Who do you consider to be the best actor?

[jbchillin]

I was at work today and this subject came up and I was quite surprised at some of my friends disagreement with my answer. Personally I think Tom Cruise is the best actor, personal life aside. Every time I see a movie with him, he is always spot on. My favorite movie by him is Top Gun, and I cannot wait for Oblivion to come out.

So I ask you friends, Who do you think is the best actor?

 

[Asita]

...For which generation and in what kind of role, and do they still have to be active in that medium? Because, let's be honest, as much as I like Michael Caine's acting, he wouldn't hold a candle to Julie Andrews in a musical role in her prime, and both would be moot points if we were exclusively referring to the rising generation of stars.

 

[Marter]

Daniel Day-Lewis, as few roles as he takes, always seems to put everything he's got into them. And that's a lot. He's gotta be the best actor currently working.

He's not my favorite, but we're talking "best" here, and I can't think of anyone better at the moment.

 

[Remus]

Gary Oldman. He is a chameleon. From playing both old and young Dracula, to Jean-Baptise Emanuel Zorg, Sirius Black, Commissioner Gordon, and Lee Harvey Oswald, he never looks the same in any role he's ever played.

 

[Dangit2019]

Rich Evans of Red Letter Media.

Spoiler: of course

Seriously, though, I would say Michael Caine's the best overall. Hell, if you watch Jaws 4 and ignore everything except for the parts where he talks, it almost becomes a watchable movie.

[sub][sub]...almost[/sub][/sub]

 

[Vegosiux]

Wow, 5 replies already and no Sean Connery.

Well, have no fear, Vegosiux is here to fix that unfortunate blunder.

 

[perfectimo]

Michael Bay, I felt he was a better actor than a director or producer.

 

[Ljs1121]

Stephen Colbert.

In order to successfully pull off as much satire as he does every single day, he has to be one of the greatest actors ever.

 

[Cazza]

Sir Christopher Lee

He is just an awesome actor. I wonder who will agree with me?

 

[Erja_Perttu]

I'm tempted to say Ryan Gosling, mostly because of his extraordinary performance in Drive. Having only caught him in sappy things like The Notebook before, suddenly seeing this brutal, psychopathic, quietly human character pulled off so well was wonderful.

 

[JochemHippie]

Daniel Day Lewis, about everything the man has done is pure gold.

Recently I've also had a soft spot for Christoph Waltz.
This guy.

 

[Raven's Nest]

I'll just throw a few names around and see what people think....

Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Michael Fassbender, Ian Holm, Jeff Bridges, Robert Downey Jr, Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hardy

In my opinion all of these actors have excelled in every single film I've seen them in. Tom Hanks in particular.

In very interested to see where Michael Fassbender ends up (i'm calling next bond). And Tom Hardy has nothing but a bright, diverse future.

When thinking about actors that move me the most I have to remember that whenever Will Smith cries on screen, that is your cue to get on your knees and fucking weep.

 

[Fatboy_41]

SNIP

I gotta agree with both your Michael Fassbender and Will Smith comments here.

Seeing Fassbender play Bobby Sands in hunger was incredible and while I hadn't even thought of him to take over as Bond, I love the idea.

And Will Smith has been gold since he first set foot on our TV screens. He is the absolute master of "manly tears".

 

[Cheesus Crust]

...For which generation and in what kind of role, and do they still have to be active in that medium? Because, let's be honest, as much as I like Michael Caine's acting, he wouldn't hold a candle to Julie Andrews in a musical role in her prime, and both would be moot points if we were exclusively referring to the rising generation of stars.

He has a good point which is why I decided to pick more than one:

Anthony Hopkins
Michael Caine
Gary Oldman
Jack Nicholson
Daniel Day Lewis
Sigourney Weaver (this one's a bit biased since she was the first actress I saw play a strong lead role as Ripley)
Julie Andrews
Judi Dench

 

[SpAc3man]

I have always felt Brad Pitt is often overlooked. Sure he has been in some terrible films but when given room to shine he is amazing. Fight Club, Sev7en, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Burn After Reading, Inglourious Basterds, 12 Monkeys. All with Brad Pitt being a great actor.

 

[Do4600]

I was at work today and this subject came up and I was quite surprised at some of my friends disagreement with my answer. Personally I think Tom Cruise is the best actor, personal life aside. Every time I see a movie with him, he is always spot on. My favorite movie by him is Top Gun, and I cannot wait for Oblivion to come out.

So I ask you friends, Who do you think is the best actor?

I disagree with that because Tom Cruise is only good at playing a limited range of characters, usually young driven roles that only require him to be angry and intense or cocky and smarmy or a mixture of the two, or roles that require him to have no emotion at all, he's uncomfortable outside that range and has never really attempted to change that.

I think I have to say Orson Welles, it seems a tired response but I feel it will never cease to be the correct one. I can think of no actor that matches the raw power of his presence and depth of character on screen.

Spoiler: Scene from The Third Man; spoilers

 

[Do4600]

I'm tempted to say Ryan Gosling, mostly because of his extraordinary performance in Drive. Having only caught him in sappy things like The Notebook before, suddenly seeing this brutal, psychopathic, quietly human character pulled off so well was wonderful.

Honestly, I've never seen him in anything where I didn't feel he was being a deceptive creep, probably because his role in Murder by Numbers just sticks to him so well.

 

[Fetus]

Three way tie.

Tom Hanks, Joe Pesci or Morgan Freeman.

 

[Fuzzed]

I'm tempted to say Ryan Gosling, mostly because of his extraordinary performance in Drive. Having only caught him in sappy things like The Notebook before, suddenly seeing this brutal, psychopathic, quietly human character pulled off so well was wonderful.

Honestly, I've never seen him in anything where I didn't feel he was being a deceptive creep, probably because his role in Murder by Numbers just sticks to him so well.

Drive, the Notebook, Remember the Titans, Half Nelson, Blue Valentine, Lars and the Real Girl. All movies where Ryan was not a deceptive creep.