1. Kevin Spacey – Smooth as black ice and deep as Lake Baikal, Spacey is a genius in the ‘Volatile Art of Smooth Power.’ Spacey’s Characters embody the dynamic pathos of modern life; they earnestly seek redemption, while gleefully torching the world around them; balancing on the razor’s edge of Desire, Intellect, Emotion and Action. But the real joy of watching a Spacey performance, lay in the quiet moments, where his ‘Smooth Power’ distills a lifetime of complexity into a single look or gesture: This is what Performing for the camera is all about, and why Kevin Spacey is an American Icon. 

2. Jake Gyllenhaal – Passion, Vulnerability, Strength and a Searing Tenderness define Jake Gyllenhaal’s performances for me. Sure, his Lou Bloom is ultra-creepy in “Nightcrawler,” but it’s a strangely heartwarming performance for a bent morality tale; and don’t even get me started on “Donnie Darko.” But it’s Jake’s profoundly ‘damaged’ seekers that are my favorites, especially “Demolition’s” Davis Mitchell and “Southpaw’s” Billy Hope, who ‘free dive’ into the dark churning seas of loss, despair and fearless self discovery, only to come out better men. Jake’s consistent sensitivity & commitment to Character & Craft redefine ‘The Hero’s Journey’ in our time. 

3. Tom Hardy – “I have a use for You.” My favorite Tom Hardy line from Ridley Scott’s, “Taboo” is the way I feel about Tom Hardy. Watching him is like watching a Tyger: there’s a feral muscularity in his movements, a promise of violence in his powerful frame, and an alluring sweetness in his eyes. I was spellbound by his complex performance as Leo in “Child 44;” amazed by his dual roles as the dangerous Kray Brothers in “Legend;” but his darkly humorous turn as James Delaney in “Taboo” is still my favorite. Tom plays ‘Legendary’ roles better than any Player I know, and there’s no ‘Actor’ present when he’s in Character; just the raw power that signals a ‘Force of Nature’ is present. 

4. Michael Fassbender – Of course he was the perfect Actor to play Carl Jung – and Steve Jobs! Michael embodies the ‘Precision of Performance:’ A crisp, cool intellect, in conflict with the fiery passions that threaten to burn his whole house down. His Characters are ‘True Believers,’ and the tension he creates through this dance of opposites is electrifying. But there’s also hopefulness, deep affection and humor in his performances, and you can’t stop yourself from cheering him on, even when he opens his arms wide to show us a Character’s darkness. It’s this hypnotic intensity of spirit that ‘magnetically’ draws us in, and makes us trust him enough to, as Steve Jobs said, “Stay hungry. Stay Foolish.”

5. Tom Hanks – Okay, you’re probably asking yourself “Tom Hanks?! I don’t see the pattern here?” But Hanks is one of the most underrated actors of all time. Sure he’s a Mega Star, but is he respected? Well, just watch his chilling turn as Michael Sullivan, Sr. in “The Road to Perdition,” his tragic Hero, Capt. John Miller in Saving Private Ryan,” and my current favorite, James Donovan in “Bridge of Spies.” This small selection is proof of his mad performance skills, and willingness to trade on his archetypal ‘All American’ image to reveal the universal truths that bind us all. This fact alone makes Tom Hanks a ‘quiet’ Power to be reckoned with. 

6. Edward Norton – Is an Actor’s Actor. Whether he’s playing the schizo Narrator in “Fight Club;” Uber-Diva Mike Shiner in “Birdman;” the tragically earnest Randy Ward, in “Moonrise Kingdom” or the transcendentally romantic Eisenheim, in “The Illusionist” my personal fav; Norton owns the screen. His performance power lies in the charged spaces between Thought and Action, where he reveals the fierce inner conflicts that drive his Characters, and the Story. As my mentor Alexander MacKendrick said: Drama is Anticipation mingled with Uncertainty – and I can find no better way to describe Edward Norton’s intuitive brilliance. 

7. Sam Rockwell – Is “Mr. Right.” He’s the perfect mix of volatility, humor and lunatic fun; a firecracker of an Actor, with a deep reservoir of sensitivity, topped with a sparkling layer of the ridiculously sublime. His Characters are often idiot savants, who use humor and self deprecation to hide their bottomless longing for acceptance; and they are always charming, lovable and dangerous – like a badly trained Timber Wolf. But Rockwell’s Manic Intelligence is his ‘High Art;’ providing just the right amount of Creative Contrast to make every Character he interacts with, and every Story he’s in, burn that much brighter! 

8. Joaquin Phoenix – Always manages to rise from the ashes of his characters dysfunctions. He’s the Master of playing the Post-Modern Everyman: A tragicomic figure trying to navigate the choppy, existential seas; clinging precariously to a slim branch of waterlogged driftwood for support. Joaquin’s explosive interiority is the key to his unique talent, and the camera loves him because it sees the joy, pain, and hope radiating from every pore. I love his Artistry because it’s naked and fearless; and you just know that he pays in ‘Soul’ every time he inhabits a Character – because the Character inhabits him too. 

9. Michael Shannon – Michael Shannon has been a ‘working actor’ for over two decades and is finally breaking out, due in large part, to his virtuoso performance as the hapless Nelson Van Alden in “Boardwalk Empire.” For me, his portrayal of Nelson is a seminal moment in Television History; an evolutionary Acting milestone. His emotional, intellectual and spiritual depth completely floored me. Any Actor who can tap into that blistering abyss, and emerge a hero, is expressing the divine nature of existence – and that is an Actor’s highest achievement. Kudos my friend. 

10. Casey Affleck – There are too many superlatives running around in my brain to pinpoint my feelings on Casey Affleck’s performance as Lee Chandler in “Manchester by the Sea.” Let me just say that it transcends Art, and transports us into the Mystical realm of Creation. I always ‘liked’ his performances, but his skill at ‘channeling’ Lee Chandler’s granite tenderness, and searing angst, is the finest example of the Craft that I have ever experienced. It’s difficult to be an Actor; to reach way down and pull up the guts it takes to reveal all the beauty and wonder hidden beneath our masks, but Casey makes it look effortless.