Here’s a list of my favorite Top 10 actors and a few of their key performances.
Grace Kelly. Believability is crucial for any actor and Kelly was someone who was always natural on camera. Her performances had so much naturalism that the audience would never be taken out of the film. Notable roles: ‘Rear Window’ (1954), ‘The Swan’ (1956), ‘To Catch A Thief’ (1955).
Sydney Pollack. A director by trade, but an actor as compelling on screen as you could ever find. In Kubrick’s ‘Eye’s Wide Shut’ (1999) he only has limited screen time, however he grounds the entire film from drifting too much off into a dark fantasy which the characters cannot come back from. Originally this role was played by Harvey Keitel, who left the production after a reported 68 takes of the actor walking through a door, saying to Kubrick “I’m outta here, ya f#%king crazy, ya f#%ing outta ya mind”. Notable roles: ‘Tootsie’ (1982), ‘The Player’ (1992), ‘Eye’s Wide Shut’ (1999).
Richard Gere. In the film ‘I’m Not There’ (2007) multiple actors play Bob Dylan, though none actually play Bob Dylan…it’s an amazing film which needs to be seen to be believed. All of the other performances in the film are brilliant, but every moment Gere is on camera tells you what a ‘movie star’ is. He holds the audience in the palm of his hand, and he isn’t really doing anything! Notable roles: in this case just go watch ‘I’m Not There’ (2007).
James Stewart. The original Tom Hanks. That says it all really, an actor who creates characters who you want to root for and when one of his characters ‘leans in’ to a more grey, area you feel conflicted. Notable roles: ‘Rear Window’ (1954), ‘Mr Smith Goes To Washington’ (1939).
Laura Dern. If there is an actor who can hold their own as the crazy does down around her it’s Dern. She is equally comfortable in big blockbusters like ‘Jurassic Park’ (1993), character studies such as ‘Marriage Story’ (2019) and anything from the mind of David Lynch. Notable roles: ‘Wild At Heart’ (1990), ‘Inland Empire’ (2006).
Peter Weller. If you want to understand why post 2000 films haven’t produced memorable movie stars, then you just have to look at Peter Weller. Weller is a performer who gets under the skin of a character and drags the audience in with him. In the last few decades, the acting pool has predominantly come from Disney kids TV, CW shows and High School Musical (in general), giving us very clean cut performers who struggle to transition to intelligent cinema. Films need ‘real’ people, not just Ken dolls. Notable roles: ‘Naked Lunch’ (1991), ‘Robocop (1987).
Petr Cepek. East European cinema might be a little difficult to find a way in to, but there are gems to be found. Every performance from Cepek feels real and when directors give him the space to carry a film he can hold the audience like no other. Notable roles: ‘Faust’ (1994), ‘My Sweet Little Village’ (1987).
Nicolas Cage. Yes there are some, lots, many, way too many crazy over the top (and terrible?) performances out there, but the diamonds in the rough are extraordinary. In ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ (1995) there is just one moment where he asks for a cigarette, so convincing is the entire performance that you find yourself looking to see if you have one, and I don’t even smoke! Notable roles: ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ (1995), ‘Wild At Heart’ (1990).
Jennifer Connelly. Never shy of controversial subject matters, like ‘Requiem For A Dream (2000), or leaning into performances straight out of the golden age of cinema, ‘The Rocketeer’ (1991), Connelly has done it all. Notable roles ‘The Rocketeer’ (1991), ‘Once Upon A Time In America’ (1984).
Tom Waits. It’s always a pleasure seeing Waits giving his day job a little time off. Waits steals any scene when on camera. Even when it’s just a song of his included in the soundtrack he can completely steal the whole film, as with ‘Smoke’ (1995), that ending with his track ‘Innocent When You Dream’ changes the entire emotional core of the film. Notable roles: Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ (1992), Mystery Men (1999), Licorice Pizza (2021).