Your Top 20 Favorite Actors/Actresses

[calsnowskier]

1. Leonardo DiCaprio
2. Christian Bale
3. Denzel Washington
4. Kate Winslet
5. Tom Hanks
6. George Clooney
7. Natalie Portman
8. Daniel Day-Lewis
9. Kevin Costner
10. Helena Bonham Carter

???

Daniel Day-Lewis isn't even an actor...

 

[$500 Million]

???

Daniel Day-Lewis isn't even an actor...

I don't believe that retirement BS for a minute, he'll be back as soon as he finds something worth doing.

 

[calsnowskier]

1. Keanu Reeves

20. Everyone else.

 

[darken65]

1. Keanu Reeves

20. Everyone else.

 

[jakedog56]

No mention of Jennifer Jason-Leigh so far?

Very underrated. Many great roles over the years.

 

[calsnowskier]

No mention of Jennifer Jason-Leigh so far?

Very underrated. Many great roles over the years.

I thought she was very over-rated in Hateful 8. I thought that Walton Goggins deserved a nom more than her (I realize they are in different categories).

Other than that and Fast Times, she has always just been a bit player, I thought. What has she done that makes her deserving of a mention in this thread?

 

[jakedog56]

I thought she was very over-rated in Hateful 8. I thought that Walton Goggins deserved a nom more than her (I realize they are in different categories).

Other than that and Fast Times, she has always just been a bit player, I thought. What has she done that makes her deserving of a mention in this thread?

Seriously? In a thread where people list Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood (I like Wayne and love Clint but neither have any acting range), Natalie Portman, Sandra Bullock, etc. you are going to call out Jennifer Jason-Leigh on ability?

Sigh. Ok.
Fast Times at Ridgemount High
Flesh and Blood
The Hitcher
Last Exit to Brooklyn (nominated- critic's award)
Miami Blues (nominated- critic's award. Also funnier than he'll movie)
Rush- (Great performance, great movie!)
Single White Female- (nominated- critic's award, also MTV award, for what that's worth).
Short Cuts- (multiple nominations, including Golden Globe)
The Hudsucker Proxy
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle- (National Film Critic's award for Best Actress. Various other awards and nominations.)
Dolores Claiborne- (Nominated for a Saturn Award, great performance).
Georgia- (Great performance. Multiple awards and nominations).
Bastard Out of Carolina
A Thousand Acres- (award winning performance)
eXistenZ
The King is Alive- (award winning performance)
The Anniversary Party- (Also wrote, produced, and directed. Cannes nominated. Various other nominations).
Road to Perdition
The Machinist
The Jacket
Margo at the Wedding- (Various nominations).
Childstar- (award winning performance)
Synecdoche, New York- (award winning performance).
Anomalisa- (award winning performance, many nominations).
The Hateful Eight- (despite your opinion, several best supporting actress wins and many nominations).
Morgan- (good movie!)

So, she may not have always been a Holywood A-lister who carried movies as a lead all of the time but only a handful of women are as lead roles for women are harder to come by. She, however was certainly not a "bit player" (lots of supporting roles, but that is not "bit parts")
Admitably lots of the nominations were more industry insider (critic and peer awards, or big festival awards as opposed to Academy Awards), but her trophy case certainly is full.
Positives
*Long and varied career
*Willingness to take on many different types movies. Lots of independent movies, lots of non-mainstream movies with sci-fi, or extreme drama bent.
*Willingness to take on many different types of roles. Certainly did not develop one style of acting and never expand beyond like so many others.
*Well respected in the industry insiders.
*Always solid performances (I really can't think of a truly bad one and she has been doing it for nearly 40 years. Her role in The Hitcher was probably the weakest listed here in my opinion but the film itself is a classic).

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Mine is that she is an excellent actress and far more deserving than many listed here. Her performances in the likes of Rush and Georgia are nothing short of great.

That is my case for. Any decent rebuttal?

 

[calsnowskier]

I wanted to rate your post with a chill AND a like, but you are only allowed one rating, so I went with the one that applied more...

That said, chill dude. I wasn't attacking you. I was just surprised to see such a marginal name in this thread. She has gotten a lot of attention from H8, but has not been a headliner (save for a few appearances here and there) in the 35 years since her breakout in Fast Times. I agree that Cruise, Wayne, Eastwood etc don't belong here, but they, at least, are HUGE names. JJL has a name that is approximately on par with Tom Hardy, but I am not sure anyone would compare her chops to his. If you do, that's cool. You are allowed to think that. I just suspect you are probably in the minority with that opinion.

 

[jakedog56]

I wanted to rate your post with a chill AND a like, but you are only allowed one rating, so I went with the one that applied more...

That said, chill dude. I wasn't attacking you. I was just surprised to see such a marginal name in this thread. She has gotten a lot of attention from H8, but has not been a headliner (save for a few appearances here and there) in the 35 years since her breakout in Fast Times. I agree that Cruise, Wayne, Eastwood etc don't belong here, but they, at least, are HUGE names. JJL has a name that is approximately on par with Tom Hardy, but I am not sure anyone would compare her chops to his. If you do, that's cool. You are allowed to think that. I just suspect you are probably in the minority with that opinion.

