Watched RED yesterday…and then immediately had to watch some Star Trek just to get a bit more Karl Urban in my day. And while Urban is totally worth a post on how amazarrific he is, that’s not where I’m going with this.

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that you can develop allegiance to an actor. Heck, that’s what so much of Hollywood marketing is all about: “Starring [insert big shot familiar name here]” or “Featuring a special performance by [insert award-winning actor loved by millions here.” And it often works….not only because you like the actor, but because you trust their choices. For instance, I’ll always give a Kevin Spacey movie a try. Same with Kate Winslet. And even if they’re not always spot on (*cough cough* Titanic *cough cough*) odds are good that I’ll enjoy things.

But what’s really fun is when you find an actor you like and you start exploring their older and/or less-publicized work. Though there are hits and misses. It was thanks to my love of Criminal Minds that I got to enjoy Matthew Gray Gubler in How to Be a Serial Killer. Sadly, my love of Alan Rickman did not make Mesmer any better a movie.

It’s in this kind of “actor-hopping” that Netflix becomes a vital tool. Unsure what to watch? Why not explore your favorite actor’s back catalog?

Though I have to admit, I’ve yet to build up the nerve to check out Karl Urban in The Price of Milk.