Just curious- who is the greatest living American actor right now? I don’t mean who has the most accomplishments or past achievements or Oscars, but who, do you think, is at the height of his/her craft?
My money is on Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Sean Penn would be my number two.
NotMax
Living? Off the top of the noggin, would have to go with Eli Wallach.
GregB
I’ll go with Meryl Streep.
ruemara
We have actors still? I just keep seeing celebrities. all the real actors I can think of are from across the pond.
NotMax
Dang it, I’m so old that I forget that ‘actor’ now refers to both sexes.
How about Glenn Cloae?
Alison
Heh, my top two have already been named, PSH and TEH STREEP. Both of them pretty much always amaze me, in an entirely new way every time. “Doubt” was a good film made 27739 times better by their combined awesomeness.
Hunter Gathers
His performance in Moneyball was the worst Art Howe impersonation I’ve ever seen.
Alison
Also, I note you say “at the height of his/her craft” – obvs Streep has been around a while, but I just feel that with age she’s just gotten better and better. And I think that;s a big deal since for so many women in Hollywood, once you hit like, 35 you’re looked at like a compost pile – gross and smelly but hey, maybe we can wrangle something out of this. Sigh.
robertdsc-iPhone 4
Julianne Moore gets my vote.
AT
Streep is ok, Michelle Williams is great though.
Unabogie
Edward James Olmos is kind of awesome. Do we have to pick just one?
AT
Bryan Cranston is also great, a lot of really good actors are tv actors at the moment.
Kat
Morgan Freeman.
burnspbesq
Eric Owens, who played Alberich in the Ring cycle at the Met the last two seasons.
Hey, opera is acting.
Kane
Frances McDormand is a favorite. Paul Giamatti is good as well. Morgan Freeman is always fantastic. Jeff Bridges is great.
Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads
Since you can’t really go OT in an open thread, anybody see this at Crooks and Liars? Whites-only pastor’s conference, which will include a cross burning, which isn’t racist and you are racist if you say it is.
For the actor thing, I was going to say Geoff Peterson, but he isn’t living.
GregB
And the brilliant Adam Sandler. His work in That’s My Son eclipsed DeNiro in Raging Bull.
Kane
Does porn count? j/k
Quincy
Daniel Day Lewis
MattF
Streep is my fave. But the most astonishing performance I’ve seen in the past several years was Tilda Swinton in Michael Clayton.
Added: Re-reading the post, Swinton’s not American… But go watch the performance if you haven’t seen it.
Narcissus
I have to say Bryan Cranston, too. Breaking Bad has always blown me away.
If porn counts then I’ll have to set up some brackets ala march madness
Jewish Steel
@Quincy: He’s one of my faves too. But not an American.
ETA even though he was the Last Mohican.
burnspbesq
If you’re an Oklahoma City Thunder fan, you probably think Shane Battier is the greatest American actor of our time.
NotMax
@burnspbesq
Ever heard the late Anna Russell’s classic comedic interpretation of the Ring Cycle?
Always cracks me up.
amk
Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman
Michelle Pfeiffer, Frances McDormand
Alison
@MattF: Swinton is awesome. I’d be all for making her an honorary American :)
some guy
racists say what?
Collier insisted that the “Sacred Christian Cross Lighting Ceremony” to be held on final day of the event symbolized an “opposition to tyranny.”
Tehanu
Johnny Depp.
Robert Downey Jr.
Julianne Moore.
Annette Bening.
Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads
@some guy:
Maybe they just have never been invited to anything, religious or not. Would you want them at your picnic?
Yutsano
@Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads: That’s to be expected. It’s not like they’d respect kosher/halal rules or anything.
Anne Laurie
Denzel Washington. Even when he was a nobody in the first season of St. Elsewhere, when he was on the screen you couldn’t pay attention to anyone else.
It’s the adult version of toys becoming “real” in the Velveteen Rabbit. Not easy, or pleasant, but magic when it happens. And as with (actual) toys, it’s easier to predict who won’t make the cut (‘nothing fragile, or disposable, or with too many moving parts’).
By the same metric, Jody Foster, and George Clooney. No matter how crappy the script, you can’t look away from their performances.
Cliff Curtis has that magic, too. And I think Chris Pines is going to turn out to be another one, if only because he could do a mostly two-people-talking movie (Unstoppable) with Washington and not be completely blown off the screen.
Politically Lost
I was just watching Downey Jr in Tropic Thunder. So, he gets my vote at the moment.
Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads
I can never pick anyone for this type of thing. I fixate on bits of performances. The first fifteen or thirty seconds of Little Miss Sunshine I thought was awesome. In some episode of Monk, John Turturro reaches out and almost touches Tony Shalhoub. That was kind of an effective tearjerker for me. And I like whoever does the voice of Buford. “Tough Gum!”
Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads
@Yutsano:
Or the “keep your feet out of the potato salad” rule.
the farmer
Bill Murray
*
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Anne Laurie: I don’t think it was a huge hit, but they were both great, and kind of out of character, in Inside Man
Favorite/best lists are always hard for me, but along the lines of the above, Susan Sarandon and Jeff Goldblum gave great and out-of-character performances in Igby Goes Down.
mai naem
There’s too many. Julianne Moore, DeNiro, Kevin Spacey, Paul Giamatti, Annette Bening,Sean Penn, Mark Wahlberg, Jake Gylenhaal.
piratedan
Laura Linney, Patricia Clarkson, Harry Dean Stanton, and Sam Rockwell would be who I pick…ymmv
Anne Laurie
@amk: Gene Hackman! How could I leave him off my list!
After Enemy of the State, I thought Will Smith might end up as a Real Actor, too, but he seems to have decided being a Movie Star is easier and pays better. Can’t knock his choice, but dang, wasn’t one Eddie Murphy enough punishment for the movie-going public at large?
NotMax
@Anne Laurie
Another one to watch for even in B- or C-level movies is Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Damn, but the guy who played the goofy kid in “Third Rock From the Sun” can really act his heart out.
