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Best British actor?



Marc1901

Peace out.
Apr 26, 2009
6,106
The Championship.
Lately I've been watching alot of Ray Winstone and starting to collect his DVD's, think he's brilliant BUT I doubt he's the best. For me, It'd be Michael Caine then Ray.
 
Try this list ...

IMDb: The 20 best British actors - a list by jeremi-ros


1.

Michael Caine
Actor, The Dark Knight

Born Maurice Micklewhite in London, Michael Caine was the son of a fish-market porter and a charlady. He left school at 15 and took a series of working-class jobs before joining the British army and serving in Korea during the Korean War, where he saw combat. Upon his return to England he gravitated toward the theater and got a job as an assistant stage manager...

“ Over the last two decades Mr. Caine year by year was brilliant and he is still doing excellent job. ” - jeremi-ros







2.

Anthony Hopkins
Actor, Hannibal

Anthony Hopkins was born on 31 December 1937, in Margam, Wales. Influenced by Richard Burton, he decided to study at College of Music and Drama and graduated in 1957. In 1965, he moved to London and joined the National Theatre, invited by Laurence Olivier, who could see the talent in Hopkins. In 1967, he made his first film for television, A Flea in Her Ear...

“ Better Lecter than Titus, better Stevens than Lecter. He was amazing in "Titus", so how good he was in "Remains of the day"? ” - jeremi-ros







3.

Jim Broadbent
Actor, Moulin Rouge!

One of England's most versatile character actors, Jim Broadbent was born on May 24, 1949, in Lincolnshire, the youngest son of furniture maker Roy Broadbent and sculptress Dee Broadbent. Jim attended a Quaker boarding school in Reading before successfully applying for a place at an art school. His heart was in acting...

“ One Oscar and lots of great performances, Mr. Broadbent is better than wine, always good. ” - jeremi-ros







4.

Tom Wilkinson
Actor, Michael Clayton

Popular British character actor Tom Wilkinson was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England in a long line of urban farmers. Economic hardships forced his family to move to Canada for a few years when Wilkinson was a child; after he had returned to England, he attended and graduated from the University of Kent at Canterbury with a degree in English and American Literature...

“ The great part of his outstanding roles is in his eyes. The Master of facial expression. ” - jeremi-ros







5.

Ben Kingsley
Actor, Schindler's List

Ben Kingsley was born in England. His father, Rahimtulla Harji Bhanji, was of Gujrati descent. Ben began to act in stage plays during the 1960s. He soon became a successful stage actor, and also began to have roles in films and TV. His birth name was Krishna Bhanji - but he changed his name to "Ben Kingsley" soon after gaining fame as a stage actor...

“ He is just cool like in "You Kill Me" or dangerous like in "Lucky Number Slevin" but he is the best in more complex roles like in "House of Sand and Fog". ” - jeremi-ros







6.

Ian McKellen
Actor, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25, 1939 in Burnley, Lancashire, England. His parents, Denis and Margery, soon moved with Ian and his sister Jean to the mill town of Wigan. It was in this small town that young Ian rode out World War II. He soon developed a fascination with acting and the theater...

“ Even if people will remember him only for "Lord of the Rings" Trilogy or for "X-Men" saga, he will stay as one of the greatest dramatic actor in Great Britain as well as all around the world. ” - jeremi-ros







7.

Daniel Day-Lewis
Actor, There Will Be Blood

Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is the only person in film history to win the Oscar award for Best Actor three times. Born in London, England, he is the second child of Cecil Day-Lewis (aka Nicholas Blake) (Poet Laureate of England) and his second wife, Jill Balcon. His maternal grandfather was Sir Michael Balcon...

“ After "There Will Be Blood" he is almost a legend and he deserves to be. ” - jeremi-ros







8.

Ralph Fiennes
Actor, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Eldest of 6 children born to photographer Mark Fiennes and his wife, Jini - aka Jennifer Lash - a novelist. Siblings are Martha Fiennes, a director; Magnus Fiennes, a musician; Sophie, a producer; and twins Joseph Fiennes, an actor, and Jacob, a gamekeeper. Foster brother Michael (Mick) is an archaeologist...

