My favorites at the moment - no particular order: Gene Hackman Ed Harris Will Smith Tom Hanks Gary Sinese Al Pacino Denzel Washington Robert DeNiro Anthony Hopkins
Peter Sellars Dustin Hoffman Morgan Freeman <--- Shawshank Redemption WOW Mel Gibson Robert Redford Bill Murray and the entire cast of Sleepers, for that movie.
I wasn't trying to be argumentative, AB. I do think there can be a distinction in the sense of lead versus supporting roles. Also, I would say that some performers are better "stars" than actors. John Travolta, Bruce Willis and Burt Reynolds are good examples of this.
You say that like it's a bad thing (being Australian) In no particular order: DeNiro Snipes Sammy Jackson (actually seen him in person, on my birthday a few years ago - he is much taller than I thought) John Travolta Arnold Szhchzzhchznzc-neggar
5. Denzel Washington 4. Russell Crowe 3. Ed Norton 2. Al Pacino 1. Tom Hanks Honorable Mention: Robert DeNiro Matt Damon Anthony Hopkins Tom Cruise
Actually I was going to ask the same question. I see movie stars as people who can bring in a big box office and guys like Buscemi, Robert Duvall, Delroy Lindo, Ed Harris, etc aren't really able to do that with the big "stars".
No prob E, I think that your favorite movie star is just that... the person that YOU most want to see, no matter how popular.
Top 5 is tough... Christopher Walken - the guy just cracks me up Denzel Sameul L Jackson Tom Hanks Edward Norton honorable mention Harvey Keitel
1. Jack Nicholson... One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Batman, As Good As It Gets... heck, even A Few Good Men... Jack is always great, and he's always Jack. 2. Morgan Freeman... he never fails to disappoint me... besides Nicholson, the only actor that will get me to see a movie simply because he's in it. 3. Russell Crowe... in Gladiator he was okay, but in A Beautiful Mind he was spectacular. 4. Anthony Hopkins... he's been in some clunkers lately, but he's still a great actor. 5. Gene Hackman, Al Pacino, Bill Murray. I'll just say that they're all tied at 5th, because I can't drop any of them. EDIT: D'oh! Forgot about Kevin Bacon... I love that guy.
There is one I forgot. He is not a particularly good actor but for some odd reason I love the guy in everything that he is in. He does a great villian and was awsome in the Deer Hunter.
I ment that he is a good actor but not technically amoung the elite as this topic suggests. Yes, he is mezmorizing in every role he plays but he tends to play the same charactor in everything he is in. While he is not that flexiable but what he does is perfect. KT
You are right, I used the wrong language in saying "not a particularly good actor" when describing Walken. As I state before I really love his work. However, Pacino shows more range that Walken. I think Pacino shows some range between his roles in Scent of a Woman, The Godfather Trilogy, The Panic in Needle Park, Heat, Donnie Brasco, And justice for All, and Insomnia. He can play the villian, the hero, as well as the reluctant hero very well.