BruinKid
Golly, so many to choose from. OK, here’s my list of actors and actresses.
Josh Brolin
Tom Hanks
Denzel Washington
Sean Penn
Matt Damon
Ben Affleck
James Franco
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Leonardo DiCaprio
Neil Patrick Harris
Samuel L. Jackson
Steve Carell
Jon Hamm
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Charlize Theron
Rachel Weisz
Elizabeth Banks
Jennifer Aniston
Mila Kunis
Emma Stone
Anne Hathaway
Laura Linney
Jane Lynch
I would’ve included Helena Bonham Carter, but then I saw you were restricting it to American actors. Basically, I chose people that just hearing they’re attached to some film suddenly makes you want to go see it more, because you know they’ll do an excellent job.
Now… would someone like Liam Neeson count? He’s a naturalized U.S. citizen now.
Narcissus
Theron is South African.
Anne Laurie
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I loved Inside Man. If you haven’t seen Deja Vu, you might like that one, too…
Which (thinking about Courage Under Fire) reminds me: Matt Damon and Meg Ryan are soooo close. Don’t think they’re quite Real Actors yet, but that’s partly because they haven’t had enough roles where they had to work for it. Which is almost contradictory to my thesis, but yet.
some guy
@Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads:
We’re seldom ever have been invited to black Muslim events
how many public, published and notified and formally issued invitations style “black Muslim events” are held in Alabama annually? one wonders.
Arclite
I’m going to stick with the younger set, b/c I’m sure we don’t need this fight: Pacino vs. DeNiro vs. Nicholson vs. Streep vs. Hoffman.
Rose Byrne and Ed Norton have been impressive. And recently, so has DiCaprio, now that he’s aged a bit and lost some of his pretention. And whoever said Julianne Moore and Sean Penn was spot on. They’re both consistently fantastic.
One actor who used to be fantastic, but has fallen into a bit of a rut is Johnny Depp.
Not American, but Michael Fassbender has been brilliant of late. His portayal of David in Prometheus was the highlight of that film.
My all time favorite though has got to be Gene Hackman.
MattR
@Anne Laurie:
You obviously have not seen Panic Room.
some guy
Peter Boyle\
\friends of eddie coyle
plus, Santa Claus 3
BruinKid
@Narcissus: See, she’s so good she had me completely fooled. :-)
MattR
How about Stephen Colbert? He;s been doing a pitch perfect portrayal of the modern American conservative for years.
piratedan
@some guy: alas, Mr Boyle has left us….
Arclite
@Politically Lost:
I adore RDJ, but I don’t really see him as great. He does what he does well, but it’s often the same thing. His Sherlock is a British Tony Stark, for example. It’s the same reason I dinged Depp. His Mad Hatter is his Tonto is his Captain Jack is his Barnabas Collins (Dark Shadows). He was SO good in Donnie Brasco, but has shied away from those roles of late.
MattR
@BruinKid: I was just looking at an article related to the best American accents from non-Americans. The amusing thing was it was inspired by Andrew Garfield in the new Spider Man who they say is British having been born in California to one British parent and one American parent but having grown up in England. That sounds like an American to me.
And the article left Hugh Laurie in House off its list.
Arclite
For the child actors, I’m quite impressed with Chloe Moretz.
Yutsano
Stanley Tucci. He loses himself in every role and can make even an awful movie pretty darn good.
@Jebediah, The Cornstarch of the Comment Threads: Da Jooz don’t invite people who hate them. I blame Obama.
@Arclite: Dirty little secret about Hugh Laurie: he’s fecking hilarious.
some guy
we never have been invited to NAACP events and we never have been invited to join Jewish synagogues events and stuff,” Christian Identity Ministries Pastor William J. Collier explained.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
@some guy:
That’s definitely Mitchum’s film (my favorite of his to boot), but while Boyle was damned fine in it, I think it was Richard Jordan who nearly stole the film from Mitchum.
some guy
@piratedan:
are you saying Santa Claus 3 is dead?
Frankenstcheen?
NotMax
@Anne Laurie
Ditto for Brad Pitt.
Back to speaking of great actors, can’t neglect James Earl Jones.
odp
@NotMax: “Alberich? Remember Alberich?!”
Arclite
@Anne Laurie:
Meh, I don’t see Will Smith ever doing a “Norbit” or “Daddy Daycare” so I don’t think he’ll ever fall as far as EM. But I agree he’s totally gone the “Movie Star” route, although there are some flashes of good acting in there, like the first half of I Am Legend or the first half of Hancock.
Arclite
Oh, yeah, Charlize Theron. So many great performances from her, although not much to work with in Prometheus. But she was brilliant as the queen in Snow White.
MoeLarryAndJesus
Dark horse is Vincent D’onofrio.
odp
@Yutsano: Anyone over 50 (or maybe 40) knows that Hugh Laurie has been hilarious all his life! “Jeeves and Wooster”? “A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie”?
Arclite
@Narcissus:
She got her US citizenship in 2007. So she’s American as of this writing.
Arclite
@Anne Laurie: Speaking of Meg Ryan, what happened to her? Recent photos don’t look anything like the way she looked 20 years ago. She looks like a completely different person.
Jim in Chicago
@odp:
“…Who is the only woman Siegfried has ever come across who hasn’t been his aunt…. I’m not making this up, you know!” ;D
NotMax
@odp
And Blackadder in its many incarnations.
satanicpanic
Robert Downey Jr is always awesome no matter how crappy the movie, which he’s done more than a few of.
yopd1
I’d say it depends on the genre, currently:
Drama – I don’t watch this much, so someone else choose.
Action – Jason Statham
Comedy – Wil Ferrell
hojo
@Kane:
That whole cast of Moonrise Empire. Also, Dustin Hoffman. Also, Lily Tomlin. Also, the West Wing cast. And Edie Falco. And several more.
AxelFoley
LOL, every time I see Hoffman, I think of him in Boogie Nights
Annamal
@Anne Laurie:
He is awesome but he’s also a kiwi (and Maori to boot).
