The 20 Greatest Actors
by tigershaw89 | created - 02 Sep 2011 | updated - 02 Sep 2011 | PublicMy own personal opinion of who are the 20 Greatest actors (Not my favorite, but who i feel are the most talented)...although most of them are in my favorite bracket! Im 22 years old, and a massive movie fan! I have a broad range of films but if i miss out the Great Actors before the 50's era, its because iv'e not yet ventured into the olden black and white films per-say!
1. Al Pacino
Actor | Serpico
Alfredo James "Al" 'Pacino established himself as a film actor during one of cinema's most vibrant decades, the 1970s, and has become an enduring and iconic figure in the world of American movies.
He was born April 25, 1940 in Manhattan, New York City, to Italian-American parents, Rose (nee Gerardi)...
Need i explain?...Quite simply the Greatest Actor there is and probably ever will be. A lot of critics regard Marlon Brando as the best method actor of them all...but i think Mr Pacino has beat him to the finish line.
2. Robert De Niro
Actor | Cape Fear
One of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943 in Manhattan, New York City, to artists Virginia (Admiral) and Robert De Niro Sr. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and his other ancestry is Irish, English, Dutch, German, and French. He was trained ...
Its a tough call to separate who you prefer, De Niro or Pacino? A question that will always linger in your mind. An actor known for his tough/gritty style, his performances as Vito Corleone in The Godfather II and Jake La Motta in Raging Bull cement his place as one of the 'Greats'.
3. Jack Nicholson
Actor | Chinatown
Jack Nicholson, an American actor, producer, director and screenwriter, is a three-time Academy Award winner and twelve-time nominee. Nicholson is also notable for being one of two actors - the other being Michael Caine - who have received an Oscar nomination in every decade from the '60s through ...
Jack completes my Top 3, his style, cool-persona and ability to make you laugh into stitches make him one of my favorites. I own almost all of his films and can watch them over and over again. His performance in 'The Shining' is both chilling and need i say it, hilarious in some aspects. Just a brilliant actor with no limits.
4. Marlon Brando
Actor | Apocalypse Now
Marlon Brando is widely considered the greatest movie actor of all time, rivaled only by the more theatrically oriented Laurence Olivier in terms of esteem. Unlike Olivier, who preferred the stage to the screen, Brando concentrated his talents on movies after bidding the Broadway stage adieu in ...
Given i have not seen all of his films, his mysterious acting and ability to suck you towards the picture when he's on screen is enough to persuade me (not just his reputation) that he is deserving to be near the top. I know he's considered the Greatest of them all by film critics everywhere, i suppose a few may see this as an insult at number 4, but its high up given i've only seen a few of his films, 'The Godfather' and 'Apolocalypse Now' are some of my favorites however.
5. Christian Bale
Actor | The Dark Knight
Christian Charles Philip Bale was born in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK on January 30, 1974, to English parents Jennifer "Jenny" (James) and David Bale. His mother was a circus performer and his father, who was born in South Africa, was a commercial pilot. The family lived in different countries ...
Nothing short of a modern acting genius. His performance in 'The Fighter' was sensational. His rendition's as the bad guy in films such as Psycho and Shaft are brilliant enough to convince yourself you hate him. Just a brilliant, brilliant actor...of which we have not seen the last of.
6. Leonardo DiCaprio
Actor | Inception
Few actors in the world have had a career quite as diverse as Leonardo DiCaprio's. DiCaprio has gone from relatively humble beginnings, as a supporting cast member of the sitcom Growing Pains (1985) and low budget horror movies, such as Critters 3 (1991), to a major teenage heartthrob in the 1990s,...
Inception, Shutter Island, The Departed....A modern-day great. Ever since his superb performance as the younger autistic brother of Johnny Depp in 'Whats eating Gilbert Grape' through 'Titanic' and into the modern films listed above, his talents have proven why hes up here in my alltime list.
7. Denzel Washington
Actor | Fences
Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. was born on December 28, 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. He is the middle of three children of a beautician mother, Lennis, from Georgia, and a Pentecostal minister father, Denzel Washington, Sr., from Virginia. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at ...
Training Day, Remember the Titans, Man on Fire, American Gangster, The Hurricane, The Bone Collector....all wouldn't be the same without this man. Theres no-one else out there like him. His cool but deadly serious character acting is sublime.
8. Brad Pitt
Actor | Fight Club
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt was born on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma and raised in Springfield, Missouri to Jane Etta Pitt (née Hillhouse), a school counselor & William Alvin "Bill" Pitt, a truck company manager. At Kickapoo High School, Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student ...
WHATS IN THE BOX
9. Tom Hanks
Producer | Cast Away
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born in Concord, California, to Janet Marylyn (Frager), a hospital worker, and Amos Mefford Hanks, an itinerant cook. His mother's family, originally surnamed "Fraga", was entirely Portuguese, while his father was of mostly English ancestry. Tom grew up in what he has ...
