The making of this list was painstaking and detail oriented. 3,000+ actors and actresses ended up on the shortlist (3,157 to be exact), and it took nearly a year of my life widdling down that number to 200. There’s no exact science and the scope of an actor’s career is often far larger than a general audience member would expect, making it a nearly impossible task. Capturing the greatest actors of all-time comes down to a number of factors:
• Film credits
• Career legacy
• Culutural significance
• Acting style
• Personal taste
• Taste of critics, pundits, cinephiles
Due to the nature of the beast, this list will undoubtedly upset people. Quality acting can’t be quantified. We sense it as audiences. It’s an innate feeling or an intuition. Yet, those feelings don’t always travel from person-to-person, so inevitably, trying to produce a list of the greatest actors in film history can be viewed as a worthless endeavor – I fully recognize that. The list is entirely subjective. It’s not meant to be viewed as objective fact, so refrain from attacking me on Twitter.
Anyways, this list is a labor of love and hopefully can lead impressionable cinephiles towards an actor or actress they’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing. More so than anything else, helping people find more enlightenment through cinema is the goal. I keep myself open to new cinematic experiences and the hope is the top 200 reflects that.
Lastly, make sure to check out some of the other things we got going on here:
• Best Cinematography of all time
And make sure to check out the Honorable mentions page before jumping into the top 200
Top 200
200. Rudolf Klein-Rogge: (The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, Metropolis, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari)
The German-born Shakespearian actor that would later establish the mad scientist archetype in Fritz Lang’s silent impressionist masterpiece Metropolis (1927) and his roles in The Dr. Mabuse series is a foundational part of early cinema. With heavy use of makeup and prosthetics, Rudolf Klein, who added the “Rogge” to differentiate himself between another upcoming actor with the same name, created human monsters and alchemists with his character building philosophy. His personas in front of the camera captured his droopy stature and disposition, curating a menacing tone. A master of tone, perfectly aligned with the Weimer-era German cinema.
199. Thelma Ritter: Rear Window, All About Eve, Birdman of Alcatraz
The character actor is the unsung hero of cinema. The glue that keeps the whole world of a film in tact. Thelma Ritter is a dazzling example of the character actress, and a scene obliterating one at that. In her long career, the New York accented Ritter accounted for the comedic talent in many genres and with many directors. Her sympathetic eyes give way to a welcoming soul that makes every character her own. The mix of salty New York humor, heightened personality and gracious sensibilities, she carved a unique experience in any part she played. Awards aren’t everything, but she was nominated six times…losing all six. For shame, Academy.
198. Christina Ricci: Buffalo ‘66, Monster, Fear and Loathing
Christian Ricci started her career at nine years old with no formal training. She grew up in this industry working, and even at a young age, her looks have a specificity that made her perfectly suited for Tim Burton, Vincent Gallo, and Terry Giliam. The quirkiness is subtle, as she leans into a darker persona that plays as hilariously unfeeling. At 17, she played the youngest daughter in Ang Lee’s myopic and distasteful ‘Ice Storm” (1997), and Ricci is perfect for the role. Inherently watchable with an almost cartoon-like sensibility to her aesthetic and style.
197. John Hurt:The Elephant Man, Alien, Dogville
John Hurt, the actors-actor, the born and bred “play any part available” actor. The English actor with delicate sensibilities and puppy dog eyes. He also serves as the man that had an alien burst out his chest in Ridley Scott’s science-fiction classic Alien (1979) or as the man with uncontrollable gigantism, and what serves as the most empathetic man to ever wear pounds of prosthetics in The Elephant Man (1980). His commitment to the craft can’t go unquestioned and his screen presence always invites intrigue. He never failed to deliver a phenomenal character.