Sarah, Proud and Tall
@Kane:
Yes. James Deen.
David Koch
Katie Holmes, Nicole Kidman, Mimi Rogers
Raven
Anna Martin Maxwell
Johannes
Martin Sheen.
Kevin Kline.
Nina Arianda.
La Streep.
Not presently at his time, but amazingly versatile and underrated: Donald Sutherland.
Raven
David Strathairn
freelancer (iPhone)
@MoeLarryAndJesus:
I just watched Happy Accidents for the first time the other day. He and Marisa Tomei are fantastic in that. What a good flick.
ned
@Arclite: Fairly sure Rose Byrne is Australian.
I think a good actor or actress is one who you’ve seen in a number of different roles, but have you’ve never said to yourself: hey, that’s the guy/girl from so-and-so.
Like watching Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons and Damages and Fatal Attraction and the Shield: she plays the role she’s given and you forget you’re watching Glenn Close.
Tom Hanks is likeable, but he’s always Tom Hanks playing that likeable astronaut or lawyer or soldier or toy in whatever movie he’s in.
To me, Nicole Kidman will always be the girl from BMX Bandits, also too.
Valdivia
I can’t believe no one has mentioned Kevin Spacey. He has done so many different roles. Film and Theater. And he was amazing in Margin Call. I was lucky enough to see him last year doing Richard III in Brooklyn which he also directed. Kicked ass that man did.
BarbF
I’d have to go with PSH, Streep, and I’d say Tom Wilkerson. A great actor.
Raven
Lauren Bacall is still with us
JPL
Narrowing it down to one is difficult but I’d say Streep. If there were a top twenty-five list, I’d add Tom Skeritt. I still miss Picket Fences.
BruinKid
@BarbF: Tom Wilkinson’s British.
shep
I’ll say it just because nobody else will: Brad Pitt. There’s a body of work there, if you look at it. And Natalie Portman, bitches.
Liquid
Nathan-Fucking-Fillion.
The Ancient Randonneur
The Rock!
SiubhanDuinne
@Johannes:
Canadian.
@David Koch:
LOL. Winning!
arguingwithsignposts
PSH, obviously, but I’m kind of surprised nobody mentioned Edward Norton as among the top. Matt Damon has done well.
Older_Wiser
As much as we try to deny it, fine Americans actors too often succumb to Hollywood hype. But so do many great foreign actors, too, like Anthony Hopkins. Actors shouldn’t starve, but those making $20M or so per picture have sold out, IMHO, for fame–the acting becomes secondary because American tastes are base and vulgar for the most part and those who control Hollywood know it.
I still love Tilda Swinton, and George Clooney for working with her, not just in “Michael Clayton” but also in the Coen comedy, “Burn After Reading.”
Liquid
Too late to mention Jessica Tandy? Yeah, mostly too late, mostly.
Mino
Louisiana has a little problem with voucherizing their public education. Schools from the wrong religion are popping up like toadstools.
“Unfortunately it will not be limited to the Founders’ religion,” Hodges said. “We need to insure that it does not open the door to fund
radical Islam schools. There are a thousand Muslim schools that have sprung up recently. I do not support using public funds for teaching Islam anywhere here in Louisiana.”
And Streep get my vote.
Comrade Scrutinizer
@Kane:
Yes. Kimberly Kane, whose performance as Scully in Sex Files and Sex Files 2 was almost as good as Anderson’s, plus sex.
arguingwithsignposts
@Arclite: I missed Arclite mentioning Norton.
PeakVT
@Mino: Louisiana intended to limit vouchers to deist schools? Who knew.
Comrade Scrutinizer
Also, Chris Cooper, and Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironoff. Yeah, I know she’s English, but she’s the best ever, and has been since Age of Consent back in 1969, playing opposite James Mason.
sam
No longer at the top of his form, to say the least, but if being the best means being able to do everything, from drama to musical to comedy, and do those things well, if not brilliantly, then Mickey Rooney is the greatest living American actor.
Mino
@PeakVT: Be interesting to see if there’s a living Republican who’s a deist, wouldn’t it? Or, given the state of education, find one who knew what deist meant.
burnspbesq
My favorite young actor is a Brit, but I’m throwing her in here anyway.
Carey Mulligan.
Also, she gets under-appreciated because she’s thought of primarily as a musical-theater actress, but Kristin Chenoweth can really act.
Chris
@some guy:
And now we know how the KKK will get itself back into the open -just squeal oppression and both sides do it, and talk about how white people deserve an NAACP of their own.
Scott
Can’t believe no one has mentioned Peter Dinklage.
He is the first actor who happens to be a little person that can make you completely forget that fact.
For me, anyway.
And I would have mentioned Ryan Gosling, if not for his being from the Great White North. Blue Valentine, with Michelle Williams, was an amazing film.
Viva BrisVegas
Calculon
Chinn Romney
Sofia Vergara is my under the radar pick. She needs a new management team to increase her exposure, but her range and versatility cannot be denied.
Hawes
Bryan Cranston’s performance in Breaking Bad is the best performance I’ve seen in years. It’s is otherworldly good. But he’s also a vocal artist in Madagascar III, which, though amusing, may disqualify.
I have to say Streep. And I think that goes beyond living. I think she can legitimately lay claim to being the finest American actor of all time. DeNiro, Downey, Pacino, Brando all have these roles where they just ham it up, and chew on the scenery like a dog with a juicy bone.
But Streep is perfect every single time.
gogol's wife
@Comrade Scrutinizer:
Helen Mirren, right?
I agree with those who say the best actors are all British. Colin Firth, Ralph Fiennes, etc., etc., can act rings around all American actors. We used to have good actors but Marlon Brando took care of that.
RedKitten
Seconded re: Peter Dinklage. He’s awesome. I also have to mention Mary McDonnell. The fact that she never got an Emmy nod for her work in BSG is a goddamn crime.
