20 Best Actors Of All Time - Minh Khang Cente

Through unforgettable performances, several actors have established themselves as the greatest of all time. After more than a century of cinematic history, there have been countless actors and actresses who have enjoyed their fair share of the spotlight. A long list of stars from the industry’s past and present, ranging from Charlie Chaplin to Clint Eastwood, have achieved reputations as movie legends.

The diverse list of movie genres lends itself well to the massive pool of movie stars audiences have followed over the years. Some developed a mastery over a certain medium, with actors like John Wayne and James Cagney becoming synonymous with Westerns and gangster films respectively. Others tried to showcase their versatility by appearing in all sorts of different films. In one way or another, numerous actors have made enough contributions to movie history to earn their place among the best.

20 Cate Blanchett

Notable Movies: The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, The Aviator, Elizabeth

One of the most impressive things about Cate Blanchett’s career is how much she’s accomplished in such a short length of time. Despite only being active since 1990, the 55-year-old actress can already be counted as one of Hollywood’s best, and not just in the current era. Her breakthrough performance was the role of Elizabeth I in the 1999 biopic, Elizabeth. Less than a decade later, Blanchett set a noteworthy record that continues to hold by reprising the role in Elizabeth: The Golden Rule.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Elizabeth (1998)	Elizabeth I	First Oscar nomination and breakout role.
I’m Not There (2007)	Bob Dylan (Jude Quinn)	First Oscar win.
Blue Jasmine (2013)	Jeanette “Jasmine” Francis	Second Oscar win.

Not only did her depiction of Elizabeth earn her an Oscar nomination, but her second turn as the queen of England managed the same. To date, Blanchett has been nominated for eight Oscars and won twice for roles that show her incredible range and willingness to take on intimidating roles. This includes starring as another Hollywood legend, Katharine Hepburn, in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, bringing complexity to the role of an abuser in Notes on a Scandal, and playing a version of Bob Dylan in I’m Not There.

19 Christian Bale

Notable Movies: The Dark Knight, American Psycho, Vice

In the 2000s, Christian Bale was a rising name in Hollywood due to his growing status at the time as an action star, as well as for American Psycho. Playing Batman did much for his image, but it’s important to note that Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy was more than just a slew of superhero-themed action vehicles; aided by Bale’s performance, the three films succeeded in providing a nuanced look at what makes the Caped Crusader tick.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
American Psycho (2000)	Patrick Bateman	Breakout role.
The Dark Knight (2008)	Bruce Wayne / Batman	$1 billion+ box office gross.
The Fighter (2010)	Dicky Eklund	Winner Best Supporting Actor Oscar

Since then, Bale’s profile has grown beyond Batman, with the actor garnering critical acclaim for movies outside the action genre. Part of this was due to his onscreen performances, but a great deal of it also comes from the extreme effort he puts into becoming his characters. One of the most noteworthy examples of this is the very real physical transformation Christian Bale underwent to play Dick Cheney in Vice. The Machinist, American Hustle, The Fighter, and other roles highlight a commitment to his performances that draws the audience in.

18 Al Pacino

Notable Movies: The Godfather, The Irishman, Scarface

Although Al Pacino only landed one Oscar win, the range of his nominations say a lot about his career’s significance to Hollywood. Between 1973 and 2020, Pacino racked up nine nominations, including his win for Secret of a Woman in 1993. He can play inspiring heroes like in Serpico, he can play over-the-top and comedic villains such as his turn in Dick Tracy, and he can play complex characters who challenge the audience such as in Dog Day Afternoon.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
The Godfather (1972	Michael Corleone	First Oscar nomination and breakout role.
Scarface (1983)	Tony Montana	Iconic villainous role.
Scent of a Woman (1989)	Frank Slade	First Oscar win and eighth nomination.

Pacino made his first mark on the industry with his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather, a film justifiably lauded as one of the best movies ever made. In fact, it’s often cited as the greatest of them all, and that’s due in no small part to what Pacino brought to the Michael Corleone role with how he crafted the character’s gradual transformation into a crime lord. Likewise, his performance as Tony Montana in Scarface made for one of the most iconic movie characters of all time and his performance alone makes it an iconic movie.

17 Harrison Ford

Notable Movies: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner

Few stars walk the line between action hero and dramatic actor better than Harrison Ford. His importance to action movies is underscored by the notion that two of the biggest action icons ever – Han Solo and Indiana Jones – are credited to him. Ford’s charisma has helped immensely in making Star Wars’ Han Solo and Indiana Jones endearing favorites to multiple generations.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Star Wars (1977)	Han Solo	Breakout role and $700 million+ box office hit.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)	Indiana Jones	Iconic franchise role and $350 million+ box office hit.
Witness (1985)	John Book	First Oscar nomination.

