Who do you really rate as an actor?

[Pruni]

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And Pete Postlethwaite in The Usual Suspects and The Sins

Also Kevin Spacey for above and American Beauty.

Jimmy Stewart in 'Harvey'
Nicole Kidman in 'The Others'

Daniel Day-Lewis - saw him as Hamlet years ago and he was superb (put so much into the performance that he later quit the production due to 'nervous exhaustion'!) He was also brilliant as Cecil in 'A Room With A View'.

I would like to say Alan Rickman, for his film work, but when I saw him 'live' (Antony and Cleopatra @ the National with Helen Mirren) he was dreadful, IMHO.

Gary Oldman is unbelievably good in somethings and pants in others. Love Judi Dench and Kathy Burke.

There's a guy who plays odd characters in Happiness (phone guy) and Magnolia (carer/nurse) who I think is brilliant but I cannot remember his name.

Morgan Freeman I love his films

philip seymour hoffman. i think al pacino is fantastic in his earlier films, recent ones have been a bit shouty though. i think cate blanchett was fabulous in elizabeth. and although i really don't like him i thought matt damon was brilliant in the talented mr ripley

My DH is the best Shakespearean actor I have ever seen. Easily.

Otherwise, off the top of my head ... Jim Broadbent, Pete Postlethwaite, Simon Russle-Beale and Timothy Spalding.

Lindsay Duncan, Kate Winslet, Dame Judy Dench and Helen McRory.

Timothy West and Pru Scales.

Hilary Swank was amazing in both Boys Dont Cry and Million Dollar Baby - cried my eyes out in both

Dustin Hoffmann
Judi Dench

(P.S. Can't stand the new fashion for female 'actors', sorry but actress was good enough for Betty Davis, Liz Taylor, Monroe, Mansfield, etc... PC bulls**t gone mad!)

The whole cast of The Hours

alicatsg
you mean this chap

thats the one! thanks, it was beginning to bug me that I couldn't remember!

Jodie Foster and Kathy Burke for me, and on stage - Geraldine James.

Tom Hanks is a really believable actor and very adaptable too, i like loads of his performances.

Lockets - I loved Emily Lloyd in wish you were here too, one of my fave films

Philip Seymour Hoffman is great.
Paddy Considine - especially "Dead Man's Shoes"
Timothy Spall is very underated but excellent too

I think Sissy Spacek is very good - saw In the Bedroom recently and all the performances were superb particularly Sissy and Marisa Tomei.

I'm always amazed by how good some child actors are. I thought Dakota Fanning was very good in Man on Fire.

Samantha Bond is amazing IMO. I saw her about a hundred years ago in Romeo and Juliet (as Juliet) and she was incredible. i can still see her doing that speech which basically says 'I can't wait to have sex tonight' and i think the entire audience would have done it with her at that point. having her as Moneypenny was a joke - she should be the next Bond.

Robert Lindsay. I don't watch My Family but I hope he's making lots of money from it. Saw one of the old Bardathon productions and again you couldn't take your eyes off him for his energy etc. Saw him on stage in something too - Becket I think.

bob Peck. Excellent on film, does it all with his eyes, and then incredibly good team actor on stage.

Who was that guy in Hi de Hi - Simon Cavell? Pretty incredible too, saw him in Jumpers with felicity kendall, he's the only thing I remember from the play.

William Macy yes yes yes.

Simon Russell Beale
Guy Henry
Jeremy Northam
Richard McCabe
Anthony LaPaglia
Hugo Weaving
Daniel Day-Lewis
Amanda Root (has grown on me, used to HATE her breathiness)
Helen McCrory
Janet McTeer
Samantha Bond
Damian Lewis
Roger Allam
the late Susan Fleetwood
Emma Thompson
Kelly Reilly
Kelly Macdonald
Sarah Parrish
Sharon Small
Hayley Carmichael

God I wish I got to the theatre more these days.
Fascinating seeing other people's choices on here too. Nice thread...

My tip for stardom in the future btw: Stephen Campbell Moore.

Bob Peck, agree utterly. Anyone who can do Iago AND the father in Edge of Darkness...

Did you know William H Macy is married to Felicity Huffmann of Desperate Housewives fame? He was fab in Fargo but have to admit have not seen him in much else.

Another vote for Philip Seymour Hoffman. Also William H Macy and Steve Buscemi.

Judi Dench. Her performance in Ladies in Lavender (for one) demonstrated how skilful an actor she is.

Vera Duckworth, Roy Cropper and Hayley....Charlie Stubbs...makes me wanna punch 'im.

Are these allowed? Don't get chance to go t' movies anymore.

I so love Steve Buscemi for not having his teeth fixed. "English teeth", I believe they call them in Hollywood.

Which reminds me:

Joan Allen
Sissy Spacek
Mary Steenburgen
Madeleine Stowe
Naomi Watts
Catherine McCormack

My favourite English actor (of my generation) is Tim Roth - in everything including Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs.

My favourite American actor is Al Pacino (not my generation)in everything.

Oh no - is Susan Fleetwood 'late'? I missed that. yes, she was great.