Top 100 Actors
40. Jason Segel
Jason got his big break on the terrific television series Freaks and Geeks. A lot of people may recognize him from How I Met Your Mother, but he has finally found the audience he deserves on the big screen. His performance in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (a film he also wrote) was one of the best comedic performances of the decade, without a doubt.
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall
-I Love You, Man
-Knocked Up
39. Mickey Rourke
Mickey's career seemed to be all but done just a few short years ago. But after a nice stretch of films, he busted out his best performance yet in The Wrestler. He seems poised for another good decade.
-The Wrestler
-Sin City
-Man on Fire
38. Jeff Bridges
"The Dude" has had one heck of a career, but some of his best work has come in recent years. Especially in his Oscar-winning performance as fictitious over-the-hill musician Bad Blake in 2009's Crazy Heart. He has a couple highly anticipated December releases coming up in TRON: Legacy and True Grit.
-Crazy Heart
-The Big Lebowski
-The Men Who Stare at Goats
37. Paul Giamatti
What can't Paul do? Say what you will about Lady in the Water, but his performance as the stuttering maintenance man is stellar. It's impossible to watch Private Parts and not laugh hysterically when he ("Pig Vomit") and Howard Stern converse.
-Sideways
-Lady in the Water
-Private Parts
36. Brad Pitt
Brad is always a treat. It's amazing how he can go from Jeffrey Goines (Twelve Monkeys) to Tyler Durden (Fight Club) to Rusty (Ocean's Eleven). He truly has many faces.
-Fight Club
-Inglourious Basterds
-Burn After Reading
35. Daniel Day-Lewis
I've only seen a handful of his films, but he has had two monster performances. His portrayal of Daniel Planview in There Will Be Blood is haunting, to say the least.
-There Will Be Blood
-Gangs of New York
-In the Name of the Father
34. Will Smith
His rap music may suck, but his acting has improved year after year. The Fresh Prince has grown in front of our eyes; and although he doesn't appear in as many films as most actors, he sells tickets. I really think his fierce performance in Seven Pounds solidified himself in the top 40 actors.
-Men in Black
-Seven Pounds
-I Am Legend
33. Ewan McGregor
One of the best Scottish actors working. His work with Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle has certainly helped his career blossom. His first lead role was in the terrific Shallow Grave. That led to a starring role in the classic film Trainspotting. Both are must-see films, and both are Boyle films.
-Trainspotting
-Stay
-The Ghost Writer
32. Josh Brolin
His portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men was Oscar-worthy. He was surprisingly outstanding as George W. Bush, and his scenes in Milk are the only ones worth watching. He got his first role in the classic film The Goonies.
-No Country for Old Men
-W.
-Milk
31. Robert Downey Jr.
Robert had a rough patch in his life where he spent six months in prison because of drug charges in 2000. It took him about five years to get back into a groove. After his great performance in Zodiac, he has been on a run of great films. Especially in Sherlock Holmes and Tropic Thunder.
-Tropic Thunder
-Sherlock Holmes
-Iron Man
30. Mark Wahlberg
Marky Mark has come a long way. He wowed audiences with his career-making performance in Boogie Nights. He often has roles in films that don't necessarily do well at the box office, but it's never his fault. Max Payne for instance: terrible film, but watchable because of Wahlberg.
-Boogie Nights
-The Departed
-The Other Guys
29. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
One of the best young actors and gaining momentum. He started getting movie roles based on his performance in the hit television series 3rd Rock from the Sun. And I think people finally took notice after his tremendous performance in 2005's Brick.
-(500) Days of Summer
-Inception
-Brick
28. Steve Carell
His hilarious role of Michael Scott, in one of the best television series of all-time, certainly helps his cause. Also, his lead role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin is one of the best three comedic performances of the decade.
-The 40-Year-Old Virgin
-Little Miss Sunshine
-Dan in Real Life
27. Denzel Washington
Possibly the best African-American actor ever. Debatable obviously, but that's my opinion. "King Kong ain't got SH*T on me!"
-Training Day
-The Book of Eli
-Philadelphia
26. Woody Harrelson
One of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He got his start on the hit television series Cheers. His Oscar-nominated performance in the controversial film The People vs. Larry Flynt boosted his career. A lot of people don't realize that Woody was nominated for an Oscar last year for his harrowing performance in the brutally honest film The Messenger.
-The Messenger
-No Country for Old Men
-Defendor
25. Edward Norton
Edward got his first roles in 1996 where he dazzled viewers in Primal Fear and The People vs. Larry Flynt. He hasn't looked back. No one better look me in the face and tell me he wasn't anything but terrific in American History X and Fight Club.
-American History X
-Fight Club
-25th Hour
24. Jack Nicholson
He has one of the best bodies of work, ever. He really turned heads in the mid-70's with his performances in Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. His outstanding performance in The Departed proved he's not going anywhere.
-Batman
-The Shining
-The Departed
23. Clive Owen
Easily one of the top British actors alive. His brilliant performance in the groundbreaking Children of Men opened some people's eyes. How bad-ass was he in Sin City?
-Children of Men
-Duplicity
-Sin City
22. Billy Bob Thornton
Another highly underrated actor. He was absolutely hilarious in Bad Santa and flat out brilliant in Monster's Ball. Don't tell me you haven't seen his Oscar-winning performance in Sling Blade.
-Monster's Ball
-Bad Santa
-Friday Night Lights
21. Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy has gotten better with age. A lot of people don't realize he won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role in The Fugitive. Probably because the fantastic Harrison Ford stole the show. But his best year has to be 2007 (No Country for Old Men, In the Valley of Elah).
