The 100 Greatest Modern Actors

Marlin Brando once said “To grasp the full significance of life is the actor’s duty, to interpret it is his problem, and to express it his dedication.”  Just a short generation later, Jim Carrey would observe “Until Ace Ventura, no actor had considered talking through his ass.”  Yes, there is no recipe for what makes great acting and no surefire way to distinguish it from the talking asses of the world, perhaps in no small part because when it’s at it’s best, it doesn’t seem like acting at all.  Ranking artistry is never easy, if not downright impossible.  It’s undeniably subjective, contentious, and almost sure to offend.  Of course, that’s never stopped us before.

Rankings were made taking into account overall ability and range, strength of the roles taken, longevity, influence, and awards won.  Listed alongside are each actor’s best works, also loosely ranked according to how each exemplifies their talents. Actors must have appeared in at least one 21st century feature film for consideration as “modern.”

1. Robert De Niro (born 1943): Young Vito Corleone in The Godfather II, Michael in The Deer Hunter, James Conway in Goodfellas, Jake La Motta in Raging Bull, Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, Louis Gara in Jackie Brown, Rupert Pupkin in The King of Comedy, Noodles in Once Upon a Time in America, Johnny Boy in Mean Streets, Neil McCauley in Heat, Max Cady in Cape Fear, Ace Rothstein in Casino, Harry Tuttle in Brazil, Mendoza in The Mission, Frank Sheeran in The Irishman, Jack Walsh in Midnight Run, Al Capone in The Untouchables, Lorenzo in A Bronx Tale, Pat Sr in Silver Linings Playbook, Bernie Madoff in The Wizard of Lies, Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents, Sam in Ronin, Louis Cyphre in Angel Heart, Father Bobby in Sleepers.
2. Al Pacino (born 1940): Michael Corleone in The Godfather II, Michael Corleone in The Godfather, Sonny in Dog Day Afternoon, Tony Montana in Scarface, Lt. Vincent Hanna in Heat, Lt. Col. Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman, Carlito in Carlito’s Way, Serpico in Serpico, Lefty in Donnie Brasco, Lowell Bergman in The Insider, Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross, Roy Cohn in Angels in America, Bobby in The Panic in Needle Park, Jimmy Hoffa in The Irishman, Tony D’Amato in Any Given Sunday, Will Dormer in Insomnia, Arthur Kirkland in And Justice For All.
3. Daniel Day-Lewis (born (1957): Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, Bill ‘The Butcher” Cutting in Gangs of New York, Christy Brown in My Left Foot, Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans, Reynolds Woodcock in Phantom Thread, Gerry Conlon in In the Name of the Father, Newland Archer in The Age of Innocence, John Proctor in The Crucible, Danny Flynn in The Boxer, Tomas in The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
4. Jack Nicholson (born 1937):  R.P. McMurphy in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jack Torrance in The Shining, J.J. Gittes in Chinatown, Col. Jessup in A Few Good Men, Joker in Batman, Melvin Udall in As Good As It Gets, Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment, George Hanson in Easy Rider, Frank Costello in The Departed, Robert Eroica Dupea in Five Easy Pieces, Buddusky in The Last Detail, Warren Schmidt in About Schmidt, Francis Phelan in Ironweed, Eugene O’Neill in Reds, Charley Partanna in Prizzi’s Honor.
5. Tom Hanks (born 1956): Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump, Capt Miller in Saving Private Ryan, Chuck Noland in Cast Away, Andy Beckett in Philadelphia, Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile, Michael Sullivan in Road to Perdition, Jimmy Dugan in A League of Their Own, Josh in Big, Sam Baldwin in Sleepless in Seattle, Jim Lovell in Apollo 13, Capt. Richard Phillips in Captain Phillips, Allen Bauer in Splash, Charlie Wilson in Charlie Wilson’s War, Fred Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Carl Hanratty in Catch Me If You Can, Sully Sullenberger in Sully, James B Donovan in Bridge of Spies, Joe Fox in You’ve Got Mail.
6. Dustin Hoffman (born 1937): Raymond Babbitt in Rain Man, Ratso in Midnight Cowboy, Ben Braddock in The Graduate, Ted Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer, Michael Dorsey in Tootsie, Lenny Bruce in Lenny, Babe in Marathon Man, Carl Bernstein in All the President’s Men, Louis Dega in Papillon, David Sumner in Straw Dogs, Jack Crabb in Little Big Man, Sam Daniels in Outbreak, Stanley Moss in Wag the Dog, Captain Hook in Hook, Willie Loman in Death of a Salesman, John in John and Mary.
7.  Paul Newman (1925-2008): Butch Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Luke in Cool Hand Luke, Hud Bannon in Hud, Frank Galvin in The Verdict, Henry Gondorff in The Sting, Eddie Felson in The Hustler, Brick Pollitt in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Eddie in The Color of Money, John Rooney in Road To Perdition, Reggie in Slap Shot, Max Roby in Empire Falls, Sully in Nobody’s Fool, Sidney J. Mussburger in The Hudsucker Proxy, Gallagher in Absence of Malice, Doug Roberts in The Towering Inferno.
8.  Peter O’Toole (1932-2013): T.E Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, Henry II in Becket, Henry II in The Lion in Winter, Jack 14th Earl of Gurney in The Ruling Class, Arthur Chipping in Goodbye Mr. Chips, Eli Cross in The Stunt Man, R.J. Johnston in The Last Emperor, Alan Swann in My Favorite Year, Maurice in Venus, Cornelius Flavius Silva in Masada.