196. Ida Lupino: They Drive by Night, High Sierra, While the City Sleeps
Ida Lupino is better served on an all-time directors list. She was a savant with a specific purpose in her life and a drive to find completion. Even in her directorial pursuits, she was an outstanding actress that had a hold on the screen. Complicated, daring character unafraid of judgment nor personal safety, as Lupino could play wicked as well as she could play gracious. Her friendliness can snap into unholiness in a matter of blinks. Pioneering producer, director and star actress – her career is more varied than simply her acting, but her acting ability was nothing to sneeze at
195. Andy Griffith: A Face in the Crowd
For cinephiles, there’s an unfortunate sadness to Andy Griffith’s career. The iconic television actor that had a show run for eight seasons, win a million Emmys, is a total disappointment for film fans. His miniscule filmography is booming with brazen, excitable performances that raise one’s heart rate. Sneakily intelligent despite appearances of the folksy and gruff persona, Andy Griffith showed immense promise in Elia Kazan’s phenomenal picture A Face in the Crowd (1957). No other actor is on this list for one performance, but Griffith’s prowess is on full display in this one performance and it’s a damn shame he got locked into TV contracts his entire career.
194. Eva Marie Saint: North by Northwest, On The Waterfront, Grand Prix
The beautiful and talented Eva Marie Saint had a storied career with Academy awards, and iconic parts in some of the most culturally significant pictures of the era. Playing a woman in a man’s world, gracefully, but with an inner strength. While the mood and tone of her performances stays rather consistent, she was able to play a variety of unique parts. She matched Marlon Brando’s screen presence and Cary Grant’s wit. SHe stood out in masculine worlds and made her stamp on the industry.
193. Taraneh Alidoosti: The Salesman (2016), About Elly (2013), I’m Taraneh,15 (2002)
Taraneh Alidoosti is a remarkable actress that started her film career early in life. Over time, she’s only grown more mature and hyper focused on embodying these characters. Her work with Iranian director Asghar Farhadi showcases her most essential traits, watchful restraint. Her desire is to blend into the fabric of Farhadi’s world and her subtlety manages to stand out. She delivers wholly objective, almost distant towards the audience performances. With the camera often placing her in full shots, rarely close-ups, we get a full read on Alidoosti’s expression and her face appears as a puzzle to be solved. As a modern actress, we’ll fortunately receive more gems from her in the future.
192. Martin Sheen: Apocalypse Now, Badlands, Dead Zone
Martin Sheen has touched all corners of the media industry – from film, to TV, to voice acting in video games. All these aspects of his career showcase an actor that’s versatile and talented with cadence and delivery. He also has a visual element to his person that invites your attention. Add on the iconic jacket flip that started in Terrence Malick’s ‘Badlands’ (1980) and lived-on in his ‘West Wing’ Character, Jedd Bartlett. And of course, the cereberal tour de force of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apoloclypse Now.
191. Essie Davis: Babyteeth, Nitram, The Babadook
Australian born actress that has largely played in Australian productions of films and television. Her notoriety is greater across seas and being married to director Justin Kurzel has kept her talents locked away, far away from American audiences. However, her talents are too immense to be hidden away, and her turn in the modern horror classic The Babadook (2015) alerted many to her ability to play cold and detached while maintaining a semblance of homeliness. She’s an emotional powerhouse and the camera can’t look away.
Top 190
190. Helen Miren: The Cook, The Thief, The Lover and His Wife, The Queen, O’ Lucky Man
One of the youngest actresses to join the Royal Shakespeare Company, the world renowned actress has experienced a fruitful career. She’s become a iconic screen figure, able to play historical people in biopics or fall into the austere or surreal. She’s a graceful presence with deliberate movements and a wonderful ability to mudolate her tone, emotions, and expression.
