Best Living Actor and Actress

So, who do you think is the best of our time in each category?

Used to be, I'd have said DeNiro without a doubt, but he's done some truly forgettable stuff unworthy of his talent recently such as that stupid movie where Ben Stiller meets the parents...so forgettable that I can't even remember the title!

My nominees would be Sean Penn and Meryl Streep.

I don't know of anyone better than Streep at doing accents. She's simply stunningly good at them. While I thought the movie Doubt wasn't terrific, her performance as the crochety old nun who's got the pedophile priest's number from the getgo was really effective. It would have been too easy for a less-talented actress to lapse into stereotyping the nun, but Streep made her believable, particularly at the end when the nun collapses in tears, uncertain but that she may have wrongly accused the priest of being a pedophile.

I haven't seen Penn in any of his more violent performances, but he's just plain masterful in Dead Man Walking and Milk, so much so that I found myself forgetting that he wasn't the actual person. The man has an uncanny ability to step into someone else's shoes and make an audience think they're watching a documentary.

Your nominees?

Only Two???? That's really hard for me DOT. But I'll try.


My fav actor at the moment is Alan Rickman ... his style is very subtle (was fantastic in Sense and Sensibility) plus I think he is quite the dish (though I'd like to forget he was a part of Die Hard - blech)

Kevin Kline is very underrated... he's an all around super talant.

Steve Martin is just plain brilliant.

Leo DeCaprio can act he butt off, though the fact that he is so popular is a put off.

.......

Ok, for the women, I'd have to say Cate Blanchett. She's an actor's actor. (I'm so upset that Indian Summer was shelved)

Kate Winslet also gets a tip of my hat (though not for Titanic - blech)


.................................


On the flip side, the two WORST of the WORST, imho, are Nicholas Cage and Halle Berry ... without a doubt (blech)

Naw, no rules, Sakhaiva.

Nominate more than two in either category as you will, everyone.

Alan Rickman has been brilliant as well as Severus Snape. I can't wait to see how he does the role in the film of Deathly Hallows.

Sakhaiva wrote:Only Two???? That's really hard for me DOT. But I'll try.


My fav actor at the moment is Alan Rickman ... his style is very subtle (was fantastic in Sense and Sensibility) plus I think he is quite the dish (though I'd like to forget he was a part of Die Hard - blech)

Be Kind -Hans Gruber is really part of a trilogy of villains

one should view them as a piece :
Die Hard Hans Gruber
Quigley Down Under Elliot Marston,
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Sheriff of Nottingham

Cripes, just one of each? I can pick a winner for actress (Dame Judi Dench, without question) but for actor, I'm torn between DeNiro, Morgan Freeman and Sir Ian McKellen.

Also, no disrepect to Milk but I still think the Oscar should have gone to The Wrestler.

Actress: Dame Maggie Smith.

Always.

Actor: Robin Williams.

Also, especially of late, been doing stuff 'beneath him'. Watch him in something like Dead Poet's Society or in a comedy/serious like Mrs. Doubtfire.

I have to say that Bill Murray is my all-time favorite comedic actor, but I give my award to Williams because of his amazing ability in serious roles.

"Dear Mrs Doubtfire - Two months ago my mom and dad decided to separate. Now they live in different houses. My brother Andrew says that we aren't a realfamily any more. Is this true? Did I lose my family? Is there anything I could do to get my parents back together?" Sincerely, Katie McCormick.

Oh, my dear Katie.
You know, some parents get along
much better when they don't live together.
They don't fight all the time
and they can become better people.
Much better mommies and daddies for you.
And sometimes they get back together.
And sometimes they don't, dear.
And if they don't,
don't blame yourself.
Just because they don't love each other
doesn't mean that they don't love you.
There are all sorts of different families, Katie.
Some families have one mommy,
some families have one daddy,
or two families.
Some children live with their uncle or aunt.
Some live with their grandparents,
and some children live with foster parents.
Some live in separate homes
and neighbourhoods
in different areas of the country.
They may not see each other for days,
weeks, months or even years at a time.
But if there's love, dear,
those are the ties that bind.
And you'll have a family in your heart for ever.
All my love to you, poppet.
You're going to be all right.
Bye-bye.

I don't know if I have faves, but Dame Maggie Smith & Sir Ian McKellen. I always enjoy them.
Funny how one can not think when one wants to. There are more, I must think

Yes, Sir Ian McKellen is wonderful also.

MC, you would love the movie Curtian Call with Maggie Smith. It was one of those 'under-the-rug' kind of movies, starring her as a ghost. (Sort of like The Ghost and Mrs. Muir). Very cute and sweet, unknown film.

TigersEyeDowsing wrote:Actress: Dame Maggie Smith.

Always.

Actor: Robin Williams.

Also, especially of late, been doing stuff 'beneath him'. Watch him in something like Dead Poet's Society or in a comedy/serious like Mrs. Doubtfire.

I'll agree with the actress. I haven't actually picked an actor.

I really do like Ian McKellen.... he was the best darn Gandalf a girl could hope for. (Can't wait to see him in the Hobbit!!!)

My boys really enjoyed his performance of Magneto


I WISH I could see his one man show "A Knight in Harman Hall" Oh well.

TigersEyeDowsing wrote:MC, you would love the movie Curtian Call with Maggie Smith. It was one of those 'under-the-rug' kind of movies, starring her as a ghost. (Sort of like The Ghost and Mrs. Muir). Very cute and sweet, unknown film.

Nifty noodle, I will check it out. I think you know me too well. I truly enjoyed "the Ghost and Mrs Muir"

Thought you would. I had it on VHS back when I had VHS players.

Jack Nicholson for best supporting Actor- see The Departed