“ Because he earn only two Oscar nominations, Academy should be ashamed. There is only a few actors - great in every role. ” - jeremi-ros







9.

Albert Finney
Actor, Big Fish

Albert Finney came from the theatre, where he was especially successful in plays of William Shakespeare, to the movies. There he became a leading figure of the young Free Cinema. His debut in cinema was in 1960 with The Entertainer of Tony Richardson who had directed him also in theatre plays various times before. His typical role were young prolets like, e.g. Arthur Seaton in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.

“ He has bad luck, because his performances are often better than movies or movies are too difficult to be succesfull. ” - jeremi-ros







10.

Michael Gambon
Actor, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

After joining the National Theatre, under the Artistic Directorship of Sir Laurence Olivier, Gambon went on to appear in a number of leading roles in plays written by Alan Ayckbourn. His career was catapulted in 1980 when he took the lead role in John Dexter's production of "Galileo". Since then...

“ As Dumbledore Mr. Gambon went to the mainstream and he is doing there the same thing as always: acts well. ” - jeremi-ros







11.

Kenneth Branagh
Actor, Frankenstein

Kenneth Charles Branagh was born on December 10, 1960, in Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK, to parents William Branagh, a carpenter born in 1930, and Frances Branagh, also born in 1930. His brother, William Branagh Jr., was born in 1955 and sister, Joyce Branagh, was born in 1970. At 23, Branagh joined the Royal Shakespeare Company...

“ Another underrated, good as director, great as actor. He is still waiting to be appreciated. ” - jeremi-ros







12.

Jeremy Irons
Actor, The Lion King

This very English actor began by busking, and then joined the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School His first break came in the musical Godspell, when he played John the Baptist alongside David Essex. Once described as 'the thinking woman's pin up' he has made his name in most notable, thought provoking films...

“ Distinguished Mr. Irons looks like he is playing only for fun and he is very good at it. ” - jeremi-ros







13.

Colin Firth
Actor, The King's Speech

Born into an academic family - his father is a history lecturer at Winchester University College (formerly King Alfred's College) in Winchester and his mother is a comparative religions lecturer at the Open University - Colin Firth's first acting experience came in infant's school when he played "Jack Frost" in a Christmas pantomime...

“ Two years ago he was only a good, characteristic actor with some better than average performances. Now he is one of the brightest star of the world cinema. ” - jeremi-ros







14.

Alan Rickman
Actor, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was born to Irish and Welsh parents on February 21, 1946. He attended the Royal College of Art; he wanted to be a graphic artist. At age 26, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he spent three years. He first came to America's attention in the theatrical version of "Dangerous Liaisons"...

“ Mr. Rickman has perfect intuition, he plays only this kind of characters, which really fits to him. ” - jeremi-ros







15.

Jude Law
Actor, Sherlock Holmes

Born on December 29, 1972 in southeast London, England, Jude Law is a talented and versatile actor. Law has been nominated for two Academy Awards and continues to build a prolific body of work that spans from early successes such as Gattaca and The Talented Mr. Ripley to more recent turns as Dr. John Watson in Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows...

“ He still looks young, but he is not and now he doesn't have any idea about his career. However he only need a possibility to be great. ” - jeremi-ros







16.

Bill Nighy
Actor, Love Actually

Bill Nighy was born on December 12th 1949 in Caterham, Surrey. His father managed a garage in Croydon and his mother worked as a psychiatric nurse. At school he gained 'O'-levels in English Language and English Literature and enjoyed reading, particularly Ernest Hemingway. On leaving school he wanted to become a journalist but didn't have the required qualifications...

“ Bad, bad, bad as Davy Jones and incredibly funny as Billy Mack but I really like him, when he plays more normal parts. ” - jeremi-ros







17.

Alfred Molina
Actor, Chocolat

Alfred Molina was born in 1953 in London, England, of a Spanish father and an Italian mother. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. His stage work includes two major Royal National Theatre productions, Tennessee Williams' "The Night of the Iguana" (as Shannon) and David Mamet's "Speed the Plow" (as Fox)...

“ Not so British, you may say, but British enough to be great. ” - jeremi-ros







18.