“After working mainly in theater, including with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Mirren’s first major film role was in Michael Powell’s 1969 comedy ‘Age of Consent’ (AUS). She subsequently made her mark in 1980’s ‘The Long Good Friday’ (GB, directed by John Mackenzie), playing the assertive girlfriend of a top gangster. Her portrayal of Georgina in Peter Greenaway’s ‘The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover’ (GB/FR/NL, 1989) was also legendary. Beginning in the 1990s, Helen Mirren increasingly expanded and diversified her roles in both film and television, among them Robert Altman’s 2001 ‘Gosford Park’ (Berlinale 2002). Her flair for comedy was once again in evidence with ‘Calendar Girls’ (GB/USA, 2003, directed by Nigel Cole). Between 1991 and 2006, she headed up the seven installments of the TV series ‘Prime Suspect’ (GB) as police superintendent Jane Tennison.” (deutsche kinemathek)
189. Sydney Greenstreet: The Maltese Falcon (1940), Casablanca (1941), Passage to Marseille
Greenstreet had a menacing frame, standing tall and wide, he was the exact type of person that could play an intellectual heavy and remain scary. His pacing of delivery is the magic which fuels his engine, and his collaboration with Peter Lorre and Humphrey Bogart created some incredible dynamics. As a scene stealing supporting actor, few have ever been as good as Greenstreet.
“Portly English actor with a uniquely insinuating style of line delivery who made a sensational screen debut as the cunning Kaspar Guttman in John Huston’s “The Maltese Falcon” (1941) at age 61. Greenstreet subsequently appeared in numerous films as a brilliant schemer and shrewd architect of villainy, memorably opposite Peter Lorre, with change-of-pace sympathetic roles (e.g. “Christmas in Connecticut ” 1945) cropping up occasionally.” (TCM )
188. Audrey Hepbrun: Roman Holiday, The Children’s Hour, Wait Until Dark
Elegance personified through Hepbrun’s iconography and sensibilities, as she defined contemporary fashion with her jaw-dropping, dazzling looks throughout her filmography. Any time she stepped in front of the camera with a dress on, it was a moment to be remembered. Her natural poise, her organic acting style, she could fit into any scenario even as an absolute dressed up doll, member of royalty, or the smelly, stinking girl that hangs outside the theater. She’s a graceful swan of an actress and a true knockout.
187. Omar Sharif: Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, A Yellow Rolls Royce
Sharif’s career is that of an extremely intelligent and capable actor who had built up a substantial following in the Egyptian film world before breaking into a Hollywood English-language industry which perhaps didn’t know quite what to do with him: not sufficiently clean-cut to be a conventional romantic lead, too charismatic to be a second-string character-player, and maybe too engaging to be the bad guy. He had enormous style — a man born to be captured by a movie camera.
186. Rod Steiger: The Pawnbroker, In The Heat of the Night, Duck, You Sucker
Powerful method actor who sunk into characters, places, and things. The range he displayed in front of the camera is unique, often times playing completely unrecognizable characters from the next. His intensity was hair raising, but he balanced that innate intensity with underpinnings of compassion. He conveyed real people – angry, friendly, complicated people – while also playing Mexican outlaws in Duck You, Sucker.
“Rod Steiger (born April 14, 1925, Westhampton, New York, U.S.—died July 9, 2002, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) American actor who used the techniques of method acting—enhanced by his powerful delivery and intensity—to inhabit a wide variety of complex characters during a half-century-long career as a performer.” Britannica Biogtaphy entry
185. Kyōko Kishida: Woman in the Dunes, The Human Condition trilogy, The Face of Another
In terms of a singular impact of a role, Kyōko Kishida’s turn in Woman in the Dunes is one of the most impactful roles I have experienced. Unbelievably gripping fortitude and disillusionment as a rat kept in a cage. On top of that rousing, broadly romantic role, her entire career is a marvel working with many of Japan’s greatest directors.
“After that I saw her again in a number of films, and her acting range was stunning. To some scenes she brought a lightness, an infectious frivolity; to others, an intensely concentrated wrath. I will never forget her sublime, easy smile when, standing behind the counter, she offered drinks to Daisuke Kato in Yasujiro Ozu’s 1962 film, “Sanma no Aji (An Autumn Afternoon).” Altogether, the Western actress most like her is probably Jeanne Moreau.
