Support NeoGAF

[thefool]

No.

 

[mansoor1980]

yes

 

[tommib]

No.

That would be Paul Newman.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Denzel is great, but of his generation Gary Oldman and Tom Hanks I would say are much better and have turned in far more memorable performances with a lot more depth and range. Denzel is no slouch though, one of his best and most underrated roles is in Flight, where he plays a troubled, alcoholic pilot who manages to do something incredible with his malfunctioning airplane that saves a lot of his passengers. But an investigation shows he was under the influence and he gets in trouble. He was Oscar nominated for that role and he should've won. It's a much better performance than Training Day.

 

[willothedog]

I prefer when actors blend really well into roles to the point where you either forget or initially can't tell that it's them, like the chameleon of acting himself:

He's not American.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

It's John Hurt, Noobs

 

[Dr.Morris79]

He's not American.

I read the thread title and still didn't take it in

..It's still John Hurt, by the way.

 

[demon]

Denzel is a great actor but I feel like the vast majority of his performances are all pretty similar. Certainly not anywhere near the most versatile actor.

 

[Tokio Blues]

Christian Bale for me.

 

[poppabk]

This thread is highlighting how most great actors are not or weren't born American.

 

[Giallo Corsa]

This thread is highlighting how most great actors are not or weren't born American.

Most great things in this world aren't American, let alone actors

 

[Dr.Morris79]

This thread is highlighting how most great actors are not or weren't born American.

Sort of true. Every American is an Englishman. They just forgot, for some reason

 

[March Climber]

He's not American.

Depends on the movie

 

[notjeffgoldblum]

Just stopping by to say "Hey!"

 

[RaduN]

Hanks, DiCaprio, Bale, many others.

Denel is good of course, but light years away from those and others top american actors.

 

[Fatmanp]

Denzel is my clear GOAT but I think his 21st century films are better than his 20th century films. Hanks, Pacino and De Niro all have superior pre 2000 libraries than him.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

Hanks, DiCaprio, Bale, many others.

Denel is good of course, but light years away from those and others top american actors.

DiCaprio? Stop.

 

[Blade2.0]

You know what, I think I thought of another GOAT that no one has mentioned yet and is one of my personal favorites:

Tim Curry

The dude can act.

 

[bender]

Whoa Keanu reeves would like a word.

Still my favorite Youtube comment ever.

 

[Arsic]

I'll give it to Willem Dafoe but Denzel is a close second.

I also think Ryan Gosling is also massively slept on.

 

[Jaybe]

 

[BadBurger]

He's certainly up there IMO, like top five to ten, but I don't think I can choose a single one. My opinion changes depending upon what I've watched lately

 

[gimmmick]

For me it's Daniel Day-Lewis

This. A close second would be Tim Hanks for me.

 

[Putonahappyface]

Daniel Day-Lewis or Tom Hanks for me personally.

 

[dorkimoe]

Denzel had a string of absolute bangers. Some great movies. 7 year span

Remember The titans
Training Day
John Q
out of time
Man on Fire
Inside Man
Deja Vu
American Gangster

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

Daniel Day-Lewis or Tom Hanks for me personally.

I love Tom Hanks but the only time I saw him play a villain was in the recent Elvis biopic

 

[Putonahappyface]

I love Tom Hanks but the only time I saw him play a villain was in the recent Elvis biopic

I can't stand Elvis. I'd rather catch my testicles in the toilet seat again than watch that tripe.

 

[BadBurger]

Denzel had a string of absolute bangers. Some great movies. 7 year span

Remember The titans
Training Day
John Q
out of time
Man on Fire
Inside Man
Deja Vu
American Gangster

I don't think I've ever seen a film that he starred in that I didn't enjoy.

 

[bitbydeath]

All the really good actors I can think of aren't American.

Daniel Day-Lewis or Tom Hanks for me personally.

Daniel isn't American, I guess that just leaves Tom….

Actually I'm going to throw John Lithgow into the mix.

He's got a wide range from being funny to downright sinister.

 

[NeverYouMind]

I don't think I've ever seen a film that he starred in that I didn't enjoy.

The one that pops in my head immediately is The Bone Collector. He is no Morgan Freeman.

 

[BadBurger]

The one that pops in my head immediately is The Bone Collector. He is no Morgan Freeman.

Oh yea, that one wasn't great. Forgot all about it.

 

[0neAnd0nly]

J. Leto gets no love?!

Maybe even GOAT. Transcendent.

 

[bitbydeath]

J. Leto gets no love?!

Maybe even GOAT. Transcendent.

He's on a different list with Christian Bale.

 

[IDKFA]

Paul Newman, Robert Redford or Tom Hanks would be my picks.

 

[N0S]

He's a good solid actor, American Gangster and Training Day are his best movies imo.

 

[IlGialloMondadori]

No. But giving 1 to someone is stupid. He's one-of for sure.

 

[Putonahappyface]

All the really good actors I can think of aren't American.


Daniel isn't American, I guess that just leaves Tom….

Actually I'm going to throw John Lithgow into the mix.

He's got a wide range from being funny to downright sinister.

I'd pick Gary Oldman aswell.

 

[RJMacready73]

This guy is just fucking amazing in everything he does, from really hamming it up to being psychotically frightening in his roles.. his latest in Slow Horses playing a thoroughly unlikeable cunt is just sublime. For me its Gary Oldman who has a far greater range than Denzel who always seems to play Denzel

 

[BadBurger]

I'd pick Gary Oldman aswell.

Right now, I'd go with Tom Hanks. He never missed, even if the movie was shitty like those Dan Brown adaptations - he still put on a stellar performance.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Denzel is good but he is not even in my top 10.

The greatest American actor is Billy Bob Thornton.

He is highly versatile. I'll give you that.

 

[BlackTron]

Tom Hanks.

 

[kurisu_1974]

I feel like this seems to be the consensus. No one really comes close. Pacino and Deniro are great but they don't really have the range and depth that Denzel at his best has

Ooff no. Dude plays the exact same dude with the exact same mannerism in every role.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

20th century? From 1901 to 2000 there was a lot of incredible actors.

 

[Evil Calvin]

Tom Cruise