Ray Romano

In Ice Age (2002), Ray Romano gives Manny the voice of someone who had hoped for better company. He lets the kindness remain audible through the complaints, without softening every grumble to make the mammoth more likeable. We warmed to Manny because Romano makes his impatience funny without making it the only thing we hear. John Leguizamo's Sid and Denis Leary's Diego keep the exchanges lively, with Romano's lower, wearier delivery giving them a steadier voice to play against. When the writing settles for another round of bickering, though, all three are working harder than they should.

The appeal of Everybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005) rested on an everyday grumbler whose dry delivery grew out of observational stand-up. It also left him with a recognisable comic manner that could become a limitation. Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011), created with Mike Royce, was the useful turn, giving him middle-aged concerns to explore outside the sitcom format. The supporting part in The Big Sick (2017) and his work opposite Mark Duplass in Paddleton (2019) continued the move towards quieter drama. His naturalistic timing gives ordinary speech enough interest without a joke having to arrive at the end of every line.

In Martin Scorsese's The Irishman (2019), he plays Bill Bufalino with the low-key authority that lets him fit into the ensemble. He does not announce the effort of being serious, and that restraint makes the casting work. We rated the film highly despite its occasionally testing length and distracting digital faces; the performances make a long evening worthwhile. His restraint suits a film about men accustomed to treating violence as work, where a more insistent comic presence could easily upset the tone. Begin with Manny for the comic warmth, then try The Irishman if there is time for a less comfortable evening.