184. Mads Mikkelsen: The Hunt, Another Round, Pusher II
The Danish film star has risen to worldwide prominence through his turn as the infamous character Hannibal Lector, but his bag of tricks goes far beyond a sinister grin. His talents extend to the solemn and expressive, as his cold exterior lends itself to darker character pieces. His collaboration with director Thomas Vinterberg is one of the best among modern actor-director collaborators. It’s a beautiful partnership and he brings out the best in Mads’ detached face. He has a magnetic pull that only the greatest actors possess, and he’s hard to look away from once on screen.
183. Hisashi Igawa: Pitfall, Tampopo, Three Outlaw Samurai
Hisashi Igawa’s career in Japan lasted decades and he was featured in a number of the greatest directors films. He played in five Akira Kurosawa films, Hiroshi Teshigahara, Masakai Kobayashi, and Takashi Koizumi pictures. Idiosyncratic performances across all the different directors he worked with and fully committed to each role. His run with Teshigahara is legendary and his rebellious disposition lends itself to what he was attempting to express. An unsung hero of the Japanese film canon.
182. Peter Falk: A Woman Under the Influence, Mikey and Nicky, Opening Night
The lazy exterior of Peter Falk, with a softened face, and his cross-eyes makes him endlessly watchable. He’s an interesting looking actor, and that leads into his relaxed style. The method actor was so naturalistic, and his film acting produced some of the most empathetic and complicated characters ever put to screen. Unfortunately, Falk turned to a long career as a television actor and producer, most noted for his run as the detective Columbo. His television career superseedes his film career, but everyone should seek out his acted movies because they’re a treasure trove of brilliant performances.
181. Shahab Hosseini: The Salesman, A Separation, About Elly
A prime collaborator with one of Iran’s greatest artists in Asghar Farhadi. The two have created a number of the most poignant, powerful, and symbolic character creations to come out of the country. He presents an alternative view to western ignroance of Middle Eastern males, showing full emotion, and able to portray weakness. He’s vulnerable, with vulnerable exterior, and expressive eyes.
“Hosseini is powerful in just portraying so realistically the wear of the situation, and the weight upon the man as he attempts to deal with the implications of the attack. When dealing with the previously normal moments of life, like preparing to act in the play or teaching, there is a greater intensity. Hosseini’s performance exudes such palatable emotions of frustrations of the man who is unable to essentially settle within his life at this point” (Louis Morgan)
Top 180
180. Elisabeth Moss: Her Smell, Queen of Earth, The Square
Elisabeth Moss has been tearing up the screen since The West Wing. Over the course of her career, she’s delivered every step of the way. Evolving her career from basic American teenager, to the dark queen of the screen we love today. She never passes on the opportunity to play complicated characters. Her television career is legendary and her film entries are coming along. She makes a similar impact wether in a small one-line supporting role or a boisterous lead role. She’s a true actress.
179. Jean-Paul Belmondo: Breathless, Pierrot le Fou, Two Women
Jean-Paul Belmondo is described as a pioneering figure of the French New Wave. He captured the world’s perception of the French, a sort of blase attitude towards authority and a disconnection with one’s own reality. Belmondo is the poster child, alongside Anna Karina, of this rebellious spirit embedded in French’s art movement and culture. Moreover, the persona gave men a archetype to compare against, and his natural suave is what makes Jean-Paul Belmondo a icon of the French New Wave.
178. Karuna Banerjee: Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Devi
Within Satyajit Ray’s filmography, Karuna Banerjee plays an essential part and oftentimes serves as the underlying emotional heart for the film. Her role as the mother in Pather Panchali is crucial to understanding the Bengali struggle as she shoulders the burden for the family. Empathetic face with a soft disposition, yet stern exterior.
