Table of Contents
- Tom Hanks
- Denzel Washington
- Jack Nicholson
- Leonardo Di Caprio
- Brad Pitt (Charismatic Hollywood Actor)
- Morgan Freeman
- Robert De Niro
- Johnny Depp
- Christian Bale
- Daniel Day-Lewis
- Al Pacino
- Conclusion
I’ve watched enough movies of Hollywood actors and said no one ever! Sometimes, it’s the genre; sometimes, the cast makes you follow stars.
No one can be certain about the criteria that make up an actor’s outshine. Moreover, being famous and being the best actor are two different things.
Not just that, maintaining your position over the years and along your acting career requires utmost devotion, hard work, and consistency.
Let their performance do the talking! A great actor is born when acting skills, the actor’s timing, dialogue delivery, and communication with just your facial muscles come together.
Unquestionably, the performances that thrill us are not just a one-person job. Bringing life to the script, communicating through a range of emotions, and delivering your passion to the audience makes an actor stand out.
While the actor delivers on-screen, let’s not forget the entire crew serving off-screen. Many can act, but if one needs success, one’s role on camera should be so convincing in telling a story that the audience connects and comprehends.
Should a Hollywood actor be genre-specific? Oh no. The versatility of an actor is one of the essential traits he is expected to possess.
Sometimes, we can bring drama to cry with you and then a good rom-com as we get sentimental and laugh along, right?
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An actor should be able to show the audience what he has and how talented he could be by experimenting with different genres.
There is a saying by Israelmore Ayivor from The Great Hand Book of Quotes; “Nothing comes as an accomplishment instantly.
Success does not come overnight. Patience is the key! Grow up and be the tree, but remember it takes dry and wet seasons to become a fruit bearer, achiever, and impact maker!”
I can’t agree more, right? Even for the audience, the ratings, awards, and Oscars play a significant role in hooting and supporting an actor.
The fruit that comes to an actor in the name of awards and nominations results from their constant dedication and execution.
Finally, here’s to bringing you a lineup of Hollywood actors in the history of cinema known to top up all the traits mentioned above.
They are known for staying on the mark for as long as we can remember. This list is in no particular order and might not align with yours, but how bad is it to be a little biased about some actors?
This opens the road to a discussion and exchange of ideas, which is always welcomed.
Tom Hanks
Known for his diverse, versatile roles and being our own Woody from the Toy Story franchise, Tom is one of Hollywood’s most loved stars.
Indeed, he bagged some iconic roles and stayed top-ranking through his extraordinary performance deliverance.
When we list the best of Hanks, Forrest Grump, and Philadelphia are his career-defining performances. She gained popularity through various comic roles in Splash, Big, and League of Their Own.
Not missing out on his key performances in You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Cast Away, Saving Private Ryan, and Sully. We all can agree that both films were worth the Oscars.
Awards & Honors
- Two Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Grump
- Seven Primetime Emmy wins
- Four Golden Globe awards for Big, Philadelphia, Forrest Grump, Cast Away
- Kennedy Centre Honor (2014)
- French Legion of Honor and Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016)
- Cecil B. DeMille Award for serving the world of cinema his lifetime (2020)
Denzel Washington
Known for his competitive nature and preeminent screen presence, Hollywood actor Denzel delivered powerful performances throughout his career.
Not only is his consistency at the box office exemplary, but also his characters are getting applauded from time to time by the critics.
It won’t be wrong to address him as a highly multi-skilled actor in television and movies. His portrayal of real-life figures, playing military and law officers, then bringing us action movies and domestic drama, explains his defining personality.
Glory, Malcolm X, Training Day, Flight, and Fences are considered some of his iconic accomplishments.
Awards & Honors:
- Two Academy Awards for Glory (Best supporting role) and Training Day (Best actor)
- Two Golden Globe awards for Glory and The Hurricane
- Cecil B. DeMille Award award for serving the world of cinema his lifetime (2016)
Jack Nicholson
Terror in the eyes of one character while the other makes us break into a laugh, Nicholson’s career has no less than been an unpredictable wildcard entry.
He deserves all five stars, from role transformations to acting skills and versatility.
Nicholson retired for more than 50 years serving the industry, celebrating some major roles under his belt.
His most incredible performances include The Shining, As Good as It Gets, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and The Departed.
Awards & Honors:
- Three Academy Awards for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Terms of Endearment, and As Good as It Gets
- Six Golden Globe awards for Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Terms of Endearment, As Good as It Gets, and About Schmidt
- Grammy Award, the highest music honor for The Elephant’s Child (1988)
- Cecil B. DeMille Award for serving the world of cinema his lifetime (1999)
Leonardo Di Caprio
Our Titanic Star needs no introduction but deserves all the applause and worldwide recognition.
With a diverse career, he proved himself not to be just a romance king and experimented with versatile roles.
DiCaprio has portrayed some complex characters so easily that a massive audience looks forward to his releases to date.
For instance, He went from romantic drama to biopics, science fiction, crime, and political thrillers, which gave him equal international stardom.
His masterpieces include Titanic, Shutter Island, The Departed, Inception, The Revenant, and The Wolf of Wall Street, to name a few.
