FAVORITE ACTORS

[DarthFed]

Like shawnbm, I always like Newman and Redford too. Also liked Steve McQueen, the "King of Cool".

Mitchum (agree, he's underrated), Peck, Hurt and Peter O'Toole - legends of the silver screen.

Gene Hackman... Love him. He had the consistent knack of turning an average film into a good film. Good screen presence.

De Niro used to top my list but he's made a few turkeys in recent times. I still think he's good... and despite being typecast a little, I also enjoyed comedies like "Meet the Parents", "Meet the Fockers" etc...
I disagree that De Niro looked amateur in Cape Fear - I thought he pulled it off superbly.

Pacino - some of his early work was excellent. The Godfather films are right up there with the best. Also thought Scarface was good. Agree he's gone a bit "shouty" as Kieran mentioned. He got away with it in Carlito's Way (good movie) but it's become a bit a recurring theme.

Javier Bardem - Like him. Although I think he gets typecast a little as the "thinking" Latin American.

Antonio Banderas - Ditto above.

Jack Nicholson - Really enjoyed a lot of his movies. "The Shining" is still my favourite horror flick.

Daniel Day Lewis - This guy is superb. Massive screen presence. "My Left Foot" and "The Gangs of New York" are two of my favourite movies. He was immense in both.

Clint - Liked the westerns, Dirty Harry movies, but also love his later work as a dual director/star. Thought Million Dollar Baby and Grand Turismo were quality flicks.

Joaquin Phoenix - One of my favourite current actors still in his prime.

Russell Crowe - Versatile and underrated.

Tom Cruise - This guy is seriously underrated IMO. OK, he's mainstream and a bit of a "Mr Hollywood" but I love his work and think he's versatile. Top Gun was cheesy but good, but Cruise was exceptional in "The Rainman" and "Born on the fourth of July". I think he's good.

Ben Stiller - I like his comedy stuff to be honest. Quite like Adam Sandler in that respect too. Maybe one-dimensional but he's good at what he does.

Samuel L. Jackson - This guy has massive screen presence. He dominated "Pulp Fiction". Maybe guilty of appearing in a few turkies, but as an actor I think he's one of the best.

Leonardo DeCaprio - Liking all his work really. Loved "Shutter Island", "The Great Gatsby", "Wolf of Wall Street" and more...

Other notable mentions... Michael Douglas, Donald Sutherland, Morgan Freeman...

Excellent list although Samuel L Jackson is now at the point where he can't be taken seriously IMO. They cast Jackson to play himself and act as crazy as possible it seems.

Good mention about Carlito's Way. Obviously the Godfather movies and Scarface are classics but Carlito's Way was very good as well.

Agreed about Tom Cruise. Anyone here catch Collateral? I thought he was brilliant in that movie and it was a very good movie.

I also like Edward Norton but haven't seen him in anything big in awhile.

 

[nehmeth]

Agreed about Tom Cruise. Anyone here catch Collateral? I thought he was brilliant in that movie and it was a very good movie.

I also like Edward Norton but haven't seen him in anything big in awhile.

Collateral was very good and Cruise did an excellent job.

re: Edward Norton I have read where he is "difficult" to work with and as a result not many are willing work with him.

Below are a couple links. If you google "Ed Norton difficult to work with" you will get a whole page.

http://whatculture.com/film/10-famous-actors-who-are-notoriously-difficult-to-work-with.php/3

http://www.nerve.com/entertainment/2010/07/23/five-actors-you-should-never-fight-for-creative-control

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I agree with most choices above. I do have one other favorite that is always cast for secondary roles as a bad guy mostly, and he is Danny Huston. As Marlow, he was one of the baddest vampires I have ever seen in 30 Days of Night. He was good in X-Men too.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Like shawnbm, I always like Newman and Redford too. Also liked Steve McQueen, the "King of Cool".

Mitchum (agree, he's underrated), Peck, Hurt and Peter O'Toole - legends of the silver screen.

Gene Hackman... Love him. He had the consistent knack of turning an average film into a good film. Good screen presence.

De Niro used to top my list but he's made a few turkeys in recent times. I still think he's good... and despite being typecast a little, I also enjoyed comedies like "Meet the Parents", "Meet the Fockers" etc...
I disagree that De Niro looked amateur in Cape Fear - I thought he pulled it off superbly.