“Who is Karuna Banerjee? She is the actor who is still identified with Sarbajaya, Apu’s mother in Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali and Aparajito. This, despite the fact that she did other notable films, including Kanchenjungha and Devi by Ray himself. Among the very few female actors who were college graduates at the time, she stepped into Ray’s first film after marriage and motherhood.” (Shoma A Chatterji)
177. Jackie Chan: The Young Master, Police Story series, The Legend of the Drunken Master
Jackie Chan is a worldwide success story that had two distinct stops in his career. His directing career in China included all of his greatest artistic achievements and his turn in American studio comedies. The absolute master of the stunt, choreographed fight, and physical comedy is found all over his Chinese language films. In a similar fashion to Charlie Chaplin, any moment can turn into a comedic situation with how Chan uses props, clothing, and the space at large. Moreover, he’s completely mad, as he continually injured himself on the set of his films. A great entertainer that innovated comedy for generations.
176. Deborah Kerr: The Innocent, Black Narcissus, The Night of the Iguana
“It is impossible not to admire the performances and the performer herself. She achieved fame when barely 20, in a star-laden version of Major Barbara (1941), followed rapidly by four further movies, and for 45 years remained at or near the pinnacle of her profession. Within a period of 12 years, she received six Oscar nominations but did not receive the statuette until 1994, when an honorary Academy award was given for her lifetime’s work.” (Betsy Reid, The Guardian)
175. Zhao Tao: A Touch of Sin, An Elephant Sitting Still, Ash is the Purest White
When a talented director attaches to an actor and forms a De Niro-Scorsese, Mifune-Kurosawa partnership, that’s the highest level of recognition an actor can get. Jia Zhangke attaching to Zhao Tao is beneficial for the world and she represents a type of Chinese women that the world needs to see. Her persona and treatment of the art is fantastic and worthy of your time. Sprawling intensity, deadened hopelessness, can turn from lost to found in a cut. Her work needs to be studied among her contemporaries.
“As a dancer, when the music started I could feel my emotions explode,” Zhao says. “But once I started acting in movies I found this was a way to express feelings we can all identify with. Acting gives you a chance to explore how we as humans express ourselves.” Matthew Scott
174. Jitsuko Yoshimura: Pigs and Battleships, Dodes-ka-den, Onibaba
Television turned film star, discovered by Japanese legend Shohei Imamura, Jitsuko Yoshimura was a scene stealer from her debut in Pigs and Battleships. Working with many of the tentpole Japanese filmmakers in the 1960s, her theatricality and poise, working in many post-war Japan as well in famous Kabuki-adjaent settings made her an extremely memorable presence. She had fun on screen, and portrayed characters as grounded as possible. Even when weighing into the surrealistic elements of cinema, she carved her own distinct film persona.
173. Véra Clouzot: Diabolique, Wages of Fear
Appearing in only three films, Vera Clouzot has one of the shortest careers on the entire list. Married to French director Henri-Georges Clouzot, Vera got the distinguished role of playing the shop girl in Wages of Fear. Her value lies in her charm, her innocence, in worlds of chaos. Diabolique being a brilliant turn as a moral figure in a world of scum. The normal everyday person coming face-to-face with mortality and complicity and vomiting up angst.
172. Marlene Dietrich: Touch of Evil, Witness for the Prosecution, Manpower
Dietrich herself has not contradicted these judgements. In the documentary Marlene (1986), she describes her early Hollywood films as “kitsch”, makes condescending remarks about the intellectual powers of women, and seems reluctant to acknowledge that she ever paid much attention to what she was doing. A number of critics have explicitly or implicitly agreed, often noting that Dietrich’s work after the dissolution of her partnership with Sternberg is relatively disappointing. It is well to remember, however, that Sternberg’s own reputation would be slight had he not “discovered” her. Perhaps the balance of the equation between them can be restored if we study her acting technique more closely. James Naremore, Senses of Cinema
171. Nicolas Cage: Adaptation, Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart
The initially polarizing, now beloved figure of Nic Cage has cemented himself in not only film lore, but into the cultural consciousness. The list of directors he’s worked with is beyond impressive. His idiosyncratic and ballistic acting style, with method levels of performance commitment, let him loose on screen. Given the right role, Nic Cage brings his distinct flavor to each role. He soaks up screen time and maxmimzes each line read. Even for a child of nepotism, Cage soaks in every experience and works as much as an actor in Hollywood. He clearly loves acting and the challenge of it. His fearlessness has elevated him to a special status among actors.