Awards & Honors:
- DiCaprio holds 100+ wins out of 200+ nominations. To list a few of many, He has;
- One Academy and one BAFTA film for The Revenant (2016)
- Three Golden Globe awards for The Aviator (2005), The Wolf of Wall Street (2014) and The Revenant (2016)
Brad Pitt (Charismatic Hollywood Actor)
Brad is not only known for his charismatic personality but also for his portrayals of unconventional characters.
He rose to fame for his looks and ambitious acting and producer roles.
He is considered one of the American entertainment industry’s most influential people.
Some of his commercial successes include Seven, Troy, Ocean’s sequel, World War Z, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Awards & Honors:
- Two academy awards for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Best supporting role) and 12 Years a Slave (Best Picture)
- One primetime Emmy award for The Normal Heart (2014)
- Two Golden Globe awards for 12 Monkeys (1996) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2020)
Morgan Freeman
The distinctive deep voices of Hollywood actors, narrators, and directors serve us with a classic variety of genres.
One of the most respected actors, Morgan, besides his voice, is known for his calm demeanor and hint of subtle humor.
He wasn’t just a Black actor, but he defined his roles to the best of his abilities and appeared in more than 100 films.
Some of his best releases are Shawshank Redemption, Unforgiven, Glory, Driving Miss Daisy, Million Dollar Baby, and Seven.
Awards & Honors:
- One academy award for Million Dollar Baby (Best supporting role)
- One Golden Globe award for Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
- Cecil B. DeMille Award for serving the world of cinema his lifetime (2012)
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Robert De Niro
Known for his method acting, His characters have been subjected to violence, and later in life, he became famous for his roles as old grumpy men comical depiction.
He rose to stardom from Bang the Drum Slowly, and Mean Streets bagged him a role in The Godfather.
That’s when he became an international star! Talking about his other key performances, Taxi Driver, The Godfather Part II, Raging Bull
Awards & Honors:
- Two academy awards for The Godfather Part II (Best supporting role) and Raging Bull (Best Actor)
- One Golden Globe award for Raging Bull (1981)
- Cecil B. DeMille Award for serving the world of cinema his lifetime (2011)
Johnny Depp
You can never like one Johnny Depp character because of the extent he goes to for each one of them.
Known for being too adaptable and opting for the most unconventional films, he always mesmerizes us.
He gained the most popularity as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and other eccentric characters.
Best of Depp is Donnie Brasco’s Finding Neverland, Edward Scissorhands, and Ed Wood’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to name a few.
Awards & Honors:
- One Golden Globe award for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- One Screen Actors Guild Award for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Christian Bale
You say Bale, and it automatically gets translated to Batman! Bale is known to be associated with acting from a very early age.
You say Bale, and it automatically gets translated to Batman! Bale is known to be associated with acting from a very early age.
He appeared in commercial stage performances and soon after got projects on the big screen. Staying true to his characters, he often underwent physical transformations to play the roles.
His personality makes him one of the most influential people. Besides the Batman series, American Psycho, The Dark Knight films, The Fighter and The Machinist gained success among a wider audience.
Awards & Honors:
- One academy award for The Fighter (Best supporting role)
- Two Golden Globe awards for The Fighter (2011) and Vice (2019)
- Two Screen Actors Guild Awards for The Fighter (2011) and American Hustle (2014)
Daniel Day-Lewis
He is no extraordinary actor and the one and only who bagged three Best Actor Oscars and won five major awards for just one performance.
Daniel received various accolades in his career before the English actor announced his retirement.
He believed in getting the skin of his characters to deliver roles by living them in real life.
Not just that, but what made him stand out were his intense roles and preparations, his rich accents, and his dramatic tones.
His best releases include My Beautiful Laundrette, A Room with a View, Gangs of New York, Phantom Thread, and In the Name of the Father.
Awards & Honors:
- Three academy awards for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood, and Lincoln (Best actor)
- Two Golden Globe awards for There Will Be Blood (2008) and Lincoln (2013)
- Three Screen Actors Guild Awards for Gangs of New York (2003), There Will Be Blood (2008), and Lincoln (2013)
Al Pacino
Al Pacino established himself as an iconic Hollywood actor of the 1970s and became as huge as a brand name.
Known for taking the authorized roles, he always preferred to stay in the spotlight and be the man in power.
His incomparable accomplishments as an actor and filmmaker set a benchmark for others in the industry.
He brought an array of legendary roles and received great honorable accolades. His signature genre has been crime and violence, as defined by his intense persona.
His best releases include The Godfather I and II, Dog Day Afternoon, Heat, Scarface, Dick Tracy, and The Irishman.
Awards & Honors:
- One academy award for Scent of a Woman (Best actor)
- Four Golden Globe awards for Serpico (1974), Scent of a Woman (1993), Angels in America (2004), and You Don’t Know Jack (2011)
- Two Primetime Emmy wins
- Honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (1994)
- Kennedy Centre Honors (2016)
- Cecil B. DeMille Award for serving the world of cinema his lifetime (2001)
Conclusion
They say quality over quantity, and the same goes for the iconic performances under the Hollywood actor’s belt that play a vital role. One’s career shouldn’t be defined by one memorable part, but he maintained deliverance through a streak.
Besides, the best thing about this list is it’s a personal opinion. How many of you can relate to the most?
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