Best Actors and Actresses

[Chuangtzu]

(a companion thread)

Of the last thirty years:

1. Daniel Day Lewis
2. Russell Crowe
3. Christian Bale
4. Johnny Depp
5. Daniel Craig/Gary Oldman (yes, a tie)

Pacino, De Niro, Hoffman, PS Hoffman, Ethan Hawke all come close, but they also typecast themselves.

1. Juliette Binoche
2. Cate Blanchette (perhaps reversed with number one)
3. Julie Delpy
4. Frances McDormand/Judi Dench
5. Claire Danes

Vera Farmiga (not quite a full body of work yet, but brilliant in what she's done), Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt (yes, he's an actress) and Michelle Pfeifer all come close.

[Greyclouds]

(a companion thread)

Of the last thirty years:

1. Daniel Day Lewis
2. Russell Crowe
3. Christian Bale
4. Johnny Depp
5. Daniel Craig/Gary Oldman (yes, a tie)

Pacino, De Niro, Hoffman, PS Hoffman, Ethan Hawke all come close, but they also typecast themselves.

1. Juliette Binoche
2. Cate Blanchette (perhaps reversed with number one)
3. Julie Delpy
4. Frances McDormand/Judi Dench
5. Claire Danes

Vera Farmiga (not quite a full body of work yet, but brilliant in what she's done), Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt (yes, he's an actress) and Michelle Pfeifer all come close.

I would also include Matt Damon (but not his ever-present "friend" Ben Affleck) on the honorable mentions list. Also, don't forget Denzel Washington!

I find it alot harder for me to personally judge the talent of actresses (apart from Brad Pitt :lol: ). Maybe it's the male in me, but I confuse on-screen charm with acting talent, sometimes! Don't get me wrong though: I'd never list Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel as being incredible actresses!

[Chuangtzu]

I would also include Matt Damon (but not his ever-present "friend" Ben Affleck) on the honorable mentions list. Also, don't forget Denzel Washington!

I find it alot harder for me to personally judge the talent of actresses (apart from Brad Pitt :lol: ). Maybe it's the male in me, but I confuse on-screen charm with acting talent, sometimes! Don't get me wrong though: I'd never list Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel as being incredible actresses!

Damon cannot be forgiven for the awful Dogma. And Denzel is fast becoming the Next Wesley Snipes. He's a real talent, by he's also made Out of Time and a couple of other films which could have slotted Dolph Lundgren, without missing a beat.

I have the same problem with actresses, too. And I left out Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh, because I don't know if their work translates entirely into the American context. I am much for confident about the objective talent of the top five actors, than I am the actresses.

And yes, Brad Pitt is still an actress. I ****ing can't stand that guy. He's been playing the same female lead since Legends of the Fall...

[Greyclouds]

Damon cannot be forgiven for the awful Dogma. And Denzel is fast becoming the Next Wesley Snipes. He's a real talent, by he's also made Out of Time and a couple of other films which could have slotted Dolph Lundgren, without missing a beat.

Yeah... also Damon made the mistake of self-parody in Jay and Silent Bob strike back. I guess I'm far too forgiving though :D.


I have the same problem with actresses, too. And I left out Gong Li and Michelle Yeoh, because I don't know if their work translates entirely into the American context. I am much for confident about the objective talent of the top five actors, than I am the actresses.

I use the sight test. If I close my eyes and listen to the dialogue, and it sounds INCREDIBLY strained, then I can somewhat tell. Misogynistic, I know, :redface: but I would be happy to defer to female opinions here.


And yes, Brad Pitt is still an actress. I ****ing can't stand that guy. He's been playing the same female lead since Legends of the Fall...

He was by far the most effeminate Achilles I have ever seen on stage or screen in "Troy." Perhaps the only PARTLY true to legend aspect of Achilles that he portrayed! Hah!

[super cool ski instructor]

Actors:

1. Denzel Washington
2. Daniel Day Lewis
3. Gary Oldman
4. Michael Douglas
5. John Malkovich


Actesses

1. Sally Field
2. Cate Blanchette
3. Kate Winslet
4. Meryl Streep
5. Ashley Judd

[brouski]

Damon cannot be forgiven for the awful Dogma.