Top 170
170. Rachel Weisz: The Favourite, The Fountain, The Mummy
Rachel Weisz has been an incredible talent since playing opposite Brendan Frasier in the populace action drama, The Mummy. Her charisma, or purposeful lack thereof, jumps out in the Yorgos Lanthismos’ films, and her wit is calculated. She’s intelligent, understanding characters on fundemental levels and able to translate that to screen. On top of her ravishing beauty, she ravishes the screen with a didactic approach.
169. Steve Buscemi: Reservoir Dogs, Fargo, The Big Lebowski
As far as character actors go, Steve Buscemi is among the best. The scrawny frame of Buscemi and unnatural eyes make for an actor that can blend into oddities. His career spans across every genre imaginable and with a majority of American directors with legacies. He takes larger than life personas and shrinks them down to fit the screen. He transforms films by putting so much life into otherwise secondary characters. And, it feels as if every big name director in the last 30 years has wanted to work with Buscemi.
168. John C. Reilly: Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Step Brothers
The charismatic figure of John C. Reilley has graced our screens with an undeniable presence and warmth. The combination of uneven stature, a fairly normal build, and his iconic fro, Reilly is an iconic persona. He defined comedy for many in my generation, and his depth of expression is able to laugh and cry simultaneously. He constantly surprises and that’s a beautiful quality in an actor. The rarity of an actor of his specific talents don’t come around often.
167. François Périer: Orpheus, Nights of Cabiria, Le Samourai
“As Perier moved into his 30s he gained gravitas, and took on weightier stage roles, where he had hitherto appeared in “boulevard” comedies. The turning point came in 1948 with his portrayal of Hugo, the young communist who loses his illusions in Jean-Paul Sartre’s play Les Mains Sales (Dirty Hands). The intellectual Perier and Sartre, became great friends. Perier’s association with Sartre’s work continued with his appearances in the The Condemned Of Altona (1965) and Le Diable Et Le Bon Dieu (1968). ” (The Guardian)
166. Shima Iwashita: Himiko, Haraki, Double Suicide
Tokyo actress Shima Iwashita, a mainstay of innovative Japanese director Masahiro Shinoda who later married, and had extended range to the heavens. Famously, her turn in Shinoda’s Himiko displays a connection to the spiritual realm. It’s a masterful performance, willingly personafying the embodiment of creation and doing so wonderfully. Her talents extend to contemporary dramas and highly expressive material. Idiosyncartic performances and acting style, she was one of Japan’s greatest.
165. Silvana Mangano: Bitter Rice, Theorem, Death in Venice
First time I saw Silvana Mangano was in Bitter Rice, playing a forthright woman with a strong sense of direction and motivation. As for the rest of her career, the Italian actress conitnued to take on challenging roles and similar portrayals of strength. It was that inner-strength that made her acting easily attached and relatable. People saw in Mangano what they wanted to see in themselves, in terms of beauty and persnality, she was special.
