Who's the best actor currently working?

[kitsofan34]

Right now, at this moment in time, whom, for your money, is the best actor [nb]I mean that in the non-gender specific sense[/nb] currently working?

Thank you very much.

[Gulftastic]

I'm a big fan of Sam Rockwell. Seems able to play many different types of character well.

[Bazooka]

Jon Hamm, no question.

[Stone Cold Jane Austen]

I want to name someone foreign so that I appear cool but as soon as I read the thread title my brain shouted JAKE GYLLENHAAL MATE

[Johnny Textface]

Depends what you want though doesn't it? Shakespeare or someone hanging off the side of a plane that's taking off.

I like the lass out of It Follows, her out of Inglorious Basterds and Brie Larson. Tom Hanks?

[Puce Moment]

[zomgmouse]

Give it a couple of years and Oscar Isaac will be a shoe-in for that title.

[billtheburger]

Toby Jones.

[great_badir]

Taking Textface's point a bit further:

Versatility - Billy Bob Thornton, Dermot Mulroney, Cate Blanchett, Reese Witherspoon, John Carroll Lynch, Leonardo Di Caprio, Jennifer Lawrence
Lots of screen presence (often comes with being in a lot of shit) - Rufus Sewell, Liam Neeson, George Clooney, John Hamm, Kristin Scott Thomas, Chow Yun Fat, Charlize Theron
Just pure incredible acting chops - Mark Rylance, Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Frances McDormand

I would at one time have said that Daniel Day Lewis fits into all three categories, but in my current opinion he's been doing too much scenery chewing for the last twenty-odd years, so every performance seems like he's on stage (caveat - I have not yet seen Abe) or acting from the 30s-50s.  Tone it down a bit, Dan.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Billy Bob Thornton

Yes, I'm not really up on my actors but by Christ I've just finished watching Fargo series 1 so I've got to for Billy Bob Thornton, too...

[brat-sampson]

I'm probably going to throw this to Oscar Isaac at the moment, simply because over the last year, I saw him Ex Machina, Show me a Hero and as Poe Dameron, and *each* time I thought the acting was great, went to look up who played that character and it was him. At this point I'm no longer fully convinced he's only one person.

[great_badir]

At this point I'm no longer fully convinced he's only one person.

He's not - he is also David Krumholtz and Jake Johnson.

[Funcrusher]

Clooney, Mark Ruffalo.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Outside of the superhero genre the standard and breadth of characters available to play has improved substantially. Anti-heroes or troubled male lead roles seem to be especially common at the moment and this gives actors much more of a chance to show their skills.

Not sure that a lot of films are giving women roles with the scope to do the same- if there are they're usually notable by being exceptional.

[newbridge]

Leonardo Di Caprio

One of the worst actors of the last decade. (Strangely, he used to be good)

[touchingcloth]

Kate & Gerry.

[NoSleep]

Stephen Root seems to be able to take on any role to the point that you have to double-take that it's him.

[Petey Pate]

Nathan Fielder.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Cate Blanchett seems a better shout than most - albeit her stab at a Scottish accent in How To Train your Dragon 2 was beyond bizarre.

[selectivememory]

Joaquin Phoenix, if only for his performance in The Master.

[Dr Rock]

Christian Bale was the best Batman except for Adam West. Then that American Hustle, he was excellent in that. And American Psycho. He's not even American.

Not sure anyone qualifies as being better than everyone else right now, as Robert De Niro (in)arguably was for a while.

[Dr Rock]

Wait I forgot Bruce Campbell. He's the best.

[mobias]

Tom Hanks would get my vote for best all round performer, actor, movie star. There are plenty others that are really good in very focus roles. Daniel Day Lewis is a genius in what he does , amazingly in depth character studies. Christian Bale is someone else who's very good at very focussed performances. Personally I've always found him utterly charmless though and weirdly lacking in charisma. Meryl Streep is incredibly good as is Cate Blanchett.

[NoSleep]

Robert De Niro (in)arguably was for a while.

Robert De Niro (like many top Hollywood actors) wasn't really tested beyond a narrow range; basically acting themselves or something they can pull out of the hat over and over again. It's very rare that you get to see them try something different.

[QDRPHNC]

Edward Norton.

[Steven]

Hack Geneman? Think he's retired now..

Yes, I'm not really up on my actors but by Christ I've just finished watching Fargo series 1 so I've got to for Billy Bob Thornton, too...

If you like BBB you should check out his own written, directed and starring in magnum opus Sling Blade. Showed it to a friend over Christmas and it made her cry. Brilliant film, I walk around doing Karl's voice of occasion, it's infectious.

[hayduke_lives]

Gary Old Man. For me, he's a proper chameleon. Like the Oscar Isaac mention above, I've watched him in films without realising it's him. The polar opposite to someone like Matt Damon, who is just singularly Matt Damon no matter who he's pretending to be (that's not a slight on his acting as such, just on his inescapable Matt Damon-ness.) Maybe it helps Gary Old Man that he keeps a relatively low media profile, I don't know. He was astonishing in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

[thraxx]

Richard Blackwood.  He's also, totally objectively, the best rapper and stand-up comedian.  Go on, disagreed with me...

... and you can't.

[Steven]

Maybe it helps Gary Old Man that he keeps a relatively low media profile, I don't know.

Except for the whole The Jews™ thing, a low profile being quite ironic considering the size of their schnozzes.

[Dannyhood91]

John Q Actor