Our Top 5: The Greatest American Actors in History

Our Top 5: The Greatest American Actors in History

The USA has produced many of the most famous actors ever. While other countries’ film industries certainly have plenty to offer, none can really compete with Hollywood, so it’s no surprise that so many legendary talents have had their origins there. In this list, we discuss the lives and works of 5 of the greatest American actors of all time, as well as the legacy of Hollywood more generally. 

Background: Hollywood and American Cinema as a Cultural Juggernaut 

No discussion of America’s best actors would be complete without exploring Hollywood’s role in creating many of the biggest screen stars of the 20th and 21st centuries. Indeed, many of the best American actors in history have Hollywood to thank for their big breaks, with the film industry having essentially made their careers take off. 

What we now call Hollywood essentially began in the early 1920s, with extensive immigration to Southern California seeing a boom in film production in the area. From the 1920s-1960s, the so-called ‘golden age of Hollywood’ was in full swing; many of the most famous movies of all time were produced during this period. 

Naturally, Hollywood hasn’t exactly been entirely free from controversy over the years. Plenty of American A-listers have been accused of serious crimes, with some of them even facing formal criminal convictions. 

One recent example of a Hollywood icon who fell from grace was Kevin Spacey. For most of his career, Spacey was a very well-respected actor, known for playing complex, more nuanced roles with ease and charm. His performance in American Beauty is regarded by many as perhaps one of the best in screen history, garnering him an Oscar for Best Actor in 2000. 

However, in 2017, Spacey’s career came to a screeching halt when he was accused of sexual assault. Since then, similar charges have been levied at the actor, though he claims that, with time, these claims will become more or less irrelevant. 

Our List of the Greatest-Ever American Actors

1. Marlon Brando

Few names in history have been as legendary as Marlon Brando’s. Brando’s 6-decade career saw him acting in some of the most famous films of all time, including The Godfather and Apocalypse Now. Indeed, Brando is the only actor on this list who can be considered to have really been active during the golden age of Hollywood, which certainly says a lot on its own. 

Brando passed away in 2004, but his is a name that is almost guaranteed never to be forgotten. 

2. Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman may be younger than the rest of this star-studded list, but that doesn’t make her resume any less impressive or illustrious. 

The Israel-born Portman has gone from strength to strength across a career spanning two decades; she’s best-known for her work in Star Wars, as well as her once-in-a-lifetime role in the Darren Aronofsky psychological thriller Black Swan, in which she plays the protagonist, whose appetite for success is enough to destroy her. 

Amazingly, Portman’s achievements go beyond her work on the silver screen. She studied at Harvard, graduating in 2003, and made some key contributions to psychology research throughout the course of her degree there. 

3. Jack Nicholson

Many films enthusiasts regard Jack Nicholson as one of the most talented and versatile film actors in history. With a career that lasted over 5 decades, Nicholson has taken on a massive variety of roles, though he often found himself playing characters who had something to prove, or who lived unconventional, archetypical lives. 

Some of Nicholson’s best work include his performances in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Chinatown; while the two films are different, both are, overall, sober dramas that allowed Nicholson to show the full emotional depth of his talents. 

4. Meryl Streep 

While she hasn’t exclusively played serious, hard-hitting roles, Meryl Streep is still considered by many to be one of the best actresses of all time. Her versatility is legendary; not only did she have leading roles in the musical comedy Mamma Mia! and the satirical The Devil Wears Prada, but she also played Margaret Thatcher to universal critical acclaim in The Iron Lady. 

Streep has displayed that she isn’t afraid to show her silly side, but that she also has some of the most formidable acting chops out there. 

5. Philip Seymour Hoffman 

Sadly, the American actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is no longer with us. The tragic talent passed away due to a drug overdose at the age of 46, cutting short a career that still showed plenty of promise and room for growth. 

Hoffman was perhaps best-known for playing sensitive, introverted roles, though he’s almost certainly best-regarded for his leading performance as the titular protagonist in Capote. In fact, Hoffman was nominated for Best Actor for his role; it sees him playing the morally ambiguous author Truman Capote as he gathers material and writes what would go on to become one of the first-ever true crime novels, In Cold Blood.