9. Denzel Washington (born 1954): Malcolm X in Malcolm X, Det. Alonzo Harris in Training Day, Pvt. Trip in Glory, Frank Lucas in American Gangster, Det. Keith Frazier in Inside Man, Coach Boone in Remember The Titans, Dr. Phillip Chandler in St. Elsewhere, Nat Sterling in Courage Under Fire, Joe Miller in Philadelphia, Rubin Carter in The Hurricane, Hunter in Crimson Tide, Jake Shuttlesworth in He Got Game, Whip Whitaker in Flight, John W. Creasy in Man on Fire, Troy Maxson in Fences, Roman J Israel in Roman J. Israel Esq, Steve Biko in Cry Freedom, Bleek Gilliam in Mo’ Better Blues, Dr. Jerome Davenport in Antwone Fisher.
10. Anthony Hopkins (born 1937): Dr. Hannibal Lector in Silence of the Lambs, Frederick Treves in The Elephant Man, Mr. Stevens in The Remains of the Day, Anthony in The Father, Jack Lewis in Shadowlands, Pope Benedict in The Two Popes, Alfred Hitchcock in Hitchcock, Richard Nixon in Nixon, Richard in The Lion in Winter, Abraham Van Helsing in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Dr. Robert Ford in Westworld (HBO series), John Quincy Adams in Amistad, William Bligh in The Bounty.
11. Gene Hackman (born 1930): Jimmy Doyle in The French Connection, Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven, Harry Caul in The Conversation, Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde,  Anderson in Mississippi Burning, Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers, Lex Luthor in Superman, Royal Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums, Ramsey in Crimson Tide, Reverend Scott in The Poseidon Adventure, Gene Garrison in I Never Sang for My Father, Harry Zimm in Get Shorty, Avery Tolar in The Firm, Edward Lyle in Enemy of the State.
12.  Phillip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014): Truman Capote in Capote, Lancaster Dodd in The Master, Father Brendan Flynn in Doubt, Lester Bangs in Almost Famous, Scotty J. in Boogie Nights, Caden Cotard in Synecdoche New York, Phil Pharma in Magnolia, Gust Avrakotos in Charlie Wilson’s War, Freddie Miles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Brandt in The Big Lebowski, Andy in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, Jon Savage in The Savages, Owen Davian in Mission Impossible III, Dean Trumbell in Punch-Drunk Love.
13. Robert Duvall (born 1931): Tom Hagen in The Godfather I and II, Lt Col. Bill Kilfgore in Apocalypse Now, Frank Hackett in Network, Mac Sledge in Tender Mercies, Bull Meechum in The Great Santini, Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, The Apostle E.F. in The Apostle, Felix Bush in Get Low, Gus McCrae in Lonesome Dove, Maj. Frank Burns in MASH, Max Mercy in The Natural, Jerome Facher in A Civil Action, Prentice Ritter in Broken Trail, Joseph Stalin in Stalin, Joseph Palmer in The Judge, Bob Hodges in Colors.
14. Leonardo DiCaprio (born 1974): Rick Dalton in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Billy in The Departed, Hugh Glass in The Revenant, Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street, Calvin Candy in Django Unchained, Howard Hughes in The Aviator, Amsterdam Vallon in Gangs of New York, Arnie Grape in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Danny Archer in Blood Diamond, Frank Abagnale Jr in Catch Me If You Can, Teddy Daniels in Shutter Island, Jim Carroll in The Basketball Diaries, Cobb in Inception, Jack Dawson in Titanic, Frank Wheeler in Revolutionary Road, Richard in The Beach, Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, Toby in This Boy’s Life, Romeo in Romeo + Juliet.
15. Robert Redford (born 1936): The Sundance Kid in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Jeremiah Johnson in Jeremiah Johnson, Johnny Hooker in The Sting, Roy Hobbs in The Natural, Bob Woodward in All the President’s Men, Turner in Three Days of the Condor, Bill McKay in The Candidate, Our Man in All is Lost, Denys in Out of Africa, Cooper in Tell Them Willie Boy is Here, Sonny Steele in The Electric Horseman, Chappellet in Downhill Racer, Forrest Tucker in The Old Man & the Gun, Hubbell in The Way We Were, Henry Brubaker in Brubaker.
16. Clint Eastwood (born 1930): The Man With No Name in The Good the Bad and the Ugly/The Dollars Trilogy, Bill Munny in Unforgiven, Frankie Dunn in Million Dollar Baby, Harry Callahan in The Dirty Harry Franchise, Walt Kowalski in Gran Torino, Frank Morris in Escape from Alcatraz, Frank Horrigan in In the Line of Fire, Robert Kincaid in The Bridges of Madison Country, Josey Wales in The Outlaw Josey Wales, Marshall Jed Cooper in Hang Em High, Preacher in Pale Rider, Dave in Play Misty For Me, The Stranger in High Plains Drifter.
17. Morgan Freeman (born 1937): Red Redding in The Shawshank Redemption, Det. Somerset in Se7en, Eddie Dupris in Million Dollar Baby, Sgt Major John Rawlins in Glory, Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight Trilogy, Ned Logan in Unforgiven, Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy, Fast Black in Street Smart, Jack Doyle in Gone Baby Gone, DCI William Cabot in The Sum of All Fears, General Billy Ford in Outbreak, Theodore Joadson in Amistad, Joe Clark in Lean on Me, Alex Cross in Along Came a Spider, Nelson Mandela in Invictus.
