The top 10 actors that I’d see in pretty much anything
Well, this is the last post I rip off of Abbi (at least for a while). I’m trying to balance out all the hate I spewed forth here with some love. I shared the 10 actresses I love unconditionally, and now it’s the turn of the men. Here are the 10 guys who I could watch in anything.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Where is the love?: He might be a little nuts, but he’s bloody brilliant. He carefully chooses his projects and then gives a magnificent, committed performance every single time. Fucking legend and my favorite actor.
Best role: There Will Be Blood
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: Stars and Bars
Words of wisdom: “It was always assumed that the classics were a good line of work for me because I had a decent voice and the right nose. But anybody who comes from an essentially cynical European society is going to be bewitched by the sheer enthusiasm of the New World. And in America, the articulate use of language is often regarded with suspicion. Especially in the West. Look at the president. He could talk like an educated New Englander if he chose to. Instead, he holds his hands like a man who swings an ax. George W. Bush understands, very astutely, that many of the people who are going to vote for him would regard him less highly if he knew how to put words together. He would no longer be one of them. In Europe, the tradition is one of oratory. But in America, a man’s man is never spendthrift with words. This, of course, is much more appealing in the movies than it is in politics.”
Tom Hiddleston
Where is the love?: He’s effortlessly cool, funny, charismatic and a fantastic actor. Responsible for the best Marvel villain yet.
Best role: Loki in Thor, The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: Wouldn’t actively avoid any of his films
Words of wisdom: “Never stop. Never stop fighting. Never stop dreaming. And don’t be afraid of wearing your heart on your sleeve – in declaring the films that you love, the films that you want to make, the life that you’ve had, and the lives you can help reflect in cinema. For myself, for a long time… maybe I felt inauthentic or something, I felt like my voice wasn’t worth hearing, and I think everyone’s voice is worth hearing. So if you’ve got something to say, say it from the rooftops.”
Edward Norton
Where is the love?: A gifted performer, both in drama and in comedy (which he should do more). Dedicated to the role, and very underrated. A leading man that’s made a career out of supporting parts.
Best role: American History X
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: Leaves of Grass
Words of wisdom: “People wrestle sometimes making movies, and I think that conflict is a very essential thing. I think a lot of very happy productions have produced a lot of very banal movies.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Where is the love?: The greatest character actor of his generation; a fearless, chameleon-like performer. His loss is a monumental one.
Best role: Doubt
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: Patch Adams
Words of wisdom: “Actors are responsible to the people we play. I don’t label or judge. I just play them as honestly and expressively and creatively as I can, in the hope that people who ordinarily turn their heads in disgust instead think, ‘What I thought I’d feel about that guy, I don’t totally feel right now'”.
Javier Bardem
Where is the love?: He does not possess the widest range but he makes up for that with sheer force. Intense, expressive performer that seems to get better with age.
Best role: Biutiful
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: Love in the Time of Cholera
Words of wisdom: “I always say “I don’t believe in God, I believe in Al Pacino” – and that’s true. If I ever get a phone call saying “Would you like to work with Pacino?” I would go crazy.”
Bradley Cooper
Where is the love?: A fantastic, underrated actor with superb comedic timing, and a great knack for drama, as well. Oh, and I want his hair.
Best role: Silver Linings Playbook
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: All About Steve
Words of wisdom: “I did it (taping himself) for this movie about UFC fighters a few years ago, and I didn’t know anything about UFC fighters. I wore biking shorts. I was outside in my back yard in Venice, and I was, like, kicking the trash cans and shit. I didn’t know what I was doing. I would love to fucking see that tape.”
Andrew Garfield
Where is the love?: Ever since The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, I knew there was something special about this guy. And he’s been wowing me ever since. Charismatic, versatile and very, very underrated.
Best role: The Social Network
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: The Other Boleyn Girl
Words of wisdom: “I hope that I have to audition for every single job I want. I hope that I’m always struggling, really. You develop when you’re struggling. When you’re struggling, you get stronger.”
