The Top Five Actors of this Generation

[Dark Donnie]

Who would be on your list of the top five actors of this generation?

Mine would go as follows:


Leonardo DiCaprio
Edward Norton
Christian Bale
Ryan Gosling
Will Smith

Honorable Mentions:
Jake Gyllenhall
Matt Damon
Mark Wahlberg
Hugh Jackman

 

[Prognosticator]

Leo
Matt Damon
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Jake Gyllenhall
?

Falling Stars:
Tobey Maguire
Ed Norton

 

[The Chairman]

1) Leonardo DiCaprio
2) Christian Bale
3) Jake Gyllenhaal
4) Matt Damon
5) Phillip Seymour Hoffman

 

[Dark Donnie]

Leo
Matt Damon
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Jake Gyllenhall
?

Falling Stars:
Tobey Maguire
Ed Norton

I thought Edward Norton was falling but after seeing The Illusionist, I thought he returned to form. I do think he needs to take on more challenging roles like American History X and Primal Fear.

 

[FaT_tONle]

1) Leonardo DiCaprio
2) Christian Bale
3) Jake Gyllenhaal
4) Matt Damon
5) Phillip Seymour Hoffman

Perfection... though the case is still out on Jake and even Bale... too high for them in my book... I'll go:

Leo
Damon
Jackman
Bale
Jake/Hoffman either or...

 

[The Chairman]

Perfection... though the case is still out on Jake and even Bale... too high for them in my book

I don't know, I really think Jake and Bale have solidified themselves. Jake looks to be great in Zodiac, and Bale has been doing some of the most versatile and impressive screenwork of the last decade. Look at his filmography. The man's trackr ecord is pretty damn solid.

Norton would also be on my list, but I think he peaked with abit with Fight Club. After that, he hasn't been challenging himself the way he used to with his roles. Though I do hear he is excellent in The Illusionist.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Leonardo DiCaprio
Denzel Washington (still)
Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Matt Damon
Brad Pitt

Sorry, I don't believe Bale belongs on this list...he's good, not top five good though.

 

[cerealkiller182]

Definitely Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale. I have sincerly enjoyed watching these two actors lately. They have had and are getting really interesting projects.

Rising Stars:
Jeremy Piven- I have liked this guy since his days riding John Cusack's coattails, and entourage is exactly the kind of project he needed to show the world his talents. Smokin Aces has its cool factor, but I desperately want to see this guy in something amazing.

Ben Foster- I dont think anyone has a more interesting array of roles in the recent years than he has.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Keeping with guys who started in movies in the last 15 years

Leonardo DiCaprio
Ed Norton
Christian Bale
Matt Damon
Russel Crowe

Future stars to watch for are Ryan Gosling,Joseph Gordon Levitt and Chris Evans IMO

 

[Dark Donnie]

I really like Gosling's chances of success in the future. I think he's defintely someone to watch.



Hunter did you see The Illusionist?

 

[Prognosticator]

I really want to put Jackman in there, but he's a little too overexposed at the moment. He's definitely got "it" factor, and he can range from Comedy to Drama to Sci-fi to Musical with ease...maybe I do put him in there

1) Leo
2) Damon
3) Hoffman
4) Jackman
5) Gyllenhall

..and someone else who is on fire even though he's in his late 30s, DANIEL CRAIG.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Bale has a range of accents and looks...but that aside he tends only to play the brooding guy whose life is somehow in shambles (at least when he is the lead). I don't find his delivery particularly spectacular either, he doesn't run the range of emotions as seemlessly and well as say DiCaprio. There is something very static about the way he acts, and his greatest accomplicement, American Psycho is more or less over-acting done to a script and movie that would require such a performance...but nothing, so far as I can see, that is particular challenging for an actor.

 

[The Chairman]

Bale has a range of accents and looks...but that aside he tends only to play the brooding guy whose life is somehow in shambles (at least when he is the lead). I don't find his delivery particularly spectacular either, he doesn't run the range of emotions as seemlessly and well as say DiCaprio. There is something very static about the way he acts, and his greatest accomplicement, American Psycho is more or less over-acting done to a script and movie that would require such a performance...but nothing, so far as I can see, that is particular challenging for an actor.

Well, I personally think Bale has become a bit too overhyped since Batman Begins (not too say he wasn't great), but you have to give him a lot of credit. Few go the extra mile to nail their roles the way Bale does. Look at what he did for The Machinist. No other actor would dare go to the lengths he did to make that part work. He risked his own health,and then gained it all back or Batman Begins. The fact that he went that far to make the part wokr properly is a tremendous example of Bale's talent as an actor as well as his dedication the craft.

 

[BloodyWolverine]

This generation.

1 Christian Bale.
2 Matt Damon.
3 Johnny Depp.
4 Hugh Jackman.
5 Ewan Mc Gregor.

Veterans.