Boudica
No love for Robert Duvall?
tworivers
Annette Bening is almost always good, and so is Julianne Moore.
PSH is great too, and so is Alan Rickman (he’s a Brit, I know).
Both are European, but the girl in Let the Right One In, and the boy in the Kid with a Bike were both amazing.
Mino
@burnspbesq: She plays herself very well.
Leeds man
@Jewish Steel: ETA even though he was the Last Mohican.
Not sure what ETA means, but the Last Mohican was Chingachgook, not Hawkeye.
Best American actor – Robert De Niro.
Must dissent violently with the Sean Penn crowd. Any actor who makes you think “ooh look he’s acting now” ain’t worth consideration.
Off Colfax
@Scott: FINALLY someone mentioned Peter Dinklage! And yes. He was born in New Jersey. If he’s not at the top of his game now, he’s getting really damn close to it.
But I’m going to go out on a real limb here and say it’s Denis Leary. I really don’t think that there’s another A-minus-lister that’s as hot, huge, or capable as he’s been over the last few years.
Two of my personal favorite B-plus-listers? Richard Belzer and Robin Tunney. It’s about time those two started to really shine on their own.
Digital Amish
All of my choices have been mentioned (P.S. Hoffman, Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey). How about someone who surprises with their unexpected range? There I’d put Woody Harrelson.
the Conster
Whoever mentioned Joseph Gordon-Levitt above – great call. I just saw 50/50 and was blown away by him. He’s so cool and smart in his demeanor, and he’s got a wonderful face. George Clooney’s still my main man, but JGL is teed up to replace him.
Chris
@Leeds man:
It means “edited to add.”
opium4themasses
Hermain Cain
Crazy good performance. If it weren’t for how insane the script is, I wouldn’t know he wasn’t serious.
Link for proof on my name.
WereBear
@odp: Blackadder!
Every time Laurie had a guest spot, it was awesome.
Donut
@shep:
I can’t believe it took 84 comments for someone to bring up Portman. She improves everything she has been in.
Sigourney Weaver, anyone?
Agree with Gene Hackman. He would be my number one pick. Guy has more truly great films under his belt than anyone.
Also, too, agree with Bill Muray. And Jeff Bridges. Add John Goodman.
Trinity
Denzel Washington
Meryl Streep
rikyrah
Streep, Gene Hackman, Don Cheadle.
John D
@ned: I think a good actor or actress is one who you’ve seen in a number of different roles, but have you’ve never said to yourself: hey, that’s the guy/girl from so-and-so.
By that metric, Gary Oldman wins hands down. And I have *no* problem with that. Well, other than that whole “British” thing.
RosiesDad
@Arclite: Edward Norton gets my vote as well. Can’t believe it took until comment #44 to get his name on the list.
RosiesDad
And as far as American women go, Meryl Streep is it by orders of magnitude.
Legalize
Ryan Gosling, Amy Adams, Daniel Day Lewis.
Cassidy
Lots of good actors mentioned. Personally, I don’t have a favorite, just who I’m enjoying right now and Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been blowing me away.
What I look for though, is people who do something outside their typical role. They’ll never make a list like this but still held up pretty well under different conditions.
Adam Sandler- when he does something that needs more drama than schtick, he doesn’t do badly. I really enjoyed Spanglish and I thought he was perfect for the role.
Seth Rogen- while it was still close to his usual character, I think his acting was really good in 50/50.
Phillip A
Again, Vincent D’Onofrio.
Mikey
Current greats that haven’t been mentioned: Ed Harris and Steve Buscemi. Consistently great actors.
Fed Up In Brooklyn
Meryl Streep is a no-brainer #1.
Worldwide? NOBODY is better than Daniel Day Lewis. I’d throw down $12 just to watch him read the NY Times. Not aloud, just silently to himself.
vtr
Damn, there a lot of good actors. If I pretend I didn’t see the word “American” in the question, I’ll say Daniel Day-Lewis. Toss-up with PSH. But then, I never thought Orson Are You As Impressed With My Voice AS I Am Welles was all that good. Though Welles’ voice-over work as Pinky was admirable.
Ian
Robert Downey Jr. has had, arguably, the best last 10 years of any actor.
moonbat
Have to second Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep. Used to think Clooney was just a pretty (read: VERY gorgeous) face until Michael Clayton. I wish he would do more work like that.
Those who think Downey is just Tony Stark in different outfits need to see Kiss,Kiss, Bang,Bang and Chaplin. Even when he’s doing the blockbuster crap he is just so ON that you can’t take your eyes off him.
Still have to give an honorable mention to Depp, when he’s not being Bruckheimerized, he is amazing. See Dead Man and From Hell.
Well I could go on all day, so I’ll stop there. Damn you, JC, for getting me thinking about this so early in the day!
Legalize
Denzel Washington. If Jack Lemon was still alive – Jack Lemon.
Johannes
@SiubhanDuinne: Damn. I shoulda known that. Thanks for the catch!
Brian R.
@David Koch:
Winner.
Don
@NotMax: Remember the Ring?
Brian R.
Brian Cranston gets my vote.
He proved his comedy chops on “Seinfeld” and “Malcolm,” and has been absolutely crushing it dramatically on “Breaking Bad” the past four years. He can do it all.
Michael Scott
Jeez, folks! Ben Foster — end of story!
mike in dc
Non-Americans:
Gary Oldman
Hugo Weaving(man that guy has the best agent in the business)
Michael Fassbender
Idris Elba
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Americans:
Leo DiCaprio(Rev. Road, Shutter Island, Inception, all great work)
J.Gordon Levitt
Denzel
Forest Whitaker
Clint Eastwood(a very nice body of recent acting work, if you give it some thought)
Brian R.
@RedKitten:
Dinklage, hell yes.
Aries Moon
Cate Blanchett. Liam Neeson. Charlize Theron. And between drunken outbursts, Russell Crowe.
