The list of the best actors in the world is understandably controversial; movie lovers have their favorites and they expect that their favorite actors should automatically be named the best. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. While a good actor will no doubt have a lot of fans who adore him, there are a few things to look out for before admitting an actor into this prestigious list. To contend for a spot on the best actors list, you should have won a few awards, featured in top movies, and built a fan base. Some of the actors here have starred in movies that have become franchises and series. Some have featured in legendary movies that will never be forgotten.

Actors can perform poorly in some roles, and impressively in others; we think it is the duty of the actor and his managers to accept roles that focus on the actor’s strengths; that way he can produce the kinds of performances that can earn him awards and adulation. This rule may not apply to versatile actors like Hugh Jackman and Johnny Depp who are comfortable in almost any kind of role; and have earned their stripes in different movie genres, thus showing that they are not just ordinary actors. Versatility is, therefore, an important factor to consider when deciding who makes the list; this is important whether or not you are producing a once-in-a-lifetime performance.

Top 10 Best Actors In The World

1. Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt will never be forgotten as far as humanity still has a cinema. He is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces because he has an amazing talent. Some of his unforgettable films are Troy and Fury. In Troy, he played the legendary warrior Achilles, while he was a World War II American soldier in Fury. That is the kind of versatility we are talking about; Achilles was an Ancient Greek soldier who fought at Troy- leading a unit of soldiers who infiltrated the city by hiding in a wooden horse. You should see his movement, his carriage, and the way he varied his voice. One line from the film was ‘Is there no one else?!’ and that line has been copied in several movies, in several languages across the world.

In the movie Fury, he played a Sergeant in an American Tank Crew deeply involved in the fighting right on German soil, during the closing stages of World War II. You feel the fear, the passion, the tension, and sometimes the hate as the Soldiers went from town to town, liberating the people from the Nazis. The acting was as real as you can get; something for future generations to try and emulate.

Brad Pitt has also made other very successful movies such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), Allied (2016), Ad Astra (2019), War Machine (2017), The Big Short (2015), and By the Sea (2015). He has won numerous awards including Academy Awards, MTV Awards, Golden Globes, People’s Choice… everything!

2. Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman is evidence of how important voice and tone are to acting. He is an iconic actor; one of the few who can command the kind of respect that comes with working at a trade for over 50 years. He has mastered acting, and does it effortlessly whether the movie is comedic or serious. His performances in Bucket List and Las Vegas show what he can do in comedic roles; he was outstanding in the Lego Movie, and for the action/political movie types you only need to look at his work in movies like London has Fallen, and Angel has Fallen to see the Presidential Charisma that he brings to a movie set.

Some of his great movie performances include Going In Style (2017), Now You See Me 2 (2016), Transcendence (2014), and Lucy (2014). He has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

3. Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is an iconic actor who will never be forgotten. With Jonny Depp, the line between character and real life is so blurred that he produces these real-life performances right on set. You have to watch Pirates Of The Caribbean appreciate that level of artistry; Jonny Depp is on another level. If you comedic acting is all he has under his sleeves you are sore mistaken; Johnny Depp transforms from a drunken Medieval Pirate to an investigator in Sleepy Hollow. He is an extraordinary talent and has the versatility to produce breathtaking performances in a wide range of roles and movie settings.

Some of Johnny Depp’s movies include City of Lies (2018), Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie (2016), Black Mass (2015), Transcendence (2014), Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016), Into the Woods (2014), Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), and Tusk (2014).

4. Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman probably deserves to be a few places higher on this list, because he has produced masterful performances in several movies of different genres to show the depth and versatility of his talent. Hugh Jackman’s most notable contributions to the Art include his performances as Wolverine in the movie X-Men, which further culminated into Logan. Logan was more of the origin story of how he came to become Wolverine.

He went ahead to pull off a completely different kind of character in the Greatest Showman. Who would have thought that this huge muscular fist-fighter could sing and dance on stage! The Greatest Showman is one of the potential examples of how an actor can be dynamic.

Some of Hugh Jackman’s movies include; The Front Runner (2018), Eddie the Eagle (2016), Pan (2015), and Chappie (2015).

5. Anthony Hopkins

Anthony Hopkins is a great actor; certainly one of the best that this generation will ever see. He carries himself in that regal manner, and so one imagines that the role of a billionaire media magnate came naturally to him in the movie Meet Joe Black (1998). Fast forward to 2017 and Anthony Hopkins became Odin; ruler of Asgard, in the epic/comic master-class Thor Ragnarok.

