 11:56 (eleven years ago)

Cameron Diaz reminds me of two different girls I had crushes on back in high school. Heather Graham reminds me of some chicks who would show up to hang out at places I was hanging out at, but after 15 minutes check their pagers and then bounce.

how's life, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 12:08 (eleven years ago)

^ based purely on physical resemblance. But I'm also pretty sure that I'd rather just kick it and chill with CD as well.

how's life, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 12:09 (eleven years ago)

Voting Diaz b/c there's no question she's actually the more accomplished actress. In that, I mean she has won a critics' prize for best actress. No really, look it up.

Not Simone Choule (Eric H.), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 12:19 (eleven years ago)

i feel like most of the HG roles i've seen haven't required her to be a particularly good actress but she still manages to be a glaringly bad actress

some dude, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 12:40 (eleven years ago)

Heather! I like them both though. Totally different types (adorable happy blonde weirdo, shit talkin sweetheart). Both are generally happy (vs cool or brooding) and different and I like that.
But you don't know insults til you have read Heather Graham's imdb bio. I've gotta look it up again, but if iirc it was downright insulting, like "Heather Graham has never had luck in love" and shit like that.

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:46 (eleven years ago)

Totally different types (adorable happy blonde weirdo, shit talkin sweetheart). Both are generally happy (vs cool or brooding) and different and I like that.

sounds like Pistol Annies!

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:47 (eleven years ago)

It doesn't sound as bad as i made it out to be in retrospect, but they're hardly applauding her fun bouncy openness :(

After high school Heather moved to Los Angeles and got small roles in a variety of films including Drugstore Cowboy (1989). When her career did not take off as quickly as she had hoped, Heather enrolled in the University of California at Los Angeles to get her degree in drama. Heather dropped out of UCLA after two years to pursue her acting career on a full-time basis. She played Annie Blackburn on the cult television series "Twin Peaks" (1990), and co-starred in such films as Shout (1991) and Diggstown (1992). Heather's career prospects began to improve following her brief but memorable appearance in Swingers (1996), a role she received after being taken out swing dancing by Jon Favreau. Heather rose to star in such high-profile films as Boogie Nights (1997), Lost in Space (1998), Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999), Bowfinger (1999), and From Hell (2001). She also had a recurring role on the popular series "Scrubs" (2001). After starring in her own short-lived sitcom and a number of independent films, she was featured in the blockbuster comedy The Hangover (2009).

Heather has never married, although she has had romances with actors Edward Burns, Heath Ledger, James Woods, Matt Dillon, Josh Lucas, Kyle MacLachlan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Elias Koteas, Benicio Del Toro, Russell Crowe, Scott Speedman, Rufus Sewell and Matthew Perry, musicians Adam Ant, Elijah Allman, and Jason Falkner, directors Stephen Hopkins, Chris Weitz, and Yaniv Raz, and nightclub owner Charles Ferri.

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:49 (eleven years ago)

xp -- haha, totally
however they are not singing country songs together! they merely exist in the same industry.

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:50 (eleven years ago)

Swingers (1996), a role she received after being taken out swing dancing by Jon Favreau.

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:50 (eleven years ago)

like, is this necessary? customary?

Heather has never married, although she has had romances with (DEEP BREATH) actors Edward Burns, Heath Ledger, James Woods, Matt Dillon, Josh Lucas, Kyle MacLachlan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Elias Koteas, Benicio Del Toro, Russell Crowe, Scott Speedman, Rufus Sewell and Matthew Perry, musicians Adam Ant, Elijah Allman, and Jason Falkner, directors Stephen Hopkins, Chris Weitz, and Yaniv Raz, and nightclub owner Charles Ferri.

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:51 (eleven years ago)

it is impressive if not only for its variety

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 13:55 (eleven years ago)

not a huge fan of either, but have been impressed by Diaz in roles where she's unsympathetic or unglamorous or generally not being wacky cute rom com girl (In Her Shoes, Bad Teacher, Being John Malkovich, etc.)

― some dude, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 02:53 (12 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

This. She was perfectly cast in Very Bad Things.