Scott
@Off Colfax: Denis Leary was great on Rescue Me. Hated to see that show end.@Digital Amish: Woody! He is fantastic! Rampart was a pretty awesome film, also.@RosiesDad: Edward Norton is fascinating. Just to look at still photos of the guy makes you think he is the biggest dweeb in the world. But to see him act-amazing.
Also, too: F or biggest Over-Actor, I would have to vote Jack Nicholson. He has to be the biggest ham in Hollywood, but I think he does it purposely now because that’s what people expect from him. I still love to watch him, though. One of those guys you can’t not look at.
I just wish a director would make him pull back a little now and then. There’s still an awesome actor under there.
gnomedad
@Mino:
Linky, please?
Ecks
@BruinKid: Not only is Tom Wilkinson, but his American accent is reliably horrendous.
Love him though, great actor.
Putting in my vote for Laura Linney She has incredible emotional precision.
Rorgg
Speaking as a (part-time) actor, I stand in awe of Edward Niorton. Some of his career choices have been interesting, but the talent is crazy.
Brian R.
@Michael Scott:
I just watched Rampart last night, and it wasn’t until his third scene that I even realized it was him.
Great acting in that movie, but a piss-poor ending.
mangrilla
@burnspbesq:
Owens is also one of the nicest human beings on the planet, I used to work at his management company.
KS in MA
Ed Harris.
Rosalita
Morgan Freeman, Robert Downey Jr., Meryl Streep forever and always
Birthmarker
@Mino: This has always been my point about teaching religion in schools. Whose religion are you going to teach?
I’ve never understood why any parent would turn the religious teaching of their children over to strangers at school.
Freemark
I can’t believe Tom Hanks only got one mention. One thing I like about Hanks, except for some of his comedy roles, you don’t see any of ‘him’ when he plays a role.
He was especially good in Big, Philadelphia, Forest Gump, Apollo 13, Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan, and of course he’s Woody. And I’ll give him a little extra credit for being a producer of some quality stuff too.
Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, and Meryl Streep.
DaddyJ
Started thinking about this and realized most of the really great performances I’ve seen recently have been in TV dramas.
How about Clarke Peters from The Wire and Tremé?
Or Wendell Pierce from The Wire and Tremé!
Heck, just about everybody in The Wire and Tremé!
Mino
@gnomedad: Here you go: http://www.tnr.com/blog/plank/104656/wait%E2%80%94freedom-religion-all-religions
elmo
Y’all have covered the Americans, so I’ll branch out. My current massive fave is Ian McShane.
And I know he’s Canadian, but c’mon, give some love to Christopher Plummer!
Mino
Have to admit Uma Thurmon is a fav of mine. First saw her in the French period one w/Malkovitch, Dangerous Liasons. A not-really-beautiful woman who works it.
elmo
@Brian R.:
Another vote for Dinklage, btw. He is absolutely killing it right now.
Kneeling
Viola Davis. I didn’t love The Help but she was amazing and brought so much heart to the character.
elmo
Oh, and one I forgot: Michael Emerson is really very, very good (playing opposite Jesus right now in Person of Interest).
MariedeGournay
@Anne Laurie:The Informant pushed me over the edge when it comes to Matt Damon as a real actor. First I thought he was just Fargoing it up, but damn after his life and lies begin to unravel it’s both hysterical and terrifying.
Just Some Fuckhead
Did anyone say Tom Cruise?
mouse tolliver
If we’re just going for “at the moment” and not judging past performances, Peter Dinklage.
Keith
I’d say probably Daniel Day Lewis. Others that are excellent at falling into their roles are Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, and Brad Pitt.
For overratedness, I would say Leo DiCaprio, as every single role he is in, he’s always Leo DiCaprio with maybe a poor accent thrown in (plus the man cannot grow facial hair to save his life)
Violet
@Legalize: I second the Amy Adams mention. If you haven’t seen “Junebug”, she’s amazing in it. It’s not a great film, but she is great in it.
someofparts
@MattF:
If you liked her in that, hope you saw Orlando.
Jonny Scrum-half
@Just Some Fuckhead: I think that Streep and Hackman are probably the 2 best all-time, but I agree that Cruise is really, really good. Downey’s performance in Tropic Thunder was amazing, but Cruise was just as good in the same movie.
Villago Delenda Est
Another vote for Neil Patrick Harris.
Although it’s hard to ignore Gene Hackman, or Robert DeNiro, or Al Pacino. Or Meryl Streep.
KXB
@AT:
Agree with Bryan Cranston. His slow, but steady transformation from a sheepish chemistry teacher to a stone-cold killer is amazing. Then, if you are flipping channels, and happen to come across “Malcolm in the Middle” reruns, to see him as the wacky dad causes the viewer to do a double-take.
hitchhiker
I’m thinking in 25 years a list like this is going to include Jennifer Lawrence.
Allison Janney
Meryl Streep
Villago Delenda Est
As for non-Americans, well, there is the INCREDIBLE Alan Rickman.
maurinsky
John Goodman. I’m not joking. His work with the Coen Brothers alone should have won him multiple Oscars.
Villago Delenda Est
@Viva BrisVegas:
Good, but Master Thespian is better.
celticdragonchick
American actors
Robert DeNiro, Tom Hanks, Jodie Foster, Meryl Streep, Annette Benning, Morgan Freeman
Overseas actors…
Tilda Swinton, Daniel Day Lewis, Russel Crowe, Judi Dench
I’m certainly leaving out an awful lot.
Keith
@Villago Delenda Est: Hackman’s retired, though (he is doing a movie this year, OTOH). But damn, he even made Welcome to Mooseport watchable, and he was absolutely awesome in The Quick and the Dead.
celticdragonchick
Peter Dinklage and Gene Hackman, also…too.
Alan Rickman on the Brit actor list as well, along with Ian McKellon and Andy Serkis.
jon
Tracey Walter.
rb
@MattF: That’s a great, great movie – even given the notice it got I thought it was under-rated. Just icy cold and razor sharp. And Swinton is awesome in it.
cmorenc
@Kane:
If porn is included, then Ron Jeremy is a compelling nominee for his ability to convince the industry there’s a huge market for films starring a grossly ugly guy who’s not rich, but manages to get laid all the time by beautiful women, and…he’s the man to do it!
ding dong
A lot of these people play the same roles over and 0ver again i.e. Tom Cruise,Hanks,Nicholson,Clooney,Freeman. Deniro,Streep,Downey and Space are some. Of the very few who do not.