18. Michael Caine (born 1933): Milo Tindle in Sleuth, Alfie in Alfie, Elliot in Hannah and Her Sisters, Alfred in The Dark Knight Trilogy, Charlie Croker in The Italian Job, Dr. Wilbur Larch in The Cider House Rules, Jack Carter in Get Carter, Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File, Harry Brown in Harry Brown, Dr. Frank Bryant in Educating Rita, Ray Say in Little Voice, Thomas Fowler in The Quiet American, Peachy Carnehan in The Man Who Would Be King, F.W. de Klerk in Mandela and de Klerk, John Cutter in The Prestige, Dr Robert Elliot in Dressed to Kill, Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
19.  Gary Oldman (born 1958): Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy, Stansfield in Leon the Professional, Lee Harvey Oswald in JFK, Drexl Spivey in True Romance, Winston Churchill in The Darkest Hour, Herman Mankiewicz in Mank, Jackie Flannery in State of Grace, Dracula in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight, Rosencrantz in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Shelly Runyon in The Contender, Joe Orton in Prick Up Your Ears, Zorg in The Fifth Element, George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Sirius Black in The Harry Potter Franchise, Ivan Korshunov in Air Force One, Ludwig van Beethoven in Immortal Beloved.
20. Sean Penn (born 1960): Jimmy Markum in Mystic River, Paul Rivers in 21 Grams, Harvey Milk in Milk, Matthew Poncelet in Dead Man Walking, Kleinfeld in Carlito’s Way, 1st Sgt. Welsh in The Thin Red Line, Sam Dawson in I Am Sam, Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Danny McGavin in Colors, Jack in The Tree of Life, Terry Noonan in State of Grace, Daulton Lee in The Falcon and the Snowman, Emmet Ray in Sweet and Lowdown, Mick O’Brien in Bad Boys, Conrad in The Game.
21. Christian Bale (born 1974): Trevor Reznik in The Machinist, Patrick Bateman in American Psycho, Alfred Borden in The Prestige, Dicky Eklund in The Fighter, Dick Cheney in Vice, Michael Burry in The Big Short, Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Franchise, Irving Rosenfeld in American Hustle, Dan Evans in 3:10 to Yuma, Jim in Empire of the Sun, Dieter Dengler in Rescue Dawn, Ken Miles in Ford vs Ferrari, John Miller in The Flowers of War, Capt Blocker in Hostiles, Russell Baze in Out of the Furnace, Jim Luther Davis in Harsh Times, John Preston in Equilibrium, Jack/Pastor John in I’m Not There.
22. Matt Damon (born 1970): Will in Good Will Hunting, Private Ryan in Saving Private Ryan, Colin Sullivan in The Departed, Mike McDermott in Rounders, Mark Watney in The Martian, Jason Bourne in The Bourne Franchise, Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Linus Caldwell in Ocean’s 11, Bryan Woodman in Syriana, Charlie Dillon in School Ties, Carroll Shelby in Ford vs Ferrari, Scott Thorson in Behind the Candelabra, LaBoeuf in True Grit, Rudy Baylor in The Rainmaker, Ilario in Courage Under Fire, Francois Pienaar in Invictus, Loki in Dogma.
23. Harrison Ford (born 1942): Han Solo in The Star Wars Franchise, Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive, Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness, President James Marshall in Air Force One, Jack Ryan in The Jack Ryan Franchise.
24. Jeff Bridges (born 1949): The Dude in The Big Lebowski, Bad Blake in Crazy Heart, Starman in Starman, Duane Jackson in The Last Picture Show, Rooster Cogburn in True Grit, Marcus Hamilton in Hell or High Water, Lightfoot in Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Obadiah Stane in Iron Man, President Jackson Evans in The Contender, Kevin Flynn/Clu in Tron, Jack in The Fisher King, Jack Baker in The Fabulous Baker Boys.
25.  Ben Kingsley (born 1943): Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi, Itzhak Stern in Schindler’s List, Massoud Amir Behrani in House of Sand and Fog, Don Logan in Sexy Beast, Georges Méliès in Hugo, Meyer Lansky in Bugsy, Bruce Pandolfini in Searching for Bobby Fischer, Cosmo in Sneakers, Grinko in Transiberian, Dr. Roberto Miranda in Death and the Maiden, Dr. Cawley in Shutter Island.
26. Brad Pitt (born 1963): Tyler Durden in Fight Club, Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Billy Beane in Moneyball, Jessie James in The Assassination of Jessie James, Detective Mills in Se7en, Jeffrey Goines in Twelve Monkeys, Michey O’Neil in Snatch, Rusty Ryan in Ocean’s Eleven, Lt Aldo Raine in Inglourious Basterds, Floyd in True Romance, Mr. O’Brien in The Tree of Life, Richard in Babel, Michael in Sleepers, Benjamin Button in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Tristan in Legends of the Fall, Louis in Interview with the Vampire, Chad Feldheimer in Burn After Reading, Jackie Cogan in Killing Them Softly, J.D. in Thelma and Louise.
27. Tom Cruise (born 1962): Frank T.J. Mackey in Magnolia, Charlie Babbitt in Rain Man, Lt. Daniel Kaffee in A Few Good Men, Ethan Hunt in The Mission Impossible Franchise, Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July, Dr. William Harford in Eyes Wide Shut, Chief John Anderton in Minority Report, Joel Goodson in Risky Business, Vincent Lauria in The Color of Money, Maverick in Top Gun, Major William Cage in Edge of Tomorrow, Mitch McDeere in The Firm, Les Grossman in Tropic Thunder, Vincent in Collateral, David Aames in Vanilla Sky, Jerry Maguire in Jerry Maguire, Nathan Algren in The Last Samurai, Ray Ferrier in War of the Worlds.
28. Joaquin Phoenix (born 1974): Freddie Quell in The Master, Arthur Fleck in Joker, Commodus in Gladiator, Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, Theodore in Her, Doc Sportello in Inherent Vice, Max California in 8MM, Jimmy Emmett in To Die For, Merrill Hess in Signs, Bobby Green in We Own the Night, Joe in You Were Never Really Here, Bruno Weiss in The Immigrant, Leonard Kraditor in Two Lovers.