Kevin Spacey
Where is the love?: This guy is a fucking monster of acting. He has so many great performances in his resumé, it’s crazy. Marvelous every single time.
Best role: The Usual Suspects
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: The Men Who Stare at Goats
Words of wisdom: “If you’re lucky enough to do well, it’s your responsibility to send the elevator back down.”
Jude Law
Where is the love?: A man whose career has suffered because of his physical beauty and personal life, which I think has prevented some people from taking him seriously as an actor. A shame, because he’s brilliant.
Best role: Road to Perdition
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: eXistenZ
Words of wisdom: “I’ve always thought Prince Charming in Cinderella was the most boring role; I’d rather be the Wicked Witch.”
Leonardo DiCaprio
Where is the love?: One of the finest, most consistent actors working today. He’s fantastic in every role (recently showed a knack for comedy). It’s offensive that he hasn’t won an Oscar yet.
Best role: Revolutionary Road
The one even he couldn’t convince me to see: Critters 3
Words of wisdom: “I’m just starting to scratch the surface of what makes me happy, and it has taken me a while to admit that acting like a child and a jerk is fun.”
At my company we have a saying “borrow with pride”. I think the blogging world is perfect for that. This is a great post and excellent choices. I absolutely agree that Bradley Cooper is underrated and that is an awesome picture of Javier Bardem.
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I did borrow it with a lot of pride. Excellent ideas, and I had a lot of fun putting my own spin on them. Thanks!
Glad you agree on Cooper. And it is!
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Awesome list, Fernando. The only one I really don’t agree with is is Bradley Cooper, although he’s proving more effective in each of his roles. My list would also include Ethan Hawke, Richard Jenkins, and Joel Edgerton. Christian Bale might be on the fringe as well.
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Cooper is awesome. You shut up!
LOL. Sorry about that.
Thanks, Nick. I did mean to include Bale but he was edged out. Love Edgerton and Hawke as well.
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Fuck. How did I forget ROCKWELL!!!?!?!?!?
And Chocolate Thunder- ELBA
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Right. How could you?!
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What’s wrong with eXistenZ? That’s Cronenberg man. Silly title but great film.
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Oh, really? Didn’t know that. Had written it off as bad precisely because of the silly title!
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Nice selections! Woof, it’d be hard for me to complain with any of these choices. I might really have to nab this idea from Abbi as well, it’s such a cool post idea.
And I will second the motion about that pic of Bardem. That is full-on badass.
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Btw personally I think you’re missing out by not checking out Leaves of Grass. The double-role from Norton is pretty entertaining at the very least.
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That was what intrigued me from the film but I just never read anything favorable about the movie, so I lost interest.
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Thanks. And go ahead and “borrow with pride”, as she put it. The more, the merrier!
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I agree about Jude Law.
And of course, I would also see anything with Leo.
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Glad you do! And nice to see you around :3
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Haha I actually went to my reader today and not just immediately closed the window after opening it. Lazy progress! 🙂
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That’s good
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Fantastic list here! I am such a DiCaprio junkie. Great to see Garfield and Spacey on the list though!
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Thanks, Zoe! Glad you liked the list. Those are amazing men!
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Good list! I have to say I wish I had half the grace Hiddleston does when handling craziness, also you picked my favorite quote of his (so far).
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Thanks, P! And yeah, he’s becoming more fanous by the minute and has handled it pretty well, I have to say. And I just love that quote. Aaargh, he’s so damn cool!
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LOL…his coolness is almost appalling. Almost 😉
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Great list! I definitely agree with Hoffman, Law and DiCaprio.
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Thanks! Glad you do!
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Nice list here. I may have to borrow with pride as well! Completely agree with you on a few of these…
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Thanks a lot, Andrew! And go ahead 😉
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Awesome list buddy; I’m struggling to think of anyone else to go on there! Cool pics too.