Harrison Ford.
Bruce Willis.
Morgan Freeman.
Sam Elliot.
Ian McKellan.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Well, I personally think Bale has become a bit too overhyped since Batman Begins (not too say he wasn't great), but you have to give him a lot of credit. Few go the extra mile to nail their roles the way Bale does. Look at what he did for The Machinist. No other actor would dare go to the lengths he did to make that part work. He risked his own health,and then gained it all back or Batman Begins. The fact that he went that far to make the part wokr properly is a tremendous example of Bale's talent as an actor as well as his dedication the craft.

Certainly dedicated, but not [particularly] talented or gifted in his acting ability. He's good, not great. Someone like Clive Owen, even, I would say is better.

 

[The Chairman]

Certainly dedicated, but not [particularly] talented or gifted in his acting ability. He's good, not great. Someone like Clive Owen, even, I would say is better.

I disagree. The guy's first big role came when he was 13 in Empire Of The Sun, and he nialed it. He's been hailed as one of if not the finest actors of the time period by both critics and audiences. Few actors get the acclaim he receives. To say he is merely "good" is just a joke.

Owen is good, but he as limited range. Every film I've seen him, he's just this suave, smooth, charming guy with a just hint of brooding to him. No real range. Chidlren Of Men looks like it could sawy my opinion on him, though.

 

[Obsidian]

Bale has a range of accents and looks...but that aside he tends only to play the brooding guy whose life is somehow in shambles (at least when he is the lead). I don't find his delivery particularly spectacular either, he doesn't run the range of emotions as seemlessly and well as say DiCaprio. There is something very static about the way he acts, and his greatest accomplicement, American Psycho is more or less over-acting done to a script and movie that would require such a performance...but nothing, so far as I can see, that is particular challenging for an actor.

He's only done that recently (for the past 4-5 years). His roles are varied. For example:

Newsies
Laurel Canyon
American Psycho
Little Children
Harsh Times
Shaft
Empire of the Sun

 

[The Chairman]

He's only done that recently (for the past 4-5 years). His roles are varied. For example:

Newsies
Laurel Canyon
American Psycho
Little Women
Harsh Times
Shaft
Empire of the Sun

Fixed it for you.

 

[Obsidian]

thanks...i'm multitasking..so i missed that

 

[The Chairman]

thanks...i'm multitasking..so i missed that

No problem.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

I disagree. The guy's first big role came when he was 13 in Empire Of The Sun, and he nialed it. He's been hailed as one of if not the finest actors of the time period by both critics and audiences.

He's been called "good" by a few, but quiet a few have panned his performances as well (and that includes American Psycho). He is certainly distinguised as a child actor, but hasn't grown into anything more I feel.

Few actors get the acclaim he receives. To say he is merely "good" is just a joke.

Perhaps few, but there aren't many "good" actors...most would be "bad" or "mediocre" much like most films. I would say he is merely good. He is certainly not pulling any DiCaprio, Penn, Damon, Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Tim Robbins or even Wahlberg (in The Departed) performances in his career. Perhaps he merely lacks recognition, or hasn't been given the chance. But actors who do Superhero movies generally don't fall in the category of "top five"...that's ridiculous. There are very few action movie stars who do what Sigorny Weaver did. Bale has yet to, in my opinion, do anything Oscar worthy...unlike most of the other people mentioned.

Owen is good, but he as limited range. Every film I've seen him, he's just this suave, smooth, charming guy with a just hint of brooding to him. No real range. Chidlren Of Men looks like it could sawy my opinion on him, though.

Yeah he is really good in that.

 

[unknownuser]

Christian Bale
Johnny Depp
Matt Damon
Leonardo Di Caprio
Ed Norton

 

[The Sage]

Leonardo DiCaprio
Matt Damon
Hugh Jackman
Don Cheadle
Denzel Washington

 

[Cinemaman]

New:
1. Christian Bale
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
3. Edward Norton
4. Matt Damon
5. Jake Gyllenhaal

Old:
1. Kevin Spacey
2. Rober Downey Jr.
3. Nicolas Cage
4. Johnny Depp
5. Russell Crowe

 

[Robin91939]

1.) Robert DeNiro (Taxi Driver, A Bronx Tale, Casino, Goodfellas)

2.) Tom Hanks (Green Mile, Road to Prediction, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan)

3.) Kevin Spacey (Se7en, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty,
Superman Returns)

4.) Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic, Blood Diamond, The Aviator, The Departed)

5.) Johnny Depp (Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Pirates of the Caribbean)

6.) Sean Penn (All the Kings Men, Dead Man Walking, Mystic River, I am Sam)

7.) Christian Bale (Empire of the Sun, The Machinist, Batman Begins, New World, The Prestige)

8.) Edward Norton (Fight Club, American History X, Primal Fear, The Illusionist)

9.) Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Outbreak, Se7en)

10.) Anthony Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, [Proof], The World's Fastest Indian)

These are my top ten actors who are alive today.

Honorable mention:
Jack Nicholson (The Shining)
Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby)
Phillip Seymore Hoffman (Capote)
Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man)
Tom Cruise (Interview with a Vampire)

-R