Buddy Christ wants to have a word with you...

http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/brouski/buddy_christ.jpg

[USMCmom]

1.John Wayne
2. John Travolta-Tommy Lee Jones (would be a tie between the 2)
3. Will Smith
4. Josh Duhamel
5. Viggo Mortinsen

1. Sandra Bullock
2. Sally Field
3. Marisa Tomei
4. Reese Witherspoon
5. Halle Berry

[August West]

And yes, Brad Pitt is still an actress. I ****ing can't stand that guy. He's been playing the same female lead since Legends of the Fall...

He was good in "12 Monkeys" IMO.

[August West]

I think I know why he is but isn't Sean Penn missing from these lists?

[super cool ski instructor]

I don't like Sean Penn. Has nothing to do with his personal or political anything...I think he is a bad actor. and I think the only reason he gets the recognition he does is because of his political outspokenness.

Years later....he is still Jeff Spicolli.

[Buffalo]

I'd like to add Philip Seymore Hoffman and Tom Hanks.

[super cool ski instructor]

I want to add Joaquin Phoenix.

[Alaric]

And yes, Brad Pitt is still an actress...

Pitt is an idiot. For the same reason that Billy Joel and Nick Lachey are idiots.

[super cool ski instructor]

Pitt is an idiot. For the same reason that Billy Joel and Nick Lachey are idiots.



Wait...you have to tell me what these 3 have in common :))

[uncledoom]

I think I know why he is but isn't Sean Penn missing from these lists?

He was great in Mystic River..

[uncledoom]

Last night on Starz, there was a 1 hour feature on Characater Actors/Actresses. It was a very good salute to the all the supporting folks that make a living playing second fiddle to the Brad Pitts and such.

[JimGP20]

Best actors of the last thirty years:

1. John Cusack
2. Johnny Depp
3. George Clooney
4. Morgan Freeman
5. Dennis Quaid

Actresses:

1. Sandra Bullock
2. Frances McDormand
3. Charlize Theron
4. Julia Roberts
5. Marissa Tomei

[Alaric]

Wait...you have to tell me what these 3 have in common :))

Pitt divorced Jennifer Anniston.
Joel divorced Christie Brinkley (he gets the grand idiot prize for that one plus the fact that he was with Elle McPhearson before Brinkley - making him an idiot twice over).
Lachey divorced Jessica Simpson.

[pattyk]

Bart Simpson

[super cool ski instructor]

Pitt divorced Jennifer Anniston.
Joel divorced Christie Brinkley (he gets the grand idiot prize for that one plus the fact that he was with Elle McPhearson before Brinkley - making him an idiot twice over).
Lachey divorced Jessica Simpson.

lol..see now I tend to blame the women......how hard is it to make your man happy??

[RogerDodger]

If we're limiting ourselves to actors currently working, I'd go with:

ACTORS

1. Russell Crowe
2. Edward Norton
3. Christian Bale
4. Liam Neeson
5. Johnny Depp
6. Robert Downey Jr.
7. Daniel Day Lewis
8. Jack Nicholson
9. Gary Oldman
10. Ralph Fiennes

ACTRESSES

1. Meryl Streep
2. Kate Winslet
3. Cate Blanchett
4. Helen Mirren
5. Laura Linney
6. Jodie Foster
7. Catherine Zeta Jones
8. Judi Dench
9. Julianne Moore
10. Patricia Clarkson

My All Time Tops:

ACTORS

1. James Stewart
2. Gregory Peck
3. Paul Newman
4. Cary Grant
5. Gary Cooper
6. Spencer Tracy
7. Clark Gable
8. Marlon Brando
9. Jack Lemmon
10. Humphrey Bogart

ACTRESSES

1. Ingrid Bergman
2. Katherine Hepburn
3. Bette Davis
4. Vivien Leigh
5. Grace Kelly
6. Greer Garson
7. Audrey Hepburn
8. Olivia de Havilland
9. Claudette Colbert
10. Rosiland Russell

[khigh]

Actors:

1. Mark Harmon
2. David Duchovny (More in Red Shoe Diaries than Twin Peaks)
3. Sean Connery
4. Dennis Quaid
5. Pierce Brosnan
6. Patrick Swayze

Actresses:

1. Cote De Pablo (A Brazilian woman playing Israeli Moussad)
2. Gillian Anderson
3. Aishwariya Rai (Just getting her start in America- very big in Bollywood)

Of all time, though, my favorite actresses are Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe. My favorite all time actor is actually Elvis Presley.

