Top 50 Actresses
Last week I counted down the top 100 actors. This week I'm going to count down the top 50 actresses. This list is a little shorter, mainly because I don't watch a lot of "chick flicks" or female dominated films. Take in mind that this is not a beauty pageant or a popularity contest. This list is based strictly on acting skills. Being charming, pretty and funny doesn't hurt. There's a good mix of funny women and serious actresses. I'm listing three of the best performances from each actress. I will give a couple thoughts on each woman. This is an up-to-date list, so not only is it based on their previous work, but (more importantly) their most recent films. Let us begin!
50. Diane Lane
It took Lane a while to get starring roles in Hollywood. The turn of the century paved the way to roles in like films The Perfect Storm, Hard Ball and The Glass House. Her very best role was in the film Unfaithful, opposite Richard Gere. Her new film Secretariat is doing pretty good at the box office at the moment.
-Unfaithful
-Hard Ball
-Hollywoodland
49. Jodie Foster
Jodie was a very popular child actress in the 70's. Most people feel like she really grew up with her role in The Silence of the Lambs. She continues to earn leading roles in films like Panic Room, Flightplan and The Brave One.
-The Silence of the Lambs
-Inside Man
-Taxi Driver
48. Amy Adams
Adams is a very talented young actress who has already earned two Oscar nominations. She is 36, but she definitely doesn't look it. She was tremendous in 2008's Doubt, and is one of the best supporting actresses in the business.
-Doubt
-Sunshine Cleaning
-Catch Me If You Can
47. Christina Applegate
She got her big break on Married with Children, as Kelly Bundy. That show aired for an amazing ten years. I couldn't think of anyone better for the role of Veronica Corningstone.
-Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
-The Rocker
-Employee of the Month
46. Jena Malone
Jena still has a lot of great years ahead of her. I mean she still looks like a teenager. She busted out in 2001's masterpiece Donnie Darko. Although she only had a small role in Into the Wild, she was terrific and was a great narrator.
-Donnie Darko
-Into the Wild
-The Messenger
45. Marion Cotillard
She's still fresh on the Hollywood scene, and I hope she sticks around. She's a French actress, and she won an Oscar in the French film La Vie en Rose. Her role in the epic Inception won't soon be forgotten.
-Inception
-Public Enemies
-Big Fish
44. Emily Blunt
Emily is always terrific, no matter how terrible the film. She's definitely one of the best British actresses out there. She's just getting her feet wet at this point. She has a big 2011 coming for her with the releases of The Adjustment Bureau, Gulliver's Travels and Gnomeo and Juliet.
-Sunshine Cleaning
-My Summer of Love
-Wind Chill
43. Kristen Wiig
One of the funniest women in the world. She got her start on SNL, which led to numerous small supporting roles which showcased her comedic abilities. There's never a dull moment when she's on screen. You can't miss her performance in Walk Hard as Dewey Cox's discouraging wife.
-Whip It
-Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
-Adventureland
42. Rosario Dawson
Dawson is so good it's baffling. She's done such a wide variety of roles over the years. She's one of the many great things about Sin City. Her chemistry with Will Smith in Seven Pounds was palpable.
-Seven Pounds
-Sin City
-25th Hour
41. Rachel Weisz
Weisz has been so consistently good over the last two decades. She can be ultra-serious (Constantine) and rather funny (Envy). She's easily one of the best actresses in Hollywood.
-Envy
-Constantine
-Chain Reaction
40. Leslie Mann
Who would've thought that her marriage with award-winning director Judd Apatow would've rejuvenated her career? It's a funny way to look at it, but Judd has cast her in all but one of his films and she always delivers.
-Knocked Up
-The 40-Year-Old Virgin
-Funny People
39. Gwyneth Paltrow
She had one heck of a decade. Most women know her from Shakespeare in Love or Emma, but she's done so much more than that. For me, she's never been better than her role in the tremendous film The Talented Mr. Ripley.