Catsy
If not for the “American” qualifier, I would’ve gone with Michael Caine, hands down.
But instead I’m going with Denzel Washington. Merely seeing his name attached to a movie gives me hope for it. He could headline as voice talent on a Rainbow Brite animated feature and I’d consider seeing it.
I used to be that way with Robin Williams, but he’s slowed down in recent years and not everything he touches turns to gold. But his performance in Death to Smoochy was one for the ages.
MCA1
Kind of a boring conversation on the female side – I don’t think in 167 comments anyone’s made a persuasive case for anyone other than Meryl Streep. I’d put Linney second. She has an ability to convey pain and strength and anger and resignation and sympathy all at the same time with a little pursing of her lips and an exhale and a glare. It’s just that Streep exudes all of those without even having to do anything.
Re: the guys, I’d go with Cranston. Anyone who has been watching Breaking Bad has been held spellbound by him for the last several years now. Gosling is in the running, too, though – everything he touches right now turns to gold, it seems. Honorable mentions for Norton and Bridges, for their deep well of power and conscience, and reliability and amiability, respectively. I like the inclusion of Dinklage, but we need a few more seasons of Game of Thrones before he’s really in the conversation, I think. He is crushing it there, though.
Cromagnon
Eric Cartman or Brian Griffin… Either or
RareSanity
Hands down, Denzel Washington.
Think of the range characters he has played and absolutely nailed every one of them.
Malcolm X
Training Day
Book of Eli
John Q
Man on Fire
Antwone Fisher
Remember the Titans
Courage Under Fire
Devil in a Blue Dress
Crimson Tide (where he was every bit the equal of Gene Hackman)
Philadelphia
Glory
The list goes on and on…there is not one actor living today, that can touch him.
Maude
Meridith Baxter. She has played a lot of roles and been wonderful.
Patty Duke.
Charles Durning. I can’t spell names at all.
Eric Stoltz, is that his name? He was interviewed by an airhead. She asked him a question and he said that was a stupid question.
min
@odp: and Black Adder
CaptainHaddock
Having just re-watched Jackie Brown, I’d have to say Robert Forster (played Max Cherry) is truly excellent. He’s not in a lot – but he really impressed me.
twiffer
@Yutsano: “Dirty little secret about Hugh Laurie: he’s fecking hilarious.”
this is a secret? c’mon, he’s bertie wooster for fuck’s sake.
Scribe9
Most of the greatest living American actors are people you’ve never heard of, who have spent a lifetime studying their craft and now eke out a vagabond existence traveling the country doing regional theatre.
The level of talent on the American stage is very high, but you have to go looking for it. There are some Hollywood actors who are very talented, but by and large, actors don’t get work in the movies due to talent.
Frankensteinbeck
Tabitha StGermaine? I know Tara Strong’s getting all the really juicy roles, but StGermaine has the rich voice that knocks you dead with emotion.
rb
Don Cheadle, Charlize Theron, Sean Penn, PSH, Susan Sarandon, Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson.
Denzel is amazing but he’s turning into Nick Cage (overacting while shit blows up and/or animals attack!).
Tom Hanks gets mentioned for obvious reasons but I always feel like I’m watching Tom Hanks.
Somewhat the same criticism of Meryl Streep, though it’s not always her fault, as there’s an over-representation of “Look it’s Meryl laughing on the couch with her girlfriends!” in the roles written for her. There’s plenty of “this guy bowling with his buds!” in movies, too, but you wouldn’t expect to see Sean Penn have to do that (though Paul Giamatti or Ryan Gosling would do it it and kill it.)
rb
@Scribe9: you are right of course. We are talking film actors. Admittedly there is nontrivial crossover (Kevin Kline, say) but in general I agree.
What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us? (formerly MarkJ)
Well, I’ll stick up for Brad Pitt and Matt Damon as guys who consistently put out great work but rarely get consideration as “great actors” a la Phillip Seymore Hoffman. Pitt was fantastic in Moneyball, and Damon has been very good to fantastic in just about everything he’s done, and he’s done just about everything. Comedy (The Informant! Stuck on You, 30 Rock, Ocean’s 11), drama (Good Will Hunting, Invictus), action (Borne), suspense (The Departed), Western (True Grit), you name it. Everyone knows he’s a “movie star” but they seem to ignore the fact that he’s a great actor too.
Some of my other favorites are Ed Norton, Paul Giamatti, and George Clooney.
As far as women actors go, Merryl Streep is in a league of her own – actually she gets my vote for top living American Actor, period, and she would probably be in my top 5 all time living or dead, even if we expanded the category to include foreigners.
I really like Laura Linney. I haven’t seen The Big C but her work in films is always excellent. Reese Witherspoon is generally very good to and I didn’t see her mentioned above. I wouldn’t put her in Linney or Streeps league but thought she deserved a mention. Also I think Marisa Tomei is excellent and I didn’t see her mentioned.
cmorenc
@rb:
Some actors are so much fun to watch playing themselves in every movie that it’s an asset rather than a disqualification. Jack Nicholson. The late Slim Pickens. Katherine Hepburn. And so on.
twiffer
@Anne Laurie: watch “6 degrees of separation” and wonder what could have been.
rb
@CaptainHaddock: +1 for Robert Forster. He’s excellent, no pyrotechnics, just seems like a true craftsman.
His generous, natural style reminds me a bit of Burt Lancaster in Field of Dreams (which, let’s admit, is shameless schlock elevated to watchable by its cast.) It isn’t just anybody who can out-gravitas James Earl Jones.
RareSanity
@rb:
Great call…that guy is awesome!