Mangano mastered the replacement of routine dramatic acting with the demonstration of an acted-out temperament, or an unfolding change. (guyanachronicle)
164. Laurence Olivier: Spartacus, Richard III, Rebecca
The Shakespearian Brit had a marvelous quality about him. Rousing in his speech, he elevated dialogue to new heights with each read. He could boldly proclaim, and brought audience attention to a point. The type of actor that commands attention by demanding it through his transfer of expression and meaning. It’s obvious Olivier had a higher intellect, and his speech was modulated to express that feign sense of superiority trough his cleverness. A brilliant actor, wether on stage or screen, that stands THE Shakesperian – with modern comedy using him as the archetype for overly dramatic theater geek.
“His performances had a quality of natural, rapid intelligence—the sense of an idea embraced and fully understood in an instant. (Pamela Hutchinson, Criterion)
163. Anne Bancroft: The Elephant Man, The Pumpkin Eater, The Graduate
Anne Bancroft is a pioneer of the Strasberg method, and that teaching method showed in her craft. Her compassion is boundless, her naugtiness is untethered, and her depression is deep. She’s one of those actresses that reinvents herself in each new role, and makes an impact regardless of pages in a script. It took until later on in her career to get full recongition as one of the eras best, but once she did, we were afford some of the best perfomrances of the 1960s and 70s.
“Associated with the method acting technique, having studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, Bancroft made her film debut in the noir thriller Don’t Bother to Knock (1952). Following a string of repetitive and glamorous supporting roles, her film career took a toll with executives reluctant to cast her in prestige roles.” (ISDA)
162. George Sanders: All About Eve, Foreign Correspondent, Rebecca
George Sanders has played in so many famous films that it’s hard to comprehend. He’s clearly a favorite of directors, and almost exclusively played more minor roles in larger movies. The brilliance of Sanders is never failing to make an impression, despite pockets of screen time available. He’d play in movies with Bette Davis, Joan Fontaine, Ingrid Bergman, etc, and always carved out an impression. He was exceptionally suave and could insert it at a moments enough to steal screen attention.
“George Sanders made a notable contribution to the film noir genre through his portrayal of suave, sophisticated, and often morally ambiguous characters. With his distinctive voice and polished demeanor, Sanders brought a touch of class and complexity to his roles in several memorable films.” (Timeless Theater)
161. Supriya Devi: The Cloud-Capped Star, Shuno Baranari, Komal Gandhar
The 1960s and 1970s were golden periods for Supriya as most of her films were critically appreciated and became hits. These include Shuno Baranari (1960), Komal Gandhar (1961), and another film by Ghatak, Swaralipi (1961). She gave scintillating performance opposite Uttam Kumar in films like Banpalashir Padabali, Sabarmati, Suryashikha, Kalankini Kankabati and many more. In fact, Uttam Kumar began to be paired with either Suchitra Sen or Supriya. She appeared in two Bollywood flicks Begana (1963) and Aap ki Parchhaiyaan (1964) with Dharmendra, not forgetting Kishor Kumar’s musical Door Gagan ki Chhaon Mein (1964). Till date, she is remembered for her vamp-like roles in Lal Pathar and Sanyasi Raja both Uttam Kumar-starrers.
Top 160
160. Claudio Brook: Simon of the Desert, The Exterminating Angel, Viridana
Born in Mexico City, Claudio Brook is a prolific actor that has credits in over 100 across television and film. His 38 year career featured many significant roles, but none bigger than his collaboration with Luis Bunuel. His turn in Simon in the Desert as Simon is an iconic role, as he is tempted sweetly by the devil to leave his perch. Actors that not only can exist in surreal fantasy but actively take part in the world are among my favorite actors: that’s Claudio Brook
159. Natalie Wood: Splendor in the Grass, Rebel without a Cause, West Side Story
It’s a shame Natalie Wood’s legacy has been reduced to tragadies when her on-screen acting was anything but a tragedy. She was a brillaint, light up the screen talent that reveled in the complicated emotion nature of her character and the men in her characters life. Imagine trying to emulate the power of James Dean in Rebel without a Cause and matching the intesnity.