-The Talented Mr. Ripley
-Two Lovers
-The Royal Tenenbaums
38. Carey Mulligan
Carey is one of the top actresses 25 and younger. She broke out in 2009's Oscar-nominated film An Education. She was nominated for best actress for her role in that film (and she should've won). She came out with two big films in 2010, and only time will tell whether or not she can continue this success.
-An Education
-Never Let Me Go
-Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
37. Amanda Peet
Peet gets better and better with age. She's still reasonably young (38) and if the last two years are any indication, she's got a lot left in the tank. A few of her best roles have been opposite John Cusack (Identity, 2012).
-Identity
-Igby Goes Down
-Please Give
36. Sandra Bullock
Sandra isn't getting any younger, but I have a feeling she's going to be one of those actresses that never goes away (Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Helen Mirren). That's definitely not a bad thing. I still think her best performance was in Miss Congeniality. She was so charming and funny, it's actually watchable for men.
-Miss Congeniality
-The Blind Side
-Speed
35. Kate Beckinsale
Do I have to explain myself here? She was so sexy and bad-ass in Underworld. Screw Twilight! She has signed on for a fourth Underworld flick scheduled for 2012. Still one of her best performances was opposite Claire Danes in Brokedown Palace.
-Underworld
-Brokedown Palace
-The Aviator
34. Rebecca Hall
Hall is easily one of the best up-and-coming actresses. She's so sensational in the first Red Riding film, opposite another fantastic up-and-coming actor Andrew Garfield. Memorize this name, I have a feeling she will become a big time movie-star.
-Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974
-The Prestige
-The Town
33. Chloe Sevigny
Chloe is always so interesting and odd. You can never tell she's acting. She's been on the television series Big Love going on five years now. She can't be missed in Zodiac and American Psycho.
-American Psycho
-Zodiac
-My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
32. Radha Mitchell
Most people first noticed Mitchell in 2000's Pitch Black and later in 2002's Phone Booth. She was tremendous in horror flicks Silent Hill and The Crazies. Possibly her best role was in Man on Fire where she played Dakota Fanning's mother.
-Man on Fire
-The Crazies
-Silent Hill
31. Amanda Seyfried
She started in daytime soaps and landed a role in Tiny Fey's surprisingly very funny Mean Girls, largely in part to Seyfried's performance. Although that performance didn't immediately lead to starring roles, she soon would know the feeling. After 2008's Mamma Mia! she has been on a role.
-Jennifer's Body
-Chloe
-Mean Girls
50. Diane Lane
It took Lane a while to get starring roles in Hollywood. The turn of the century paved the way to roles in like films The Perfect Storm, Hard Ball and The Glass House. Her very best role was in the film Unfaithful, opposite Richard Gere. Her new film Secretariat is doing pretty good at the box office at the moment.
-Unfaithful
-Hard Ball
-Hollywoodland
49. Jodie Foster
Jodie was a very popular child actress in the 70's. Most people feel like she really grew up with her role in The Silence of the Lambs. She continues to earn leading roles in films like Panic Room, Flightplan and The Brave One.
-The Silence of the Lambs
-Inside Man
-Taxi Driver
48. Amy Adams
Adams is a very talented young actress who has already earned two Oscar nominations. She is 36, but she definitely doesn't look it. She was tremendous in 2008's Doubt, and is one of the best supporting actresses in the business.
-Doubt
-Sunshine Cleaning
-Catch Me If You Can
47. Christina Applegate
She got her big break on Married with Children, as Kelly Bundy. That show aired for an amazing ten years. I couldn't think of anyone better for the role of Veronica Corningstone.
-Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
-The Rocker
-Employee of the Month
46. Jena Malone
Jena still has a lot of great years ahead of her. I mean she still looks like a teenager. She busted out in 2001's masterpiece Donnie Darko. Although she only had a small role in Into the Wild, she was terrific and was a great narrator.
-Donnie Darko
-Into the Wild
-The Messenger
45. Marion Cotillard
She's still fresh on the Hollywood scene, and I hope she sticks around. She's a French actress, and she won an Oscar in the French film La Vie en Rose. Her role in the epic Inception won't soon be forgotten.