It happens after awhile. Actors get well established, then studios start to offer them comically large sums of money, to make movies that are more like vacation to them…no challenge at all. Look no further than Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday. I mean…who’s gonna turn down 20 million dollars for a few months of overacting while shit blows up?
However, let’s not make the mistake of putting Nicolas Cage even in same sentence as Denzel Washington. I’d rather see Washington in his worst role, than Cage in his best.
rb
@cmorenc: Well sure, an asset for “fun” or being watchable.
In fairness, Tom Hanks is a bad example for me because I find “Tom Hanks” kind of annoying, but let’s say Harrison Ford. Obviously very talented and I’d watch a “Harrison Ford” movie most days of the week, but I wouldn’t put him anywhere near, say, Hoffman or Cheadle (equally “watchable” in my humble opinion) in terms of sheer talent.
rb
@RareSanity: However, let’s not make the mistake of putting Nicolas Cage even in same sentence as Denzel Washington. I’d rather see Washington in his worst role, than Cage in his best.
Truth, point conceded, I hyperbolized that one. It’s too bad about Cage – Raising Arizona* is incredible and he’s a big part of that. A fun game is ‘most comic/gross death scene in this Nick Cage movie.’ “The Rock” is a good one for that.
*Speaking of which: Holly Hunter.
Frankensteinbeck
If he hadn’t just retired (and thus disqualified from ‘top of his game’) I might have said Mark Hamill. It’s only one character, but you have to take your hat off in respect to his Joker. He defined the role, until producers knew that if they cast anybody else the audience would lose interest. They knew what ‘The Joker’ sounded like. He sounded like Mark Hamill, and anyone else sounded wrong!
rb
Also: John Hawkes is on a tear recently. Basically everyone in Winter’s Bone is someone to watch for.
For example Garret Dillahunt (mostly on TV) and is excellent and can be truly frightening (Deadwood) or hilarious.
RareSanity
@rb:
I think someone mentioned it up thread, but it’s hard to mention Holly Hunter without also mentioning Jodie Foster. It’s eerie how they’re almost the same person. The main difference being, does the role require a southern accent or not.
As I was writing that first paragraph, it also occurred to me that the Hunter/Foster thing could be expanded, and include one more.
Southern accent needed? Hunter. Don’t want/need the accent? Foster. Want to sexy it up a little bit? Charlize Theron.
I guess it’s about the same thing as with Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of course, those three are nowhere near the talent of the three ladies, but you see what I’m getting at.
tworivers
@Aries Moon:
Yes, Cate Blanchett is great. Better than Streep in my opinion (ducks while rotten vegetables are thrown his way).
I know she doesn’t count for this category because she’s an Aussie, but I think she’s fantastic.
Also, too, Kate Winslet.
One more: I said it before and I’ll say it again: Alan Rickman is the shizzle. Who’s better at playing a colorful villain than him?
Scott
Nic Cage is a fascinating case to me. On the one hand, he can be a tremendous actor(Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, Leaving Las Vegas, The Family Man, Matchstick Men), and then on the other hand he can be the hammiest actor in some of the worst movies known to man(National Treasure, Windtalkers, Ghost Rider, Socercerors Apprentice, Season of the Witch).
His IMDB page is truly a facepalm.
ExurbanMom
Charlize Theron really goes for it in “Snow White and the Huntsman.” What I admire about her is that she’s in 100%–she goes full bore to the evil side, not just part-way, or just enough to get it done, she invests her everything into the part. Her Oscar for “Monster” was well deserved. She’s for real. I look forward to seeing what she does next.
Is there anyone more believable out there than Morgan Freeman? Guy just emanates truth from every pore.
LOOOOOVE Don Cheadle. He’s so good at all of it: the physicality, the various accents, the very way he carries himself.
Robert Downey Jr. has that “I can’t take my eyes off of him” magnetism that is very rare.
But yep, Mr. P.S. Hoffman probably takes the cake right now. I heard Mike Nichols on the radio talking about directing PSH in “Death of a Salesman” on Broadway this past season, and I think PSH would get Nichols’ vote for best living American actor. It was sort of a discussion like “PSH knew he’d eventually have to tackle ‘Salesman’, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready yet”. When you’re so good that it’s EXPECTED that you will star in one of the greatest American plays ever written, that pretty much seals it.
Neldob
Did anybody mention Anjelica Houston, or Colin Firth (I just saw the King’s Speech)?
pragmatism
brad pitt’s mom does a great unhinged wingnut character.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/07/brad-pitts-mom-pens-anti-obama-op-ed/
Kordo
I see Laurence Fishburne is gettin’ no love here today, so I’ll step up. King of New York, Deep Cover, the 1st Matrix (we’ll just glide right past the last two; everyone’s gotta eat). Arguably, the only American actor with an appreciation of the concept of Gravitas. Doesn’t hold a candle to Denzel as far as resumes go, but I like the guy…
Thank you, Mouse Tolliver! Peter Dinklage for the win! I highly reccomend “The Station Agent”. Slow, sad movie, but his performance was riveting.
I was impressed with Chris Pines, too. Not easy to be on-screen with D. Washington, and not get mistaken for an extra. It takes a brave actor to follow in Shatner’s footsteps…
Can’t really understand all the Streep fans, she’s never seemed like much of an actress to me, but tastes differ.
trollhattan
Dead heat among Hackman, Duvall and Streep.
artem1s
Streep: definitely, probably current best living.
Hackman: officially retired now but I will watch any movie with him in the cast no matter how horrible because he will be priceless.
Holly Hunter: still one of my favorite all time female actors. Holds her own, is infinitely versatile, can do comedy and drama. I wish she was working more.
PSH: so many wonderful performances.
David Straithairn: So glad Clooney picked him for Good Night and Good Luck
John Goodman: turned in some marvelous rolls early in his career. No Coen Brother’s film is really complete without him. Great in both Sorkin rolls. Hope he can get healthy and get working again.
Robert Downey, Jr.: hope he doesn’t waste too much time on the comic book stuff. good $$$, I get it, but he was doing much better work when the director was taking a chance on casting him.
