The end of the year is huge for me. Yes, because it’s a great time for reflection, celebration, and goal setting as we ready ourselves to tear another page off the calendar. But most importantly, because it’s when pop culture journalists post their end-of-the-year lists. This, for me, is heaven. Nothing makes me more excited than pouring over these lists, nodding my head in agreement, shaking my fist in contempt, squinting my eyes in intrigue, or furiously taking notes of things left to consume and weigh in on.
Recently, Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott, chief film critics/writers at the New York Times posted a list entitled THE 25 GREATEST ACTORS OF THE 21ST CENTURY (so far). I, being a stereotypical Virgo with a love for lists and an opinion on everything west of the Mississippi, of course, had to curate my own list. Thus, here we are.
Oscar Isaac to Play Solid Snake in Live-Action Metal Gear Solid Film
The qualifiers were simple: 1.) the actor had to thrill me, 2.) they had to have at least three films I could recommend to others, and 3.) the body of work in question had to be released in the year 2000 or later. The people on the following list have flagged and kept my attention year after year through their dazzling skill, magnetic screen presence, and dizzying performances. Some of them are multiple Oscars deep, some of them are fresh talents making a huge splash in the lake that is Hollywood, some of them are staples in the tapestry of world cinema, but all of them are indelible in their own right.
Oh and one quick thing: no, I did not include Meryl Streep. And before you riot, that’s because a superstar of film like Meryl, who’s career has no end in sight, transcends a list like this— I’ll save her mononym for a list more aptly titled like “The Greatest Actors of All Time” or “The Most Prolific Movie Stars to Ever Live.” But those aren’t this list, so, let us begin.
Honorable Mention – Zhang Ziyi
For her ability to make intense fight scenes seem like a piece of art floating from frame to frame and her unmatched ability to serve timeless glamor in the works of Wong Kar-wai.
Honorable Mention – Octavia Spencer
For her ability to add third, fourth, and fifth dimensions to her characters. Characters that she dares us not to fall in love within minutes after meeting them.
25. Kristen Wiig
From Bridesmaids to The Skeleton Twins, with an endlessly expressive face and bombastic physical comedy chops, Kristen Wiig is an undeniable star of both comedy and drama. Most people know her from her scene-stealing work on Saturday Night Live as she ate the scenery of Studio 8H during her 2005-2012 tenure and that uncontainable star power has translated just as well from the small to the silver screen. Plus, if Bridesmaids is any indication of her writing skills in the screenplay department, she is sure to join the ranks of other boundary pushing and genre defining greats like Nora Ephron, Nancy Meyers, and Diablo Cody.
Essential Viewing: Bridesmaids (2011) dir. Paul Feig, The Skeleton Twins (2014) dir. Craig Johnson, The Martian (2015) dir. Ridley Scott
24. Oscar Isaac
Seesawing seamlessly between being an arthouse darling and a blockbuster hero, no one oozes charm and raw talent like Oscar Isaac, who’s career spans from Ex Machina to the X-Men multiverse. Famously, I disliked the experience of watching Inside Llewyn Davis very much and here’s why: Oscar Isaac is so good in his portrayal of a jaded, down-on-his-luck, woe-is-me musician that it reminded me of some of my insufferable art school classmates to an uncomfortable degree. And for that, I must give it up to the modern marvel that is Oscar Isaac. Oh, Oscar-related-side-note: PLEASE give me Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, I need it like I need air to breathe.
Essential Viewing: Inside Llewyn Davis (2013), dir. Joel and Ethan Coen, Ex Machina (2014) dir. Alex Garland, Annihilation (2018), dir. Alex Garland
23. Saoirse Ronan
No one has made quite a splash since the 2000s began like Saorise Ronan. The reigning queen of the coming-of-age film has proved time and time again that her talents are seemingly endless, and she’s only just begun. At the ripe old age of 26, she already has four (yes, you read that properly, four!) Academy Award nominations under her belt. Ronan is one of those actors that you can count on to be grounded and earnest, showing no signs of being jaded or phony even after spending more than decade of her formative years in front of the camera. With each passing role, her presence on screen seems both like a weathered sweater you’ve known and loved for years and a brand new t-shirt you’re just discovering and luxuriating in for the first time. In short: she’s magic.
