Written by Mitch Cyrus

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Four or five months ago, I unveiled my list of my Top 100 Actors and Top 100 Actresses. Mitch has been working on his own project, and I'm fired up to unleash it on the free world today. He took my top ten actors and actresses, plus ten more of his favorites from both sides, and examined the best and worst roles they've had in their careers. Another epic effort from Mitch, and a must read for any movie enthusiast. Be sure to give Mitch your thoughts via email or in the movies forum, as the feedback will be the basis of a future piece.

Some time ago, Swerb posted his list of the Top 100 Actors and Actresses.  While that type of list is sure to stir up debate, I thought we’d take the “list thing” in another direction and take a look at the best (and worst) acting jobs from these high profile entertainers. 

Luckily for people that don’t have hours of spare time to read it all, I’m way too lazy to get into that much detail about 200 people, so I’m just looking at the Top 20 of each sex.  Since it’s my article; I get to make the rules. 

I’m taking the Top 10 from each of Swerb’s group, and then I’m adding ten more of my own choosing.  The one exception is that Swerb inexplicably placed Liv Tyler as #5 on his list…something that probably came to him in a drunken haze with visions of Arwen going all Tawny Kitaen on a motorcycle in an Aerosmith video.  Great visuals…but she really doesn’t have enough large roles for me to come up with a good list.  Her loss is Scarlett Johansson’s gain. 

With each actor, I’m listing what I feel is their best three roles (Gold, Silver, and Bronze), and the one role where you shake your head and say “WTF were they THINKING doing this movie?” 

Of course this is purely subjective, and the “WTF were you THINKING?” may also be your response to some of my selections.  Drop me an email or go to the Movies Forum and tell me about it. 

Actors 

1. Sean Penn

Gold: Jimmy Markum in “Mystic River”

Silver: Paul Rivers in “21 Grams”

Bronze: Matthew Poncelet in “Dead Man Walking”

WTF?: Willie Stark in “All the King’s Men” 

2. Robert De Niro

Gold: Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver”

Silver: Jake La Motta in “Raging Bull”

Bronze: Michael Vronksy in “The Deer Hunter”

WTF?: Fearless Leader in “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle” 

3. Kevin Spacey

Gold: Lester Burnham in “American Beauty”

Silver: Verbal Kint in “The Usual Suspects”

Bronze: Lt. Chris Sabian in “The Negotiator”

WTF?: Bobby Darrin in “Beyond the Sea” 

4. Jack Nicholson

Gold: Randle Patrick McMurphy in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”

Silver: Jack Torrance in “The Shining”

Bronze: The Joker in “Batman”

WTF?: Multiple stupid roles in “Mars Attacks!” 

5. Al Pacino

Gold: Michael Coreleone in “The Godfather” and “The Godfather: Part 2”

Silver: Lt. Col. Frank Slade in “Scent of a Woman”

Bronze: Tony Montana in “Scarface”

WTF?: Viktor Taransky in “S1m0ne” 

6. Tom Hanks

Gold: Capt. John Miller in “Saving Private Ryan”

Silver: Andrew Beckett in “Philadelphia”

Bronze: Chuck Noland in “Cast Away”

WTF?: Prof. G.H. Dorr in “The Ladykillers” 

7. Anthony Hopkins

Gold: Dr. Hannibal Lecter in “The Silence of the Lambs”

Silver: Tricky Dick in “Nixon”

Bronze: James Stevens in “Remains of the Day”

WTF?: Officer Oaks in “Bad Company” 

8. Denzel Washington

Gold: Rubin “Hurricane” Carter in “The Hurricane”

Silver: Alonzo in “Training Day”

Bronze: Det. Kenneth Frazier in “Inside Man”

WTF?: Lt. Parker Barnes in “Virtuosity” 

9. Samuel L. Jackson

Gold: Jules Winfield in “Pulp Fiction”

Silver: Elijah Price in “Unbreakable”

Bronze: Doyle Gipson in “Changing Lanes”

WTF?: Derek Vann in “The Man” 

10. Leonardo DiCaprio

Gold: Billy Costigan in “The Departed”

Silver: Danny Archer in “Blood Diamond”

Bronze: Frank Abagnale in “Catch Me If You Can”

WTF?: Richard in “The Beach” 

11. Clive Owen

Gold: Theo Faron in “Children of Men”

Silver: Dalton Russell in “Inside Man”

Bronze: Larry in “Closer”

WTF?: Nick Callahan in “Beyond Borders” 

12. Johnny Depp

Gold: Sir James Matthew Barrie in “Finding Neverland”

Silver: Capt. Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean”

Bronze: Donnie Brasco in “Donnie Brasco”

WTF?: Sands in “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” 

13. John Cusack

Gold: Rob Gordon in “High Fidelity”

Silver: Mike Enslin in “1408”

Bronze: Martin Blank in “Grosse Pointe Blank”

WTF?: Nick Falzone in “Pushing Tin” 

14. Edward Norton

Gold: Monty Brogan in “25^th Hour”

Silver: Derek Vinyard in “American History X”

Bronze: Eisenheim in “The Illusionist”

WTF?: Sheldon Mopes in “Death to Smoochy” 

15. Brad Pitt

Gold: Det. David Mills in “Se7en”

Silver: Tyler Durden in “Fight Club”

Bronze: Richard in “Babel”

WTF?: Rusty in “Ocean’s Twelve” 

16. Russell Crowe

Gold: Dr. Jeffrey Wigand in “The Insider”

Silver: Maximus in “Gladiator”

Bronze: Capt. Jack Aubrey in “Master and Commander”

WTF?: Max Skinner in “A Good Year” 

17. Gene Hackman

Gold: Popeye Doyle in “The French Connection”

Silver: Coach Norman Dale in “Hoosiers”

Bronze: Little Bill Daggett in “Unforgiven”

WTF?: Dr. Lawrence Myrick in “Extreme Measures” 

18. Matt Damon

Gold: Colin Sullivan in “The Departed”

Silver: Will Hunting in “Good Will Hunting”

Bronze: Jason Bourne in “The Bourne Identity”

WTF?: John Grady Cole in “All the Pretty Horses” 

19. Mark Wahlberg

Gold: SSgt Sean Dignam in “The Departed”

Silver: Dirk Diggler in “Boogey Nights”

Bronze: Bobby Shatford in “The Perfect Storm”

WTF?: Izzy Cole in “Rock Star” 

20. George Clooney

Gold: Bob Barnes in “Syrianna”

Silver: Jack Foley in “Out of Sight”

Bronze: Everett in “O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?”

