From the golden age of cinema to the modern era, there are some actors who have left a lasting impression on audiences worldwide. These actors aren’t just famous for their roles in films, but they’ve also had a lasting impact on the industry as well. In this post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the greatest actors of all time and what made them so iconic. From classic Hollywood icons to modern-day greats, these 20 performers will undoubtedly stand the test of time and continue to inspire new generations of moviegoers. Read on to find out who made our list!
Marlon Brando
Marlon Brando is considered one of the greatest actors of all time. He was a method actor, which means he would immerse himself in the character he was playing. This would often lead to him behaving oddly on set, but it also meant that he could convey a deep emotional connection to the characters he played.
He was nominated for eight Oscars, winning two, and his performances in A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and The Godfather are considered some of the best in film history. He was also known for his off-screen antics, including an infamous appearance on The Tonight Show where he set fire to a chair.
Brando was a complex and fascinating person, and his legacy as one of the greatest actors of all time is undeniable.
Daniel Day-Lewis
There are few actors who have had as much of an impact on the film industry as Daniel Day-Lewis. A three-time Academy Award winner, Day-Lewis is widely considered to be one of the greatest actors of all time.
Day-Lewis was born in London in 1957, and began his acting career at the age of 14. He quickly rose to prominence with his performances in such films as My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), A Room with a View (1985), and The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988). In 1989, he gave one of his most iconic performances as the title character in My Left Foot, for which he won his first Academy Award.
Day-Lewis continued to wow audiences and critics alike with his work throughout the 1990s and 2000s, starring in such films as The Last of the Mohicans (1992), In the Name of the Father (1993), Gangs of New York (2002), and There Will Be Blood (2007). He won his second and third Academy Awards for his work in 2007’s My Son, My Daughter and 2008’s There Will Be Blood, cementing his status as one of the greatest actors of all time.
In recent years, Day-Lewis has largely retired from acting, appearing in only two films since 2012. However, his legacy as one of the greatest actors ever will live on forever.
Al Pacino
Al Pacino is an American actor and filmmaker who has had a career spanning over five decades. He is one of the most acclaimed and well-known actors of all time, having won multiple awards including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Award. Pacino has also been nominated for several Emmy Awards.
Pacino began his acting career in the late 1960s with small roles in films such as The Panic in Needle Park (1971) and Me, Natalie (1969). He came to prominence in the early 1970s with starring roles in films such as Serpico (1973), The Godfather (1972), and The Godfather Part II (1974). These films cemented Pacino’s reputation as one of the greatest actors of all time.
In the 1980s, Pacino starred in a number of successful films including Scarface (1983), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and …And Justice for All (1979). He also appeared in several highly acclaimed movies such as Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) and Scent of a Woman (1992).
The 1990s saw Pacino take on more diverse roles, appearing in films such as Heat (1995), Any Given Sunday (1999), Insomnia (2002), and Angels & Demons (2009). In recent years, Pacino has continued to appear in both successful commercial films and respected art house movies. Some of his most recent work includes The Irishman (2019), Once Upon
Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and four BAFTA Awards. She has also been nominated for five Screen Actors Guild Awards and six Emmy Awards. She first gained prominence for her work in the films The Deer Hunter (1978) and Kramer vs. Kramer (1979).
In a career spanning over 40 years, Streep has appeared in more than 100 films and television shows. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In 2015, the American Film Institute named Streep as the recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson is an American actor and filmmaker who has performed for over 60 years. He is known for his versatile and often eccentric portrayals of controversial, unconventional figures. His most memorable roles include the Joker in Batman (1989), Bobby Dupea in Five Easy Pieces (1970), Colonel Nathan R. Jessup in A Few Good Men (1992), and Michael Corleone in The Godfather: Part II (1974).
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro is one of the greatest actors of all time. He has appeared in over 100 films and has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a BAFTA Award.
De Niro began his career in the 1960s with small roles in films such as The Wedding Party and Dollars. He gained recognition for his work in the 1974 film The Godfather Part II, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He went on to star in a number of successful films, including Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), and Heat (1995).
De Niro has also worked as a director and producer on a number of films, including A Bronx Tale (1993) and The Good Shepherd (2006). In 2019, he received the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards.
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman is an actor who has won two Academy Awards and been nominated for six. He has also won three Golden Globes and been nominated for nine. Hoffman has starred in such films as The Graduate, Midnight Cowboy, Lenny, Tootsie, Rain Man, and Hook.
Hoffman began his career in the 1960s with small roles in television and film. His breakout role came in 1967 with The Graduate, for which he received an Academy Award nomination. He followed this with a leading role in Midnight Cowboy, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Hoffman continued to find success throughout the 1970s and 1980s with such films as Lenny, Marathon Man, Tootsie, and Rain Man. He was again nominated for an Academy Award for his work in Rain Man. In the 1990s, Hoffman appeared in Hook and Outbreak.
More recently, Hoffman has starred in Meet the Fockers, Luck, Quartet, and The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected). He received critical acclaim for his performance in The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for his comedic and dramatic roles in films such as Splash (1984), Big (1988), Turner & Hooch (1989), A League of Their Own (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Apollo 13 (1995), You’ve Got Mail (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), Cloud Atlas (2012), Captain Phillips (2013), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), and Bridge of Spies (2015). Hanks has also appeared in several successful television series, including Bosom Buddies, Taxi, and The Simpsons.
Hanks has won numerous awards throughout his career, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is one of the most popular and bankable stars in Hollywood. His films have grossed over $4.5 billion domestically, making him the fifth highest-grossing actor in North America.