Essential viewing: Brooklyn (2015) dir. John Crowley, Lady Bird (2017), dir. Greta Gerwig, Little Women (2019), dir. Greta Gerwig
22. Michael B. Jordan
Strong-jawed and kind-eyed MBJ is a bonafide superstar who’s partnership with director Ryan Coogler helped define the 2010s. I first became aware of Michael B. Jordan in the 2012 film Chronicle but when he began working with Coogler is when I knew for sure that we we were watching the rise of a burgeoning superstar. Named People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2020, it’s becoming evident that MBJ is poised to become the young king (of pop culture) that he was promised to be in Black Panther. A model for that mystic fusion of strength and heart that evades so many, he’s one of those people that I can’t wait to see how he’ll beguile us next.
Essential viewing: Fruitvale Station (2013) dir. Ryan Coogler, Creed (2015) dir. Ryan Coogler, Black Panther (2018) dir. Ryan Coogler
21. Marisa Tomei
Effortless and ageless, Marisa Tomei has been capturing the hearts of America for three decades whose steady career has spanned from the MCU to the Apatow comedy tribe to star-packed Indies. It would be so easy to consider Marissa a star of the 90s given her Oscar winning turn in My Cousin Vinny, but her longevity, range, and recent resurgence as the Marvel Universe’s coolest Aunt May prove that she is shining just as brightly today as she was in that 1992 courtroom.
Essential viewing: In the Bedroom (2001) dir. Todd Field, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) dir. Sidney Lumet, The Wrestler (2008) dir. Darren Aronofsky
20. Benicio del Toro
A master of saying everything without having to say a word. He is equal parts menacing and comforting and has been trusted by the best of the best, from Iñárritu to Soderbergh to Villeneuve. I first remember encountering Benicio del Toro in 1995’s The Usual Suspects and thinking to myself, “Woah, who is THAT?” Since then I’ve marveled at how committed del Toro is to bringing truth to even the most heightened of circumstances. And, I mean, that signature stare? Unshakable.
Essential viewing: Traffic (2000), dir. Steven Soderbergh, 21 Grams (2003), dir. Alejandro González Iñárritu, Sicario(2015) dir. Denis Villeneuve
19. Annette Bening
If you want to see a masterclass in nuanced, subtle choices, watch almost any of Annette Bening’s performances, especially those in 20th Century Women and The Kids Are All Right. Bening is one of those actresses who glides in and out of scenes with scintillating ease as she invites us to experience the trials and tribulations of being human. And it is a damn shame that her work has not been awarded by the Academy yet, as she has been giving grounded performances that don’t even feel like acting for decades. We are very lucky to be witnessing the transcendent work of Bening and though she’s been a mainstay in American film, she feels more relevant now than ever.
Essential viewing: The Kids are All Right (2010) dir. Lisa Cholodenko, 20th Century Women (2016) dir. Mike Mills, Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool (2017) dir. Paul McGuigan.
18. Daniel Kaluuya
Imagine anyone else playing Chris Washington, the central character in Jordan Peele’s, Get Out. You can’t, can you? That’s because Daniel Kaluuya is a master of making the audience believe no one else should play the part he is. I have always said that Get Out does not work without the central performances from Kaluuya and his shockingly good co-star, Allison Williams, and that just proves how commanding of a presence, how generous as a scene partner, and how gripping and compelling Kaluuya truly is. Tip for the near future: keep an eye out for Kaluuya in Shaka King’s Judas and the Black Messiah, scheduled to be released early 2021, as he is already garnering rave review for his leading performance.
