Not many actors out there can star in a Vietnam War epic (“The Deer Hunter”,) an Adam Sandler comedy (“Click”), and a musical (“Hairspray”) in the same career. Christopher Walken of course is no ordinary actor. He’s also starred in a bunch of brilliant movies in between. He’s even part of the special guest SNL club.
With such a long and illustrious career it’s hard to settle on one performance, is there one for each decade? But if we are going to pick, the film that perhaps defined his career was “The Deer Hunter.” Apart from it being a masterful film about the harrowing effects of war, Walken’s performance is unforgettable.
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage kicked off with two hits at the beginning of his career "Raising Arizona" and "Moonstruck." By the year 1995, he won the Academy Award for best actor for "Leaving Las Vegas." Ever since, the box-office hits kept coming, from"Face/Off," to "Con Air" to "National Treasure" Cage has appeared in over 100 films, most of them successful.
He played twin brothers in the brilliant Charlie Kaufman film about the woes of screenwriting "Adaptation," and an arms dealer in "Lord of War," the list goes on. Cage also outdid himself as the 'noir version' of Spider-Man in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse."
Laurence Fishburne
At 14 years old the great Laurence Fishburne lied his way into the film 1979 classic "Apocalypse Now." Playing an 18-year-old soldier in Vietnam, young Fishburne captivated audiences and was instantly launched into stardom. Since then the actor has starred in many great films and even achieved cult status as Morpheous from the iconic sci-fi "The Matrix."
When it comes to his most critically acclaimed work, it's "Searching for Bobby Fisher" that makes Fishburne real acting great. The film even got the perfect score by legendary film critic Roger Egbert. If we thought chess was popular now with "The Queen's Gambit," watch the 1993 film.
Michael J. Fox
One of the most revered actors of the '80s, Michael J. Fox burst onto our TV screens as the young conservative "Family Ties" which ran from 1982 to 1989. Between that, he starred in the blockbusting "Back to the Future" classics. It's not the only thing he's done. Fox has starred in countless films throughout his career, some top mentions being "Where The Rivers Flow North" "The American President" and "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey."
With that said, there's a reason why "The Back to the Future" films are hailed as one of the greatest fantasy films of our time. The actor will forever be Marty Mcfly in our hearts. The actor has remained active, especially in the medical field. As a long-time sufferer of Parkinson's' disease, he has funded more than $900 million in research programs in search of a cure.
Kevin Costner
There was probably no better leading man in the '90s than Kevin Costner. Soon after his breakout role in "The Untouchables," Kevin Costner reached star status. His directorial debut "Dances with Wolves," even beat "Goodfellas" at the Oscars.
Nothing can quite compare to his acting in the film "Bull Durham." That is a quintessential movie star and was his best performance out of his whole career. Even "Dances with Wolves" can't compare.