Also among Harrison Ford’s best movies are Blade Runner, The Fugitive, and Witness. With the latter, Ford won his first and only Academy Award. The others were also supported by Ford’s performances, as it’s hard to imagine Blade Runner being hailed one of the best sci-fi movies of all time with another actor in the lead role. Ford can sometimes be viewed more as a movie star than a serious actor, however, even in his most popular roles, he brings depth and nuance to the characters, building icons that would inspire countless action heroes to come.

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16 Marlon Brando

Notable Movies: The Godfather, Apocalypse Now!, Last Tango In Paris

The Godfather’s legacy being what it is today can be attributed at least partially to its cast being headlined by not one, but two of Hollywood’s most talented actors of any generation. Marlon Brando memorably portrayed Vito Corleone, taking viewers through his personal journey and adding various edges to the role. With Corleone being just one example of this, Brando excelled in playing jaded and charismatic characters, as evidenced by his performances in A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and Apocalypse Now.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)	Stanley Kowalski	First Oscar nomination and breakout role.
On the Waterfront (1954)	Terry Malloy	First Oscar win.
The Godfather (1972)	Don Vito Corleone	Second Oscar win.

His distinct approach to his performances helped change movie acting in America forever. His breakout role in The Wild Ones was an electrifying glimpse at something new with a withdrawn and captivating performance. Crucial to his approach was his well-known implementation of method acting, which grew more common thanks to Brando. Brando forced the audience to lean in close and become involved in his performance.

15 Kate Winslet

Notable Movies: The Reader, Titantic, Mare Of Easttown

Not unlike Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet has accrued many major accolades in her career, enough to be deemed one of Hollywood’s greatest actors. Along with Leonardo DiCaprio, Winslet used her performance and chemistry with her co-star to help make the love story in Titanic one of the most famous big-screen romances. But while Titanic has emerged as a timeless classic, it’s ultimately just one of Kate Winslet’s best movies.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Titanic (1997)	Rose DeWitt Bukater	First Oscar nomination and $2 billion+ box office gross.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)	Clementine Kruczynski	Oscar nomination.
The Reader (2008)	Hanna Schmitz	First Oscar win.

It shares good company with Sense and Sensibility, The Reader, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Little Children, which were all lifted up by Winslet’s acting. The high Rotten Tomatoes scores of each film do well to illustrate the value Winslet brings to a movie’s cast and story. This is further reflected by her seven Academy Award nominations, including one win, which was for The Reader.

14 Toshirō Mifune

Notable Movies: Yojimbo, The Samurai Trilogy, Seven Samurai

It’s no coincidence that several of the best Japanese movies of all time feature Toshirō Mifune as the lead actor. In his distinguished career, Mifune headlined a multitude of now-iconic movies, including Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and Rashomon. His ability to play a cold and calculated warrior in Akira Kurosawa’s samurai movies even provided the inspiration for Clint Eastwood’s The Man With No Name. It’s not hard to see why; he could skillfully play a character with a quiet and measured demeanor that hid a powerful and fearsome spirit.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Rashomon (1950)	Tajōmaru	International hit.
Seven Samurai (1954)	Kikuchiyo	Influenced The Magnificent Seven.
Yojimbo (1961)	Sanjūrō Kuwabata	Influenced A Fistful of Dollars and Miller’s Crossing.

While his collaborations with Kurosawa show why the director is one of the greatest of all time, these movies would never be as effective without Mifune’s performances to anchor them. The actor shows his incredible range in these roles, with wild and entertaining performances as well as reserved and haunting roles. He can play the detestable bandit in Rashomon just as effectively as he played the stoic hero in Yojimbo. Perhaps his best performance is his nuanced turn as a village doctor in Red Beard, which won him the Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival.

13 Olivia de Havilland

Notable Movies: The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Heiress, The Snake Pit

Between playing the love interest in a string of Errol Flynn movies, Olivia de Havilland carved out a legacy for herself through her performances in movies like Gone with the Wind. Early in her career, her roles leaned heavily on her characters’ charming and innocent appeal, but other movies demonstrated that there were multiple layers to the actress.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)	Maid Marian	Breakout role.
Gone with the Wind (1939)	Melanie Hamilton Wilkes	First Oscar nomination and $350 million+ box office gross.
To Each His Own (1946)	Miss Josephine ‘Jody’ Norris	First Oscar win.

