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?

Has anyone mentioned the 'dowager duchess' Maggie Smith in Downton? Brilliant!

Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything, absolutely amazing. Great film too. And agree with most of the others too.

Tim Curry in Rocky Horror. Just AMAZING.

Robin Williams - Good Will Hunting

Matt Damon did it for me too.

Oh I love that film.

'It's not your fault'

Tom Hanks - The Green Mile.

Tom Hardy - Child 44

Tom Hanks and Sally Field in Forrest Gump

squ omg does a teenage squeak

Michael Fassbender in Jane Eyre.

Read that twice Michael fassbender AS jane eyre I love Michael as Magnito he does sir Ian proud

Clair Danes in Homeland. I can't see any other actress playing Carrie.

Angela Lansbury as 'Granny' in The Company of Wolves

Joe Pesci as Tommy in Goodfellas

Jodie Foster in The Silence of the Lambs

John Candy in Planes Trains and Automobiles

Not a fan myself, but DS (only fiction he ever read as a teenager was the HP series, it got him into reading so for that alone I'd forgive a lot) was absolutely gutted when Richard Harris, the first Dumbledore, died. He thought Gambon was meh in comparison. I tend to agree.

Ralph Fiennes in The English Patient. All that intensity, very hot!

Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf
Leonardo di Caprio in the Wolf of Wall Street
Heath Ledger as the Joker

Philip Glenister as Gene Hunt in Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes
James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano
Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul in Breaking Bad
Robin Williams in Patch Adams
Angelina Jolie in Girl, Interrupted
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

Leonardo Di C in What's eating Gilbert Grape

Idris Elba as Stringer in The wire and as Luter.
Jonny Depp as Edward scissor hands.
I agree with Agelina Jolie as Lisa in Girl interrupted
Whoopi Goldberg as Celie in The colour purple

Oh and Jack Nicholson in The shining

Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thomson

I am a big fan of Taraji P Henson
she's excellent in any role she's given omg I just love her!!!!!

Julia Roberts in Erin Brokovich

Denzel Washington training day Malcom X American gangster what can I say the brings life to any role he portrays

Omg I can do this alday Tom hanks big and castaway Jodie foster silence of the lambs and the accused
idris Elba no good deeds Christopher reeve superman Jonny depp blow and pirates of the carribean Oprah Winfrey the color purple Judy garland the wizard of oz Kurt Russell tombstone Vivian Leigh gone with the wind vin diesel the pacifier and fast and furious John Travolta in face off but I can't forget about Nicolas cage in face off who helped brin out that fire in John Kevin Costner inRobinhood Charlie sheen and emillio Estevez in the three musketeer I gotta end it with these two or else id be rambling for hours!!!