The Independent has listed the 60 best actors of the 21st century. These include actors from around the globe, but exclude shows in general and films released post the year 2000. (Also Read: Year Ender 2024 | Best underrated Indian films of the year)
Only 1 Indian actor
There's only one Indian actor, however, who made it to this list. No, it's not Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Amitabh Bachchan or any seasoned female actor. In fact, ranking at #41 is late actor Irrfan Khan. Irrfan, who died in 2020 at the age of 53, struggled for over a decade from the late 1980s to early 2000s, before he found a breakthrough with Asif Kapadia's 2001 film The Warrior. The Independent lauded the “stoic fortitude” of Irrfan in this role of a warrior based in the actor's home state of Rajasthan.
Irrfan further grabbed eyeballs with his turns in Tigmanshu Dhulia's 2003 crime drama Haasil, Vishal Bhardwaj's 2003 gangster drama Maqbool, and Mira Nair's 2006 romantic drama The Namesake. His other notable films include Life In A Metro, The Darjeeling Limited, Slumdog Millionaire, Paan Singh Tomar, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, Qissa, Haider, Piku, Talvar, Hindi Medium, The Song of Scorpions, Qarib Qarib Singlle, Karwaan, and Angrezi Medium. “It’s Irrfan Khan’s eyes, hooded and deep brown, that will live eternally. They granted him the ability to weave magic, to recite poetry without moving his lips,” states The Independent.
Top 10 actors
Another late actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in 2014 at the age of 46, was ranked as the best actor of the 21st century. Among the female actors, at #2 was Emma Stone, being praised for her turns in Crazy, Stupid, Love, La La Land, The Favourite, and Poor Things. Daniel Day-Lewis, who announced his retirement in 2016 – only to return to the set now – was ranked at #3. Denzel Washington, most recently loved for his role in Ridley Scott's The Gladiator II, was at #4. From #5 to #10 were Nicole Kidman, Daniel Kaluuya, Song Kang Ho, Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell, and Florence Pugh respectively.
{{/usCountry}}Another late actor, Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died in 2014 at the age of 46, was ranked as the best actor of the 21st century. Among the female actors, at #2 was Emma Stone, being praised for her turns in Crazy, Stupid, Love, La La Land, The Favourite, and Poor Things. Daniel Day-Lewis, who announced his retirement in 2016 – only to return to the set now – was ranked at #3. Denzel Washington, most recently loved for his role in Ridley Scott's The Gladiator II, was at #4. From #5 to #10 were Nicole Kidman, Daniel Kaluuya, Song Kang Ho, Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell, and Florence Pugh respectively.
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