De Havilland seemed to effortlessly steal the show in films such as Snake Pit, Hold Back the Dawn, and The Heiress, all of which were films that highlighted her emotional range. Three of her performances were recognized with well-deserved wins for Best Actress. She rose to fame in an era in which the roles for women were not as substantial as the male actors received. However, her talents helped to change that and force the kind of roles that would highlight her versatility.

Olivia De Havilland’s Academy Award-winning performances were in
To Each Their Own, Snake Pit,
and
The Heiress.

12 Glenn Ford

Notable Movies: The Blackboard Jungle, 3:10 To Yuma, Gilda

Several film genres count at least one Glenn Ford movie as one of the best examples of what they have to offer. That’s the case with Westerns (3:10 to Yuma), film noir (Gilda), comedy (Pocketful of Miracles), and war movies (Midway). Even 1978’s Superman, arguably the most popular superhero movie before the 21st century, was made better by a Glenn Ford appearance. His empathetic portrayal of Jonathan Kent was vital to Superman.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Gilda (1946)	Johnny Farrell	Noir classic.
Pocketful of Miracles (1961)	Dave “the Dude” Conway	Golden Globe nomination.
Superman (1978)	Jonathan Kent	$300 million+ box office gross.

This thoughtful, caring side of Ford contributed much to his likability, but it’s worth noting that there were other shades of him as well. Movies like White Heat and Gilda show that he could also convincingly play darker, crueler characters, which can be equally entertaining to watch. This sort of balance went hand-in-hand with his numerous Western roles, which often called for him to play characters whose morals weren’t necessarily in black and white.

11 James Stewart

Notable Movies: Vertigo, It’s A Wonderful Life, The Man Who Knew Too Much

Whereas several acting legends have earned their reputations due to being able to play both heroes and villains, James Stewart doesn’t have the same level of experience. But while his history of playing flawed protagonists is limited, that detracts nothing from Stewart’s legacy. He made a career out of playing soft-spoken, well-meaning characters whose likable qualities made him instantly relatable and easy to root for in movies like Harvey and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)	Jefferson Smith	First Oscar nomination.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)	Macaulay “Mike” Connor	First Oscar win.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)	George Bailey	Oscar nomination and holiday classic.

Of course, the characters in James Stewart’s best movies weren’t without nuance. His haunting performance as a man who discovered that his life had been erased from existence in It’s a Wonderful Life is undoubtedly one of the highlights of Stewart’s career. Something similar can be said for his roles in Rear Window and Winchester ’73, to name a few.

10 Tom Hanks

Notable Movies: Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Big

Another actor largely associated with “nice guy” roles is Tom Hanks. But like the situation with James Stewart, that’s not a knock on Hanks’ versatility. Rather, it speaks to his success in playing characters viewers are meant to like and respect. With movies like Castaway and Forrest Gump perfect examples, Hanks is adept at presenting his characters’ flaws while also endearing them to the audience at the same time. Notably, this is a quality of Hanks that seems to have improved over time, with the actor continuing to deliver memorable, Oscar-worthy performances in the later years of his career.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Big (1989)	Josh	First Oscar nomination.
Philadelphia (1993)	Andrew Beckett	First Oscar win.
Forrest Gump (1994)	Forrest Gump	Second Oscar win.

Hanks is one of the rare actors who has won two back-to-back Oscars, showing his incredible range. He first won for his intense performance as a lawyer dying of AIDS in Philadelphia and followed it up with his charming and iconic performance in Forrest Gump. Hanks has been nominated four more times in roles that range from comedic, like Big, to harrowing, like Saving Private Ryan.

9 Ingrid Bergman

Notable Movies: Casablanca, Notorious, Joan Of Arc

One of the top stars of the 1940s, Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman has her name attached to several of the decade’s most well-known films, such as Notorious, Gaslight, Casablanca, and The Bells of St. Mary’s. Her chemistry with Humphrey Bogart and emotional range played a huge part in Casablanca having at least a claim to the title of the greatest movie ever made.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Casablanca (1942)	Ilsa Lund	Breakout and iconic film.
Gaslight (1944)	Paula Alquist Anton	First Oscar win.
Anastasia (1956)	Anna Koreff / Anastasia	Second Oscar win.

While the movie’s fame is proof of her acting ability, her Oscar-winning role in Gaslight was perhaps an even better chance to showcase her talents, as it saw Bergman deliver a captivating performance as a woman tricked by her own husband into thinking that she’s losing her mind. Bergman’s relevancy persisted well beyond the 1940s. She received critical acclaim and major awards throughout her career, with Anastasia and Murder on the Orient Express being among her many noteworthy roles. At 63 years old, she came close to winning what would have been her fourth Oscar in Autumn Sonata.

