This is a countdown of my ten personal favorite actors. For this list I have taken into account many factors, but the main criteria is overall acting ability and versatility. Awards and honors have been taken into account but isolated cases have been ignored, for an actor to appear on this list they must be consistent. So without further ado here are some honorable mentions:
Kevin Spacey: Has had some great performances over his career, but in terms of consistency he is easily outplayed by many others on the list.
Johnny Depp: Is there a character this man hasn't played? He still lacks the versatility to be anywhere near getting onto this list though.
Sean Bean: A national treasure, and in my opinion one of the most underrated actors of all time. He does lose a lot of versatility points for dying every time.
Al Pacino: There have been some monumental performances from this man, but the majority of his films are very hit and miss.
Alec Guiness: Is an outstanding actor at walking around and making witty comments, and that's pretty much of his resume.
#10 Anthony Hopkins
This man's capability can be easily summed up by his performance as Hannibal Lecter in 'Silence of The Lambs'. It really was a performance that rivaled the greatest on this list, he really did capture the evil doctor perfectly. His performance was so good that you really did believe that this fictional doctor did exist, and it was the stuff of nightmares. He puts on a terrifying performance, for me that distant stare in the picture above just sums it up in a nutshell. Just everything about his performance was extraordinary, everything from how he delivered the lines to the fact that he only spends 16 minutes on the screen. 16 minutes, unbelievable, he even won a best Oscar for it. I really can't think of another man that could carry the film despite only being in it for little more than a quarter of an hour, it really does say a lot for this mans talent.
Unfortunately this may have been a one hit wonder, I have included 'The Elephant Man' as another great role as again he carried the movie but he's never really had that second hit, which is a shame, as he never got to repeat his performance of the evil doctor. Some would say he lacks that versatility to promote him to higher on this list, and I would tend to agree.
#9 Robert De Niro
Probably a little lower than on most people's lists, but I have my reasons. There is certainly no denying of this man's talent, to sum it up you just need to watch him in classic gangster flicks such as 'The Godfather' or 'Goodfellas' to see him at his best. He has also proven to me that he also has some versatility, his role of a boxer in 'Raging Bull' was spectacular, and he played a much more convincing role than the iconic Stallone interpretation. However, this is a relatively isolated role and we do commonly see De Niro in gangster films, a genre that he can certainly thrive in but it doesn't say a lot for his range of acting. In the end he usually opts for the violent and angry character which certainly excludes him from placing higher on this list.
De Niro's signature acting comes with a thick New York accent that compliments his gangster style perfectly and I feel this was put to good use in the Martin Scorsese classic 'Goodfellas'. Here we can see De Niro at his best, and it proves to the audience that he really is made for that role. He is a definite entry on this list, you just can't ignore a career that has seen him star in over 90 films, with most of them being of a high standard, a great achievement from a great actor.
#8 Russell Crowe
Is this man undeserving of being on this list, well let's have a look at him shall we? I think the stem of the problem comes from the fact that he really hasn't been given a lot to work with, the majority of his roles come in films that are always lacking and flawed in a certain area. It says a lot for the man that his performances outshine the mediocrity of the picture. A good example of this would be in the very dry and long winded 'Robin Hood', that somehow managed to take a lot of the magic out of the legend. It did have some good scenes though and almost all of these are centered around Crowe, he usually manages to find a way to shine whatever role he plays.
Of course his standout role was in 'Gladiator', which is a masterfully made film, helped by a Crowe performance that was filled with passion and energy. For once he was given a fantastic script, and the result was nothing short of a masterpiece, a sure entry into my hall of fame. He sure has the versatility but I can understand why people would dislike him, he really does need another quality movie to promote his status, maybe another powerful character to go with his epic performances, but definitely a worthy candidate for my list.
#7 Charlton Heston
Probably the most overlooked man in the history of cinema in my personal opinion, you think of any great movie from the 1960's and this man probably had something to do with it. I think this is mainly due to his amazing versatility that allows him to play such a wide variety of different characters. I couldn't think of anyone else who could brilliantly capture such different roles as Ben Hur and a stranded astronaut, both requiring totally different styles of acting. But the best part about him is that signature voice, he just projects brilliance. All his lines are instantly quotable and that deep tone gives him such an awesome stage presence. He really is a one of a kind.
