Actors/actresses who nailed their role?

[Timeforanamechangey]

In contrast to the unconvincing role thread, are there any actors/actresses who you think did a brilliant job as their characters?

My first thoughts are Harry Potter related :/

Michel Gambon as Dumbledore - I know he wasn't the original choice but I thought he was such a good Dumbledore, really captured the fire and humour of book Dumbledore, especially in the later books (no offence to the first Dumbledore)

Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid - maybe not quite big enough but short of using CGI (which would have been a terrible idea) I'm not quite sure they could have done better. He really played that well.

Anyone think of any others?

Leonardo di Caprio in the Wolf of Wall Street.

He is so brilliant and believable in that - makes you wonder whether it's because that is his personality.

David Jason as Del Trotter....in fact all the three main characters were brilliantly cast. It's only when I watch the old episodes of Only Fools that I realise how good Lennard Pearce was as Grandad.

Cannot imagine anyone else in those roles.

Fiona Glascott in Brooklyn.

Actually pretty much everyone in Brooklyn, except for maybe Domhnall Gleeson.

Michael Douglas in Behind the Candelabra.

Yy Alfie - Lennard Pearce was wonderful as Grandad

I part ways with Onky Fools and Horses after Grandad dies.

YY to Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire. (Faints)

Tom hanks and Tim Allen as buzz and Woody

Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line. Both of them are so compelling.

John Noble as Sherlock's father in Elementary.

As soon as we heard it was going to be him DP and I just looked at each other and said "fantastic casting" and having seen it he is perfect.

Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance in The Shining
Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand as the Fockers
Gabourey Sibide as Precious in Precious
Alec Guiness as Professor Marcus in The Ladykillers

Sheridan Smith was outstanding as Mrs Biggs

The entire cast of The West Wing except Mandy.

Tom Hanks as Jim Lovell in Apollo 13.

Steve Coogan as Tony Wilson in 24 Hour Party People. Pretty much could be said of the whole cast to be honest, the casting was so good in that film.

Michael Fassbender is astonishing as Steve Jobs. So awful and yet so wonderful, you despise him but want him to succeed (spoiler: he does!)

I was not expecting to be that bothered about the film but it ended up making me cry.

Eddie Murphy as the donkey (arse) in Shrek. He is a total jacka$$

Glenn Close as Alex Forest in Fatal Attraction. Brilliant actress.

These have been mentioned, but the West Wing cast (special shouts to Charlie, CJ and Toby); everyone in The Talented Mr Ripley (esp Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jude Law); and Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line. Reese just lights up the screen like a proper old-fashioned star.

Also
Amy Adams in Enchanted
Paul Bettany in A Knight's Tale
Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth, although she is awesome in Carol and Blue Jasmine too.
Frances Macdormand in Fargo
Michael Fassbender in Shame and Hunger he's not that good otherwise
Liza Minnelli in Cabaret

A stage one, Ben Whishaw as Dionysus in Bakkhai this summer. The role he was born to play.

Jim Parsons as Sheldon

Bradley Cooper in American Sniper.

The late great James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano.

'one of the most iconic characters in the history of literature'

Er..........it's Harry Potter.

Harry potter is an amazing series and dumbledore is iconic.

For me johnny depp was an amazing captain jack sparrow
Helena bonham carter was the best for the roll of bellatrix
Heath Ledger as the joker
Patrick swayze in dirty dancing
Robin williams in dead poets society
i really enjoyed reading belle de jours book and found billie piper played the part well.

I know Harry Potter fans are enthusiastic but to say Dumbledore (or any of them) are 'one of the most iconic characters in the history of literature' makes me want to simultaneously chortle and vomit.