Top 50 Defining Actors of the Last 50 Years
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- From Hollywood legends to modern icons, we're counting down the most influential and talented actors who have defined cinema over the last five decades. Join us as we explore the incredible careers of 50 performers who have shaped the film industry through their unforgettable performances. Our countdown features legendary actors like Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Al Pacino, and Denzel Washington, alongside newer stars like Emma Stone, Lupita Nyong'o, and Margot Robbie! Who do you think is the most defining actor of the last 50 years? Share in the comments.
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Who do you think is the most defining actor of the last 50 years? Share in the comments.
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Watchmojo, please make best directors of the century list.
Daniel Day Lewis and Marlon Brando. Also how the heck did Brando not get a nod?
@@rahuldev8425Yes
@@rahuldev8425yes
@@rahuldev8425yes
James Earl Jones Star Wars (1977-), Coming To America (1985), Conan The Barbarian (1982), The Lion King (1994-2024), Meteor Man (1993) RIP to a Hollywood Legend we miss you
He was in the movie Field of dreams as well
Shame both him and Mark Hamill are missing from that list
It's since 1975 (last 50 yrs)...JEJ made his debut way earlier
The omissions of Jim Carey, Nicolas Cage and Ian McKellen are baffling.
The fact that Schwarzenegger is higher than Christian Bale, Robert Downey Jr and Hugh Jackman is INSULTING!! Besides, WHERE TF IS JIM CARREY???
Not a Huge Jim Carrey fan but that’s truly a glaring omission. He was the first actor to get paid 20 million dollars for a movie (The horrible The Cable Guy) he was in a ton of high grossing films. This is a very PC list from what I have seen so far
Man, okay!!! I cannot believe this damn list!!!
U forgot
- Mr. Truman from The Truman Show
- Mr. Stanley Ipkiss from The Mask
- Mr. Ventura from Ace Ventura
& the Famous Mr. Bruce from Bruce Almighty
The fact that Gene Hackman and Ian Mckellan is not on this list is a travesty.
Indeed. Gene as Lex and Ian as Magneto was damn perfect casting
@@zanethind3533 don't forget Gandalf
It's in the past 50 years (1975)
Gene Hackman, George Clooney, Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, and so on, guess they are all in 51-100 list
James Earl Jones, Alan Rickman & Eddie Murphy
Rip James Earl Jones and Alan Rickman
50 Halle Berry
49 Charlize Theron
48 Dustin Hoffman
47 Michelle Yeoh
46 Margot Robbie
45 Morgan Freeman
44 Gary Oldman
43 Amy Adams
42 Jennifer Lawrence
41 Matthew McConaghey
40 Robert Downey jr
39 Julianne Moore
38 Paul Newman
37 Lupita Nyong’o
36 Helen Mirren
35 Hugh Jackman
34 Nicole Kidman
33 Philip Seymour Hoffman
32 Jodie Foster
31 Ralph Fiennes
30 Johnny Depp
29 Angela Bassett
28 Willem Dafoe
27 Brad Pitt
26 Sylvester Stallone
25 Viola Davis
24 Sigourney Weaver
23 Keanu Reeves
22 Glenn Close
21 Christian Bale
20 Arnold Schwarzenegger
19 Frances McDormand
18 Samuel L Jackson
17 Harrison Ford
16 Anthony Hopkins
15 Emma Stone
14 Heath Ledger
13 Joaquin Phoenix
12 Julia Roberts
11 Jack Nicholson
10 Leonardo DiCaprio
9 Robin Williams
8 Robert DeNiro
7 Tom Cruise
6 Cate Blanchett
5 Daniel Day-Lewis
4 Denzel Washington
3 Al Pacino
2 Tom Hanks
1 Meryl Streep
Thank you
Al Pacino should've got Oscars for The Godfather, for Scarface, and Heat. That's what I'll just say
A great movie with Pacino that they didn't mention is "Devil's Advocate."
Is this list a joke? You mean Arnold Schwarzenegger is better than RDJ, Charlize Theron, Dustin Hoffman, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry, Margot Robbie, Sigourney Weaver, Brad Pitt, etc?