#6 Martin Sheen
Okay this may be a personal preference, but there is no denying this man's ability. To really get a glimpse of what this man can achieve you need to watch his performance in 'Apocalypse Now', a film which he carried expertly with a terrific wholesome performance. From start to finish he executed the role to perfection and the result was a character that you could genuinely believe was real, he really became the role of the soldier and his cold and empty tone showed that. Unfortunately there really isn't much else, this man has been seemingly been forgotten by the film industry and ends up appearing in sloppy seconds, a crime for the talent that this man possesses. I just wish more people could see him in his standout roles to give him the credit he fully deserves. It really does take an amazing performance to get into my hall of fame, but this man managed it with his unique no gimmick needed performances.
#5 Marlon Brando
Was he really the greatest of all time? I mean he was definitely a revolutionary, but the 'greatest', I'm not convinced. He seems to me to be the kind of actor that plays excellent roles, but manages to do that in films where it isn't really needed, like 'The Godfather', which had such an amazing script that his performance never really stood out for me. But maybe I'm just being too picky, he was noted for not knowing the script in many films he featured in, such as 'Apocalypse Now', which at least makes him a brilliant method actor. Great performances can only come from habit with a supremely talented actor, someone with the caliber of Brando.
Having said that there is no doubt that this man deserves a place on my list, his stage presence is legendary. Whatever role he plays can easily be identified by that distinct nasally voice, and that deep tone that makes his lines that much more powerful. It really doesn't matter what age he is, as we always get that same brilliant performance no matter what the role, always managing to get to the central aspects of the character and completely own them. You could say that acting was changed forever when Brando came along, after all he was the icon of the 50's and 60's, but as for ability I think there are better candidates for greatest actor of all time.
#4 Robert Duvall
This man has the advantage of appearing in some of the greatest films of all time, he seems to always know where the success lies, and that to me is why he makes such a good actor. Don't think for one moment that he hasn't got the talent to back it up, I really do believe he is a more gifted actor than Brando. I think this is mainly because Duvall has that skill of making a captivating character out of what is essentially a very ordinary role, where as Brando's roles were often destined to greatness. Duvall's iconic performances in both 'The Godfather' and 'Apocalypse Now' show us this.
Central to this man's talent is that booming voice that powers through lines and always raises scenes to a better level, you always get the sense that when Duvall is in the room something major is about to happen. I also picked Duvall this high as he has played a great number of more versatile roles, his career has spanned many genres which is a rarity with more modern actors who prefer to stay in one genre, and that is why he's above Brando.
#3 Kirk Douglas
An unexpectedly high entry for this man, but I really did just put him higher than Brando and De Niro. This man was destined to own any historical epic he appears in, mainly for his powerful performances but also in his iconic screen presence, which does include his massive chin. I think we saw the best of him in 'Paths of Glory', in which Kubrick really did get all he could out of him, the emotion that he delivers his lines is truly extraordinary. His legacy will surely last as long as he has, he's 97 now and still alive and kicking, a testament to a truly brilliant individual, and a legend of the big screen.
#2 Harrison Ford
I can't think of a more iconic star in the history of cinema than this man right here, and he backs it up with an incredible talent. Just every major blockbuster in the 80's has his face plastered all over it, and the success of his films comes from both his charisma and exceptional gift for acting. Central to this man's ability is that simply orgasmic voice that has pushed characters such as Han Solo and Indiana Jones to iconic status, just one line from Han Solo would instantly make me sleep with him. His performance as Han Solo really has defined a generation with his instantly quotable lines and legendary charm. His performance in 'Star Wars' sums up his ability for me, he always manages to find that perfect mix of action and comedy, and it reflects in his flawless characterization.
#1 Jack Nicholson
To me this is really a no contest, nobody even comes close to matching the ability that this man has, the roles he has played over his legendary career is extraordinary and matched by nobody. The number of different genres this man has portrayed to perfection is simply unbelievable, every character seems to be completely different from the others with flawless performance after another, his versatility for different roles is so far ahead of anyone else. Even when the film is lacking in a certain area you can still rely on Nicholson for that predictable spectacular performance that has led his films to become some of my personal favorites.
The gift that this man possesses is just extraordinary, he instantly becomes the character in question. On the spot he may well have the ability to play just about anyone, and that's because he has. Johnny Depp may have done a similar sort of thing but all of his performances feel the same to me, where as Nicholson manages to consistently produce varied and brilliant roles. When Nicholson gets a role he will make sure that the character becomes him, he owns that character to a scale that any other actor can only dream of. I can only use one word to describe his epic performances, and that's is unforgettable.
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