29. Willem Dafoe (born 1955): Sgt Elias in Platoon, Jesus in The Last Temptation of Christ, Bobby in The Florida Project, Paul Smecker in The Boondock Saints, Thomas Wake in The Lighthouse, Vincent Van Gogh in At Eternity’s Gate, Max Schreck in Shadow of the Vampire, Bobby Peru in Wild at Heart.
30. Richard Dreyfus (born 1947): Matt Hooper in Jaws, Curt in American Graffiti, Elliot Garfield in The Goodbye Girl, Roy Neary in Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Glen Holland in Mr. Holland’s Opus, Dr. Leo Marvin in What About Bob?.
31. Russell Crowe (born 1964): Bud White in LA Confidential, Maximus in Gladiator, Jeffrey Wigand in The Insider, Jim Braddock in Cinderella Man, John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Hando in Romper Stomper, Ben Wade in 3:10 to Yuma, Richie Roberts in American Gangster, Capt. Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander, Roger Ailes in The Loudest Voice, Jackson Healy in The Nice Guys.
32. Sean Connery (born 1930): James Bond in The James Bond Franchise, Jim Malone in The Untouchables, Marko Ramius in The Hunt For Red October, John Patrick Mason in The Rock, Professor Henry Jones in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, William von Baskerville in The Name of the Rose, Daniel Dravot in The Man Who Would Be King, Forrester in Finding Forrester.
33.  Dennis Hopper (1936-2010): Billy in Easy Rider, Frank Booth in Blue Velvet, Shooter Flatch in Hoosiers, Howard Payne in Speed, Photojournalist in Apocalypse Now, Clifford Worley in True Romance, Father in Rumble Fish, Feck in River’s Edge, Deacon in Waterworld, Jordan Benedict III in Giant.
34. Ian McKellan (born 1939):  Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings Franchise, Richard III in Richard III, Magneto in X-Men, James Whale in Gods and Monsters, King Lear in King Lear, Sherlock Holmes in Mr. Holmes, Kurt Dussander in Apt Pupil.
35. Kevin Spacey (born 1959): John Doe in Se7en, Verbal Kint in The Usual Suspects, Lester Burnham in American Beauty, Jack Vincennes in LA Confidential, Frank Underwood in House of Cards, Chris Sabian in The Negotiator, D.A. Rufus Buckley in A Time to Kill, John Williamson in Glengarry Glen Ross, Quoyle in The Shipping News, Jack Abramoff in Casino Jack, Casey Schuler in Outbreak, Lex Luthor in Superman Returns, Albert Fitzgerald in The United States of Leland, Ronald Klain in Recount, Sam Rogers in Margin Call.
36. Johnny Depp (born 1963): Edward Scissorhands in Edward Scissorhands, Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Ed Wood in Ed Wood, Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean, Whitey Bulger in Black Mass, George Jung in Blow, Donnie Brasco in Donnie Brasco, Gilbert Grape in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, William Blake in Dead Man, Tom Hanson in 21 Jump Street, Sam in Benny & Joon, Sir James Matthew Barrie in Finding Neverland, Lerner in Platoon, Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Wade Walker in Cry-Baby, Glen Lantz in A Nightmare on Elm Street.
37. Martin Sheen (born 1940): Captain Benjamin Willard in Apocalypse Now, Josiah Bartlett in The West Wing, Kit in Badlands, Robert E Lee in Gettysburg, Queenan in The Departed.
38. Tom Hardy (born 1977): Tommy Conlon in Warrior, Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Charles Bronson in Bronson, John Fitzgerald in The Revenant, Eames in Inception, Ivan Locke in Locke, Ricki Tarr in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Max Rockatansky in Mad Max: Fury Road, Alfie Solomons in Peaky Blinders, Bob in The Drop, James Keziah Delaney in Taboo, Forrest Bondurant in Lawless, Farrier in Dunkirk, Handsome Bob in RocknRolla.
39. Edward Norton (born 1969): The Narrator in Fight Club, Derek Vineyard in American History X, Worm in Rounders, Aaron/Roy Stampler in Primal Fear, Monty Brogan in 25th Hour, Eisenheim in The Illusionist, Mike in Birdman, Walter Fane in The Painted Veil, Scoutmaster Ward in Moonrise Kingdom, Bill/Brady Kincaid in Leaves of Grass.
40.  Christopher Walken (born 1943): Nick Chevotarevich in The Deer Hunter, Frank White in King of New York, Frank Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can, Captain Koons in Pulp Fiction, Max Zorin in A View to Kill, Johnny Smith in The Dead Zone, Vincenzo Coccotti in True Romance, Brad Sr in At Close Range.
41. Tommy Lee Jones (born 1946): Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive, Ed Tom Bell in No Country For Old Men, Clay Shaw in JFK, Hank Deerfield in In the Valley of Elah, Woodrow Call in Lonesome Dove, Doolittle Lynn in Coal Miner’s Daughter.
42. Harvey Keitel (born 1939): Mr. White in Reservoir Dogs, Charlie in Mean Streets, LT in Bad Lieutenant, Sport in Taxi Driver, George Baines in The Piano, Mickey Cohen in Bugsy, The Wolf in Pulp Fiction, A in Ulysses’ Gaze, Auggie Wren in Smoke, Det. Rocco Klein in Clockers, Judas in The Last Tempation of Christ, Ray Donlan in Cop Land, Jacob Fuller in From Dusk till Dawn.
43. Liam Neeson (born 1952): Oscar Schindler in Schindler’s List, Alfred Kinsey in Kinsey, Ra’s Al Ghul in Batman Begins, Bryan Mills in Taken, Cristóvão Ferreira in Silence, Michael Collins in Michael Collins.