Brendan Gleeson
Actor, Troy

A versatile actor, who decided to become an actor at age 34 after teaching a secondary level for several years, made his debut as a quarryman in The Field. He had several small roles in major Hollywood movies based in Ireland, such as Far and Away and Into the West. Memorably played historical Irish figure "Michael Collins" in The Treaty...

“ He came from nowhere and no he is playing characters like Winston Churchill and earning nominations for Golden Globes, but I'm sure, he deserves more. ” - jeremi-ros







19.

Timothy Spall
Actor, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Timothy Spall is the son of a postal worker and a hairdresser. Raised in London, he auditioned and earned a spot with the National Youth Theatre and later showed great promise at RADA where he portrayed the title roles in "Macbeth" and "Othello." In 1979 he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and stayed...

“ Favourite Mike Leigh's actor is looking for his place in mainstream movies. Now he is working with Tom Hooper and Tim Burton, but he was better with Leigh. ” - jeremi-ros







20.

Ewan McGregor
Actor, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Ewan Gordon McGregor was born on March 31, 1971 in Crieff, Scotland. At age 16, he left Crieff and Morrison Academy to join the Perth Repertory Theatre. His parents encouraged him to leave school and pursue his acting goals rather than be unhappy. McGregor studied drama for a year at Kirkcaldly in Fife...

“ He made some strange choices but he is on the top now and works with the bests. I think, he will be soon one of them. ” - jeremi-ros
 


Worthingite

Sexy Pete... :D
Sep 16, 2011
4,959
Worthing
What, no Michael Sheen?? For me, going to end up being one of the all time greats - already played Tony Blair, Brian Clough, David Frost and Kenneth Williams to absolute perfection. Insanely good actor.

TV wise, I'm looking forward to seeing John Simm in The Village over the weekend.
 

Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
30,499
Of the modern era I like Michael Sheen. The Damned United, Frost / Nixon, The Queen and Midnight In Paris all top performances and great films.

Edit: Spooky I was typing this the same time as the posting above!
 

Worthingite

Sexy Pete... :D
Sep 16, 2011
4,959
Worthing
And just realised - no Gary Oldman in that list?!?! Genuinely, I have no idea what he looks like in real life, every single film I've seen him in, he looks totally different. Makes each character very much his own.
 


Worthingite

Sexy Pete... :D
Sep 16, 2011
4,959
Worthing
Of the modern era I like Michael Sheen. The Damned United, Frost / Nixon, The Queen and Midnight In Paris all top performances and great films.

Edit: Spooky I was typing this the same time as the posting above!

:D Great minds think alike clearly!!
 

tezz79

New member
Apr 20, 2011
1,541
I'd put Christian bale up there too. You can't argue with his dedication to the roles he's given (especially in the machinist) shame he's a bit of diva though
 

tezz79

New member
Apr 20, 2011
1,541
And just realised - no Gary Oldman in that list?!?! Genuinely, I have no idea what he looks like in real life, every single film I've seen him in, he looks totally different. Makes each character very much his own.

Oh yeah Gary oldman !!! Definitely one of the best
 


Jesus Gul

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2004
5,451
Simon Pegg, Ben Kingsley, had to check to see if Geoffrey Rush was British (he's not), Michaels Sheen, Daniel Craig...
 

brightonbaz

Member
Feb 22, 2009
179
George Cole, Alec Guinness, John Mills, Roy Kinnear, Harry Andrews, John Thaw, Pete Postlethwaite, Albert Finney to name a few more.......
 

SeagullinExile

Well-known member
Sep 10, 2010
5,657
London


Bakero

Languidly clinical
Oct 9, 2010
13,629
Almería
I'd put Christian bale up there too. You can't argue with his dedication to the roles he's given (especially in the machinist) shame he's a bit of diva though

Didn't realise Christian Bale was English. I watched The Machinist for the first time this week- excellent film.

As for the best, Daniel Day Lewis or Martin Sheen for me.
 


Seagull on the wing

New member
Sep 22, 2010
7,458
Hailsham
James Mason. Alec Guinness,John Mills,Harry Andrews and Daniel Day-Lewis for his performance in Lincoln was star quality.
But it is just a matter of personel taste...
 

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