I thought almost the same thing smh
More defining, not better
Jack Nicholson, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro
Kiefer Sutherland 24 did the best acting on television
Tom Hanks is such a likable, charming performer, and even when he plays an unlikeable douche, you know that deep down, he's got a heart of bronze.
I'm glad Jennifer Lawrence is finally on a list like this. She damn deserves it.
Al Pacino , harrison ford , tom cruise, Robert de niro, stallone, arnold swarchzenegger
Too Hollywood focused. If action stars like Stallone & Schwarzenegger qualify then legends such as Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Chow Yun-fat, etc... should've made the cut. At the very least a couple of them from the 1975 to 2025 era. Would Michelle Yeoh have been included if she lost at the Oscars despite her iconic career?
I feel like they have a lot of recency bias.
Javier Bardem did a phenomenal job in No Country for Old Men.
For sure
Where's TOM HARDY???
You missed a lot of great actors. Clint Eastwood, Sidney Poitier ( even if a lot of his career was early), Sean Connery, James Earl Jones, Robert Duval, and many others
Charlton Heston, Liz Taylor, Gregory Peck. Granted they haven’t been around as long as these on this list they deserve recognition.
No Alan Rickman? Mel Gibson belongs on this list; but there's a reason why he's left off.
He wasn't the star most the time
@teppeiando Neither was Sigourney Weaver. Other than Aliens, and Gorillas in the Mist, I can't think of another starring role she had.
Great list!!! I would have to add Sally Field to the list. I’ve always loved her performances. It’s tough having to pick only 50 actors out of thousands but I think this is a well rounded list 🎉
Thanks for the suggestion! It was tough to narrow it down to just 50!
I'm a Gen Xer who's just a little younger than Leonardo DiCaprio. Admittedly, he pretty much blew me away in Gilbert Grape. But, I started to develop quite a disliking for him during Titanicmania. Then, he just kept killing it in Martin Scorcese movies among others. Now, I can admit VERY proudly that imo, Leonardo DiCaprio has become the best movie actor of my generation!!🔥
I’d have Nicholson higher, but…
Christopher Lee? Robert Duvall? Clint frikkin Eastwood?!?!
Ragnar Lothbrok's actor is in my top 15. I think he deserves an honorable mention.
I like Keanu Reeves and Sigourbey Weaver but.. better than Gary Oldman and Ralph Fiennes?
What is this nonsense?
How do you put Dustin Hoffman at the back of the list when he should be at the front and you forgot Michael Doulas, Stanley Tucci,John Travolta etc
"Life is like a box of chocolates".
Forrest Gump. 🎉
There's just too many to name.. It's a very decent list though, WM. Chip chip cheerio! 🎬
It is tough to narrow it down, isn’t it?
@WatchMojo Yes indeed!! Haha! Your reply totally made my day! Love this channel!!
🖤.🖤 from Hollywood, WM!
Robert De Niro should have been in top 5. 8th is too low for him.
I knew right away Meryl Streep would win because of the sheer number of oscar nominations.
Before going through the entire video, I looked up where Jack Nicholson ended up on this list to check the legitimacy.
The man, who in my opinion should be in contention in the GOAT conversation, ended up at nr.11, so yeah, skip!
But props to the intern or toddler that composed this, must have been quite the job to put together and fun to discover all these people for the first time.
What about Jake Gyllenhaal? Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Nightcrawler, Spider-Man: Far from Home, etc.
I really like these best of the last 50 years lists. (The most defining movies list was great!) I wouldn't have anyone on my favorite actors list that goes back any further. Those people just talked too loud and overanunciated everything. That's called over acting. For some reason, no one seemed to realize that they weren't on a stage anymore till around the late 60's. And the 70's is where the really great movie acting starts to happen, imo.
Tom Arnold #1
Can't believe Morgan Freeman is so low on this list and where is Liam Neeson?
Yeah I don't think Tom Cruise is more 'defining' than De Niro, Nicholson, Robin Williams or even Di Caprio. Also Morgan Freeman is way too low if the list is about 'defining' actors. Gwyneth Paltrow should be on the honorable mention just for the meme.