44. Samuel L. Jackson (born 1948): Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Ordell Robbie in Jackie Brown, Carl Lee Hailey in A Time to Kill, Elijah Price in Unbreakable, Zeus Carver in Die Hard: With a Vengeance, Nick Fury in The Avengers Franchise, Stephen in Django Unchained, Major Marquis Warren in The Hateful Eight, Danny Roman in The Negotiator, Lazarus in Black Snake Moan, Coach Ken Carter in Coach Carter, Mister Señor Love Daddy in Do The Right Thing, Sam in Fresh.
45. Ed Harris (born 1950): Jackson Pollock in Pollock, Gene Kranz in Apollo 13, Christof in The Truman Show, Parcher in A Beautiful Mind, Richard Brown in The Hours, Remy Bressant in Gone Baby Gone, Carl Fogarty in A History of Violence, Miles Roby in Empire Falls, General Hummel in The Rock, Frankie Flannery in State of Grace, Dave Moss in Glengarry Glen Ross, Bud Brigman in The Abyss, John McCain in Game Change, Man in Black in Westworld (HBO series).
46.  Robin Williams (1951-2015): Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting, Sy Parrish in One Hour Photo, John Keating in Dead Poets Society, Daniel Hillard in Mrs. Doubtfire, Adrian Cronauer in Good Morning Vietnam, Parry in The Fisher King, Walter Finch in Insomnia, Dr. Malcolm Sayer in Awakenings, Vladimir Ivanov in Moscow on the Hudson, Armand Goldman in The Birdcage, The Genie in Aladdin, Garp in The World According to Garp, Mork in Mork & Mindy, Peter Banning in Hook.
47. William Hurt (born 1950): Luis Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman, James in Children of a Lesser God, Tom Grunick in Broadcast News, Nick in The Big Chill, Ritchie Cusack in A History of Violence, Ned Racine in Body Heat, Henry Paulson in Too Big to Fail, Eddie Jessup in Altered States.
48. Jake Gyllenhaal (born 1980): Louis Bloom in Nightcrawler, Donnie Darko in Donnie Darko, Detective Loki in Prisoners, Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain, Robert Graysmith in Zodiac, Billy Hope in Southpaw, Tony Hastings/Edward Sheffield in Nocturnal Animals, Brian Taylor in End of Watch, Jerry Brinson in Wildlife, Adam + Anthony in Enemy.
49.  Ralph Fiennes (born 1962): Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List, Lord Voldemore in The Harry Potter Franchise, Almásy in The English Patient, Francis Dolarhyde in Red Dragon, Justin Quayle in The Constant Gardener, M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Charles Van Doren in Quiz Show, Lenny Nero in Strange Days, Harry Waters in In Bruges, Laurence Laurentz in Hail Caesar!.
50. John Malkovich (born 1953): Mr. Will in Places in the Heart, Al Rockoff in The Killing Fields, Mitch Leary in In the Line of Fire, Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men, Teddy KGB in Rounders, John Malkovich in Being John Malkovich, Sir John Brannox in The New Pope, Cyrus the Virus in Con Air, Vicomte de Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons, Biff Loman in Death of a Salesman.
51. Benicio Del Toro (born 1967): Javier Rodriguez in Traffic, Jack Jordan in 21 Grams, Ernesto Che Guevara in Che, Alejandro in Sicario, Fenster in The Usual Suspects, Jackie Boy in Sin City, Dr. Gonzo in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Frankie Four Fingers in Snatch, Richard Matt in Escape at Dannemora, Toby Jay Wadenah in The Pledge.
52. John Hurt (1940-2017): John Merrick in The Elephant Man, Winston Smith in Nineteen Eighty-Four, Max in Midnight Express, Kane in Alien, Adam Sutler in V For Vendetta, Control in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Ollivander in The Harry Potter Franchise.
53.  Javier Bardem (born 1969): Anton Chigurh in No Country For Old Men, Uxbal in Biutiful, Silva in Skyfall, Reinaldo Arena in Before Night Falls, Juan Antonio in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Ramon Sampredro in The Sea Inside, Santa in Mondays in the Sun, Him in Mother!
54. Ethan Hawke (born 1970): Jesse in The Before Sunrise Trilogy, Jake in Training Day, Vincent/Jerome in Gattaca, Dad in Boyhood, Troy Dyer in Reality Bites, Toller in First Reformed, Todd Anderson in Dead Poets Society.
55.  Donald Sutherland (born 1935): Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H, Matthew Bennell in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Calvin in Ordinary People, John Baxter in Don’t Look Now, Col. Mikhail Fetisov in Citizen X, Vernon Pinkley in The Dirty Dozen, John Klute in Klute, X in JFK.
56. Alan Rickman (1946-2016): Severus Snape in The Harry Potter franchise, Hans Gruber in Die Hard, Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility, Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood:Prince of Thieves, Metatron in Dogma, Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest, Rasputin in Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny, Harry in Love Actually, Jamie in Truly Madly Deeply.
57. Alan Arkin (born 1934): Roat in Wait Until Dark, Singer in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Yossarian in Catch-22, Grandpa Edwin Hoover in Little Miss Sunshine, Lt Rozanov in The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!, Lester Seigel in Argo, Norman Newlander in The Kominsky Method.
58. Jon Voight (born 1938): Luke Martin in Coming Home, Joe Buck in Midnight Cowboy, Ed in Deliverance, Billy in The Champ, Manny in Runaway Train, Howard Cosell in Ali, Mickey Donovan in Ray Donovan, Thomas Brian Reynolds in Enemy of the State, Jim Phelps in Mission Impossible.
59. Kenneth Branagh (born 1960): King Henry V in Henry V, Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week with Marilyn, Hamlet in Hamlet, Iago in Othello, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Reinhard Heydrich in Conspiracy, Kurt Wallander in Wallander.