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Thanks a lot! 😀
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Interesting list Fernando, great pics and nice touch w/ the words of wisdom from each. I think right now the only actor I’d see in ANYTHING is Toby Stephens 😉 I like some of these here but they’re not MUST-SEE actors in that I wouldn’t go out of my way to see something just because they’re in it.
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Thanks, Ruth!
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Ah so many good picks buddy!
I would add Tom Hardy to my list and maybe Alfred Molina and Viggo Mortensen!
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Thanks. And those are great picks!
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Cheers! I might just have to do my own list!
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Oh cool!
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Wow, what a fun idea, Fernando! I love this!! I laughed at your Bradley Cooper one that you wouldn’t see – All About Steve. I found that movie entertaining, but stupid. I did really enjoy Silver Linings Playbook, though, and I would agree that that was his best movie.
I actually wasn’t a huge fan of DiCaprio in Road to Perdition, but that is probably because I just didn’t care for the movie. My favorite DiCaprio movies right now are Inception and The Great Gatsby, but really, the guy is just great in everything he does!
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Thanks, Kristin. It was all Abbi’s idea and I knew I had to do my own post. Bradley was so good in SLP, huh? And hey, who knows? Maybe I’ll watch All About Steve down the line…
Wasn’t crazy about Gatsby (that one let me down a bit) but I love Inception!
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Haha, let me know what you think of All About Steve if you do. Pretty sure that movie won some Razzies 🙂
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Yeah. I think Sandra Bullock accepted her Razzie with Oscar in hand.
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No Ryan Gosling?!?! No deal 🙂
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Haha! He’s solid but not Top 10 for me
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Another great list! Great to see a few Brits in there too, although I don’t like Jude Law I’m afraid!
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Thanks.
And OMG, shame! Jude Law is awesome.
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Pingback: The top 10 actors I would watch in almost anything | Mr Rumsey's Film Related Musings
Great list! I know I’m showing up a little late, but I like some of your picks, especially Tom Hiddleston and Bradley Cooper. I’m with you in that Cooper’s best role was Silver Linings Playbook . . . love him in that. I’m hoping we get to see Hiddleston show up in more films here soon! I also agree that Andrew Garfield’s best role-to-date is The Social Network. I really need to write a similar post to this . . . so good! I’m pretty sure Benedict Cumberbatch would top my list 😀
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You’re right on time! 🙂 Glad you liked my choices. Hiddleston is awesome and I’m always excited when he shows up in anything new. Love him as Loki, of course, and I really liked him in Midnight in Paris.
Cooper is so good and so underrated. Day-Lewis is my favorite actor, and he became Abe Lincoln, but deep down (or maybe not so deep) I wished Brad had taken the Oscar for SLP.
Garfield is consistently amazing, Love him as Peter Parker, but yeah, he was just SUPERB in Social Network (and he wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar… a travesty!)
Hope you do your own post soon! It’s very fun. I love Ben-Batch as well. I’m OBSESSED with Sherlock.
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Oh yes, he WAS in Midnight in Paris. I LOVED that movie, and I loved most everyone in it!
I agree – I wish the guy would get more credit. But the nice thing is that he’s getting more opportunities, and that is cool. Haha, can you imagine Brad Cooper always having “Academy Award Winner” ahead of his name?
I agree, it was a travesty that Garfield wasn’t recognized more for his work in The Social Network. I like him as Spider-Man too.
Yeah, I think that might be one of my next posts – I am still trying to revive my site, so I’m constantly looking for new ideas! Thank you for this one. And I am OBSESSED with Sherlock too. How could someone NOT be though? 😉
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Me too. It’s my favorite Allen movie and the cast was amazing!
It would be great having “Academy Award Winner” ahead of Cooper’s name. Hope it happens soon. Watched GOTG yesterday and his Rocket Raccoon was amazing. Hope he keeps getting interesting roles as that one.
It’s such a great show. Can’t believe we have to wait almost two years for a new episode!
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