Essential viewing: Get Out (2017) dir. Jordan Peele, Widows (2018) dir. Steve McQueen, Queen and Slim (2019). dir. Melina Matsoukas
17. Margot Robbie
After exploding onto the American film scene in Wolf of Wall Street, Margot Robbie has proven that she has a remarkable breadth of talent, a well that we’ve barely tapped into. It would be so easy to brush her off as a gorgeous model-type who can just play the femme-fatale or blonde-bombshell or promiscuous neighbor, but I’m so happy that she hasn’t let Hollywood pinhole or sideline her as her commitment to whatever role she inhabits is uncommon and inspiring. Australia has gifted the film industry with many of the greats and Margot is consistently proving why she has a spot on that olympic podium.
Essential viewing: I, Tonya (2017) dir. Craig Gillespie, Mary Queen of Scots (2018) dir. Josie Rourke, Bombshell (2019) dir. Jay Roach
16. Denzel Washington
I mean, you can’t countdown the greatest actors of the 2000s without including the prolific Denzel Washington. Denzel has been giving some of the most unforgettable performances for as long as I’ve loved movies. Training Day alone is a benchmark for modern acting, a staggering display of bravura. When I proposed this list to some friends before settling on my final draft, I got some flack for including Denzel because, “isn’t Denzel just doing Denzel at this point? Isn’t he just always doing a drag version of himself?” First of all, no. Second of all, even if he is, was, or continues to, isn’t that enough? If you were one of the greatest actors alive today, wouldn’t you just keep doing what works? Allow me to answer. Yes, yes you would. And what works for Denzel works for me. Legend. The end.
Essential viewing: Training Day (2001) dir. Antoine Fuqua, American Gangster (2007) dir. Ridley Scott, Flight (2012) dir. Robert Zemeckis
15. Michelle Williams
One of the great injustices of the 2000s thus far is Michelle Williams not having an Oscar. Williams is often in projects that shake us to our core, continually showcasing an unending proclivity for the dark and complicated. Though she may be known for her more heavy-hitting work— a mom who’s lost a child, a woman who’s husband is in love with another man, an icon swept up in the darker side of fame— she clearly has just as much fun and devotion to playing light and buoyant in flicks like I Feel Pretty and The Greatest Showmen. But the moment Michelle cemented herself on my personal Mount Rushmore of acting (Mount Rushmore should be actresses, there, I said it), was when I saw her play Sally Bowles in Cabaret on Broadway. There will never be an experience that can match watching Michelle Williams have a full breakdown mere feet from you.
Essentially viewing: Blue Valentine (2010) dir. Derek Cianfrance, My Week with Marilyn (2011) dir. Simon Curtis, Manchester by the Sea (2016) dir. Kenneth Lonergan
14. Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron was tiptoeing onto scene before the 2000s and then when the millennium changed, she exploded. Just watch Monster to understand why she is lauded as one of the new greats. Theron is the type of actress who demands your attention, dares you to look away while she’s onscreen. She possesses the kind of allure that seems gifted from another realm. Theron seesaws so beautifully between high-octane action and introspective-realism, allowing her to convincingly portray survivors of an apocalypse, survivors of abuse, survivors of workplace violence, or wives of alcoholic superheroes. But it’s her work with Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman that really thrills this writer, movies in which she can play deeply flawed characters that have no desire to be likable, they just strive to, well, be.
Essential viewing: Monster (2003) dir. Patty Jenkins, Young Adult (2011) dir. Jason Reitman, Tully (2018) dir. Jason Reitman
13. Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem has somehow carved out a niche in the global film world as being equally capable of playing the most ruthless villains and the most charming of men. Much like say Al Pacino or Meryl Streep, it is so exciting to see Bardem show up on screen as he sends a jolt of electricity into every scene he takes up space in. His bombastic choices and tremendous line deliveries are never the obvious choice and they always keep the collective we on our toes making for an– to borrow this motif again– electric experience. I mean, when someone is giving a critically acclaimed, BAFTA nominated performance in huge franchise film (Skyfall), that’s when you know they are the real damn deal.
