Who do you think is the greatest actor?

Phazael said:

Comedians can often make really good actors in serious roles for a variety of reasons. Recent examples would be Mike Meyers in Studio 54, Luis CK in American Hustle, Bill Burr in Mandalorian, and so on. Lots of good examples in older movies, too like Bill Murray in Where the Buffalo Roam, John Belushi in the Great Divide, Eddie Murphy in Dreamgirls, Robin Williams in the Fischer King, and Steve Martin in Pennies from Heaven/Grand Canyon. Whats rare is consistency in doing it and Adam Sandler has a history of bad dramas (Spanglesh, Funny People) and a ton of shit cash out movies.

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you made me check John Belushi's IMDB. i never heard of Great Divide so i went to see how i missed that. well it didnt say anything about that movie. though he did do a movie where he plays a journalist in Continental Divide. its a really good movie, he has to skip town for a while when the mob tries to kill him so he heads over to the rocky mountains to live with some hippy chick who loves eagles.

in case i was still wrong i maybe think you got mixed up with John Candy who did a movie called The Great Outdoors in which he plays a dad who goes on vacation and runs into his inlaws played by Dan Akroyd.

Lanx said:

most here are saying ddl gangs of ny

but what about leo gangs of ny? it's been 20 years since i've seen that movie

where do ya'll really think leo started to shine? way back in catch me if you can or the departed shutter island?

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I haven't seen the movie in forever, and I don't really remember much about the film or why it sticks out, but for me I didn't like Leo at all until I saw man in the iron mask.

Maybe the movie itself was bad but he was good enough that it made me think twice about him, and I imagine that if I watch it again id think it was terrible.

But that movie encouraged me to follow his career a little more and realize that he's extremely talented.

I'd also like to point out that acting is obviously subjective and we give certain actors crap for just playing themselves (Tom cruise, Nicholson in his later career,etc) but that doesn't necessarily mean they are bad actors. Gary Oldman and DDL are amazing because they truly disappear into their roles, but really what it comes down to is whether or not you believe the character. Ethan hunt is just Tom cruise, but that doesn't make me believe his choices and decisions any less.

So being the best actor and being the most skilled actor could be two different things. Gary Oldman is obviously one of the most skilled, and I love watching him, but Ryan Reynolds and chris Hemsworth might be my favorites?

j00t said:

man in the iron mask.

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It was just not a well put-together movie despite one of the most amazing casts ever.

Vanessa said:

Phaz is correct here.

I know y'all like to be Titanic haters because... reasons... but look, he was great in that too and you don't just accidentally rake in 2 billion on a film where you're the lead actor in because you're not on top of the game or the film is bad.

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leo is great, but i cant empathize with him, if that makes any sense. i always feel like he's trying too hard to prove he is a great actor.

I think people are forgetting just how big Leo was after Titanic. The single biggest and most visible teenage heartthrob in history, the Leo craze was probably on par with the Beatles at the height of their popularity. At the time I'd have legitimately jumped for joy to hear he'd died in a plane crash or something.

Well really no point in echoing everyone else buuuut I'd have to go with the trio of Brits mentioned all over the thread -- Daniel Day Lewis, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman. Yeah Bale is Welsh, whatever same fucking thing. Anyway another contribution - Christoph Waltz. Dude has been acting since the 70's but of course most of the English speaking world didn't know him (myself included) until 2009 with Inglourious Basterds. Honorable mentions to Mickey Rourke and Joaquin Phoenix, two guys who are always fascinating to watch. Same goes with Matthew McConaughey, he really likes those grungy oddball roles. Enjoyed him in Mud and True Detective S1. Him and Woody were an absolutely amazing duo.

edit: holy shit Christian Bale is so much younger than I thought, not even 50 yet born in '74

j00t said:

I'd also like to point out that acting is obviously subjective and we give certain actors crap for just playing themselves (Tom cruise, Nicholson in his later career,etc) but that doesn't necessarily mean they are bad actors. Gary Oldman and DDL are amazing because they truly disappear into their roles, but really what it comes down to is whether or not you believe the character. Ethan hunt is just Tom cruise, but that doesn't make me believe his choices and decisions any less.

So being the best actor and being the most skilled actor could be two different things.

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Well, I will watch any movie that Tom Cruise makes, but I don't consider him in my top 10 favorite actors. That seems weird.

He typically makes movies that suit his character and style, and most of them aren't barn burners but they are all entertaining. I will say one of my favs of his is Collateral where he is actually the bad guy.

To the thread some more - I really liked Heath Ledger's acting, A Knights Tale, The Four Feathers (a serious gem if you have never seen it, immediately watch it), of course his Joker role. But he ded.

Tom Cruise is good in a lot of things. He's A+ as Lestat in Interview With the Vampire. He also steals the show in Tropic Thunder.


What Cruise would be lacking would be the big catalog of great roles that some of his peers possess.

Arbitrary said:

Tom Cruise is good in a lot of things. He's A+ as Lestat in Interview With the Vampire. He also steals the show in Tropic Thunder.


What Cruise would be lacking would be the big catalog of great roles that some of his peers possess.

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i like Tom Cruise, but he has a Tom Cruise problem. he goes apeshit in even his most serious roles at some point. why does he do that? i have no idea, but its his trademark now and i cant overlook how silly he looks when he does it. "come on, who's with me? " underwear is underwear wherever you go!" its not about what i can say, its about what i can prove!"

Plenty of great picks but anything could happen tomorrow and Nicolas Cage would, once again, burst from the brightly burning Las Vegas dumpster that sheltered him; flying higher than ever before.

No love for Edward Norton?

Caligula_The_Cat said:

No love for Edward Norton?

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He glowed brightly and then flared out. Rumored to be a real cunt to work with. I recently watched Motherless Brooklyn and he was okay but no great shakes.

Slaanesh69 said:

Rumored to be a real cunt to work with.

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I figure his role in Birdman was him just being him.

This thread made me realize how much I like Sam Rockwell. He's just the tops.

DeNiro
Martin Sheen
Viggo Mortenssen
Robert Downy Jr