8 Meryl Streep

Notable Movies: The Devil Wears Prada, Kramer vs. Kramer, Little Women

Easily one of the most accomplished actors still working in the industry today, Meryl Streep has had more Oscar-nominated performances than any other actor or actress in history. Streep has a whopping number of 21 nominations, including three wins, between 1978 and 2017. The sheer frequency of a Meryl Streep performance garnering widespread attention is a testament to her screen presence. Celebrated films like The Deer Hunter, The Iron Lady, The Bridges of Madison County, and The Post make up just a fraction of Streep’s best acting credits.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Elizabeth (1998)	Elizabeth I	First Oscar nomination and breakout role.
I’m Not There (2007)	Bob Dylan (Jude Quinn)	First Oscar win.
Blue Jasmine (2013)	Jeanette “Jasmine” Francis	Second Oscar win.

She grabbed the audience’s attention early in her career by stealing scenes away from more high-profile actors like Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman before going on to lead her own movies. Her searing performances in the likes of Sophie’s Choice and A Cry in the Night are wonderfully contrasted with her fun and lighter performances in the likes of The Devil Wears Prada and Florence Foster Jenkins. Streep’s name has become known as a quality that will elevate any movie.

7 Denzel Washington

Notable Movies: Training Day, The Equalizer, Man On Fire

Denzel Washington has enjoyed a long and prolific career in Hollywood, one that’s been littered with exemplary performances. Washington has been an audience favorite since the 1990s, a notion that’s backed up by box office numbers. His roles have gone over well with critics as well, as indicated by the score of nine Oscar nominations and two wins the actor has under his belt. As a testament to his long-lasting career, Washington has received at least one Oscar nomination each decade from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Glory (1989)	Private Silas Trip	First Oscar win.
Training Day (2001)	Alonzo Harris	Second Oscar win.
American Gangster (2007)	Frank Lucas	$250 million+ box office gross.

Impressively, Washington never needed to find a niche to find this level of success, as he’s been able to reliably deliver hits whether he’s playing a corrupt detective (Training Day), a conscientious lawyer (Cry Freedom), or a boxer (The Hurricane). He brings an intensity that elevates many of the movies he stars in with the likes of Roman J. Israel, Esq. sitting entirely on the shoulders of his incredible performance. There are many who consider Washington to be the best actor still working today.

6 Katharine Hepburn

Notable Movies: Woman Of The Year, Adam’s Rib, Holiday=

In 1982, Katharine Hepburn won an Oscar for her starring role in The Golden Pond, and in the process, claimed an extraordinary record no actor has since been able to top: with it, Hepburn had accumulated a total of four Academy Awards. Originally, she found success in 1930s and 1940s romantic comedies, which leaned heavily on her unique wit and charm. As time passed and the movie industry changed, Hepburn gracefully evolved with it, moving on from the screwball comedies of her past and diving deeper into more dramatic roles on occasion.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Morning Glory (1933)	Eva Lovelace	First Oscar win.
The Lion in Winter (1968)	Eleanor of Aquitaine	Second Oscar win.
On Golden Pond (1981)	Ethel Thayer	Fourth Oscar win.

Hepburn is another trailblazing talent who helped to shape cinema in her era. She was never interested in conforming to the typical female roles of the time with her distinct and fascinating persona forcing Hollywood to change to accommodate her. This led to huge successes like The Philadelphia Story and The African Queen, which cemented the riveting talent she displayed on screen.

5 Cary Grant

Notable Movies: To Catch A Thief, North By Northwest, Notorious

An actor with whom Katharine Hepburn shared much of her early success, Cary Grant had his own wit about him that greatly elevated the romantic comedies he made both with her and opposite other actresses. That humor could come in a variety of forms, as Grant could provide laughs and entertainment as a clumsy victim of circumstance or a suave playboy. But thanks to Grant’s impressive repertoire as an actor, his films weren’t always dependent on his comedic chops. Cary Grant’s many collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, act as examples of his greater dramatic range.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
To Catch a Thief (1955)	John Robie	Alfred Hitchcock classic.
North by Northwest (1959)	Roger Thornhill	Action-adventure classic
An Affair to Remember (1957)	Nickie Ferrante	Romance classic.

He became the quintessential symbol of the American actor, playing the dashing and crowd-pleasing hero in movies like North by Northwest, Suspicion, and To Catch a Thief. Grant had the ability to play the stoic hero who everyone looked up to and wanted to emulate, but he was smart enough as an actor to also play the vulnerable everyman roles which made him relatable.