Essential viewing: No Country for Old Men (2007) dir. Joel and Ethan Coen, Vicki Christina Barcelona (2008) dir. Woody Allen, Skyfall (2012) dir. Sam Mendes
12. Jessica Chastain
Extremely captivating and fully submerged in whatever world she’s thrown into, Julliard-grad Jessica Chastain always brings authenticity to even the most heightened situations. There was a period of time during the 2010s where it seemed like Chastain was everywhere, in every film, and on the top of everyone’s list of people to work with. She was truly unstoppable. And though we may not see her in as high a frequency of films as we once did half a decade ago, her reputation as one of the most talented actresses working today remains. She continues to choose varied projects, began her own production company to promote diversity both in front of and behind the camera, and though she bares that signature red hair, it’s impossible to tell the dancer from the dance when she’s submerging us into the worlds’ of her deeply complex characters.
Essential viewing: The Help (2011) dir. Tate Taylor, Zero Dark Thirty (2012) dir. Kathryn Bigelow, Molly’s Game (2017) dir. Aaron Sorkin
11. Adèle Haenel
It sounds so silly because she is such a huge star in France, with two Cesar Award (read: French Academy Award) wins out of seven nominations at just 31 years old, but Adèle Haenel feels like my staggering cinema secret that people are just barely catching onto. And in many ways, to the American audience, Haenel is cinema’s best kept secret. But on the world stage, she is a ferocious, kind-eyed, impossibly-capable onscreen presence who’s titanic performance, and more specifically, who’s final scene in Portrait of a Lady on Fire was some of the finest acting to be captured on screen this century so far. Should Hollywood catch on to Ms. Haenel like Europe has, it will be art imitating life as she really will be a lady on fire— there will be no stopping her.
Essential viewing: Water Lillies (2007) dir. Céline Sciamma, BPM: Beats Per Minute (2017) dir. Robin Campillo, Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) dir. Céline Sciamma
10. Julianne Moore
Moore is one of the most beloved actresses working today who’s unrelenting charm makes us root for her time and time again. I often joke with my friends, though I’m absolutely one-hundred-percent serious, that no one portrays woman in distress quite like Julianne Moore.
The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century (So Far): Part One
We’ve seen her characters question monogamy and sexuality, wrestle with the lulls of stay-at-home motherhood, decide how to move forward romantically post-divorce, grapple with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, fall in unrequited love, the list continues on. And with each scenario, Moore brings to the table the perfect recipe of depth and grace that makes her seem equal parts ferocious and delicate, a fascinating dish to consume over and over and over again.
Essential Viewing: The Hours (2005) dir. Stephen Daldry, Still Alice (2014) dir. Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland, Gloria Bell (2018) dir. Sebastián Lelio
9. Viola Davis
The intensity Viola Davis brings to every role, whether its warmth or strength or anger or sorrow, truly defies description. Every movie she’s in carries with it the weight of her presence. Even though she may not be in every scene, you always know her character exists in that world. Her very name on a cast list adds legitimacy to a project.
A trained theater actress, she takes big swings, fills her characters with exorbitant amounts of emotion, yet it never teeters over the edge into melodrama. Even with the biggest choices, every tear, every drip of snot, you’re right there with her, holding onto every word she utters. Davis continues to break boundaries for Black actresses as she constantly reminds us why she deserves the mononymous recognition, forever proving why just the name Viola will live on in the cultural canon for as long as we’re producing moving pictures.
Essential viewing: Fences (2016) dir. Denzel Washington, Widows (2018) dir. Steve McQueen, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) dir. George C. Wolfe
8. Daniel Day-Lewis
DDL will surely go down in history books as one of the greatest actors of all time. His dedication is singular and his towering presence is impossibly hypnotizing. I mean there isn’t much else I could say about him that hasn’t already been said a thousands times over. So I’ll let his body of work speak for itself. I beg of you go watch There Will be Blood if you haven’t seen it yet— you’ll be hard pressed to find better acting from a male lead since the 2000s began. And on that note, let’s all say a collective prayer that Paul Thomas Anderson can pull him out of retirement for at least one more earth-shattering collaboration.
