One of Hollywood’s darling actors, Heath Ledger became famous after his excellent acting in the teen comedy film based on Shakespeare’s work, “10 Things I Hate About You”. The young actor continued to rise in popularity when he appeared in “A Knight’s Tale” two years later. In 2005, he took the legendary role of Ennis in “Brokeback Mountain”, a brilliant drama film that shook audiences. His last and arguably greatest performance was as the Joker, in Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight”.
There’s no denying that Ledger was an absolute force of brilliance in this one. Fans were originally horrified when they heard that the actor was cast as the Joker, until they saw his performance and realized it was the best film portrayal of the character they’d ever seen. Ledger was so committed to the role that he locked himself up in a hotel room for over a month, and began to keep a psychotic diary to gradually mold and create his character. Unfortunately, the actor died shortly around the time of the film’s release, he was posthumously awarded an Oscar for his role.
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington has had the same cultural appeal as fellow African-American actor Samuel L. Jackson, while possessing acting skills on the level of Oscar winning actors. The actor has appeared in everything from R-Rated action films, such as "The Book of Eli", to crime dramas such as "American Gangster" and "Training Day". He also played as Malcolm X in the biographical film of the same name, and has done various passion projects with directors Spike Lee, Antoine Fuqua, and Tony Scott.
It would be hard to pinpoint the best films of such a successful and accomplished actor. It’s safe to say that some of his most noteworthy performances were in films that are considered the most culturally significant films of their times. His roles in "Malcolm X", "The Hurricane", "Training Day" and "Glory" were some of the most important films, and will likely remain as some of his best work too.
Anthony Hopkins
Many know Anthony Hopkins as either the psychotic serial killer Hannibal Lecter from "Silence of the Lambs", or as owner of Westworld from HBO’s hit show. His acting career goes back a long way and contains some of the most memorable and highly-awarded performances of all time. Hopkins is truly one of Hollywood’s most versatile and endearing actors. The veteran actor graces every film and TV show he has appeared in with an air of mystery and intrigue.
Most actors with Hopkin's experience tend to find themselves getting either typecast into specific roles, or slowing down towards the end of their careers. He’s quite a different breed of Hollywood star though, as the veteran actor continues to hone and improve his acting skills, which seem to only get better over the years. Some of his greatest films are "The Elephant Man" (1980), "The Bunker" (1981), "The Bounty" (1984), "Howards End" (1992), "Shadowlands" (1993) and "Nixon" (1995).
Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall's career is considered by many as one of the most successful and inspirational ones in all of Hollywood. The actor has appeared in some of the most famous films of all time. He portrayed Boo Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird", Tom Hagen in "The Godfather", and even had some major roles in 1963's horror anthology show, "The Twilight Zone". He's also one of the only actors in Hollywood that is an outspoken Republican, and has served in the United States Military with the rank of Private First Class.
Duvall has been nominated for seven Academy Awards, and finally won when he portrayed Mac in the drama film "Tender Mercies". This was one of the only films where he played a starring role. He’s mostly been known for being one of the best supporting actors in Hollywood, but that doesn’t take away from his incredible skills.
Aaron Eckhart
Many fans of Aaron Eckhart swear by the actor’s performances and hail him as one of the best actors of this generation. This fifty year old American actor has first made his debut in the 1997 black comedy film titled "In the Company of Men". He has since performed in various key roles, including as Harvey Dent in the acclaimed "Dark Knight" film, George in the biographical film "Erin Brockovich", and Nick Naylor in "Thank You for Smoking".
If you’re looking for Aaron Eckhart’s best and most prominent role, it’s quite clear what the best film to watch is. The actor’s most iconic role is undoubtedly that of the charismatic and manipulative Nick Naylor in "Thank You For Smoking". In the film, Eckhart plays the spokesperson for the cigarette industry. He received a Golden Globe nomination for his role, and enjoyed critical acclaim for the film.