Top 10 Male Actors of the 21st Century

Tom Hanks

Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker.

He is known for his performances in Splash, Big, Turner & Hooch, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, You've Got Mail, The Green Mile, the Toy Story franchise, Cast Away, The Da Vinci Code... read more

One of the best actors of all time. Absolutely my favorite, no matter what role he plays.

He's just great. Everyone knows he's the best. That's why he's number one!

One of my favorites. Robert Duvall is the next in line. I love them both.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for his work in biopics and period films, he's received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. As of 2019, his films have grossed over... read more

Wait a minute. Why is Hanks first on this list? Sure, he was in a couple of movies, and the Toy Story series went on until 2019, but DiCaprio is obviously much better. Inception, for example. Hanks has never had a better acting performance than that, much less in the 2000s. Catch Me If You Can starred both actors, but DiCaprio clearly had the better performance. Look at The Revenant, Django Unchained, The Departed, and even more recently, DiCaprio had a great performance in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood.

He is the most consistent actor in my opinion. He takes movies to a whole new level.

Christian Bale

Christian Charles Philip Bale (born January 30, 1974) is an English actor known for his versatility and physical transformations for roles. He has been a leading man in films across several genres and has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2014, Forbes... read more

Go Christian! I loved his movies. My favorite Batman series is The Dark Knight Rises, Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight. Terminator Salvation all the way! Oscar, here he comes.

He is a very talented, hard-working, dedicated, and honest actor.

Very good actor. I think he should have continued as Batman.

Johnny Depp

John Christopher "Johnny" Depp II (born June 9, 1963) is an American actor, producer, and musician. He has won the Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. His role in a movie is often rather big. His character is often on the "loopy side" and his character being in a darker state... read more

Johnny Depp has starred in many brilliant movies, including Rango, Edward Scissorhands, and the most famous of all, the Pirates of the Caribbean series and the latest comedy, Dark Shadows.

It was a hard decision, but I have to say Johnny. He can play any character perfectly. Great as Jack Sparrow.

I have seen nobody act as realistically as he does in the Pirates series.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American actor and film producer. He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Jungle Fever, Patriot Games, Amos & Andrew, True Romance, and Jurassic Park. He is also known for his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, including... read more

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor and producer. His early career included both critical acclaim and commercial success.

He battled substance abuse and legal troubles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He experienced a major career resurgence with his role as Tony... read more

I love how easily he can go from comedy to drama from one scene to another. He just has that perfect timing to do both genres. Very few actors can do that.

This list makes no sense. Robert should be number one!

Tom Cruise

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV is an American actor and producer with a career spanning more than four decades. He has received various accolades for his work, including three Golden Globe Awards and four Academy Award nominations. Cruise is best known for starring in the Mission: Impossible franchise, which... read more

Denzel Washington

Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received three Golden Globe Awards, a Tony Award, and two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for the historical war drama film Glory (1989) and Best Actor for his role as a corrupt cop in the crime thriller Training Day (2001... read more

Dependable performance always. Believable in all of his roles. Training Day took him to a new level. Super badass. But he's able to carry the good guy role too.

Not one bad movie. He is as versatile as an actor can get.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch is an English actor and film producer who has performed in film, television, theatre, and radio. He gained international recognition for roles such as Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock and Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Cumberbatch has received... read more

I am voting for Benedict because he certainly took off during this century.
- Sherlock Holmes
- Smaug
- The Imitation Game
- Doctor Strange
- etc.

Don't forget he is also in Star Trek Into Darkness and the new Grinch.

Gary Oldman

Gary Leonard Oldman is an English actor, filmmaker, musician, and author. Renowned for his "big" acting style, Oldman is one of the most celebrated thespians of his generation, with a diverse career encompassing theatre, film, and television. He has received a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award:... read more

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Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul Sturtevant, known professionally as Aaron Paul, is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Jesse Pinkman in the AMC series Breaking Bad, for which he won several awards, including the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Saturn Award for Best Supporting... read more

Again, how is Don Cheadle above this legend?

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Nicholas Hoult

Liam Neeson

Liam John Neeson, OBE, is an actor from Northern Ireland. In 1976, he joined the Lyric Players' Theatre in Belfast, where he performed for two years. He later appeared in the 1981 Arthurian film Excalibur, which helped launch his film career.