Some of Anthony Hopkins films include: The Pope (2019), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Westworld (2016) Kidnapping Freddy Heineken, The Father, Remains of The Day, and Shadowlands. He is the oldest Best Actor Oscar Winner- a feat he achieved in 2020. Anthony Hopkins performance in Hannibal Lecter was so awe-inspiring that the Tshirt he wore on the set of that movie is on display at the LondonFilm Museum.

He has won so many awards including:  British Academy of Film and Television Arts, BAFTA Fellowship,  National Honour of CBE in 1987 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II,  Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille award,  Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.

6. Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson is a great actor; he has everything: the carriage, the walk, the voice, and the facial expressions that bring movie scenes to life. That is probably why he continues to excel in Hollywood. Samuel Jackson brought all the above characteristics to the fore in the 1998 movie The Negotiator where he played a policeman who had been set up by his own colleagues to go to jail for killing his partner.

In Rules of Engagement, he played a Marine who led a group of soldiers to rescue an Ambassador and his family who were taking heavy fire from extremists. After the incident, he was left to go down for political reasons. Samuel L. Jackson brought out that charisma, passion, and professionalism that makes the viewer fall in love with the character.

Some of Samuel L. Jackson’s movies include Kite (2014), Avengers / Marvel movies (2019, 2018, 2015, 2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), Shaft (2019), The Legend of Tarzan (2016), and Glass (2019). Samuel L. Jackson has the following awards to his name: Academy Award (Honorary) New York Film Critics Circle Award, BAFTA Award, MTV Movie Award, and so on.

7. Tom Hanks

Some sources put Tom Hanks as their number one; maybe they are right. Tom Hanks is one of the most recognizable movie stars in America; he has the versatility we are talking about, he brings it into different roles, whether comedic or dramatic. Tom Hanks has made his mark in movies such as Forrest Gump and Saving Private Ryan. As mentioned before, he has a great comic persona, as evident in Bachelor Party, The Burbs, The Money Pit, and the Lady Killers.

Some of Tom Hanks movies include A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), The Post (2017), Sully (2016), and Bridge of Spies (2015). Tom Hanks has won awards too numerous to count. Some of them are; Academy Award For Best Actor in a Leading Role (he won this back to back1994/95) Empire Award for Best Actor, Kennedy Center Honors, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance. He also has MTV, Golden Globes, and other awards to his name.

8. Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford has done it all; he has taken various roles in various movies that have cemented his place in history. His role as Han Solo in Star Wars; a hugely successful space odyssey that has been running for over 42 years, has given him immortality. Harrison Ford has also achieved a similar level of success with his performance in the Indiana Jones series. He has played the role of President, Treasure Hunter, Space Traveler, Academic, and so on.

Harrison Ford has maintained his position as one of the top actors of his generation by close ties with some of the best filmmakers; Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott, Jack Nichols, and so on.

Some of his movies include Air force One, Call of the Wild (2019), Blade Runner 2049 (2017), Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015), The Age of Adaline (2015), The Expendables 3 (2014), The Fugitive, What Lies Beneath, and Morning Glory.

9. Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro is an iconic American actor- iconic in every sense of the word. He will forever be remembered for his roles in GoodFellas, and The Godfather where he gave insights into the activities of the mafia. He did another one quite recently; The Irishman. However, the Awards and recognition started pouring in with his 1980 performance in the biographical drama Raging Bull. He was great in the comedic film The King of Comedy and has also done several other comic films as well.

Robert De Niro is not only good as a movie gangster; he proves his versatility with comedic performances as well. On a neutral level you could peruse his movie with Sylvester Stallone called Grudge Match which was produced in 2013. He was also out standing in his voice work in the animated movie shark tale.

Robert De Niro has won several awards including Academy Awards, Kennedy Center Honors, Presidential Medal of Freedom, Golden Globes, Golden Lions, and so on.

10. Keenu Reeves

Keenu Reeves is still a young man, but he already has the clout, the recognition, and the fan-base of someone who has been in the business for several decades.  His performances in The Matrix will never be forgotten; he put up a show that will continue to amaze viewers even after watching the movie several times. He has also gone on to prove that his display in the said movie did not come by accident when he did John Wick, which has now become a series as fans could not get over his performances.

Versatility comes in his performances in the horror film The Devil’s Advocate, and other movies such as Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which is a comedy. Keenu Reeves is an outstanding performer and has received several awards for his work. Some of his accolades include: MTV Movie Award, Teen Choice Awards, Bambi Awards, and Blockbuster Entertainment Award.

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Conclusion:

Tom Cruise, Al Pacino, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian McKellen, and Matthew McConaughey, are all great actors, so this list is no disrespect to them. We do not mean that they do not deserve to be listed among the best, just that we believe that versatility is part of what makes one a great actor. We welcome you to argue with us, and perhaps give us a better list, or make a case for someone whose name you think should be here.