Essential viewing: Gangs of New York (2002) dir. Martin Scorcese, There Will Be Blood (2007) dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread (2017) dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
7. Ralph Fiennes
One of the great chameleonic actors working today, some might say Ralph’s best work was in the 90s, but I hear that and raise them the highly stylized Grand Budapest Hotel, the heart-wrenching The Reader, and the fantastical epic Harry Potter universe and beyond. Fiennes is equal parts posh and cool, the everyman who’s so easy to connect while being able to turn around and dazzle you with what society would consider high culture.
Imagine being so talented and well-rounded that you’re able to make Lord Voldemort, a dark, noseless wizard reborn from a spell and a cauldron, seem grounded. I recently watched A Bigger Splash, the second in Luca Guadagnino’s self-described desire trilogy, and was completely taken aback by how energized and unbounded he seemed. It is the kind of galvanic performance that made me remember why I’ve been enamored by him for all these years.
Essential viewing: The Reader (2008) dir. Stephen Daldry, The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) dir. Wes Anderson, A Bigger Splash (2015) dir. Luca Gaudagnino
6. Christian Bale
I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand American Psycho the first time I saw it. I didn’t get the parody; I didn’t get the commentary, and I didn’t get the casual violence against women. I didn’t understand that it was supposed to be a microcosm, but I absolutely understood that Christian Bale was a force to be reckoned with.
Known for his no-holds-barred physical transformations, Bale is the kind of actor you actually worry about. Has he actually become Dick Cheney? Is he really the drug addict brother of a boxer? Has he for real become an overweight 1970s con artist? And that’s what’s so thrilling about his performances. He really makes you believe. I actually believe that Batman will come to my rescue should I ever need him to. I knew Ken Miles died racing in actual life, but for the entirety of Ford vs. Ferrari I prayed that somehow Bale would help rewrite history because that’s the empathetic naturalism Bale brings to every screenplay.
Essential viewing: American Psycho (2000) dir. Mary Harron, The Fighter (2010) dir. David O’Russell, Vice (2018) dir. Adam McKay
5. Toni Collette
Toni Collette is one of those enigmatic actors who’s unquestionable talent and pull is hard to put into words, there’s just something about her, a mystic je ne sais quoi, that cannot be ignored or categorized. Maybe I just have a thing for Australian actors. Or maybe it’s because her enduring presence and impossibly endearing personality make her so much more than just a movie star. To consider her awards report card, she’s one of the few people to be nominated for an Oscar award for acting in a genre piece (albeit, before the 2000s, M. Night Shyamalan’s 1999 release, The Sixth Sense) which should provide evidence for her indescribable allure.
Regarding the evidence, I guess you could say my thesis for this top ten list is that all the best living actors are true chameleons who just naturally jump from film to film without question. Toni Collette’s indelible performances in an array of cinema are the primary source documents to support that thesis. And if you have any doubts regarding her range of talents, go look up the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Michael John LaChiusa’s The Wild Party in which she plays Queenie. This will surely cement the respect Miss Collette is due.
Essential viewing: The Way Way Back (2013) dir. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, Hereditary (2018) dir. Ari Aster, I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020) dir. Charlie Kaufman
4. Song Kang-ho
Largely considered the greatest modern South Korean actor, Song Kang-ho continually shatters the ceiling he raises for and by himself, especially in the films of Bong Joon-ho. It’s time for American audiences to get on board with the work of Song Kang-ho and thank goodness Parasite keyed global audiences into his abilities. I first fell in love with Song in a different Bong film called The Host. Bong’s movies are so tonally bombastic and technically specific that for Song to seem so natural in the most complicated of cinematic situations is truly a marvel. His face is so expressive and he has an unnatural talent for peeling back layers as the film’s clock ticks on. He is one of those actors that keeps me on the edge of my toes while knowing full well that he will not disappoint.