He's the biggest movie star of all time you troll 😂
I have heard nothing but praise from anyone who has interacted with Margot Robbie. If you’re a decent person it radiates off the screen.
Don't forget Gary Oldmans run on Friends! 😂 And of course, 5th Element!
Sir Ian McKellan.
Tons of great actors over the last 50 years.
TERRANCE OUT
Both Alan Rickman and Bill Murray should have a spot here.
31:45 he says "twenty" in Russian and the caption says "sixty" 😂😂
I know all.
This Actor in drama Angry in evil!😱
Ewan Macgregor
Tom Cruise is the Goat
Suggestion: Top 10 Male Cartoon Nerds
Tom Hanks
Forrest Gump The Polar Express
And The Terminal
And Toy Story
Matt Damon
Bourne Franchises
Saving Private Ryan
Oppenheimer
And Good Will Hunting
dude, Halle Berry is STILL FOINE!!!
Emma Stone so high?
Two Oscars have that effect.
Putting Stallone at 26 is ridiculous. 2 of the most iconic characters should put him in the top 20 at least
no Michael Caine!?
Denzel not at #1? What is this, 1993?
I beg to disagree, Halle Berry, Charlize Theron and Michelle Yeoh are better than Margot Robbie.
the video is not even over
@@jimbo9208lmfaoo right like
@jimbo9208 even so. I got even worse, Arnold Schwarzenegger was higher on lthe list compared to Academy Award winning actors.
Where's Corey feldman? List is rigged
Still waiting for the pizza dude!
@Crazychick64 😄😄😄😄😄
(The Burbs)
@brothacoffee one of my favorite movies!
@@Crazychick64 hahaha YESSSSS
@@Crazychick64 masterpiece
Hanks should be on this list but not 2.
Cillian Murphy!?!?!? Hello!?!?
No shade to Martin Landau, but Samuel L. Jackson should have won Best Supporting Actor in 1995 for his memorable turn in "Pulp Fiction."
Absolutely 👍
i loved actors.☺☺☺
Why do tu
Why do these lists only include American movies?
No way Kevin Spacey is not on the list...
You left off Ryan reynolds
Amy Adams will always be that girl from Smallville
Wow. Way off base on so many of these.
Honestly one of the worst lists I've ever watched.
Glad I skipped through what just be break excuses for the rankings
Do better please
Who forget cillian murphy😫
No ellen burstyn ????
I agree with most of your fans.This list needs to be reevaluated and brought up to the top 100. Great actors were missed. How could Gene Hackman be skipped and three Jokers be on the list! Also, Ian Mckellen James Earl Jones Peter O'Toole Jim Carrey Sissy Spacek, to name a few, not to mention some honorable mentions such as Gene Wilder, Richard Prior and Patrick Stewart who influenced generations. Both puns on purpose. The fans seem to want a more accurate list.
I guess only English language movies are well acted...
Did I miss him? Am I trippin, no will smith?!?!
Sissy Spacek? Jessica Lange? Sally Field? Annette Bening? Hillary Swank? This list seems a bit misogynistic
I stopped after seeing 50 and 49. Both are lousy actors.
Chile, this list is unbelievable, in a horrible way! On what planet is Arnold and Sylvester better actors than Angela Bassett, Viola Davis, Phillip Hoffman and Christian Bale??
Hello good nights 🎉🎉😢
let go!!!
So, according to Mojo: Lupita Nyong'o, Margot Robbie, Michelle Yeoh and Angela Bassett are more "Defining Actors of the Last 50 Years" than Bruce Willis, Jim Carrey, Will Smith or Jake Gyllenhaal.
Sometimes I really wonder why I still subscribed to this ridiculous channel, lol.
And Jim Carey
Samuel L Jackson should be so much higher
What about Angelina Jolie?
The video said Actors. Not Actors and Actresses. I thought Trump made a law about this gender BS.
Heath Ledger is overrated. He only gets thrown in these lists cuz he died early.
Michelle Williams deserves to be on the list.
Matt Damon???
First! 😎🤩✌🏻
Found the kid with no friends.
Like it matters how early you are
Doesn't matter
You literally get nothing