-No Country for Old Men
-In the Valley of Elah
-Rules of Engagement
Jason got his big break on the terrific television series Freaks and Geeks. A lot of people may recognize him from How I Met Your Mother, but he has finally found the audience he deserves on the big screen. His performance in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (a film he also wrote) was one of the best comedic performances of the decade, without a doubt.
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall
-I Love You, Man
-Knocked Up
39. Mickey Rourke
Mickey's career seemed to be all but done just a few short years ago. But after a nice stretch of films, he busted out his best performance yet in The Wrestler. He seems poised for another good decade.
-The Wrestler
-Sin City
-Man on Fire
38. Jeff Bridges
"The Dude" has had one heck of a career, but some of his best work has come in recent years. Especially in his Oscar-winning performance as fictitious over-the-hill musician Bad Blake in 2009's Crazy Heart. He has a couple highly anticipated December releases coming up in TRON: Legacy and True Grit.
-Crazy Heart
-The Big Lebowski
-The Men Who Stare at Goats
37. Paul Giamatti
What can't Paul do? Say what you will about Lady in the Water, but his performance as the stuttering maintenance man is stellar. It's impossible to watch Private Parts and not laugh hysterically when he ("Pig Vomit") and Howard Stern converse.
-Sideways
-Lady in the Water
-Private Parts
36. Brad Pitt
Brad is always a treat. It's amazing how he can go from Jeffrey Goines (Twelve Monkeys) to Tyler Durden (Fight Club) to Rusty (Ocean's Eleven). He truly has many faces.
-Fight Club
-Inglourious Basterds
-Burn After Reading
35. Daniel Day-Lewis
I've only seen a handful of his films, but he has had two monster performances. His portrayal of Daniel Planview in There Will Be Blood is haunting, to say the least.
-There Will Be Blood
-Gangs of New York
-In the Name of the Father
34. Will Smith
His rap music may suck, but his acting has improved year after year. The Fresh Prince has grown in front of our eyes; and although he doesn't appear in as many films as most actors, he sells tickets. I really think his fierce performance in Seven Pounds solidified himself in the top 40 actors.
-Men in Black
-Seven Pounds
-I Am Legend
33. Ewan McGregor
One of the best Scottish actors working. His work with Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle has certainly helped his career blossom. His first lead role was in the terrific Shallow Grave. That led to a starring role in the classic film Trainspotting. Both are must-see films, and both are Boyle films.
-Trainspotting
-Stay
-The Ghost Writer
32. Josh Brolin
His portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men was Oscar-worthy. He was surprisingly outstanding as George W. Bush, and his scenes in Milk are the only ones worth watching. He got his first role in the classic film The Goonies.
-No Country for Old Men
-W.
-Milk
31. Robert Downey Jr.
Robert had a rough patch in his life where he spent six months in prison because of drug charges in 2000. It took him about five years to get back into a groove. After his great performance in Zodiac, he has been on a run of great films. Especially in Sherlock Holmes and Tropic Thunder.
-Tropic Thunder
-Sherlock Holmes
-Iron Man
30. Mark Wahlberg
Marky Mark has come a long way. He wowed audiences with his career-making performance in Boogie Nights. He often has roles in films that don't necessarily do well at the box office, but it's never his fault. Max Payne for instance: terrible film, but watchable because of Wahlberg.
-Boogie Nights
-The Departed
-The Other Guys
29. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
One of the best young actors and gaining momentum. He started getting movie roles based on his performance in the hit television series 3rd Rock from the Sun. And I think people finally took notice after his tremendous performance in 2005's Brick.
-(500) Days of Summer
-Inception
-Brick
28. Steve Carell
His hilarious role of Michael Scott, in one of the best television series of all-time, certainly helps his cause. Also, his lead role in The 40-Year-Old Virgin is one of the best three comedic performances of the decade.
-The 40-Year-Old Virgin
-Little Miss Sunshine
-Dan in Real Life
27. Denzel Washington
Possibly the best African-American actor ever. Debatable obviously, but that's my opinion. "King Kong ain't got SH*T on me!"
-Training Day
-The Book of Eli
-Philadelphia
26. Woody Harrelson
One of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. He got his start on the hit television series Cheers. His Oscar-nominated performance in the controversial film The People vs. Larry Flynt boosted his career. A lot of people don't realize that Woody was nominated for an Oscar last year for his harrowing performance in the brutally honest film The Messenger.
-The Messenger
-No Country for Old Men
-Defendor
25. Edward Norton
Edward got his first roles in 1996 where he dazzled viewers in Primal Fear and The People vs. Larry Flynt. He hasn't looked back. No one better look me in the face and tell me he wasn't anything but terrific in American History X and Fight Club.
-American History X
-Fight Club
-25th Hour
24. Jack Nicholson
He has one of the best bodies of work, ever. He really turned heads in the mid-70's with his performances in Chinatown and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. His outstanding performance in The Departed proved he's not going anywhere.
-Batman
-The Shining
-The Departed
23. Clive Owen
Easily one of the top British actors alive. His brilliant performance in the groundbreaking Children of Men opened some people's eyes. How bad-ass was he in Sin City?
-Children of Men
-Duplicity
-Sin City
22. Billy Bob Thornton
Another highly underrated actor. He was absolutely hilarious in Bad Santa and flat out brilliant in Monster's Ball. Don't tell me you haven't seen his Oscar-winning performance in Sling Blade.
-Monster's Ball
-Bad Santa
-Friday Night Lights
21. Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy has gotten better with age. A lot of people don't realize he won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his supporting role in The Fugitive. Probably because the fantastic Harrison Ford stole the show. But his best year has to be 2007 (No Country for Old Men, In the Valley of Elah).
-No Country for Old Men
-In the Valley of Elah
-Rules of Engagement
Comments
Post a Comment