Jeff Bridges: repeat everything I said about Holly Hunter. Glad he is willing to take on so many different types of projects.
tomvox1
@Hunter Gathers:
How many Art Howe impersonations have you ever seen? Is this a big one that all the kids are doing at the Improv festivals? And how do you impersonate a man of such overwhelming blandness (not to mention managerial incompetence), anyway? Personally, I think Hoffman did old boring Art a big favor by portraying him as some kind of passive/aggressive dugout Machiavelli when all he was was just a C-level caretaker-type manager who couldn’t fathom what the hell Beane was trying to do.
Yutsano
@Frankensteinbeck: Tabitha and Tara are both Canadian. However Mae Whitman plays one of the strongest most capable female characters ever. And yes it’s a cartoon; the movie is an atrocity.
Concerned Citizen
207 posts and no Ed Norton? shame.
Matt McIrvin
@What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us? (formerly MarkJ): 12 Monkeys and Fight Club convinced me that Brad Pitt can play a scary lunatic with immense skill. I don’t know that he has a lot of range beyond that, but he’s really entertaining in that kind of part.
Leo DiCaprio seems to be turning into Orson Welles as he ages, which is not something I would have expected.
trollhattan
@Concerned Citizen:
His work with Ralph Kramden remains a cornerstone of the American canon. (Sorry, but somebody else would have beat me to it.)
I like Norton’s work, but I find myself thinking “That’s Ed Norton” whenever he appears.
trollhattan
@Matt McIrvin:
Cripes, what about “Kalifornia”? Though he really announced himself in that one, quite early in his career.
Matt McIrvin
@Scott: I think the difference between Cage and, say, Robert Downey Jr. is that, while they’re both actors of immense talent who got the opportunity to cash in, Cage doesn’t give a crap about the quality of his work while he’s cashing in. Downey still does.
Cluttered Mind
I don’t think anyone in the history of cinema has ever played greasy/sleazy villain better than Alan Rickman.
Scott
@Matt McIrvin: I don’t think Pitt gets the respect he deserves because he’s a ‘star’ and a prettyboy.
But he had me in the bag with “Thelma and Louise”.
Cluttered Mind
Also, for comedy, Will Ferrell is amazing. Anchorman and Talladega Nights were two of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen.
trollhattan
@Matt McIrvin:
I will never forgive Cage for stealing those precious four hours I “invested” in “Con Air” and “The Rock.” He should have had more sense than to take any Bruce Willis roles–they’re just not his thing–but doesn’t seem to be able to walk away from a fat paycheck.
trollhattan
@trollhattan:
(Meant to type “thought”–darn fingers.)
Zagloba
CTRL-F is your friend, young padawan.
Also @Scott: Don’t you badmouth Windtalkers. I hereby sentence you to 48 straight hours of actually-bad John Woo movies.
Scott
@Zagloba: Which leads to another topic: What makes great directors make shitty films, and what can we do to stop them?
Discuss.
royalblue_tom
Denzel – awesome (even in virtuosity ;)
Overlooked Non American – Geoffrey Rush
Zagloba
@Scott: Indeed! My own take is that it’s a matter of myopia/depth-of-field. Being a director is a matter of working at a huge number of levels at once, and making a great film needs everything from a good script to imagining and then converting on a million tiny craft details. Oh, and somewhere in there, you have to get the actors to act, and to all be acting in the same movie.
See, for example, Ridley Scott. The man can hang a shot with the best of them, but somewhere along the line he started reading scripts for “what very cool angle can this accomodate” and forgetting that there needs to be a coherent story there too.
Anyway, back to the thread question (not that anyone’s reading it still), I second Denzel and Woody Harrelson, and Meryl. But yeah, the best actors in the world today may be Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender, and seeing them act together was a redeeming point for Prometheus.
On that note, next year we get to see Harrison Ford and Ben Kingsley in the same film! Though they probably won’t have a scene together.
Concerned Citizen
@trollhattan: One of these days Alice…
Concerned Citizen
@Zagloba: Jesus, you’re right! There’s quite a few of them. My bad.
gene108
John Lithgowe.
He was great in 3rd Rock from the Sun.
He’s done drama, played the villain in several movies and was great on T.V.
He needed a mention.
hugely
David straithairn
Jay C
@Birthmarker:
Why, the sacred doctrines of the Church of Republican Jesus*, of course: what else would Real Americans ™ want or need??
*Basically, old-fashioned rigid Calvinism with a dash of fascistic nationalism overlaid on a delicate substrate of Ferengi…
lovable liberal
Just for yuks, a bit of dissent on Meryl Streep…
For a good 10 years in the middle of her career, she brought a hand gesture and an accent to each part. She wasn’t so much acting as caricaturing.
Someone had to be devil’s advocate. (No, I’m not nominating Keanu Reeves.)
lovable liberal
More than careers, though, I’m a fan of performances:
– Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking
– George Clooney in Michael Clayton, although Tom Wilkinson stole the show, despite Tilda Swinton’s gallant bid
– Nicole Kidman in Australia, which no one but me liked
– Denzel Washington in just about anything, say Man on Fire
– Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta
– Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny
– Michael Keaton in The Paper, with more greatness from Tomei
– Robert Duvall in the miniseries Lonesome Dove or in A Family Thing
– Bill Murray in Lost in Translation
– Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding
– Tea Leoni in Deep Impact
– Kevin Spacey in The Negotiator (guilty pleasure!), though Paul Giamatti stole that show
– Damian Lewis in Band of Brothers (yeah, another Aussie)
– Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30
There then, this thread can be immortal.
Seeley
Claire Danes
Brad
Jennifer Lawence. Absolutely incredible.
Brad
Jennifer Lawence. Absolutely incredible.
Atticus Dogsbody
Lorenzo Lamas.
Doug Woodard
Not even close: Daniel Day Lewis.
Lord Hungus
James Deen.
Hey, Cole, you never specified genre.