-Inception
-Public Enemies
-Big Fish
44. Emily Blunt
Emily is always terrific, no matter how terrible the film. She's definitely one of the best British actresses out there. She's just getting her feet wet at this point. She has a big 2011 coming for her with the releases of The Adjustment Bureau, Gulliver's Travels and Gnomeo and Juliet.
-Sunshine Cleaning
-My Summer of Love
-Wind Chill
43. Kristen Wiig
One of the funniest women in the world. She got her start on SNL, which led to numerous small supporting roles which showcased her comedic abilities. There's never a dull moment when she's on screen. You can't miss her performance in Walk Hard as Dewey Cox's discouraging wife.
-Whip It
-Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
-Adventureland
42. Rosario Dawson
Dawson is so good it's baffling. She's done such a wide variety of roles over the years. She's one of the many great things about Sin City. Her chemistry with Will Smith in Seven Pounds was palpable.
-Seven Pounds
-Sin City
-25th Hour
41. Rachel Weisz
Weisz has been so consistently good over the last two decades. She can be ultra-serious (Constantine) and rather funny (Envy). She's easily one of the best actresses in Hollywood.
-Envy
-Constantine
-Chain Reaction
40. Leslie Mann
Who would've thought that her marriage with award-winning director Judd Apatow would've rejuvenated her career? It's a funny way to look at it, but Judd has cast her in all but one of his films and she always delivers.
-Knocked Up
-The 40-Year-Old Virgin
-Funny People
39. Gwyneth Paltrow
She had one heck of a decade. Most women know her from Shakespeare in Love or Emma, but she's done so much more than that. For me, she's never been better than her role in the tremendous film The Talented Mr. Ripley.
-The Talented Mr. Ripley
-Two Lovers
-The Royal Tenenbaums
38. Carey Mulligan
Carey is one of the top actresses 25 and younger. She broke out in 2009's Oscar-nominated film An Education. She was nominated for best actress for her role in that film (and she should've won). She came out with two big films in 2010, and only time will tell whether or not she can continue this success.
-An Education
-Never Let Me Go
-Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
37. Amanda Peet
Peet gets better and better with age. She's still reasonably young (38) and if the last two years are any indication, she's got a lot left in the tank. A few of her best roles have been opposite John Cusack (Identity, 2012).
-Identity
-Igby Goes Down
-Please Give
36. Sandra Bullock
Sandra isn't getting any younger, but I have a feeling she's going to be one of those actresses that never goes away (Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Helen Mirren). That's definitely not a bad thing. I still think her best performance was in Miss Congeniality. She was so charming and funny, it's actually watchable for men.
-Miss Congeniality
-The Blind Side
-Speed
35. Kate Beckinsale
Do I have to explain myself here? She was so sexy and bad-ass in Underworld. Screw Twilight! She has signed on for a fourth Underworld flick scheduled for 2012. Still one of her best performances was opposite Claire Danes in Brokedown Palace.
-Underworld
-Brokedown Palace
-The Aviator
34. Rebecca Hall
Hall is easily one of the best up-and-coming actresses. She's so sensational in the first Red Riding film, opposite another fantastic up-and-coming actor Andrew Garfield. Memorize this name, I have a feeling she will become a big time movie-star.
-Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1974
-The Prestige
-The Town
33. Chloe Sevigny
Chloe is always so interesting and odd. You can never tell she's acting. She's been on the television series Big Love going on five years now. She can't be missed in Zodiac and American Psycho.
-American Psycho
-Zodiac
-My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
32. Radha Mitchell
Most people first noticed Mitchell in 2000's Pitch Black and later in 2002's Phone Booth. She was tremendous in horror flicks Silent Hill and The Crazies. Possibly her best role was in Man on Fire where she played Dakota Fanning's mother.
-Man on Fire
-The Crazies
-Silent Hill
31. Amanda Seyfried
She started in daytime soaps and landed a role in Tiny Fey's surprisingly very funny Mean Girls, largely in part to Seyfried's performance. Although that performance didn't immediately lead to starring roles, she soon would know the feeling. After 2008's Mamma Mia! she has been on a role.
-Jennifer's Body
-Chloe
-Mean Girls
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