Who is the best actor of your era?

[Elite]

Starting with movies that were made from when you was 16+.

 

For me it's easily Leonardo Di Caprio. I remember first seeing him in Basketball Diaries and he's been in some of my all time favourites since such as Django, Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed, Shutter Island and Catch Me If You Can.

 

All time I rate De Niro as the best but most of his best stuff was before the mid-90s so not my era.

 

Older posters will have more choice.

 

Fire away.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Pacino in the 70’s. 

[chrisbonnie]

I'd say di caprio to. They only shit film I can remember him in was shutter island. Rubbish movie, everything else is usually excellent. 

 

I quite like Matt Damon as well. Rarely in anything bad. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I think a lot of actors, if they hang around long enough, just end up treading water, but at their peak Paul Newman, Al Pacino, Robert de Niro, Jack Nicholson and Johnny Depp were absolutely electric; there are some films where you don't want to blink while they're on the screen.

 

Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman are also worth a shout.

[Section_31]

Not very original but Pacino for me for the sheer force of what he brings to the screen, highlights being Scent of a Woman and Heat.

 

Although the best single acting performance I've seen is probably Sean Penn in Carlito's Way.

[Mook]

Sean Penn.

 

Shouts to Matthew McConnaughey, DiCaprio & Stephen Graham.

 

I feel like I've forgotten someone I shouldn't have.

[Jairzinho]

[Bobby Hundreds]

Sean Penn was great in Mystic River. Gonna be boring and say Daniel Day Lewis is by far the best actor I've seen. Gary Oldman too they just change its not the actor playing someone it's a fully formed different person.

 

I think James Gandolfini did the greatest character portrayal ever with Tony Soprano but it's one role. There was also a series with Stellen Skarsgard called River and I thought he was exceptional in it, again just another one off role.

[polymerpunkah]

Pitt's in with a shout for me.

 

12 Monkeys, Fight Club, Snatch, Jesse James, The Big Short, World War Z, Seven, Inglourious Basterds, Glory, etc.

 

A lot of movies I really like, and he's taken some chances as well, not always playing the same character.

 

Sexy bastard, to boot.

[KMD7]

Top 5 would probably be

Gene Hackman.

Daniel Day Lewis. 

De Niro,

Pacino.

Denzil Washington.

 

[Numero Veinticinco]

Kevin Spacey is up there. 

[Rushies tash]

Fuck, 16+ covers 5 decades for me. In no particular order:

 

Gary Oldman

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jodie Foster

Jeremy Irons

Judi Dench

 

On the small screen, honourable mentions to Stephen Graham, Olivia Coleman and Michael Sheen.

 

Would have also mentioned Pacino and DeNiro, but I think their best stuff was before I turned 16.

[coachpotato]

De Niro, Hanks, James Caan, Pacino. 
Maggie Smith and Judi Dench too.
 

Can’t remember a bad film between them.

[polymerpunkah]

Viggo Mortensen would be on my list as well.

 

Incredible range of movies, and great in every one I've seen.

[Section_31]

19 minutes ago, Numero Veinticinco said:

Kevin Spacey is up there. 

I bet he is.

[Section_31]

Brad Pitt is a seriously underrated actor, seven and fight club being his most obvious big performances but great in 12 Years a Slave and inglorious too.

[Numero Veinticinco]

6 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

I bet he is.

Likely been up there several times. 

[Numero Veinticinco]

Tom Cruise? 

[littletedwest]

1 hour ago, chrisbonnie said:

I'd say di caprio to. They only shit film I can remember him in was shutter island. Rubbish movie, everything else is usually excellent. 

 

I quite like Matt Damon as well. Rarely in anything bad. 

I thought shutter Island was brilliant 

[RJ Fan club]

Before my era, but I find Robert Shaw absolutely captivating to watch.

 

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Gene Wilder, when he's not overtly clowning, is a beautiful actor, and much funnier for it.

[Red Banjo]

I was 15 when Pulp Fiction came out and he's barely made a dud since. So for the amount of quality he's produced - Samuel L Jackson absolutely has to be in the conversation.

 

And echo the Matt Damon shouts. 27 years ago he made Good Will Hunting, and it's been a steady stream of certified classics ever since.

[Remmie]

17 minutes ago, Red Banjo said:

I was 15 when Pulp Fiction came out and he's barely made a dud since. So for the amount of quality he's produced - Samuel L Jackson absolutely has to be in the conversation.

 

And echo the Matt Damon shouts. 27 years ago he made Good Will Hunting, and it's been a steady stream of certified classics ever since.

Has there been a more charismatic actor than Samuel L Jackson as Jules in Pulp Fiction?

 

Maybe Sharon Stone in Basic instinct, but you know what mean 

[Red Banjo]

11 minutes ago, Remmie said:

Has there been a more charismatic actor than Samuel L Jackson as Jules in Pulp Fiction?

 

Maybe Sharon Stone in Basic instinct, but you know what mean 

 

Tim Robbins in Shawshank? Have you ever rooted for someone more than him?

 

Rather than wanted to root someone more than Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. Still. 32 years later.

[Remmie]

Just now, Red Banjo said:

 

Tim Robbins in Shawshank? Have you ever rooted for someone more than him?

 

Rather than wanted to root someone more than Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. Still. 32 years later.

Dufresne was a great character, very likeable and smart but nowhere near as cool and charismatic as Jules.