Photo Courtesy of Elena Ternovaja- Wikimedia Commons
Robert Pattinson is a fan-favorite, regardless of what this article says. Who’s your favorite working actor?
In the Oct. 2 edition of The Lamron, an article was published that argued Robert Pattinson is the best working actor; we would like to dispute this claim. Now, it is impossible to choose just one actor or actress who has earned that title, but there are quite a few individuals who come to mind. In no particular order:
Denzel Washington
It is hard to imagine the acting industry without Denzel Washington and his impact. He is able to play a multitude of different roles, constantly showcasing his versatility. He has won two Oscars for his performances: Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his work in Glory (1989) and Best Actor in a Leading Role for starring in Training Day (2001). Some of his other notable performances include Fences (2016), Malcolm X (1992), The Tragedy of Macbeth (2020), and The Hurricane (1999). Alongside being a revolutionary actor, he has directed a multitude of successful films.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio
Regardless of personal opinions on DiCaprio, he is clearly an accomplished actor. Whether you recognize him from The Great Gatsby (2013), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Inception (2010), Romeo + Juliet (1996), or Titanic (1997), his cinematic presence is cemented in Hollywood. DiCaprio has extraordinary range and has demonstrated that he can play a plethora of different archetypes. The Revenant (2015) showcases how diverse of an actor he is and led to him winning an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role.
3. Anne Hathaway
Hathaway has been featured in some very successful projects including Verity (2026), The Odyssey (2026), Interstellar (2014), Les Misérables (2012), and The Devil Wears Prada (2006) —just to name a few. It seems as though every project she is featured in succeeds and her roles span across many different genres of film. What makes her such an accomplished actress is her versatility; she has acted in comedy, drama, romance, and science fiction roles—something that not many actresses can do well.
4. Emma Stone
La La Land (2016), The Help (2011), Poor Things (2023), Cruella (2021), and The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) are some of Stone’s most well-known films. She has won two Oscars for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role and has been nominated for many more. She is able to blend comedic timing and vulnerability in such a unique way that sets her apart from other well-known actresses. She is also known for taking risks and pursuing roles that are a bit more unconventional—leading to her success as one of the most versatile actresses.
5. Christian Bale
Throughout Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, Bale repeatedly cements his acting skills among the best and excellently depicts the complicated double life of Bruce Wayne. Alongside his acting skills, Bale shows extreme commitment to his roles as an actor. For many of his roles, he has altered his physical appearance to more closely resemble his character, as detailed by The Hollywood Reporter; from losing 60 pounds for his role in The Machinist (2004), to gaining around 100 pounds through weightlifting for his role as Batman, Bale’s commitment as an actor is astounding.
6. Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is an actor that is best known for his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in Disney’s The Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise, and is highly regarded as a fantastic actor for this role. While not as variable in his roles when compared to many others in this list, Depp’s ability to essentially keep a movie franchise alive through his acting alone makes him worth listing among the best. I believe that without Depp’s acting as the charismatic, eccentric, and witty Captain Jack Sparrow, the franchise would have struggled to reach the popularity that it has today.
7. Margot Robbie
She is known for a plethora of roles ranging from her breakout supporting role in The Wolf on Wall Street (2013) as Naomi, to her more recent leading role in Barbie (2023). A scene that stands out to me which displays Robbie’s acting skills is a scene from I, Tonya (2017), in which Robbie plays the lead role of Tonya Harding, a real Olympic figure skater. During one scene, Robbie looks at herself in the mirror, and the audience watches as a tear falls down her face while she tries to hold a smile. The scene is extremely impactful emotionally, and Robbie is able to convey the complicated emotions that Harding was experiencing in that moment without saying a word.
8. Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep is a Hollywood icon and her influence is extensive. Some of her notable roles include Mamma Mia! (2008), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), and Sophie’s Choice (1982). Streep’s influence extends past previous generations and into the present, which shows how timeless her acting is. She has an incredible ability to learn different accents and has a reputation as a perfectionist when it comes to embodying a character. She has won three Oscars and her award list extends far beyond that.
Of course, our list is not extensive, and there are many, many, more actors and actresses that we believe to be among the best. A couple honorable mentions which we would’ve loved to write more about are Uma Therman, Zendaya, Jennifer Lawrence, Tom Holland, and Timothée Chalamet. It’s also important to recognize many actors and actresses who are relatively new to the acting scene but we think will eventually be considered up there with the greats, including Inde Navarrette, Priah Ferguson, and Emma Myers.