[ISYairio]

I'm not gonna rate 'em, and they could be on it because of just even one performance, or just because.

Mark Wahlberg
Adam Sandler
Will Smith
Denzel Washington
Michael Cera
Mark Harmon
Tom Welling
and others but I decided to stop

AnnaSophia Robb
Ellen Page
Kristen Stewart
Mila Kunis
Angelina Jolie
Cote de Pablo
Pauley Perrete
and others but I decided to stop

I put >5 because I couldn't decide. :silenced:

[khigh]

I'm not gonna rate 'em, and they could be on it because of just even one performance, or just because.

Mark Wahlberg
Adam Sandler
Will Smith
Denzel Washington
Michael Cera
Mark Harmon
Tom Welling
and others but I decided to stop

AnnaSophia Robb
Ellen Page
Kristen Stewart
Mila Kunis
Angelina Jolie
Cote de Pablo
Pauley Perrete
and others but I decided to stop

I put >5 because I couldn't decide. :silenced:

You're also an NCIS fan? Mark Harmon= :drool:

[ISYairio]

You're also an NCIS fan? Mark Harmon= :drool:

Oh yes. Sans the drooling for Harmon, replace w/ a certain Chilean-born actress. :lol:

[signcut]

I don't put them in any order:

Johnny Depp
Ralph Fiennes
Edward Norton
Johnny Depp
Alan Rickman (such a waste in the Harry Potter series)

The heavyweights (Pacino, De Niro, et al) have been around longer than 30 years.

Cate Blanchette
Winona Ryder
Holly Hunter
Emma Thompson
Jennifer Jason Leigh

*missed by a hair, or a couple of years* Jodie Foster

[roger teekell]

If we're limiting ourselves to actors currently working, I'd go with:

ACTORS

1. Russell Crowe
2. Edward Norton
3. Christian Bale
4. Liam Neeson
5. Johnny Depp
6. Robert Downey Jr.
7. Daniel Day Lewis
8. Jack Nicholson
9. Gary Oldman
10. Ralph Fiennes

ACTRESSES

1. Meryl Streep
2. Kate Winslet
3. Cate Blanchett
4. Helen Mirren
5. Laura Linney
6. Jodie Foster
7. Catherine Zeta Jones
8. Judi Dench
9. Julianne Moore
10. Patricia Clarkson

My All Time Tops:

ACTORS

1. James Stewart
2. Gregory Peck
3. Paul Newman
4. Cary Grant
5. Gary Cooper
6. Spencer Tracy
7. Clark Gable
8. Marlon Brando
9. Jack Lemmon
10. Humphrey Bogart

ACTRESSES

1. Ingrid Bergman
2. Katherine Hepburn
3. Bette Davis
4. Vivien Leigh
5. Grace Kelly
6. Greer Garson
7. Audrey Hepburn
8. Olivia de Havilland
9. Claudette Colbert
10. Rosiland RussellI agree with MANY of your picks..

But any ALL TIME list that does not include JOHN WAYNE is in error...IMO..:razz:

[Voxpopuli]

Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Duval
Clint Eastwood
Johnny Depp

Winona Ryder
Marissa Tomei
Juliette Binochet

[roger teekell]

My ALL TIME LIST.

ACTORS...

Robert DeNiro
Edward Norton
Jack Nicholson
Tom Hanks
John Wayne
Jimmy Stewart
Russel Crow
Henry Fonda
Clint Eastwood

Actresses

Sally Field
Meryle Streep
Julia Roberts
Jodie foster
Demi Moore
Jane Fonda
Katherine Hepburn
Bette Davis