Humphrey Bogart
There are few actors who have had as much of an impact on American cinema as Humphrey Bogart. Bogart first came to prominence in the 1920s with films like The Petrified Forest and The Public Enemy, but it was his performances in the 1940s that truly made him a legend. Films like Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and To Have and Have Not cemented Bogart’s reputation as one of the greatest actors of all time.
Bogart’s tough guy persona was perfect for the noir genre, and he became synonymous with the hard-boiled detective character. His work in films like The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon is some of the best in the genre. But Bogart was more than just a tough guy; he could also be incredibly romantic, as evidenced by his performances in films like Casablanca and To Have and Have Not.
Bogart’s natural charisma and screen presence made him one of the most popular actors of his generation. He was nominated for five Academy Awards during his career, winning Best Actor for his performance in The African Queen. Humphrey Bogart remains one of Hollywood’s biggest icons, and his legacy as one of the greatest actors of all time is well deserved.
James Stewart
James Stewart was one of the most successful and popular actors of his generation. He appeared in over 80 films, including classics like It’s a Wonderful Life, Rear Window, and Vertigo. Stewart was known for his naturalistic acting style and his ability to convey a wide range of emotions on screen. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1940 for his performance in The Philadelphia Story.
Paul Newman
Paul Newman was one of the most successful actors of all time. He was nominated for an Academy Award eight times, winning once for his role in The Color of Money. He also won three Golden Globe Awards and a BAFTA Award. Newman’s other notable films include Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and The Sting. He was known for his philanthropy, and founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps for disadvantaged children. Newman died of cancer in 2008 at the age of 83.
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier is a household name in the world of film. He has starred in some of the most memorable and groundbreaking films of all time, including “In the Heat of the Night” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.” He has also directed and produced numerous films, earning him an Academy Award for Best Picture for his work on “Lilies of the Field.” In addition to his extensive body of work in film, Poitier has also been a active voice for social change, using his platform to promote racial equality. He is truly a trailblazer in every sense of the word, and his legacy will continue to inspire new generations for years to come.
Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy was one of the most successful actors of his generation. He appeared in over 70 films and was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning two.
Tracy was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on April 5, 1900. His parents were John Edward and Caroline Brown Tracy. His father was a stockbroker and his mother was a homemaker. Spencer was the second of three children; his older sister, Louise, and younger brother, Carroll, were also born in Milwaukee. The family moved to Plymouth, Massachusetts, when Spencer was six years old.
Tracy’s interest in acting began at an early age. He made his stage debut at the age of eight in a production of The Lost Baby at the Plymouth Theatre. After graduating from high school, he attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He left school after one year to pursue a career in acting.
Tracy’s first film role was in Up the River (1930). He gained popularity with moviegoers for his performances in movies such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), Father of the Bride (1950), and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967). Tracy won his first Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Jim Dengate in Captains Courageous (1937). He won his second Oscar for playing Father Flanagan in Boys Town (1938).
In addition to his work in film, Tracy also appeared on television and onstage
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas was one of the most successful actors of his generation. He appeared in over 80 films, and was nominated for four Academy Awards. Douglas was also a producer, and he founded the film production company Bryna Productions. He was married to actress Diana Dill from 1943 to 1951.
Douglas was born in Amsterdam, New York, on December 9, 1916. His parents were immigrants from Russia. He had three brothers: Joel, who became an actor; John, who became a lawyer; and Bernard, who became a doctor. Douglas’s family was Jewish. He attended St. Lawrence University and graduated with a degree in English in 1939.
After graduation, Douglas moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. He signed a contract with Warner Bros. in 1940. His first film role was in the 1941 film The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. Douglas quickly became a popular leading man, appearing in such films as Out of the Past (1947), Champion (1949), and Ace in the Hole (1951).
In 1952, Douglas starred in the classic film noir The Bad and the Beautiful opposite Lana Turner. The film was a huge success, and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Douglas continued to appear in successful films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Spartacus (1960), Lonely Are the Brave (1962), Seven Days in May (1964
Gregory Peck
Gregory Peck was an American actor who appeared in some of the most iconic films of all time. He is best known for his roles in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Omen, but he also starred in classics like Roman Holiday and The Guns of Navarone.
Peck was a true leading man and had a long and successful career in Hollywood. He was nominated for five Academy Awards and won one for his performance in To Kill a Mockingbird. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.
Gregory Peck was an American actor who appeared in some of the most iconic films of all time. He is best known for his roles in To Kill a Mockingbird and The Omen, but he also starred in classics like Roman Holiday and The Guns of Navarone.
Peck was a true leading man and had a long and successful career in Hollywood. He was nominated for five Academy Awards and won one for his performance in To Kill a Mockingbird. He was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.
Lauren Bacall
Lauren Bacall was an American actress known for her distinctive voice and sultry looks. She appeared in over 40 films, including classics like The Big Sleep (1946) and To Have and Have Not (1944). Bacall was married to fellow actor Humphrey Bogart from 1945 until his death in 1957.
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1929. Her parents were Dutch and English, and she spent her early childhood living in the Netherlands before moving to England in 1935. She began her acting career in the 1950s, appearing in several British films before making her Hollywood debut in Roman Holiday (1953).
Over the next few years, Hepburn established herself as one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood, appearing in such classics as Sabrina (1954), The Nun’s Story (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Charade (1963), and My Fair Lady (1964). She also won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Roman Holiday.
In later years, Hepburn continued to act occasionally, but also devoted much of her time to charitable work, particularly with UNICEF. She died of cancer in 1993 at the age of 63.