I wasn't thinking you were attacking me. I was just laying out a case for her as a very good actress. I agree that she isn't as mainstream popular but she is very respected within the industry.

To each their own. I feel her career highlights are great performances and excellent non-cookie cutter movies.

 

[Gatorchip]

Seriously? In a thread where people list Tom Cruise, Keanu Reeves, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood (I like Wayne and love Clint but neither have any acting range), Natalie Portman, Sandra Bullock, etc. you are going to call out Jennifer Jason-Leigh on ability?

Sigh. Ok.
Fast Times at Ridgemount High
Flesh and Blood
The Hitcher
Last Exit to Brooklyn (nominated- critic's award)
Miami Blues (nominated- critic's award. Also funnier than he'll movie)
Rush- (Great performance, great movie!)
Single White Female- (nominated- critic's award, also MTV award, for what that's worth).
Short Cuts- (multiple nominations, including Golden Globe)
The Hudsucker Proxy
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle- (National Film Critic's award for Best Actress. Various other awards and nominations.)
Dolores Claiborne- (Nominated for a Saturn Award, great performance).
Georgia- (Great performance. Multiple awards and nominations).
Bastard Out of Carolina
A Thousand Acres- (award winning performance)
eXistenZ
The King is Alive- (award winning performance)
The Anniversary Party- (Also wrote, produced, and directed. Cannes nominated. Various other nominations).
Road to Perdition
The Machinist
The Jacket
Margo at the Wedding- (Various nominations).
Childstar- (award winning performance)
Synecdoche, New York- (award winning performance).
Anomalisa- (award winning performance, many nominations).
The Hateful Eight- (despite your opinion, several best supporting actress wins and many nominations).
Morgan- (good movie!)

So, she may not have always been a Holywood A-lister who carried movies as a lead all of the time but only a handful of women are as lead roles for women are harder to come by. She, however was certainly not a "bit player" (lots of supporting roles, but that is not "bit parts")
Admitably lots of the nominations were more industry insider (critic and peer awards, or big festival awards as opposed to Academy Awards), but her trophy case certainly is full.
Positives
*Long and varied career
*Willingness to take on many different types movies. Lots of independent movies, lots of non-mainstream movies with sci-fi, or extreme drama bent.
*Willingness to take on many different types of roles. Certainly did not develop one style of acting and never expand beyond like so many others.
*Well respected in the industry insiders.
*Always solid performances (I really can't think of a truly bad one and she has been doing it for nearly 40 years. Her role in The Hitcher was probably the weakest listed here in my opinion but the film itself is a classic).

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Mine is that she is an excellent actress and far more deserving than many listed here. Her performances in the likes of Rush and Georgia are nothing short of great.

That is my case for. Any decent rebuttal?

awww. Someones got a crush!

 

[batchaps4me]

I would have called Private Ryan a drama, but close enough.
Don't get me wrong, I think Hanks is one of the best ever.

Never, ever travel with Tom Hanks though. Just sayin.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I will disregard anyone's list if it doesn't have Denzel Washington in it.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Never, ever travel with Tom Hanks though. Just sayin.

 

[wood20ks]

Mel Gibson
Tom Hardy
Clint Eastwood
Hugh Jackman
Morgan Freeman
Samuel l Jax
Russle crowe
DD Lewis

and a few more................Just don't feel like thinking of the rest right now.

 

[Yo Tee]

Not in any particular order, but my list would include...

Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Natalie Portman, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Jim Carrey, Jack Nicholson, Rooney Mara, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emma Watson, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Ryan Reynolds, David Tennant, Rachel McAdams, Robert Downey Jr.

Also, just wanted to point out that this isn't who are the best actors or actresses, this is a list of favorites. So this is all based on personal opinions and we shouldn't be attacking anyone on here.

 

[DragonfromTO]

awww. Someones got a crush!

The best tits in the western world!

 

[TKOSpikes]

Denzel Washington
Jason Bateman
Robert De Niro
Bill Murray
Tom Hanks
Leslie Mann
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Kiefer Sutherland
Paul Rudd
Jack Nicholson
Kevin Spacey
Samuel Jackson
Joe Pesci
Steve Buscemi
Dustin Hoffman
Mark Wahlberg
Morgan Freeman
Sam Waterston
Rachel McAdams
Kate Beckinsale
Woody Harrelson

 

[GNG]

My top five...
1. Clint Eastwood
2. Al Pacino
3. Mark Wahlberg
4. Bruce Willis
5. Denzel Washington

 

[BigRedMoe]

No particular order....

Kenneth Branagh
Clint Eastwood
Denzel Washington
Rachel McAdams
Tom Hanks
Harrison Ford
Simon Pegg
Aletta Ocean
Ewan McGregor
Robin Williams
Ryan Reynolds
Emma Thompson
Matt Damon
Stellan Skarsgard
Alexander Skarsgard
Sienna Miller
Paul Rudd
Steve Carrell
Amy Poehler
Nick Offerman
Morgan Freeman

 

[StanMarsh51]

Aletta Ocean