Pingu Unchained (dog latin), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 14:09 (eleven years ago)

almost want to say this poll needs Christina Applegate & Christine Taylor, but I guess they're not in the same league star-wise (Taylor would win though - funnier and in better movies)

― Kiarostami bag (milo z), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 01:53 (21 hours ago) Permalink

Those are both great candidates to be included but, as you mentioned, they're not movie stars on the level of these two -- they're both better known for TV. Plus Applegate can carry a TV show, and movies to a certain extent, but neither Diaz nor Graham have that wide appeal to everyone (Heather's TV show was canceled after one episode for pete's sake) that you can put them in anything as a vehicle. Diaz more of a movie star than Graham, but Diaz couldn't be relied on for romcoms that she alone would carry and that would appeal to female audiences.

I almost put Lisa Kudrow in this poill but she's also more TV and doesn't have the same va-va-voom factor.

Cunga, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:18 (eleven years ago)

Diaz in "The Mask" is also like Graham in "Austin Powers 2," mentioned upthread as being a staple of male adolescent and pre-adolescent interest. Like Jennifer Connolly in "Labyrinth" for the previous generation -- not even a dirty, salacious teenage male thing; if you saw the films as a little boy you still thought the girl in it was amazing and beautiful and, like, a mystery that you wanted to think about.

Cunga, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:22 (eleven years ago)

I'll go with the one who isn't dating Elon Musk.

polyphonic, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:24 (eleven years ago)

Heather Graham has been good in way, way more good movies than Diaz, this is not even close.

Mr. Scarf Ace is Back (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:28 (eleven years ago)

Heather Graham was awesome in Bowfinger.

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:31 (eleven years ago)

I've never thought of either as an actress tbh

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:32 (eleven years ago)

like, is this necessary? customary?

no, it's gross. that said, you go, girl

¬╡▫ ▫╞⌠ (sic), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:32 (eleven years ago)

Otm

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:36 (eleven years ago)

When I brought this up to a friend, he credited Graham for being the only one to make him laugh at a Portlandia sketch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiI0S9QV0gI

Cunga, Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:42 (eleven years ago)

Game changer.

Not Simone Choule (Eric H.), Tuesday, 4 June 2013 23:46 (eleven years ago)

she was great on portlandia. everyone is great on portlandia though.

the strange and important sound of the synthesizer (Treeship), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 00:52 (eleven years ago)

i have no real opinion on this Very Important Issue but I will acknowledge that I have had a crush on heather graham since the 1980s!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSTl-6pxSeI/UCjPNqKhTmI/AAAAAAAAE38/YkyIOEg9Xi8/s1600/license+to+drive.jpeg

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:32 (eleven years ago)

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QSTl-6pxSeI/UCjPNqKhTmI/AAAAAAAAE38/YkyIOEg9Xi8/s1600/license+to+drive.jpeg

i do recall HG being bad in swingers, but it's hard to tell since that movie is very bad in general (and the lighting on HG was particularly unflattering)

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:33 (eleven years ago)

Her hair, usually awful, complicates things.

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:36 (eleven years ago)

i have no idea what you are talking about

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgj26wV2791qdnwiro1_500.gif

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:39 (eleven years ago)

Her hair is WAY better than C Diaz!! If we're forced to exist in this Diaz-Graham dichotomy, HG wins the battle of hair.

free your spirit pig (La Lechera), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:43 (eleven years ago)

i have no recollection of HG in twin peaks

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:49 (eleven years ago)

She played Jeffries in Fire Walk With Me] iirc

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:53 (eleven years ago)

love her hair!

http://hellogiggles.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/twin_peaks_twin_peaks_fire_walk_with_me_1991_reference.jpeg

A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 01:56 (eleven years ago)

Diaz in "The Mask" is also like Graham in "Austin Powers 2," mentioned upthread as being a staple of male adolescent and pre-adolescent interest. Like Jennifer Connolly in "Labyrinth" for the previous generation -- not even a dirty, salacious teenage male thing; if you saw the films as a little boy you still thought the girl in it was amazing and beautiful and, like, a mystery that you wanted to think about.