60.  Christopher Plummer (born 1929): Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Mike Wallace in The Insider, Hal in Beginners, J. Paul Getty in All the Money in the World, Tolstoy in The Last Station, Arthur Wellesley in Waterloo, Roscoe Heyward in The Moneychangers, Rudyard Kipling in The Man Who Would Be King.
61. Max von Sydow (1929-2020): Antonius Block in The Seventh Seal, Father Merrin in The Exorcist, Jesus in The Greatest Story Ever Told, Joubert in Three Days of the Condor, Blofeld in Never Say Never Again, The Renter in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Lassefar in Pelle the Conquerer, Papinou in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Three-Eyed Raven in Game of Thrones.
62.  Kevin Costner (born 1955): Lt Dunbar in Dances with Wolves, Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams, Jim Garrison in JFK, Eliot Ness in The Untouchables, Crash Davis in Bull Durham, John Dutton in Yellowstone, Billy Chapel in For the Love of the Game, Roy McAvoy in Tin Cup, Mariner in Waterworld, Wyatt Earp in Wyatt Earp, Butch Hayes in A Perfect World, Robin of Locksley in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Tom Farrell in No Way Out, Devil Anse Hatfield in Hatfields & McCoys.
63.  Michael Douglas (born 1944): Gordon Gecko in Wall Street, Robert Wakefield in Traffic, D-Fens in Falling Down, Grady Tripp in Wonder Boys, Andrew Shepherd in The American President, Nicholas Van Orton in The Game, Det. Nick Curran in Basic Instinct, Dan Gallagher in Fatal Attraction, Liberace in Behind the Candelabra, Jack Colton in Romancing the Stone, Sandy Kominsky in The Kominsky Method, Steve Keller in The Streets of San Francisco.
64.  Ryan Gosling (born 1980): Dan Dunne in Half-Nelson, Driver in Drive, Lars Lindstrom in Lars and the Real Girl, Dean in Blue Valentine, K in Blade Runner: 2049, Sebastian in La La Land, Noah in The Notebook, Luke in The Place Beyond the Pines, Holland March in The Nice Guys, Leland Fitzgerald in The United States of Leland, Stephen Meyers in The Ides of March, Neil Armstrong in First Man.
65.  Kevin Bacon (born 1958): Walter in The Woodsman, Ren McCormack in Footloose, Sean Nokes in Sleepers, Jack Swigert in Apollo 13, Sean Devine in Mystic River,  Henri Young in Murder in the First, Capt. Jack Ross in A Few Good Men, Wade in The River Wild, Valentine McKee in Tremors, Sebastian Shaw in X-Men First Class.
66.  Robert Downey Jr. (born 1965): Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, Kirk Lazarus in Tropic Thunder, Paul Avery in Zodiac, Tony Stark in Avengers/Iron Man Franchise, Larry Paul in Ally McBeal, Harry Lockhart in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes.
67.  Billy Bob Thorton (born 1955): Hank Grotowski in Monster’s Ball, Karl Childers in Sling Blade, Jacob in A Simple Plan, Ed Crane in The Man Who Wasn’t There, Coach Gaines in Friday Night Lights, Lorne Malvo in Fargo (S1), Billy McBride in Goliath, Willie T. Soke in Bad Santa.
68. Heath Ledger (1979-2008): Joker in The Dark Knight, Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, Gabriel Martin in The Patriot, Patrick Verona in 10 Things I Hate About You, Dan in Candy, Skip in Lords of Dogtown, William Thatcher in A Knight’s Tale, Jimmy in Two Hands.
    
69. Jim Carrey (born 1962): Joel Barish in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon, Truman Burbank in The Truman Show, Ace Ventura in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Lloyd Christmas in Dumb and Dumber, Charlie/Hank in Me Myself & Irene, Jeff Pickles in Kidding, Chip Douglas in The Cable Guy, Steven Russell in I Love You Phillip Morris, Stanley Ipkiss in The Mask, Fletcher Reede in Liar Liar, Count Olaf in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Grinch in How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
70. Jeremy Irons (born 1948): Claus von Bulow in Reversal of Fortune, Beverly/Elliot in Dead Ringers, Gabriel in The Mission, Simon Gruber in Die Hard With A Vengeance, Charles and Mike in The French Lieutenant’s Wife, Adrian Veidt in Watchmen, Rodrigo Borgia in The Borgias, Lord Dudley in Elizabeth I, John Tuld in Margin Call.
71. Albert Finney (1936-2019): Sir in The Dresser, Hercule Poirot in Murder on the Orient Express, Tom Jones in Tom Jones, Goeffrey Firmin in Under the Volcano, Ebenezer Scrooge in Scrooge, Ed Masry in Erin Brockovich, Leo in Miller’s Crossing, Winston Churchill in The Gathering Storm, Arthur Seaton in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Ed Blood in Big Fish.
72.  Bruce Willis (born 1955): John McClane in Die Hard Franchise, Malcolm Crowe in The Sixth Sense, Butch Coolidge in Pulp Fiction, James Cole in 12 Monkeys, Hartigan in Sin City, Korben Dallas in The Fifth Element, David Dunn in Unbreakable, Harry S. Stamper in Armageddon, David Addison Jr in Moonlighting.
73. Joe Pesci (born 1943): Tommy Devito in Goodfellas, Joey in Raging Bull, Russell Buffalino in The Irishman, Vinny Gambini in My Cousin Vinny, Nicky Santoro in Casino, Leo Getz in The Lethal Weapon franchise, Harry in Home Alone.
74.  Tim Robbins (born 1958): Andy Dufresne in The Shawshank Redemption, Dave Boyle in Mystic River, Griffin Mill in The Player, Nuke Laloosh in Bull Durham, Jacob in Jacob’s Ladder, Norville Barnes in The Hudsucker Proxy, Bob Roberts in Bob Roberts.
