Poll: Most Influential Decade Defining Actor

Results of 3,730 votes:

1. 1.
   

   Marlon Brando

    

   Marlon Brando brought an unprecedented, gripping realism to the art of acting. Often cited as being the most important influence on acting ever, his magnetism, method acting and masculinity cement him…
2. 2.
   

   Charles Chaplin

    

   Charlie Chaplin and his persona as "The Tramp" are indisputably one of, if not, the most substantial figures in cinema history. As a perfectionist who created virtually every detail of his f…
3. 3.
   

   Leonardo DiCaprio

    

   Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the most talented actors working today. His ability to seamlessly transform himself between roles is matched by few competitors, whether its as a crooked, drug-loving banke…
4. 4.
   

   Tom Cruise

    

   While Cruise has arguably been a A-lister for roughly 3 decades, the 1980s was in full 'cruise control'. His versatility and charisma have made him the quintessence of leading man despite some of his …
5. 5.
   

   Robert De Niro

    

   Robert De Niro & Martin Scorsese. Martin Scorsese & Robert De Niro. The two go together like butter and toast, each helping the other to yield some of the finest cinema in history, certainly f…
6. 6.
   

   James Stewart

    

   During the 1940s, when he also served as a military officer, Stewart was the quintessence of aspiring American man. His down-to-earth persona and supreme range were just a few of his many endearing qu…
7. 7.
   

   Al Pacino

    

   The films Al Pacino has starred in have been among the best Hollywood has ever seen, with a career spanning nearly 50 years. In the 1970s, to say he did well would be a tragic understatement. The 70s …
8. 8.
   

   Harrison Ford

    

   This man, along with Steven Spielberg, established the blockbuster with the Indiana Jones franchise. He also gained worldwide stardom for his role as Han Solo in original The Star Wars trilogy. His ic…
9. 9.
   

   Daniel Day-Lewis

    

   While his performances on the screen are infrequent, Daniel Day-Lewis often gives the most memorable ones of that year when he finally appears. A true 'cinematic chameleon', DDL is virtually unrecogni…
10. 10.
    

    Humphrey Bogart

     

    Humphrey Bogart is a cultural icon and was a leading man in both dramatic and romantic films with immense impact. Bogart firmly established the trade-mark persona of that kind of a hard-boiled cynic t…
11. 11.
    

    Jack Nicholson

     

    As one of the more energetic actors on this list, Jack Nicholson has been known to 'ramp it up' a bit for his roles. With 3 Best Actor Academy Awards to boot and countless great performances, particul…
12. 12.
    

    Clint Eastwood

     

    Clint Eastwood is the Spaghetti Western. Rising to international fame with his role as The Man With No Name in Sergio Leone's Dollar Trilogy, he too, like Wayne, became synonymous with the concept of …
13. 13.
    

    Johnny Depp

     

    A frequent collaborator with director Tim Burton, Depp epitomized the 'eccentric' role by starring as the titular character in films like Sweeney Todd and Edward Scissorhands. Perhaps best known for h…
14. 14.
    

    Meryl Streep

     

    Often cited in the media as the "best actress of her generation", — a designation she objects to — Streep is particularly known for her versatility in her roles, transformation into the char…
15. 15.
    

    Sidney Poitier

     

    Sidney Poitier ruled the 60s. He became the first black man to receive the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1963. But more than that, he displayed a charisma and elegance on screen that cemented him as…
16. 16.
    

    John Wayne

     

    John Wayne, nicknamed Duke, was an American actor, director, and producer. An Academy Award-winner for True Grit (1969), Wayne was among the top box office draws for nearly three decades. He served as…
17. 17.
    

    Katharine Hepburn

     

    With an unprecedented 4 Academy Awards for Best Actress, Katherine Hepburn is quite possibly the most accomplished actress in cinema history and the indisputable quintessence of a leading lady on the …
18. 18.
    

    Denzel Washington

     

    Washington has received much critical acclaim for his film work since the 1980s, including his portrayals of real-life figures that range from a South African anti-apartheid activist to a Muslim minis…
19. 19.
    

    Cary Grant

     

    Cary Grant is a legend on the big screen and was one of Hollywood's definitive leading man. His debonair demeanor, transatlantic accent and light-hearted approach was a force in the 1940s particularly…
20. 20.
    

    Burt Reynolds

     

    As an enduring, strong-featured, and genial star of US cinema, Burt Reynolds started off in TV westerns in the 1960s and then carved his name into 1970/1980s popular culture as a male sex symbol in re…
21. 21.
    

    Sean Penn

     

    As an American Actor, filmmaker, and political activist, Penn has also won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama Mystic River (2003) and the biopic Milk (2008). You may not like him, …
22. 22.
    

    Robert Redford

     

    As a frequent collaborator with fellow legendary cohort Paul Newman, Redford starred in many memorable films like Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid and The Sting. He set the precedent for the suave, …