4 Sidney Poitier

Notable Movies: Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner, The Defiant Ones, Lillies Of The Field

The most prominent Black actor of the 1950s and 1960s, as well as the first to earn the Best Actor Oscar (Lilies of the Field), Sidney Poitier amassed dozens of standout performances. His supporting role as a rebellious teenage student in The Blackboard Jungle put him on the map in Hollywood in 1955. Before long, Poitier was able to work his way up to being a lead actor himself, playing emotionally meaningful roles in dramatic films, including Patch of Blue and To Sir, with Love.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
The Defiant Ones (1958)	Noah Cullen	First Oscar nomination.
Lilies of the Field (1963)	Homer Smith	First Oscar win.
In the Heat of the Night (1967)	Detective Virgil Tibbs	Crime classic.

Poitier had grown to excel at playing good-natured, respectable characters. These roles made up a large chunk of his career, but don’t necessarily define it. The Defiant Ones, for instance, took advantage of his impressive depth when it placed him in the role of an escaped convict who wrestles with his conscience during his time on the run. While his talents are undeniable, the impact Poitier had on cinema and Hollywood cannot be quantified.

3 Laurence Olivier

Notable Movies: Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, That Hamilton Woman

Aided by his experience as a stage actor, British actor Laurence Olivier did some of his best big-screen work when he headlined Othello, Richard III, Hamlet, and Henry V. All four Laurence Olivier-led William Shakespearian adaptations reached across-the-board acclaim, with Olivier’s performances in particular getting Best Oscar nominations (including one win). This astonishing accomplishment highlights the extent of his dramatic range, which perfectly complimented the William Shakespeare stories’ emphasis on psychological journeys.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Hamlet (1948)	Hamlet	First Oscar win.
Sleuth (1972)	Andrew Wyke	Oscar nomination.
Marathon Man (1976)	Dr. Christian Szell	Oscar nomination.

Olivier is an actor who has inspired countless performers to follow with his command of the audience something few have been able to replicate. He had the ability to bring the captivating and inescapable focus of live theater, delivering a unique cinematic feel. However, he was also excellent in movies outside of his Shakespearean roles, such as the mystery movie Sleuth and his terrifying villainous performance as a Nazi in Marathon Man.

2 Bette Davis

Notable Movies: Dark Victory, What About Eve, The Star

For decades, Bette Davis has been revered as the “the Queen of Hollywood,” and for good reason. Rather than sticking to love interests or sympathetic protagonists, Davis was never averse to playing characters with questionable morals, or even those that were outright despicable, as seen in Jezebel. The movie industry benefited from 60 years of Bette Davis’ spirited performances, as she received Oscar buzz from her mid-20s all the way into her late 70s, just prior to her death in 1989.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
Dangerous (1935)	Joyce Heath	First Oscar win
Jezebel (1938)	Julie Marsden	Second Oscar win.
All About Eve (1950)	Margo Channing	Oscar nomination.

She delivered unforgettable performances in the likes of the drama All About Eve while also unsettled audiences in her later project, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? She demanded the audience’s attention as soon as she appeared on screen. Well-respected for the extreme level of intensity and attention to detail that the actress had prioritized, Davis set the standard for Hollywood’s leading ladies.

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1 Daniel Day-Lewis

Notable Movies: The Phantom Thread, The Age Of Innocence, The Crucible

If there’s any actor who can stand above all other acting legends in the modern era, it’s Daniel Day-Lewis. His remarkable versatility has been on display throughout his career. Day-Lewis’ moving performance as someone with cerebral palsy in My Left Foot rewarded him with instant critical acclaim and an Academy Award for Best Actor. It was the beginning of a long-running, consistent trend for the actor who has remained in the conversation for high-profile accolades year after year, including multiple wins.

Notable Movie	Character	Notes
My Left Foot (1989)	Christy Brown	First Oscar win.
There Will Be Blood (2007)	Daniel Plainview	Second Oscar win.
Lincoln (2012)	Abraham Lincoln	Third Oscar win.

His Oscar for My Left Foot was joined by new Academy Awards for 2008’s There Will Be Blood and 2013’s Lincoln. Both were deeply dramatic roles, but Day-Lewis has shown that he can thrive even when trying something completely different. Despite playing a somewhat over-the-top character in Gangs of New York, Day-Lewis still picked up an Oscar nomination. And with The Last of the Mohicans, there was an indication that he had “action hero” potential as well.