The Independent's 60 Best Actors of the 21st Century

The Independent has decided to rank the 60 best actors of the 21st century. Their list is topped by the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman. What I will say is that Hoffman is certainly up there with the greats, but was he better than Daniel Day-Lewis?

There’s no Meryl Streep either. Other notable names not in the top 60: Brad Pitt, Nicolas Cage, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger, Russell Crowe, Cillian Murphy, Bradley Cooper, and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Sometimes I wonder if these clickbait lists purposely include controversy just to stir things up and spark conversation. Otherwise, there is absolutely no reason for Daniel Kaluuya to be included in the top 10. Same thing goes for Florence Pugh, a talented actress, but too young and unproven to be top 10 worthy.

As for Emma Stone at #2, I’ve been banging the drums hard about Stone’s talents for almost twenty years now, but there’s no way she should be ahead of Cate Blanchett (#8), and Isabelle Huppert (#13).

Tom Cruise at #60 is certainly a choice. He’s way better than The Independent gives him credit for. Ditto Tom Hanks (#48), and Ralph Fiennes (#53). And what to make of Jason Schwartzman (#37) being so high up on the list?

I could go on and on, but maybe that was precisely The Independent’s intention with this list: outrage. I’m sure our readers have more thoughts to add about. Before that occurs, here’s the full top 60:

1. Philip Seymour Hoffman
2. Emma Stone
3. Daniel Day-Lewis
4. Denzel Washington
5. Nicole Kidman
6. Daniel Kaluuya
7. Song Kang Ho
8. Cate Blanchett
9. Colin Farrell
10. Florence Pugh

11. Natalie Portman
12. Willem Dafoe
13. Isabelle Huppert
14. Christian Bale
15. Jennifer Lawrence
16. Kristen Stewart
17. Leonardo DiCaprio
18. Michelle Williams
19. Kirsten Dunst
20. Tilda Swinton

21. Tony Leung
22. Adam Driver
23. Penelope Cruz
24. Jesse Plemons
25. Carey Mulligan
26. Joaquin Phoenix
27. Paul Giamatti
28. Saoirse Ronan
29. Mahershala Ali
30. Rachel McAdams

31. Ryan Gosling
32. Frances McDormand
33. Mark Ruffalo
34. Michael Stuhlbarg
35. Robert Pattinson
36. Adèle Haenel
37. Jason Schwartzman
38. Viggo Mortensen
39. Viola Davis
40. Javier Bardem

41. Irrfan Khan
42. Tom Hardy|
43. Andrew Garfield
44. Robert Downey Jr.
45. Kate Winslet
46. Lupita Nyong’o
47. Léa Seydoux
48. Tom Hanks
49. Sandra Hüller
50. Olivia Colman

51. Andy Serkis
52. Lesley Manville
53. Ralph Fiennes
54. Sally Hawkins
55. Matthew McConaughey
56. Catherine Keener
57. Hugh Grant
58. Stephen Graham
59. Amy Adams
60. Tom Cruise