Who is your favorite male actor

Are you saying my choices aren't recent? Have a bias toward european?

Now that you mentioned it ... everyone's list has been mostly Americo/Eurocentric.
Before I start name dropping nonEuropean actors ... let me mention one of my favorite French actors:
Daniel Auteil.

Now for those outside the white bread curve:
Tony Leung Chiu Wai,
In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express

Chiwetel Ejiofor,
Dirty Pretty Things and Serenity

Fine...It says in the question male actors ....

I'm not anti non american/euro - I've just dropped out of being film current. This has to do with age and lack of access, not bias. I'd like to read pros on actors from other film making places.

I think Anthony Hopkins is the most versatile actor working today--despite snotty remarks about white boys made by the hyper-politically-correct.

I didn't see the movie but didn't Anthony Hopkins play a half black man in The Human Stain? (I thought I read something about that in a book review about the book in which the film was adapted from).

So you have your bases covered Setanta whether you know it or not!

I saw the movie (and liked it a lot) but I didn't read the book, because I didn't know it was adapted from a book, but I would like to read it, because the movie was very, very interesting and I thought well-done. I'll try to find it- thanks for mentioning it.
But if he was interracial in the movie - that's something I missed or forgot about. I'll have to watch it again.

Anthony Hopkins is among the actors I will go to see in absolutely anything - any movie of any subject matter (even action) just because I like watching him in anything.

The others I like to that extent are:
1)Robert DeNiro
2)Denzel Washington - and in fact the scene in Glory when he gets whipped and his work there still stands out in my mind as among the best work I have ever seen by an actor.
3)Clive Owen
4) Ed Harris
5)Chiwetel Ejiofor (he's newer/younger- but I've liked him in every single thing I've seen him in so far- he's very versatile).

I will not watch Brad Pitt for any amount of money - unless he's costarring with Robert DeNiro, Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Ed Harris, Chiwetel Ejoifer or Anthony Hopkins..

I just read the book review - Philip Roth wrote it. Now I'm definitely reading it...yeah- now I remember (but it's sort of a spoiler for anyone else who wants to watch it) although they should still watch it as it's a very, very interesting and well-made movie. The relationships are very well-mapped and characterized.
I even liked Nicole Kidman in this.

my favorite male actor is Tom Cruise

Isnt anyone going to mention Heath Ledger ? Surely his performance as the Joker ranks him at least with Jack Nicholson ?

Spare me the "bases covered" bullshit--i'm not trying to "cover" any bases. It is as racist to deny someone's accomplishments because they are white, as it would be because they are brown. It is as racist to promote claims to someone's accomplishments just because they are brown, as it would be to do so just because they are white.

So, rejecting all of your bullshit, i will state once again that i consider Anthony Hopkins to be the most versatile actor working today.

I merely listed my favorite. In terms of talent, there are many actors of equal or superior talent.

Philip Roth wrote the book to The Human Stain.

Anthony Hopkins is absolutely an incredible actor and far beyond his most iconic role of Dr. Hannibal Lector.

The Remains of the Day (1993) .... James Stevens
Shadowlands (1993) .... Jack Lewis

are two of his most sublime roles he has ever tackled as an actor.

It is a valid point however to point out the ethnic trend in these lists.

When discussing favorite male actors, I think our minds are drawn to mostly actors who play lead roles. The movie industry is one that has really demonstrate a limited amount of creative and diversity in the stories it tells and white male film leads are the bread and butter.

Anthony Hopkins might be the best male actor, but he benefits from an industry that tells stories in which he fits in well, and is instantly qualified to play roles because of his race. In the same stories/movies other actors that do not fit due to race will be put in lesser roles and would have a much harder time standing out as being on of "the best male actors."

Consider the role of playing a fictional (non-biographical) President of the United State of America; a common enough character to play in film. Until recent history, this role has been reserved for white male actors. The earliest actor to play a black president I can think of is James Earl Jones, and it was a long time after that before we saw it again.

I don't think Tsars is trying to deny anyone's accomplishments because they are white, but it would be foolish to say that white male actors are offered by the benefit of their ethnicity alone, better roles.

T
K
O

Thanks Diest.

I'm also implying that I have a very difficult time picking a favorite actor. I love watching movies and over my lifetime, I have watched thousands of films. I have so much respect for so many actors (no matter their ethnicity) that I like to see them get mentioned once and awhile.

Steve McQueen was not a really good actor but I was in love with him anyway and really felt we lost a true American when he passed.

For a foreign actor m but he mostly does American films I like Armand Assante. I really love the energy he brings to all his rolls.

If there is a movie with Anthony hopkins in it I will try to see that movie. He can play any part.

Kevin Spacey is also a very versatile actor who can play any part to perfection....I love him.

I heard about the new movie Daniel Day-Lewis is playing in and he said at first he was wondering if he could do the singing parts.

Geoffrey Rush

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantana_(film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shine_(film)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quills

Tom cruise is my fav and i watched his all mission impossible movies. I just watched mission impossible 4 ghost protocol online

My all time favorite is Al Pacino. He is one of the greatest actors of Hollywood.

Favorites come and go, they come and go...I detect a song in this, something about chameleons and karma and philistines and gold.

Over the years, from the big screen
Sean Connery
Paul Sorvino
Charles Durning
Gene Hackman
Fredric March
Rod Steiger
George Voskovec
Peter Ustinov
James Cagney
Orson Welles
John Garfield

There were dozens from the small screen, too many to even start listing.

Quite a few more. The above actors worked well for me in most everything they did (there was a notable exception for each of them as well). I see an actor and start holding them into that character, how well they can move to their next role and do it seamlessly and without me constantly seeing their earlier character tells me how good they are. For example, Carroll O'Connor as Archie Bunker (All In The Family) is quite different from his turn as Bill Gillespie (In The Heat Of The Night (television version)) which of course brings us back to chameleons. A good actor who makes it to my list of favorites is like a chameleon and can blend into any setting...they become the character as originally created by the author/playwright.