― Cunga, Tuesday, June 4, 2013 7:22 PM (2 hours ago) Bookmark

otm about the mask

i wanna be a gabbneb baby (Hungry4Ass), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 02:09 (eleven years ago)

i have no recollection of HG in twin peaks

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

¬╡▫ ▫╞⌠ (sic), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 03:45 (eleven years ago)

the girl in it was amazing and beautiful and, like, a mystery that you wanted to think about.

cunga otm about little boy psychology

j., Wednesday, 5 June 2013 03:50 (eleven years ago)

zp is that @ me or HG? i watched it all a few years ago i just don't remember her character at all. i sort of blazed through the end of S2 tho

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 03:54 (eleven years ago)

er *xp

apparently twin peaks fans all hate her

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 03:54 (eleven years ago)

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m72e5f6w3l1rw2is4o1_500.jpg

ty based gay dead computer god (zachlyon), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 03:56 (eleven years ago)

I remember her in Twin Peaks because she was amazing and beautiful and, like, a mystery that you wanted to think about.

¬╡▫ ▫╞⌠ (sic), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 04:25 (eleven years ago)

also because the entire series ends with BOB inside Cooper, having smashed his forehead open on a mirror, cackling her name while blood runs down his face

I watched it in 1991

¬╡▫ ▫╞⌠ (sic), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 04:29 (eleven years ago)

when i watched Twin Peaks for the first time not that long ago, i didn't recognize HG at first and was like woooow who is that, had never been so attracted to her

some dude, Wednesday, 5 June 2013 04:35 (eleven years ago)

she's definitely bettered herself as an actress since TP, when she was pretty bad.

HG of course wins this, she gets better looking every year

akm, Wednesday, 5 June 2013 05:41 (eleven years ago)

let's be honest her role in twin peaks sucks and she sucks playing the role.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 06:24 (eleven years ago)

xpost

akm otm

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 06:25 (eleven years ago)

HG's in her early forties i think

http://hollypost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/heather-graham-cleavage-the-hangover-part-3-0521-3-400x470.jpg

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 06:26 (eleven years ago)

^She's on the cover of the new Maxim, causing me to actually look past the cover and into an issue for the first time in maybe a year.

Mr. Mojo Readin' (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 06:43 (eleven years ago)

HG is 43. Also the only celeb I've seen randomly IRL three different times.

christmas candy bar (al leong), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 06:53 (eleven years ago)

randomly, yeah, tell it to the judge

bob_sleigher (darraghmac), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 07:50 (eleven years ago)

heather graham. cameron diaz in comedies acts like someone who isn't really that funny but has been constantly told that she's really funny. kind of like justin timberlake. they belong together.

congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 14:18 (eleven years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Sunday, 9 June 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago)

how hot is heather graham really though? that should be a poll. i vote super hot.

Treeship, Sunday, 9 June 2013 04:43 (eleven years ago)

your horny as hell mate

i wanna be a gabbneb baby (Hungry4Ass), Sunday, 9 June 2013 05:42 (eleven years ago)

Missing ':'

posters who have figured how to priv (darraghmac), Sunday, 9 June 2013 05:46 (eleven years ago)

what is this?: ':'

Treeship, Sunday, 9 June 2013 06:00 (eleven years ago)

is that a treeship?

Treeship, Sunday, 9 June 2013 06:00 (eleven years ago)

It is a :

posters who have figured how to priv (darraghmac), Sunday, 9 June 2013 06:15 (eleven years ago)

i love treeship talking about broads

dylannn, Sunday, 9 June 2013 06:20 (eleven years ago)

voting cameron diaz btww

dylannn, Sunday, 9 June 2013 06:20 (eleven years ago)

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Monday, 10 June 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago)

duh

Poster The Sheeple (Spottie_Ottie_Dope), Monday, 10 June 2013 00:01 (eleven years ago)

eleven years pass...

i have started getting these tiktoks that are celebrity dating histories, and it turns out that cameron diaz has dated some of the worst/most annoying men of our generation:
elon musk (rumored)
criss angel (rumored)
alex rodriguez
adam levine
p diddy
justin timberlake
jared leto
vince neil

she has also been married to benji madden of good charlotte for a decade?

na (NA), Wednesday, 16 April 2025 17:28 (one month ago)

Can a mod erase this thread

treeship 2, Wednesday, 16 April 2025 22:51 (one month ago)

but you were right.

ian, Wednesday, 16 April 2025 22:54 (one month ago)

this poll got 74 votes?! times have changed here on ilx

more difficult than I look (Aimless), Wednesday, 16 April 2025 22:55 (one month ago)

democracy in action

Andy the Grasshopper, Wednesday, 16 April 2025 22:59 (one month ago)


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