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I can think of a handful of names representing different periods of cinema. In no particular order, and according to no particular criteria, I would include:
Marlene Dietrich; James Stewart; Katherine Hepburn; Audrey Hepburn; Clark Gable; John Wayne...
Importantly, not everyone on such a list would have been the best at what they did, but they would have somehow - perhaps because of looks, films they were in, talent, public persona - represented the time in which they worked.
If you were to make a list of era-defining actors and actresses, based on any combination of the above characteristics, who would you name?
Feel free to explain your choice(S), and/or argue with those of others.
Me? I wouldn't include some of the obvious even though they're still active, because I think of them as belonging, perhaps, to an earlier decade (e.g. Anthony Hopkins). So I am going to put forward:
F. Lily Collins
M. Eddie Redmayne
I'm going to say Tom Hanks just to watch Hols2 explode frothing at the mouth
Eddie Redmayne is in danger of becoming the next Johnny Depp - too many oddball/quirky (or just plain ridiculous characters).
I would vote for Matthew McConaughey or Leonardo DiCaprio for male and Nicole Kidman for female, based on the quality and variety of their work.
Yeah, I agree with the Nicole Kidman suggestion, although I tend to associate her with the 1990s. In fact her career has been remarkable - something I am reminded of as I watch the second season of 'Top of the Lake'.
Iconic 2010s thesps?
Jennifer Lawrence
Margot Robbie
Ryan Gosling
Amy Adams
Tom Hardy
Lupita Nyong'o
Christain Bale
Steve Carrell
Adam Driver
List is a bit white, but that's the nature of the beast I suppose. I've been quite fussy about profile and being good/in good stuff. And about coming into their prime this decade.
Agree with McConners & Redmayne. Less so Kidman.
Eddie Redmayne is in danger of becoming the next Johnny Depp
Very harsh.
Michelle Keegans.
Tom Hardy
Emily Blunt
Ought to be Bale or Hardy for the men.
Women more difficult I think, but might plump for Jennifer Lawrence.
Very harsh
..on Johnny Depp.
Greta Garbo, and Monroe
Dietrich and DiMaggio
Marlon Brando, Jimmy Dean
On the cover of a magazine
Grace Kelly; Harlow, Jean
Picture of a beauty queen
Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire
Ginger Rogers, dance on air
They had style, they had grace
Rita Hayworth gave good face
Lauren, Katherine, Lana too
Bette Davis, we love you
Ladies with an attitude
Fellows that were in the mood
Don't just stand there, let's get to it
Strike a pose, there's nothing to it...
This bloke Draculllaaa
No Denzel Washington or Morgan Freeman? Christian Bale is a good shout.
A left field option for me would be Keanu Reeves, in the John Wayne mould. Can’t act but has some very good films.
Glad there’s no mention of Tom Cruise.
Robert De Niro.
Al Pacino.
Paul Newman.
70's all over....
Jack Nicholson a bit more 80's?
I’m going to say Tom Hanks
Jesus bloody Christ man, what the hell is wrong with you?
I'm going all in with The Rock.
Do you realise that The Rock is a character not an actor?
Very harsh
..on Johnny Depp.
Not really, the guy just likes dressing up.
Ryan Gosling
Woody Harrelson
Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger (yes; I did Google to get the spelling), Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks for the 80s& 90s.
Do you really think that Woody Harrelson will be among the era-defining gang when the time comes? I would like to be convinced, because I never understood why people rated him.
Keifer Sutherland
Patrick Swayze
Difficult to chose when all the superhero action films currently in vogue don't give the actors the chance to really do the business
Amy Adams, Margot Robbie, Emily Blunt are good calls - I thought Hugh Jackman was good in Logan, as was Patrick Stewart. Not been impressed by Tom Hardy or Christian Bale but maybe it's just me.
still a depressing lack of diversity in cinema.
Do you really think that Woody Harrelson will be among the era-defining gang when the time comes?
Absolutely. One of the finest actors of his time and has turned his hand to quite a few different genres. All successfully in my opinion.
I’m with hols on Tom Hanks. He’s like Will Smith. They both just play the same character regardless of the film.
Hang on a minute, Lily Collins? Era defining? You're going to need to show your workings here.
The peerless Nicolas Cage. I'm not even joking
I’m going all in with The Rock.
Good shout. He's the modern day Sly and Arnie rolled into one, and funnier.
And we get another diversity tick.
Patrick Swayze
Died 10 years ago. But maybe you meant 1980s?
Elke Sommer
I’m with hols on Tom Hanks. He’s like Will Smith. They both just play the same character regardless of the film.
Oh definitely. Hanks always seems to be trying too hard to be a good actor, so I can't see him as anyone else except Tom Hanks, acting. Awful.
Joaquin Phoenix. (or however you spell it)
ps. can someone explain this thread better than the OP please? I'm not really sure what it's about.
I always liked John Cusack or Edward Norton. Fairly understated but decent range and good body of work.
Joaquin Phoenix
Good call. He just seems to go all out in every role
There are few movies I would watch or think about watching based on actors that are in them. There are some actors that command films in different styles. Standout actors for me doing consistently and varied good work within the last 10-15 years are
Leonardo DiCaprio
Joaquin Phoenix
Daniel Day Lewis
Eric Bana, Euan McGregor, Morgan Freeman, Ryan Reynolds
Denzel Washington
Ethan hawks
William Defoe
Meryl streep
Leo do capario
Matt Damon - James Stewart for this generation
Jack Nicholson
Fassbinder
J phoenix
Cate blanchett
Viola Davies - 3 Oscar nominations
Viggo mortenson
William h Stacey
Julianne Moore
Jeff bridges
John malkovic
Liam neeson
Morgan Freeman
Ben Kingsley
Daniel Day Lewis
Tommy Lee Jones
Steven segal
^^
Do you mean William H Macy or John H Stracey?
Nope, still dunno what we’re talkin about
William h Macy -
Heath Ledger
Anyone who can steal jack Nicholsons crown for a role...
Maybe Natalie Portman, from Leon to black swan to star wars
Jason Statham
Kate Beckinsale
😉
Richard Burton
Elizabeth Taylor - My grandma loved them!
& a +1 for Woody H.
No mention of Russell Crowe?
Excellent in LA Confidential and Master and Commander.
Gladiator was good, but I didnt like the film. He has loads of other roles that are not 'action/fight/shoot' based.
I too am a little confused by the OP's initial thoughts, but I'm not thinking too hard about it since I think we're just trying to define some actors who the public will remember the most in each decade..
I'm going for these Actors..
There are plenty more, but I reckon I'll kill the forum if i post more.
Superb choices (for whatever they're choices for) bikebouy.
the 80s -
No mention for Gary Oldman?
Jennifer Lawrence
Margot Robbie
Christain Bale
William Defoe
Cate blanchett
Jeff bridges
Matthew McConaughey
At last, some love for Cate Blanchett. She has an amazing ability to .. err.... act!! You sort of forget that the person on the screen is Cate Blanchett and not <character>. Compare and contrast, say, Tom Cruise.
So far, I think we've forgotten to mention the man who's been in [i]everything[/i]
Moving more character based:
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Movies aren't always about "real" people, but characters resembling the subtleties of 'real' people...
Todays youth will have similar fond memories, as we all did about characters from our respective era(s)