David Tennant

David Tennant is a Scottish actor known for his roles in television and film. He is best known for portraying the Tenth Doctor in Doctor Who, Alec Hardy in Broadchurch, and Kilgrave in Jessica Jones. Tennant has also appeared in the Harry Potter film series as Barty Crouch Jr. and played the lead in... read more

Great actor! He has been chosen for many films, series, and episodes. Now that's saying something. He was the Doctor for 4 years, featured in Doctor Who, Broadchurch, and The Escape Artist!

Oh God, this guy... just ugh. Talented and my favorite Doctor.

One of Glasgow's greatest, he is.

Daniel Craig

Daniel Wroughton Craig is an English actor. He trained at the National Youth Theatre and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1991, before beginning his career on stage. Craig is best known for portraying James Bond in five films from Casino Royale (2006) to No Time to Die (2021... read more

Daniel Craig is an amazing actor. Aside from the James Bond series, his acting in Defiance and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was excellent. Although I did not like Dream House and Cowboys vs. Aliens, he was good in them.

Well now, you can't beat those eyes.

Tom Hardy

Edward Thomas Hardy, CBE, is an English actor and film producer.

Originally a model, Hardy made his film debut in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down (2001). He gained wider recognition for his roles in films such as Bronson (2008), Inception (2010), and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015).... read more

Amazing all-rounder. An understated master of gangster roles like Robert De Niro, but in an English way. The Take was a fine show from a then-unknown talent. Simply brilliant. Total man crush! Simply brilliant again and again! Peaky Blinders showed his quality acting alongside a stellar cast. The best Brit about at the moment! Mixed it with DiCaprio and others but always returns to his roots in Britain and his own written work. Voodoo superb! Can't say any more but thanks, Tom, for the brilliant TV.

He is one of the most talented actors of this generation! He is such a versatile actor. Every movie he has been in has been worth watching just to see him act.
The first film of his that I watched was Stuart: A Life Backwards, and since then I have watched all of his films and will continue to watch any film that he is in.

Martin Freeman

Martin John Christopher Freeman is an English actor best known for portraying Tim Canterbury in the original UK version of the sitcom mockumentary The Office. He also gained recognition for his roles as Dr. John Watson in the British crime drama Sherlock, Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit... read more

Robert De Niro

Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. (born August 17, 1943) is an American actor and producer. He is particularly known for his nine collaborations with filmmaker Martin Scorsese and is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and a Screen... read more

The most amazing actor of our generation.

Kevin Spacey

Kevin Spacey Fowler KBE (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor and producer. He began his career as a stage actor in the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles in film and television. Spacey has received various accolades for his performances on stage and screen, including two Academy Awards, a Tony Award... read more

I can't believe he is not at the top. And also Matthew McConaughey.

One of the best actors in the world.

Song Kang-ho

Song Kang-ho, born January 17, 1967, is a South Korean actor known for his roles in acclaimed films such as Memories of Murder, The Host, and Parasite. He has won multiple awards and is considered one of South Korea's leading actors. In 2025, he was initially cast in the series Insiders but reportedly... read more

Will Smith

Willard Carroll "Will" Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, producer, and rapper.

He is best known for his acting career, including roles in the Men in Black franchise, The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, Hitch, Ali, and Bad Boys. He is widely regarded as one of the most... read more

Nobody can beat these: The Pursuit of Happyness, Seven Pounds. Best actor there is!

I don't think there is a bad movie with Will Smith in it.

Hammed Animashaun

Christoph Waltz

Christoph Waltz is an Austrian-German actor who has won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor. He received both awards for his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino in Inglourious Basterds (2009) and Django Unchained (2012). His performances in these films were widely acclaimed for their... read more

I love him. His work in Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained is mind-blowing.

Seth Rogen

Seth Aaron Rogen is a Canadian actor, filmmaker, and comedian. He began his career performing stand-up comedy during his teenage years and won the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in Vancouver, he landed a supporting role in the cult television series Freaks and Geeks... read more

Guy Pearce

Guy Edward Pearce (born 5 October 1967) is an Australian actor. His accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award and nominations for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Whether he is scrambling his own memories in Memento or chewing the scenery in The Brutalist, this dynamic performer... read more

Chris O'Dowd

Chris Evans

Christopher Robert Evans is an American actor best known for his roles as Marvel Comics characters. He portrayed Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four films. Evans has also appeared in critically acclaimed films such as Snowpiercer and Knives Out.