75. Laurence Fishbourne (born 1961): Morpheus in The Matrix, Ike Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It, Jimmy Jump in King of New York, Russell Stevens Jr/John Hull in Deep Cover, Bowery King in The John Wick Franchise, Jack Crawford in Hannibal, Furious Styles in Boyz in the Hood, Clean Miller in Apocalypse Now, Dap Dunlap in School Daze.
76. Matthew McConaughey (born 1969): Wooderson in Dazed and Confused, Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club, Rust Cohle in True Detective, Jake Tyler Brigance in A Time To Kill, Mark Hanna in The Wolf of Wall Street, Killer Joe Cooper in Killer Joe, Mud in Mud, Mick Haller in The Lincoln Lawyer, Moondog in The Beach Bum, Jack Lengyel in We Are Marshall, Danny Buck in Bernie, Lt. Dallas in Magic Mike, Cooper in Interstellar.
77.  Will Smith (born 1968): Chris Gardner in The Pursuit Of Happiness, Muhammad Ali in Ali, Ben in Seven Pounds, Robert Neville in I Am Legend, Robert Clayton Dean in Enemy of the State, Jay in Men in Black, Capt Steven Hiller in Independence Day, Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Mike Lowery in Bad Boys, Paul in Six Degrees of Separation, Dr. Bennet Omalu in Concussion.
78.  Michael Fassbender (born 1977): Steve Jobs in Steve Jobs, Brandon Sullivan in Shame, Edwin Epps in 12 Years a Slave, Bobby Sands in Hunger, Conor in Fish Tank, Macbeth in Macbeth, David in Prometheus, Rochester in Jane Eyre, Lt Archie Hilcox in Inglourious Basterds, Carl Jung in A Dangerous Method, Frank in Frank.
79. Nicholas Cage (born 1964): Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas, Charlie/Donald Kaufman in Adaptation, Stanley Goodspeed in The Rock, Sailor Ripley in Wild at Heart, Roy Waller in Matchstick Men, H.I. McDunnough in Raising Arizona, Cameron Poe in Con Air,  Caster Troy in Face/Off, Damon Macready in Kick-Ass, Yuri Orlov in Lord of War, Tom Welles in 8MM, Ronny Cammareri in Moonstruck.
80. Viggo Mortenson (born 1958): Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings Franchise, Tom Stall in A History of Violence, Man in The Road, Nikolai in Eastern Promises, Ben in Captain Fantastic, Tony Lip in Green Book.
81. Geoffrey Rush (born 1951): David Helfgott in Shine, Lionel Logue in The King’s Speech, The Marquis de Sade in Quills, Barbossa in Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Sellers in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Phillip Henslowe in Shakespeare in Love, Sir Francis Walsingham in Elizabeth I.
82. Bill Murray (born 1950): Bob Harris in Lost in Translation, Phil Connors in Groundhog Day, Carl Spackler in Caddyshack, Herman Blume in Rushmore, Dr. Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters, Ernie McCracken in Kingpin, John Winger in Stripes, Steve Zissou in The Life Aquatic, Bob Wiley in What About Bob?, Frank Cross in Scrooged, Jack Kennison in Olive Ketteridge, Vincent in St. Vincent.
83. James Earl Jones (born 1931): Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope, Voice of Darth Vader in The Star Wars franchise, Terence Mann in Field of Dreams, Voice of Mufasa in The Lion King, Admiral Greer in The Jack Ryan Franchise, King Jaffe Joffer in Coming to America, Few Clothes in Matewan, Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian, Lt Lothar Zogg in Dr. Strangelove.
84. Warren Beatty (born 1937): Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde, John McCabe in McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Joe Pendleton in Heaven Can Wait, John Reed in Reds, Bud Stamper in Splender in the Grass, Bugsy Siegel in Bugsy, Jay Bulworth in Bulworth, Joseph Frady in The Parallax View, Dick Tracy in Dick Tracy.
85. Gérard Depardieu (born 1948): Cyrano de Bergerac in Cyrano de Bergerac, Danton in Danton, Bernard Granger in The Last Metro, Louis Vincent Mangin in Police, Jean Cadoret/Jean de Florette in Jean de Florette, Georges Fauré in Green Card, Martin Guerre/Arnaud du Tihl in The Return of Martin Guerre.
86. Nick Nolte (born 1941): Wade Whitehouse in Affliction, Lt. Col. Tall in The Thin Red Line, Paddy Conlon in Warrior, Tom Wingo in The Prince of Tides, Sam Bowden in Cape Fear, Jack Cates in 48 Hours, Pete Bell in Blue Chips, Augusto Odone in Lorenzo’s Oil, Russell Price in Under Fire, Phillip Elliott in North Dallas Forty, Tom Jordache in Rich Man Poor Man.
87. Casey Affleck (born 1975): Lee Chandler in Manchester by the Sea, Patrick Kenzie in Gone Baby Gone, Robert Ford in The Assassination of Jesse James, Morgan in Good Will Hunting, Rodney Baze Jr in Out of the Furnace.
88. Forest Whitaker (born 1961): Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland, Edward Garlick in Good Morning Vietnam, Charlie Parker in Bird, Burnham in Panic Room, Carter in American Gun, Charlies Jefferson in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Col. Weber in Arrival, Cecil Gaines in The Butler, Ghost Dog in Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai, Bumby Johnson in Godfather of Harlem, Jody in The Crying Game.
89. Michael Keaton (born 1951): Reggan in Birdman, Ray Nicolette in Jackie Brown, Beetlejuice in Beetlejuice, Bruce Wayne in Batman, Walter ‘Robby’ Robinson in Spotlight, Ray Kroc in The Founder, Doug Kenney in Multiplicity, Jack in Mr. Mom, Blaze Blazejowski in Night Shift.