Essential viewing: Joint Security Area (2000) dir. Park Chan-wook, Memories of Murder (2003) dir. Bong Joon-ho, Parasite (2019) dir. Bong Joon-ho
3. Tilda Swinton
I would go out on a limb and say that Tilda Swinton is the most talented shape shifter working today. She morphs into her characters so well that she is almost unrecognizable every single time. I often say to friends that all I need from an actor is for them to understand the assignment — I just need them to know what movie they’re in.
Tilda Swinton *always* understands the assignment. She understands melodrama, pure drama, high comedy, dark humor, broad humor, you name it, she’s going to understand and deliver. The fact that she has played Amy Schumer’s wise cracking boss in Trainwreck, an old man and a grand witch in Suspiria, the androgynous mentor of Doctor Strange in the MCU, and a Russian immigrant who speaks fluent Italian in I Am Love, all after winning an Oscar for playing a ruthless lawyer fighting off a mental breakdown in Michael Clayton will never be lost on me. As the kids on TikTok would say: she did what? That.
Essential viewing: Michael Clayton (2007) dir. Tony Gilroy, We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) dir. Lynne Ramsey, Okja (2017) dir. Bong Joon-ho
2. Jake Gyllenhaal
Perhaps the most underrated actor on screen this millennium, Jake Gyllenhaal elevates every single film he’s in; punishing charm and an obvious love for acting make for a magical combo. You can tell by the projects he chooses that he’s constantly looking to stretch himself artistically (say, like, Enemy or Velvet Buzzsaw) while also elevating mainstream projects (read: he was the only palatable part of the abysmal Spider-Man: Far From Home and I can’t wait to get hate mail for saying that).
The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century (So Far): Part Two
I’ve been screaming from the mountain tops about how talented Gyllenhaal is for years now. Effortlessly going from genre thriller Donnie Darko to sweeping epic Brokeback Mountain is an achievement that cannot be understated. And on another non-cinematic, more theatrical note, I have to say that seeing Jake Gyllenhaal do a Stephen Sondheim musical (he starred in the revival of Sunday in the Park With George which I saw him do opposite Annaleigh Ashford at City Center in NYC before it’s triumphant Broadway run) really sealed the deal for me on his talent level. The talent is off the charts and is only matched by the 200% commitment at all times.
Essential viewing: Brokeback Mountain (2005) dir. Ang Lee, Prisoners (2013) dir. Denis Villeneuve, Nightcrawler (2014) dir. Dan Gilroy
1. Cate Blanchett
With an alluring presence, piercing eyes, and an unnatural flair for the naturalistic, Cate Blanchett has proven herself to be on a level about the rest while displaying her boundless range. I have loved Cate Blanchett for as long as I have loved watching movies. There’s just something so effortless about her performances; she never makes it seem like work or like she’s in front of a camera flooded with artificial light on a set of dozens.
Her look is timeless and her skill transcends genre as she seamlessly embodies Kathrine Hepburn or Bob Dylan, a modern Blanche Dubois or Queen Elizabeth I, a ballet dancer falling in love with a man who ages backwards or a housewife questioning her sexuality after the arrival of a bashful department store attendant. The list of perfect, wholly lived in, painstakingly nuanced performances goes on and on. I really can’t overstate how much I love and respect Cate Blanchett. Her movies have brought me so much joy, so much emotional release, and so much admiration. She gives this writer something to ponder, something to salivate over, something to desperately try to put into words. For me, she is modern cinema, and for that reason, she is number one on the list.
Essential viewing: The Aviator (2005) dir. Martin Scorcese, Notes on a Scandal (2007) dir. Richard Eyre, Blue Jasmine (2013) dir. Woody Allen, Carol (2016) dir. Todd Haynes
