Who, in your opinion, is the best actor and actress of all time?

[SitOnHisFaceIfHeDiesHeDies]

Male:
Tom Hanks, he's the most likeable guy on the planet and I want him to be my friend. Leonardo Di Caprio is also an incredible actor. If you disagree look up What's Eating Gilbert Grape on YouTube.

Female:
Meryl Streep or Jodie Comer. Can't choose!

Great chat 😀

It's an impossible question to answer OP.
I'm older generation and there are lots of actors and actresses going way back to the 1930s and 40s I really admire . And a lot from more modern eras . But I'm not familiar with actors and actresses from the early days of cinema and I know very little about very recent ones.
And there are just so so many to chose from.

My favourite films are the Clint Eastwood ones, yet I don’t think he’s an especially gifted actor.

I've only seen a few CE films he pretty much plays the same tough guy character in all of them

Not sure “of all time” but Carey Mulligan is wonderful,

My favourites actor of the last 10 years is Lars Eidinger. Most Hollywood actors are second rate with average ability and above average looks. Few of them can set the world alight.

DP just said Michael Keaton is 'phenomenal'

Meryl Streep. From Sophie's Choice to A Cry in the Dark and everything in between. She's a chameleon. I also rate Jodie Comer, Sarah Lancashire and Marion Cottillard.

Christian Bale is an amazing actor and I can't really choose a female one, though Meryl Streep is brilliant

Leo Di Caprio is a really good actor along with Meryl Streep and Jodie Comer. Although he’s known for his changed looks, I also think Mickey Rourke is very good - The Wrestler was very moving.

Gerard depardieu

Nicola Walker and Cillian Murphy currently.

Hugh Laurie.
Not sure on the female one. Probably Marilyn Monroe, she was incredible in Don't Bother To Knock and Niagara. Shame she got typecast.

Alan Rickman, John Hurt, Alison Steadman, Katherine Hepburn, Judy Dench, Penelope Keith

Denzil Washington
Meryl Streep
used to love Andy Garcia

Barbra Streisand was an exceptional actress, especially in Yentl, and The Way We Were.

Female: I like Carey Mulligan a lot.

Male: I like Gary Oldman. I also really liked Phillip Seymour Hoffman and I'm still really cross with him for dying.

Off the top of my head I think Leonardo DiCaprio, every movie he's been in has been brilliant and his characters are so versatile. Joaquin Phoenix he's been brilliant in some movies.

Sadly, a great female actress is harder to think of, but I can't respect any who do nude scenes. Reece Witherspoon is great. When I think of great female actresses, TV actresses come to mind which is strange. I wonder if that is because Hollywood for women is based on looks?

James Norton's pretty good.

Vivian Leigh, Peter O'Toole

Saoirse Ronan, Damson Idris

Cate blanchett, Jodie comer, Sarah Lancashire, Anthony hopskin, Gary Oldman, joanqain phoenix, cillian Murphy,

Michael Sheen is a shapeshifter. Seeing him as Tony Blair and then Brian Clough is staggering.
Maxine Peake is remarkable, her Hamlet is the best I’ve ever seen.
And Toni Collette. Her performance in Hereditary was an amazing nuanced portrayal of grief.

And as Kenneth Williams - incredible!

It’s the female actors who spring to mind immediately. Katherine Hepburn, Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are probably top of my list but then we have people like Julie Walter’s, Sarah Lancashire, Anna Maxwell Martin. I’ll watch anything they’re in. To be honest I could keep going and going.

Carey Mulligan is wonderful I agree.

I do not get the Meryl Streep hype at all, I think she is diabolical.

My dad always says that with a really good actor, you can tell what they are trying to say without them even saying it. By their eyes. I know what he means, it’s rare. Maggie Smith has it and Judy Dench also. I have seen Kate Winslet do it too.

Michelle Yeoh is great, I think I love her.