WTF?: Batman/Bruce Wayne in “Batman and Robin” 

Actresses 

1. Naomi Watts

Gold: Betty/Diane in “Mulholland Dr.”

Silver: Cristina Peck in “21 Grams”

Bronze: Ann Darrow in “King Kong”

WTF?: Lila Culpepper in “Stay” 

2. Kate Winslet

Gold: Sarah Pierce in “Little Children”

Silver: Silvia Llewelwyn Davies in “Finding Neverland”

Bronze: Clementine in “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”

WTF?: Lila Culpepper in “Stay” 

3. Renee Zellweger

Gold: Ruyby Thewes in “Cold Mountain”

Silver: Mae Bradford in “Cinderella Man”

Bronze: Bridget Jones in “Bridget Jones’ Diary”

WTF?: Barbara Novak in “Down With Love 

4. Natalie Portman

Gold: Evey in “V for Vendetta”

Silver: Alice in “Closer”

Bronze: Mathilda in “Leon (The Professional)”

WTF?: Vovalee in “Where the Heart Is” 

5. Hillary Swank

Gold: Maggie Fitzerald in “Million Dollar Baby”

Silver: Brandon Teena in “Boys Don’t Cry”

Bronze: Det. Ellie Burr in “Insomnia”

WTF?: Maj. Rebecca Childs in “The Core” 

6. Nicole Kidman

Gold: Virginia Wolfe in “The Hours”

Silver: Suzanne Moretto in “To Die For”

Bronze: Grace Stewart in “The Others”

WTF?: Samantha in “Bewitched” 

7. Halle Berry

Gold: Leticia Musgrove in “Monster’s Ball”

Silver: Nina in “Bulworth”

Bronze: Dorothy Dandridge in “Introducing Dorothy Dandridge”

WTF?: Catwoman in “Catwoman” (duh) 

8. Holly Hunter

Gold: Jane Craig in “Broadcast News”

Silver: Ada McGrath in “The Piano”

Bronze: Edwina in “Raising Arizona”

WTF?: Claudia Larson in “Home for the Holidays” 

9. Charlize Theron

Gold: Aileen in “Monster”

Silver: Josie Aimes in “North Country”

Bronze: Candy Kendell in “The Cider House Rules”

WTF?: Aeon Flux in “Aeon Flux” 

10. Scarlett Johansson

Gold: Charlotte in “Lost in Translation”

Silver: Nola Rice in “Match Point”

Bronze: Rebecca in “Ghost World”

WTF?: Jordan in “The Island” 

11. Meryl Streep

Gold: Sophie Zawistokowsi in “Sophie’s Choice”

Silver: Karen Silkwood in “Silkwood”

Bronze: Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada”

WTF?: Madeline Ashton in “Death Becomes Her” 

12. Annette Bening

Gold: Carolyn Burnham in “American Beauty”

Silver: Sydney Ellen Wade in “The American President”

Bronze: Myra Langry in “The Grifters”

WTF?: Claire Cooper in “In Dreams” 

13. Reese Witherspoon

Gold: June Carter Cash in “Walk the Line”

Silver: Tracy Flick in “Election”

Bronze: Melanie Smooter in “Sweet Home Alabama”

WTF?: Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde 2” 

14. Jodie Foster

Gold: Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs”

Silver: Sarah Tobias in “The Accused”

Bronze: Eleanor Arroway in “Contact”

WTF?: Nell Kellty in “Nell” 

15. Julia Roberts

Gold: Erin Brockovich in “Erin Brockovich”

Silver: Anna in “Closer”

Bronze: Darby Shaw in “The Pelican Brief”

WTF?: Sabrina Peterson in “I Love Trouble” 

16. Sigourney Weaver

Gold: Ellen Ripley in “Alien”

Silver: Dian Fossey in “Gorillas in the Mist”

Bronze: Gwen DeMarco in “Galaxy Quest”

WTF?: Queen Isabella in “1492” 

17. Glen Close

Gold: Isabelle de Merteuil in “Dangerous Liaisons”

Silver: Sarah Cooper in “The Big Chill”

Bronze: Alex Forrest in “Fatal Attraction”

WTF?: Cruella de Vil in “101 Dalmatians” 

18. Laura Linney

Gold: Joan Berkman in “The Squid and the Whale”

Silver: Annabeth Markum in “Mystic River”

Bronze: Janet Venable in “Primal Fear”

WTF?: Eleanor Green in “Man of the Year” 

19. Julianne Moore

Gold: Cathy Whitaker in “Far from Heaven”

Silver: Laura Brown in “The Hours”

Bronze: Maude Lebowski in “The Big Lebowski”

WTF?: Brenda Martin in “Freedomland” 

20. Cate Blanchett

Gold: Elizabeth I in “Elizabeth”

Silver: Katherine Hepburn in “The Aviator”

Bronze: Sheba Hart in “Notes on a Scandal”

WTF?: Lena Brandt in “The Good German”