Forrest Gump is just a timeless classic. An inspired movie that im sure put Tom Hanks high up on everyones list. Theres not many of his films i dislike, infact i cannot think of one. Saving Private Ryan and The Da Vinci Code are up there with some of my favourites also.
10. Morgan Freeman
Actor | Driving Miss Daisy
With an authoritative voice and calm demeanor, this ever popular American actor has grown into one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema. Morgan was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. The young Freeman...
Could not leave this man out off my top 10 list. His influence on film is one of a kind. As soon as you hear his majestic voice you immediately say to yourself ''This has Morgan Freeman in it, its bound to be a good''
11. Will Smith
Producer | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Smith has been nominated for five Golden ...
One of my favourite actors. Although thought of for his funny roles, his performances in '7 pounds', 'The Pursuit of Happiness' and 'Ali' all show he can really act.
12. Anthony Hopkins
Actor | The Silence of the Lambs
Anthony Hopkins was born on December 31, 1937, in Margam, Wales, to Muriel Anne (Yeats) and Richard Arthur Hopkins, a baker. His parents were both of half Welsh and half English descent. Influenced by Richard Burton, he decided to study at College of Music and Drama and graduated in 1957. In 1965, ...
Hannibal Lector...say no more. His portrayal of the viscous cannibalistic professor was chilling, and brilliant.
13. Daniel Day-Lewis
Actor | There Will Be Blood
Born in London, England, Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is the second child of Cecil Day-Lewis, Poet Laureate of the U.K., and his second wife, actress Jill Balcon. His maternal grandfather was Sir Michael Balcon, an important figure in the history of British cinema and head of the famous Ealing ...
One of the better method-actors alongside The Top 5 above!
14. Christopher Walken
Actor | The Deer Hunter
Lead and supporting actor of the American stage and films, with sandy colored hair, and pale complexion. He won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Deer Hunter (1978), and has been seen in mostly character roles, often portraying psychologically unstable individuals, though...
A rare individual of the film-industry. He very much has a style of his own, very quirky-dark style. However he is more versatile than people think.
15. Johnny Depp
Actor | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II was born on June 9, 1963 in Owensboro, Kentucky, to Betty Sue Palmer (née Wells), a waitress, and John Christopher Depp, a civil engineer. He was raised in Florida. He dropped out of school when he was 15, and fronted a series of music-garage bands, including one ...
If this was my 'Favourite Actor' list, he'd be right up there with the Top3. Captain Jack Sparra...my role model. Many think JD's over-rated...i disagree. I like his style and the movies he appears in!
16. Kevin Spacey
Actor | The Usual Suspects
Kevin Spacey Fowler, better known by his stage name Kevin Spacey, is an American actor of screen and stage, film director, producer, screenwriter and singer. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s before obtaining supporting roles in film and television. He gained critical acclaim in...
The Usual Suspects....enough said!
17. Dustin Hoffman
Actor | Tootsie
Dustin Lee Hoffman was born in Los Angeles, California, to Lillian (Gold) and Harry Hoffman, who was a furniture salesman and prop supervisor for Columbia Pictures. He was raised in a Jewish family (from Ukraine, Russia-Poland, and Romania). Hoffman graduated from Los Angeles High School in 1955, ...
Think his out-standing performance of Raymond in 'Rain man' would put him in my list on its own.
18. Robert Duvall
Actor | The Apostle
Veteran actor and director Robert Selden Duvall was born on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, CA, to Mildred Virginia (Hart), an amateur actress, and William Howard Duvall, a career military officer who later became an admiral. Duvall majored in drama at Principia College (Elsah, IL), then served a ...
His appearances in such classics as 'The Godfather' and 'Apocalypse Now' would have made a lesser film without him.
19. Robin Williams
Actor | Mrs. Doubtfire
Robin McLaurin Williams was born on Saturday, July 21st, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, a great-great-grandson of Mississippi Governor and Senator, Anselm J. McLaurin. His mother, Laurie McLaurin (née Janin), was a former model from Mississippi, and his father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams, was a Ford ...
His own wild style takes a great deal of improvisation. A truly great actor, not just comedy-wise but in every aspect shown of his talents.
20. Bruce Willis
Actor | Die Hard
Actor and musician Bruce Willis is well known for playing wisecracking or hard-edged characters, often in spectacular action films. Collectively, he has appeared in films that have grossed in excess of $2.5 billion USD.
Walter Bruce Willis was born on March 19, 1955, in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany,...
This isn't a list of my favourite actors, but actors i think are the most talented.....So Bruce is my Wild-card. I couldn't find myself to leave out John McLane. Yippe-kai aaaaay Mother.......
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