“Natalie Wood was one of the last great Hollywood movie stars. She was catch-your-breath beautiful and, as photographer Michael Childers said, “When she walked into a room, the room lit up. She was like the old school of actors. They knew that the camera was what brought them alive. They made love to the camera.” (Vallery McConnel, Yours.co.uk)
158. Morgan Freeman: Shawshank Redemption, Se7en, Unforgiven
The below quote is a fantastic summation of Morgan Freeman the person and Morgan Freeman the actor. intuition is clearly wrapped up into his character building and he brings his own set of instincts to help craft interesting personas. He’s not always reiniventing himself, but he seems to add layers to his established ideas of his style with every new role. When cast in fitting roles, we were given all-time great performances, and yes, that’s The Shawshank Redemption.
When asked what acting technique he uses, he replied “The Morgan Freeman technique – intuition. It’s what I get when I read a script. Life and the craft became my teachers.”
157. Patricia Arquette: Boyhood, Ed Wood, Lost Highway
Naturalistic acting, smooth bravado, under control in all circumstances and deliberately persuasive with her delivery. Arquette embodies her character’s poise, discomfort and appealing nature. She can play surreal. She can play grounded. She has a natural cadence that virtually puts the audience in a passive state, allowing directors to implant any and all idea through Arquette’s layered approach. Her work in the 90s was that of legend.
156. Jean Simmons: Elmer Gantry, Spartacus, Great Expectations
Jean Simmons had an elegance to her actorly disposition, displaying a craft of knowing femininity and the ability to manipulate with that same sensibility. Awe-inspiring in her biggest role, able to play in epics, as well as smaller character studies. A scene stealer, not only through her beauty, but her magnetic pull of expression. The British actress played in many different genres and archetypes,with two distinct parts of her career in Hollywood and beyond.
155. Cora Miao: Terrorizers, Boat People, Eat a Bowl of Tea
Cora Miao’s quiet control is a quality not many actors possess, and she conveys a silent strength with her peering eyes. Her jaded personality lends itself to rougher subject matter, and she layers the complexities with grace. Ed Yang fundamentally understood her sensibilities and catered stories perfectly to her.
154. Ellen Burstyn: Alice Doesn’t Live Here, The Exorcist, The Last Picture Show
Champion of the Lee Strasberg Method acting style, Ellen Burstyn has acted and excelled at every level of the profession. Her film work, specifically, is a marvel. Unbelievable longevity and able to reinvent herself time-and-time-again. Grasping grounded characters and over exaggerated addicts, her dedication to the role is immaculate.
153. Kim Min-Hee: The Handmaiden, On the Beach at Night Alone, Right Now, Wrong Then
Hong Sang-soo is an acquired taste (and even then), but Kim Min-Hee somehow pulls something novel out of his narratives. She stands out above middling scripts, and grabs attention with her lengthy profile and striking facial maneuvering. Her role in The Handmaiden showed she’s not a pigeonhole to Sang-soo’s tone, as she can explode on the screen with a more ambitious director.
152. Sam Neill: Possession, The Piano, Jurassic Park
Sam Neill is eternal, able to give engaging performances consistently in any environment. His consistency is phenomenal across Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and the United States. Directors were fortunate to get an actor like Sam Neill, and his dependable adaptability. On top of that, he’s got movie star qualities.
151. Shelley Duvall: The Shining, Nashville, McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Shelley Duvall’s legacy is marred by the narrative surrounding The Shining, but she is far more than one controversy. Her style is expressive, loud expressions of joy, of horror. In terms of maximizing screen time, every second Duvall’s on screen demands attention, not only because of her unorthodox aesthetic, but her unique delivery system. Even for all the controversy around The Shining, that is undoubtedly one of the great horror performances.
Thanks for reading and feel free to berate me over on Twitter for my disagreeable opinions
Weird Cinema 
So many great actors and actresses on this list so far! Very happy to see some appreciation for John C. Reily and Elizabeth Moss! Looking forward to what comes next!
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