# Who is the best actor and actress of this generation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2009, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605 "2009-01-23T07:34:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/21 "2009-01-23T16:45:22Z")
Swank seems to be on her way to a very good career. I don’t watch award shows. Do the academy awards still have an actress category or is it a female actor category? They are so careful to call themselves actors on talk shows. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/22 "2009-01-23T17:00:01Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Any time he shows up in a scene, Benecio del Torro, owns it. > Frankie Fucking Four Fingers. Good one, i completely blanked on him. (my favorite movie of his is Traffic though) ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/23 "2009-01-23T17:07:50Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > On the female side, I like Naomi Watts. You can’t be serious. I’d nominate her as one of the worst actresses working today. She’s on par with Milla Jovovich. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/24 "2009-01-23T17:12:41Z")
Daniel Day-Lewis George Clooney Johnny Depp Ciaran Hinds Kate Winslet Rachel Weisz Toni Collette Tilda Swinton ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/25 "2009-01-23T17:17:23Z")
I think Cate Blanchett and Laura Linney are among the best. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/26 "2009-01-23T17:26:39Z")
I would go with Hoffman. Not a Hollywood “leading man”, just a solid actor who gets roles because of his skill, not his looks. I like Depp, but his roles are so odd and campy, it’s off-putting. Blanchett is outstanding. I wouldn’t have given Penn a second thought, since his roles always seem to be the same character type. Then I finally saw **Dead Man Walking** the other day and he blew me away. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/27 "2009-01-23T18:20:42Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > I think Cate Blanchett and Laura Linney are among the best. Yes, Cate Blanchett for sure. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/28 "2009-01-23T18:45:10Z")
Dang- I forgot about Cate Blanchett. Now I have three to choose from. Don’t think I can do it. Since that seems overly weighted on the British/Aussie side, for American actresses I’d pick Laura Linney or Frances McDormand. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/29 "2009-01-23T18:53:49Z")
I, too, will nominate Winslet on the female side. For actors…I don’t like Hoffman, though maybe it’s just his characters I hate (couldn’t stand Sideways, just to name one). I like most things that I’ve seen Leonardo DiCaprio in, though I hate to make this sound like a Titanic-centric post. He doesn’t seem to be getting much love in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/30 "2009-01-23T19:00:51Z")
Hoffman wasn’t in Sideways. Are you thinking of Paul Giamatti? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/31 "2009-01-23T19:01:08Z")
> [@h.sapiens](#): > > I think Cate Blanchett and Laura Linney are among the best. :smack: Now I have a four-way tie. Well–three-way tie for second place, anyway. I have decided to give Winslet a nudge upwards on account of her goddesshood. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/32 "2009-01-23T19:03:01Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > For actors…I don’t like Hoffman, though maybe it’s just his characters I hate (couldn’t stand Sideways, just to name one). I like most things that I’ve seen Leonardo DiCaprio in, though I hate to make this sound like a Titanic-centric post. He doesn’t seem to be getting much love in this thread. Think you have your actors and/or movies mixed up. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was not in Sideways. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/33 "2009-01-23T19:06:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I would go with Hoffman. Not a Hollywood “leading man”, just a solid actor who gets roles because of his skill, not his looks. I like Depp, but his roles are so odd and campy, it’s off-putting. Blanchett is outstanding. I wouldn’t have given Penn a second thought, since his roles always seem to be the same character type. Then I finally saw **Dead Man Walking** the other day and he blew me away. Argghhh. I meant _Winslet_, not Blanchett (who I really don’t like). I get those names mixed up quite often. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/34 "2009-01-23T19:17:21Z")
Within the broad definition of “this generation,” I would say Sean Penn, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day-Lewis PSH and Ed Norton Jr. are some of the best on the male side. If Meryl Streep is too old, then I would go with Kate Winslet and Cate Blanchett on the female side. We have iconic movie stars too, who are different from great “actors.” Bruce Willis, for instance, is pretty iconic, as is Samuel L. Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/35 "2009-01-23T19:21:50Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I would go with Hoffman. Not a Hollywood “leading man”, just a solid actor who gets roles because of his skill, not his looks. I like Depp, but his roles are so odd and campy, it’s off-putting. Blanchett is outstanding. I wouldn’t have given Penn a second thought, since his roles always seem to be the same character type. Then I finally saw **Dead Man Walking** the other day and he blew me away. You should see his work in _Casualties of War_ and _Carlito’s Way_. Totally different characters. It’s hard to believe it’s even the same person. His charater in _Casualties_ is incredibly real and scary. ---
**Author:** ![Mooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooch)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/36 "2009-01-23T19:24:51Z")
Don Cheadle ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/37 "2009-01-23T21:06:04Z")
> [@Mooch](#): > > Don Cheadle Good call! I’ve loved him in every thing he does. How about Tilda Swinton? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/38 "2009-01-23T21:24:00Z")
> [@Cuckoorex](#): > > Gary Oldman Dang it, you stole mine ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/39 "2009-01-23T21:34:07Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > And has Philip Seymore Hoffman ever played a character that wasn’t an asshole? He plays an affable, generally likeable priest in _Doubt_. Might be a paedophile, but other than that he seems a great guy. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605/40 "2009-01-23T21:49:41Z")
Robert Downey Jr. deserves a nod. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-best-actor-and-actress-of-this-generation/482605.md?page=3)