90.  Kurt Russell (born 1951): R.J. Macready in The Thing, Snake Plissken in Escape From New York, Wyatt Earp in Tombstone, Herb Brooks in Miracle, Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China, John Ruth in The Hateful Eight, Stuntman Mike McKay in Death Proof, Stephen/Dennis McCaffrey in Backdraft, Lt Gabriel Cash in Tango and Cash, Elvis Presley in Elvis, Drew Stephens in Silkwood, Jeff Taylor in Breakdown, Capt Jack O’Neil in Stargate, David Grant in Executive Decision, Curtis McCabe in Vanilla Sky.
91. James Caan (born 1940): Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, Paul Sheldon in Misery, Frank in Thief, Brian Piccolo in Brian’s Song, Axel Freed in The Gambler.
92. George Clooney (born 1961): Michael Clayton in Michael Clayton, Danny Ocean in Ocean’s 11, Everett in O Brother Where Art Thou?, Bob Barnes in Syriana, Jack Foley in Out of Sight, Doug Ross in ER, Fred Friendly in Good Night and Good Luck, Ryan Bingham in Up in the Air, Matt King in The Descendants, Archie Gates in Three Kings, Seth Gecko in From Dusk Till Dawn.
93. Martin Landau: (1928-2017) Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood, Judah Rosenthal in Crimes and Misdemeanors, Leonard in North By Northwest, Rollin Hand in Mission Impossible (series), Abe in Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Abe Petrovsky in Rounders.
94. John Turturro (born 1957): Barton Fink in Barton Fink, Herbie Stempel in Quiz Show, Jesus Quintana in The Big Lebowski, Pino in Do the Right Thing, Pete Hogwallop in O Brother Where Art Thou?, Bernie Bernbaum in Miller’s Crossing, John Stone in The Night Of, Joey Knish in Rounders, Det. Larry Mazilli in Clockers.
95.  Mahershala Ali (born 1974): Juan in Moonlight, Wayne Hays in True Detective S3, Dr Donald Shirley in Green Book, Remy Danton in House of Cards, Moses in Free State of Jones.
96.  Ewan McGregor (born 1971): Mark Renton in Trainspotting, Christian in Moulin Rouge!, Emmit and Ray Stussy in Fargo (S3), Obi-Wan Kenobi in The Star Wars Prequels, Edward Bloom in Big Fish, Alex Law in Shallow Grave, Curt Wild in Velvet Goldmine, SPC John “Grimesey” Grimes in Black Hawk Down, Henry Bennett in The Impossible, Phillip Morris in I Love You Phillip Morris.
97.  Paul Giamatti (born 1967):  John Adams in John Adams, Miles in Sideways, Harvey Pekar in American Splendor, Chuck Rhoades in Billions, Joe Gould in Cinderella Man, Barney Panofsky in Barney’s Version, Ben Bernanke in Too Big to Fail, Freeman in 12 Years a Slave, Inspector Uhl in The Illusionist, Tom Duffy in The Ides of March, Mike Flaherty in Win Win, Richard Grimes in Private Life, Jerry Heller in Straight Outta Compton.
98.  Daniel Craig (born 1968): James Bond in Skyfall/Casino Royale/James Bond Franchise, xxxx in Layer Cake, Connor Rooney in Road to Perdition, Tuvia Bielski in Defiance, Joe Bang in Logan Lucky, Mikael Blomquist in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Steve in Munich, Bennoit Blanc in Knives Out, Darren in The Mother.
99. Adam Driver (born 1983): Charlie in Marriage Story, Garupe in Silence, Kylo Ren in The Star Wars Franchise, Flip Zimmerman in BlacKKKlansman, Paterson in Paterson, Lev in Francis Ha, Clyde Logan in Logan Lucky, Adam Sackler in Girls, Daniel Jones in The Report.
100.  J.K. Simmons (born 1955): Vern Schillinger in Oz, Fletcher in Whiplash, Howard Silk in Counterpart, Mac MacGuff in Juno, J Jonah Jameson in The Spiderman franchise.

Bubble: Richard Harris, Sam Rockwell, Christoph Waltz, Peter Dinklage, Oscar Isaac, Colin Firth, Don Cheadle, Hugh Jackman, Michael B. Jordan, James Gandolfini, Bradley Cooper, Adam Sandler, James Woods, Steve Buschemi, William H. Macy, Gary Sinise, Christopher Lee, Jeremy Renner, Gene Wilder, Colin Farrell, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Hamm, Kiefer Sutherland, Andy Serkis, Jaime Foxx, Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, Chow Yun-Fat, Bryan Cranston, Keanu Reeves, Josh Brolin, Giovani Ribisi, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Richard Jenkins, James Franco, Idris Elba, Ted Danson, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Clive Owen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Shannon, Ian McShane, Maads Mikkelsen, Woody Allen, Patrick Stewart, Brian Tyree Henry, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Mel Gibson, John Travolta, Eric Bana, Michael Stuhlbarg, Jude Law, John C. Reilly, Sylvester Stallone, Tim Curry, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Frank Langella, Jeffrey Wright, Jeff Goldblum, Michael K. Williams, Mickey Rourke, Roy Scheider, John Lithgow, Patrick Swayze, Erland Josephson, Michel Piccoli, Daniel Kaluuya, Sam Elliott, Steve Carell, Brian Cox, Jesse Plemons, Ben Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Goodman, Tim Roth, Chadwick Boseman, Kevin Kline, F. Murray Abraham, Martin Freeman, Alexander Skarsgård, Bill Skarsgård, Paul Dano, Stanley Tucci, Rami Malek, Robert Pattinson

*Best Actor/Supporting Actor Academy Award winning performances appear underlined