Pacino - some of his early work was excellent. The Godfather films are right up there with the best. Also thought Scarface was good. Agree he's gone a bit "shouty" as Kieran mentioned. He got away with it in Carlito's Way (good movie) but it's become a bit a recurring theme.

Javier Bardem - Like him. Although I think he gets typecast a little as the "thinking" Latin American.

Antonio Banderas - Ditto above.

Jack Nicholson - Really enjoyed a lot of his movies. "The Shining" is still my favourite horror flick.

Daniel Day Lewis - This guy is superb. Massive screen presence. "My Left Foot" and "The Gangs of New York" are two of my favourite movies. He was immense in both.

Clint - Liked the westerns, Dirty Harry movies, but also love his later work as a dual director/star. Thought Million Dollar Baby and Grand Turismo were quality flicks.

Joaquin Phoenix - One of my favourite current actors still in his prime.

Russell Crowe - Versatile and underrated.

Tom Cruise - This guy is seriously underrated IMO. OK, he's mainstream and a bit of a "Mr Hollywood" but I love his work and think he's versatile. Top Gun was cheesy but good, but Cruise was exceptional in "The Rainman" and "Born on the fourth of July". I think he's good.

Ben Stiller - I like his comedy stuff to be honest. Quite like Adam Sandler in that respect too. Maybe one-dimensional but he's good at what he does.

Samuel L. Jackson - This guy has massive screen presence. He dominated "Pulp Fiction". Maybe guilty of appearing in a few turkies, but as an actor I think he's one of the best.

Leonardo DeCaprio - Liking all his work really. Loved "Shutter Island", "The Great Gatsby", "Wolf of Wall Street" and more...

Other notable mentions... Michael Douglas, Donald Sutherland, Morgan Freeman...

Excellent list although Samuel L Jackson is now at the point where he can't be taken seriously IMO. They cast Jackson to play himself and act as crazy as possible it seems.

Good mention about Carlito's Way. Obviously the Godfather movies and Scarface are classics but Carlito's Way was very good as well.

Agreed about Tom Cruise. Anyone here catch Collateral? I thought he was brilliant in that movie and it was a very good movie.

I also like Edward Norton but haven't seen him in anything big in awhile.

I thought Tom Cruise was perfectly cast as a villian in Collateral.. I like Jamie Foxx but Tom should have been nominated playing the cold blooded hitman Vincent.. Man.. It really makes want to for just once in life play a baddie(bad guy for you proper folks who don't use slang) like that.

 

[TsarMatt]

Also, nobody could play the reserved, vunlerable man better than Robin Williams. And nobody could play the colourful extrovert as well as Williams. So versatile.

 

[shawnbm]

You know, you are quite right, TsarMatt. When you look at his comedy (one of the best we have seen) you can think of his stand-up shows, Mork and Mindy, The Birdcage, the Genie character in Alladin, etc. Then you have the vulnerable and more dramatic roles of Moscow on the Hudson, Good Will Hunting, Whose Dreams Are They, Awakenings, etc., in which he was magnificent. He was really quite versatile and perhaps even better in the dramatic roles.

 

[TsarMatt]

You know, you are quite right, TsarMatt. When you look at his comedy (one of the best we have seen) you can think of his stand-up shows, Mork and Mindy, The Birdcage, the Genie character in Alladin, etc. Then you have the vulnerable and more dramatic roles of Moscow on the Hudson, Good Will Hunting, Whose Dreams Are They, Awakenings, etc., in which he was magnificent. He was really quite versatile and perhaps even better in the dramatic roles.

Indeed. He was also a tremendously nice man:

- He paid for Christopher Reeve's rehab after his accident
- During Spielberg's making of Schindler's List, Williams would ring him up every day and make sure to make him laugh because he knew how difficult this film was for Spielberg

It's just staggering how someone who always looked so optimistic, happy, and active was actually really hurting on the inside. Depression is really indiscernible at times.

 

[Riotbeard]

Ok at risk of being insensitive giving my actor list in midst of Williams mourning. I did love hook.

Ok current favorite: Michael Fassbender. Dude is incredible especially in the movies he has made with Steve McQueen, although he was also great in Prometheus and that little British Indie, The Fish Tank.

