Every so often, we compile a list of our favourite somethings and someones. This time around, we break down our favourite actors, and rather than go into a long spiel about each one, we thought it might be nice to give one reason they’re as awesome as they are and call it a day.
Okay, so we also decided to throw in our favourite movies they’ve ever done.
10 ) Russell Crowe – Regardless of the role, Russell Crowe manages to throw his full force behind the character he’s playing, whether a schizophrenic genius or the quintessential Robin Hood. Notable films include Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, and Master and Commander.
9 ) Tommy Lee Jones – While he is relatively serious and straight-faced in every movie, Tommy Lee Jones’s consistent tonality doesn’t mean he can’t play a wide variety of stellar characters. Notable films include The Fugitive, In the Valley of Elah, and yes, Batman Forever, for his craziness.
8 ) Christian Bale – Speaking of Batman, Christian Bale is an actor that manages to do whatever he needs to – no, really – to get into a character, even if it means dropping 60 pounds in four months for one role, then gaining it all back (and then some) for the next. Notable films include Batman: The Dark Knight (entire trilogy), The Machinist, and The Prestige.
7 ) Johnny Depp – An intense character actor, Johnny Depp can transform himself from a serious, stage-driven performer to someone who puts on a new mask and makes us forget he is a celebrity for two hours. Notable films include Edward Scissorhands, Pirates of the Caribbean (entire series), Sleepy Holloy, and Finding Neverland.
6 ) Leonardio DiCaprio – Another character-driven actor, DiCaprio excels at making movies that have a premise that is just slightly off kilter from the real world, with a wonderful sense of whimsy in his delivery. Notable films include Titanic, Django Unchained, Catch Me If You Can, and Inception.
5 ) Matt Damon – As a real-life father and philanthropist, Matt Damon has shown a steady progression from serious roles into more light-hearted dramatic pieces, excelling at both styles of performance. Notable films include The Bourne Identity (entire trilogy), Good Will Hunting, Invictus, and Ocean’s Eleven.
4 ) Harrison Ford – He’s been Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and the President of the United States, among many others, and he pulls each character off with the sternness and responsibility that he projects, opting for a comedic film every once in a while to lighten things up. Notable films include The Fugitive, Star Wars (the original trilogy), Indiana Jones (the original trilogy), Air Force One, and Blade Runner.
3 ) Will Smith – The one and only Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Will Smith has proven that he can not only be a comedic actor, but buckle down and play a very serious or dramatic role that imparts heart and feeling without feeling pretentious. Notable films include Independence Day, The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, and Ali.
2 ) Morgan Freeman – The quintessential narrative voice, Morgan Freeman has taken us on journeys large and small, playing characters as grand as the recently-passed Nelson Mandela, and as simple and magnificent as an inmate at Shawshank State Prison. Notable films include Invictus, The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, and The Dark Knight.
1 ) Tom Hanks – More than anyone on this list, Tom Hanks makes us forget he’s Tom Hanks when he acts, going so far as to make him worth watching if he is doing nothing but running across the country, or staring into space as he makes discoveries in his mind, or creates fire while stranded on an island. Notable films include Castaway, The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, The Terminal, Toy Story (the entire trilogy), Road to Perdition, Apollo 13, A League of Their Own, and Catch Me If You Can.
Yes, all of them.
