your ten best current actor list

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

10 Cillian Murphy
9 Ryan Gosling
8 Terrence Howard
7 Gary Oldman
6 Clive Owen
5 Don Cheadle
4 Leo Decaprio
3 Ben Kingsley
2 Tony Leung
1 Christian Bale

[MrWookie]

I expected to see Christian Bale, Leo D., and Gary Oldman on this list, but can you explain the rest of your picks?

[PaulSF415]

10. Joaquin Phoenix
9. Christian Bale
8. Russell Crowe
7. Terrence Howard
6. Ryan Gosling
5. Don Cheadle
4. Edward Norton
3. Tom Hanks
2. Sean Penn
1. Denzel Washington,

[Howard Beale]

Non-sexist list:

10. Nick Nolte
9. Anne Hathaway
8. Edward Norton
7. Tom Hanks
6. Meryl Streep
5. Javier Bardem
4. Reece Witherspoon
3. Johnny Depp
2. Russell Crowe
1. Paul Giamatti

[Dominic]

Russell Crowe - probably the best of the bunch

Ray Winstone - fantastic in everything I've seen him in

Matt Damon - I've never been less than impressed

Heath Ledger - the best of the younger crop

Ben Kingsley - masterful in everything he does

Jeff Bridges - in my mind, the best American film actor of the past 35 years

Clive Owens - incredible presence

Daniel Craig - see above

Paul Giamatti - never less than great

Jim Broadbent - the Alec Guinness of today


edited to add that I think Sean Penn is in a class by himself.

[SEABEAST]

agree with:

ray winstone
ben kingsley
clive owen
christian bale
sean penn
johnny depp

adding

hugo weaving - despite being famous for ubernerd roles (in which he is perfect with minimal effort) he is equally good at playing a down and out loser, deceptive conman, drag queen etc, much more flexible than many outside AU might realise

philip seymour hoffman - meticulousness in his detailing of even small roles means everything he does is very memorable, has proved he can more than handle a leading role when necessary too

john turturro - so many classic roles for a man working with immediately unlikeable features

bill murray - automatically makes any character he plays immediately adorable in spite of any flaws they might have, a rare ability