I also wanna give a shout out to Murat, I like Danny Huston a lot also. Great in The Proposition.

Guy Pierce: Really think is another great, but underrated, Chameleon. Great in the Proposition, Prometheus, Momento...

Daniel Day Lewis: Really don't need to say anything.

De Niro: People have already said it. He had a great 20 years run, then kind of de facto retired in the early 00s.

Tony Leung: His collaborations with Wong Kar Wei have been astounding.

Harvey Keitel: Always great and entertaining.

Clint Eastwood: Dirty Harrys, the Westerns, and Gran Torino

Tom Hardy: Bronson!, Dark Knight Rises, Warrior are all great. The guy really transforms himself.

Joseph Gordon Levitt: Has been a solid a list actor, but he has been great in a couple lesser known Indies: Hesher, Manic, Mysterious Skin, and Brick

George C. Scott: A Christmas Carrol, Patton, Dr. Strangelove, and Hardcore. Great actor, who could really go to some dark places.

I am sure I am leaving people out, but alas it is just an internet list.

I also wanted to do some comedic actors:

Ricky Gervais: David Brent is one of the best characters ever. A host of other great roles, but the brentmeister alone explains it.

Simon Pegg: Cornetto Trilogy, spaced

Bill Murray: Ghostbusters, 1st half of stripes , Life Aquatic to name a few.

Chaplin makes me laugh.

Monty Python although my favorite has always been Michael Palin.

Stephen Colbert: While the Report is great, so much of my sense of humor comes from the show Strangers with Candy.

Will Farrell: Not all his movies are good, but he always makes me laugh.

 

[unawonders]

My favorite actor is Johnny Depp! he's awesome and so talented! he has played in the best movies and has taken the best roles! I love watching his movies again and again! he has so many abilities in acting and he always tries new things as an actor! he's the best and most talented actor in the world!

 

[the AntiPusher]

I know this isn't the correct thread. but a very job well done:clap to the recently late Christopher Lee. What a talented guy and maintain his high level well into his late 80's and 90s. He was da Man

 

[Federberg]

Excellent thread.

Gregory Peck - anything he does.. awesome
Clint Eastwood - great actor, but obviously his range isn't that great, but what a director he's become
Mel Gibson - I don't approve of his rants, and as an actor he's nothing special, but Apocalypse and the Passion are some of the best movies of the last few decades.
Brad Pitt - I'm putting him in my list because of the guys range. Very impressive. His cameo in True Romance, his role in Burn after reading. That's range.. and there's lots more of course. Can be a bit over the top with Troy and Inglorious Basterds but doesn't stop me watching them again and again!
Sean Penn - fantastic actor
Robert De Niro - up until the last 15 years! Raging Bull, King of Comedy... superb!
Robert Mitchum - one of the absolute greats. Not many actors can convey such... menace
Javier Bardem - I agree with shawnbm.. this guy is talented. What a killer in No country for old men!
John Malkovich - need I say anything more?
Gary Oldman - huge talent, why doesn't he show up more?
Denzel Washington - I'll never forget the first time I watched Training Day. The first time he really broadened his range. Superb!

I'm sure there are more..

 

[Kirijax]

Russell Crowe is my absolute favorite. Everything he does is fantastic. I've been hearing about his directoral decbut pic "The Water Diviner". It's already opened in the States but not in Japan yet.

 

[the AntiPusher]

AP's list ( I am using my cellphone)
Morgan Freeman- I think it might have been Clint Eastwood or some other great, referring to Freeman as the greatest American of his time. This guy was a late bloomer who got recognized on PBS the Electric Company(a US educational focused show for kids. His first big role was playing the Pimp "Fast Black"in the movie Street Smart. Excellent in Glory , played an elderly chauffeur in Driving Miss Daisy, and numerous other roles. His acting range and voice is unmatched by any other actors
Samuel Jackson - greatest character actor of all time. nuff said . Was totally robbed in Pulp Fiction
Paul Newman - Greatest movie star ever and maybe a better humanitarian than he was an very underrated actor
Christopher Walken - extremely extraordinary actor who always steals the scene in every movie. He may be the one actor who could convince the Devil to leave Hades
Tom Hanks - the consummate pro , delivers his lines perfectly and just too likeable even in His lone attempt to play a bad guy in Road to Perdition
Robert De Niro/Al Pachino and -part of the big Four of Actors ( Freeman and Denzel Washington)
Denzel Washington -the King of Cool, Mr Smooth..I agree his range is astonishing

