Best Actor of the modern era?

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Some favourites of mine already mentioned. Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day Lewis. Also Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Willem Dafoe, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Amy Adams, Frances Mcdormand, Matthew McConaughey, Mahershala Ali.

I love fillums

Casey Affleck doesn't seem to get too many leading roles but I think he's very good. Gone Baby Gone wasn't a fantastic movie but I thought he was brilliant in it.

Roddy Piper

Deleted User wrote: »

How did I forget to include Stephen Graham in my list. He is incredible. As another person posted about Daniel Day Lewis you see the actor and not the man. That is exactly how it is with Graham. Also forgot to mention Sean Bean.

Stephen Graham is absolutely outstanding as Al Capone in Boardwalk Empire. Really nails the madness and coldness of the man. In fact, there are a lot of brilliant performances in that show that makes me think of the actors as being among the best in the business.

The aforementioned Michael Shannon plays an ideal role in BE, and has a real brooding presence in everything I have seen him in since.

Bobby Cannavale plays arguably the greatest villian in the history of television in Gyp Rossetti, and does an excellent job. Michael Stuhlbarg and Shea Whigham are both excellent in it too. All the three are solid.

But a very underrated actor in everything he is in is Michael Kenneth Williams. Perhaps the star of the show in Boardwalk Empire as Chalky White, and is great in the Wire too.

As for some of the mainstream guys, has there ever been an actor who has tainted their legacy with a litany of bad films more than De Niro? Cannot bring to mind a decent film he has been in in my adulthood (I am 32 now), and he has been a lot of duds. Silver Linings Playbook was well received I suppose, but I thought it was ****e enough (mainly due to Bradley Cooper's bad acting). His career reminds of Wayne Rooney's in soccer- first half genuinely excellent, faded badly thereafter.

rossie1977 wrote: »

Roddy Piper

Christoph Waltz.

Arghus wrote: »

I can understand that, to an extent, there aren't many films that he's appeared in that would qualify as easy entertainment. Personally, I think he's great in just about everything. If I was to recommend any of his films for pure entertainment I'd say Last of The Mochians or maybe even Lincoln.

I think Daniel Day Lewis is a superb actor, but, on the other hand I think he's never been in a really great film, if that makes sense. His performance has often been the best thing about otherwise average films.

Has anyone mentioned Jack Lemmon yet ? Himself and a Walter Matthau were both terrific. I also really rate Philip Seymour Hoffman, while Bryan Cranston is another with a good range. Glad to see Stephen Graham get a mention too. Brilliant in This Is England.

trashcan wrote: »

I think Daniel Day Lewis is a superb actor, but, on the other hand I think he's never been in a really great film, if that makes sense. His performance has often been the best thing about otherwise average films.

I thought Phantom Thread was a superb film that should have won multiple oscars that year.

trashcan wrote: »

Glad to see Stephen Graham get a mention too. Brilliant in This Is England.

He's excellent in The Virtues as well. It's a tough watch though.

Jake the muss. Powerful.

Deleted User wrote: »

Some favourites of mine already mentioned. Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day Lewis. Also Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Willem Dafoe, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, Amy Adams, Frances Mcdormand, Matthew McConaughey, Mahershala Ali.

I love fillums

Michael Shannon is a fantastic actor.

lickalot wrote: »

1) Christopher Waltz,
2) Leo
3) Denzel
4) Brad Pitt
5) Tom Hanks

And in that order.

Brad Pitt isn't really a great actor. He is fairly wooden like Keanu Reeves.


He generally plays the same role basically a handsome cool dude e.g. the Ocean's movies, Fight Club, Seven. Even as the lawyer in Sleepers.



He was good as a nutcase in 12 Monkeys and a psychopath in Kalifornia. The stoner, Floyd in True Romance was a good show but I'd say anyone could pull that off.


His performance in the Devil's Own was rank. The Irish accent was dire and you could see that he was struggling with it and it affected how he delivered his lines.


An actor should be versatile and be able to play a hero, a villain, a psychopath a convincing homosexual, be able to exude authentic emotion whether it's fear, rage, misery, etc.


Some that standout for me that can do this would be



Kevin Bacon

Sean Penn
Jake Gyllenhal
Cillian Murphy

Nathalia Damp Repairman wrote: »

So hard to pick one. Most of those mentioned here are brilliant. There isn't just one I think, and I think if I had to choose it would probably be one from an older era.

But the one I consistently enjoy the most is Tom Hanks. Very versatile and always believable. Such an amazing catalogue of great performances.

Probably not on any lists, but I also love Mark Ruffalo in everything that doesn't involve superheroes . And Reese Witherspoon. Some top performances.

I will say though, that I have never enjoyed a single Day Lewis film. I just don't get it.

I too can understand your position. His movies are very heavy. I will say that I enjoyed In The Name Of The Father. His scenes when he cracked up in the jail cell, when he started screaming during interrogation, when he confronted the IRA man who torched the prison guard were all very powerful performances. I liked him in The Boxer too. But his other movies like Gangs Of New York and There Will Be Blood, I just find so bleak. Doesn't take away from the actor's pedigree, I know.

Be right back wrote: »

Heath Ledger is another one that comes to mind.

Nah, he's made fcukall movies lately.