Honorable mention,Lawrence Fishburne( portraying Ike Turner(What's Love Got to Do With It) he should have won an Oscar, " Annie Mae, just eat the damn cake") Russell Crowe, Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger( the greatest acting performance EVER as the Joker in the Darth Knight( I have watch this movie over 300 times and is yet to see Heath Ledger , he have me convinced he was the Joker not an actor playing a role

 

[Federberg]

^Anyone seen Lawrence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum
in Deep Cover? What a great movie. Seems forgotten, never see it replayed

I completely forgot to mention Samuel L Jackson. His role as a junkie in Jungle Fever, wow! Didn't know who he was at the time, I kept asking after we walked out of the movie, who was that guy? Great.. great actor

 

[the AntiPusher]

^Anyone seen Lawrence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum
in Deep Cover? What a great movie. Seems forgotten, never see it replayed

I completely forgot to mention Samuel L Jackson. His role as a junkie in Jungle Fever, wow! Didn't know who he was at the time, I kept asking after we walked out of the movie, who was that guy? Great.. great actor

Yes, I saw Deep Cover, excellent movie and great performance. Yeah, Samuel L was great as Gator, did you recognize who was the actress playing Gators girlfriend, Halle Berry

 

[shawnbm]

One of my favorites with Samuel Jackson was his role as an art historian and curator in The Red Violin--wonderful movie and he was excellent in it.

 

[Federberg]

^Anyone seen Lawrence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum
in Deep Cover? What a great movie. Seems forgotten, never see it replayed

I completely forgot to mention Samuel L Jackson. His role as a junkie in Jungle Fever, wow! Didn't know who he was at the time, I kept asking after we walked out of the movie, who was that guy? Great.. great actor

Yes, I saw Deep Cover, excellent movie and great performance. Yeah, Samuel L was great as Gator, did you recognize who was the actress playing Gators girlfriend, Halle Berry

Yes I recognised her. Great performance too. That actually reminds me of another underrated actor. Billy Bob Thornton. Loved the performance with Halle Berry in Monster's Ball. And on a side note, I thought Halle Berry was particularly hot in that movie. It was quite an uncomfortable experience watching it with my girlfriend at the time, trying to act indifferent to Halle Berry's charms! :laydownlaughing

 

[the AntiPusher]

^Anyone seen Lawrence Fishburne and Jeff Goldblum
in Deep Cover? What a great movie. Seems forgotten, never see it replayed

I completely forgot to mention Samuel L Jackson. His role as a junkie in Jungle Fever, wow! Didn't know who he was at the time, I kept asking after we walked out of the movie, who was that guy? Great.. great actor

Yes, I saw Deep Cover, excellent movie and great performance. Yeah, Samuel L was great as Gator, did you recognize who was the actress playing Gators girlfriend, Halle Berry

Yes I recognised her. Great performance too. That actually reminds me of another underrated actor. Billy Bob Thornton. Loved the performance with Halle Berry in Monster's Ball. And on a side note, I thought Halle Berry was particularly hot in that movie. It was quite an uncomfortable experience watching it with my girlfriend at the time, trying to act indifferent to Halle Berry's charms! :laydownlaughing

yes, watching that movie needs to be without your significant other ..Billy Bob Thornton is very talented, (btw , I give the guy credit to get Halle to portray that role, however I have wrote that love scene screen play with Halle for the past 15 years:basiate. As for BBT, his movie Sling Blade is an absolute masterpiece. His acting is Brilliant.

 

[Horsa]

1. Ron Moody
2. Bing Crosby
3. Yul Brynner
4. Gordon Jackson
5. John Wayne
6. Dick Van Dyke
7. Christopher Plummer
8. Richard Attenborough
9. Rex Harrison
10. Russel Crowe
11. Alastair Sims
12. Bob Hoskins
13. Colin Firth
14. Robin Williams
15. Norman Wisdom
16. Sean Connery
17. Benedict Cumberbatch
18. Gene Kelly
19. Frankie Howard
20. Robert De Niro