Richard Burton, John Gielgud, Paul Schofield, Jeremy Irons, John Hurt, James Mason, David Niven, Stewart Granger, Ralph Fiennes, Oliver Reed, Ben Kingsley,Anthony Quayle, Robert Shaw.
Yes. So much, and it's our centuries of theatre tradition, centred round Shakespeare, that must be the biggest influence here. But not for all of these. I don't know, but I particularly admire Gielgud, Schofield, Fiennes, and Kingsley. Robert Shaw is an outlier, his career cut short. I'm sort of glad that I never got into acting. It's a tough game.
Paul Schofield was superb on stage, too. John Hurt was wonderful, from Richard Rich to Doctor Who. Ralph Fiennes is a great shout. Ben Kingsley has to be up there. But, what about Mark Rylance and Idris Elba? What about Alfred Molena - stage and screen - epic! David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Adrian Lester (The definitive Othello) Sacha Baron-Cohen needs a whole new category and... It’s impossible, isn't it? It’s wonderful, isn't it?
@@graceygrumble Paul Schofield in 'A Man for All Seasons ' was brilliant, he was also cast to play a role in the Shooting Party, another favourite of mine, but broke his leg early on in the filming, to be replaced by James Mason.
Sir Ian McKellern had a very successful career as a Shakespearean actor. It was almost like he retired from that to become a Hollywood superstar as a hobby in his old age.
I know, he's about to do Falstaff in 'The Player Kings'. He just does what he fancies doing: whether that's a stint on 'Coronation Street', playing a dame in pantomime, or one-man shows. Definition of 'national treasure', IMO.@Short
Yes, in the UK actors are revered for Shakespeare etc and great heavy weight tv roles. They only go to Hollywood for the money. Most of the acting they can do in their sleep ( and do, Anthony Hopkins).
As is Patrick Stewart. If you want a great actor look to David Suchet, or Jonathan Pryce, who I saw together in The Taming of the Shrew at Stratford in 1979. Wow.
What also surprises me ( maybe not) you measure success by the amount of Oscars they have won or been nominated for which isn’t really the true measure
Should be titled ` Best British Film Actors`, as many others do excellent work ,winning Oscars but mostly concentrate on the stage, for example sir Mark Rylance
there are so many top class actors not on this list but to not have Alec Guiness is unforgivable. this list i suspect is more like Top 10 British Actors that Americans have heard of.
"My dear boy, why don't you just try acting?"....Olivier said to Hoffman after Dustin had been awake for 3 days in order to play a character that had been awake for 3 days...'Marathon Man' 1976
Ian Mckellen was a very famous stage actor (including a Tony award for best actor in 1980) before becoming wel known as a film actor after his great performance as Richard III (1995),
I think Tom Holland might be up there I'm the future if his career continues well. Obviously too many people just like him because he's spiderman. But the fact that I've seen him convincingly play 2 completely different types of Americans and some people don't even know he's british from those films is impressive. He's got the chops to do a lot of varied roles
@@Sgt.chickens... I'd agree that Tom Holland is potentially a great all round actor, he's in the same model as Christian Bale - we've seen the great early films, but await the maturing roles.
The vast majority of british actors go to one of the plethora of great drama schools in the UK and usually cut their teeth in theatre and television before they move to film and then have a go at Hollywood
You thought Gary Oldman shouldn't be so high on the list? You should therefore look at some of his other work like, "Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy" and "Darkest Hour", plus his theatre work and listen to the opinions of him from other great actors.
In the UK you don't have to be in film to be a successful Actor , some people spend their whole lives in the theatre, McKellen is a proper theatre darling.
Also Mark Rylance .who has actually been in quite a few films before his Oscar as `Best supporting Actor` in Spielberg`s Bridge of Spies`, I particularly like `The Grass Arena`.
In Great Britain excellence in the art form is a deeply ingrained part of the theatrical culture. In the US 'acting' is often a lot more often simply a vehicle to becoming as famous as possible.
I first saw Ian McKellen in 1982 in The Scarlet Pimpernel as a weasily, but brilliant, Citizen Chauvelin. His King Lear in 2008 was a masterclass in the role. Fabulous actor.
Watching Daniel Day Lewis in 'My beautiful launderette' will undo any fear hopefully. Mark Rylance should of been given a spot as seeing him in theater as well as film is something to behold.
09:28 Michael gave an acting class once and he said the secret to delivering lines on screen is to never blink on close ups, the reason is when it's a close up on your face on the film screen you face is huge, as are your eyes. If you blink you can distract the viewer from the lines you are delivering, not blinking shows strength and gets attention focused on what you're saying.
I saw that one. What struck me was his demo of the same piece for stage and film. The exaggeration for stage, which looked rediculous in close shot and the miniscule movements for film which were totally lost on stage. Brilliant.
In fairness, most of the names in the list are or were great actors but there are or were many more equally so, and a top ten is not really enough. I am also British myself and as much as there are great actors from here, that is not exclusive to Britain though.
If you’ve not seen Get Carter, watch Get Carter! The ultimate British film of the period, bleak but my god so intense! Watch it every 5 years or so, just magnificent.
I’m astounded when you said he didn’t have much of a career before he was much older, whaaatttt?????? You mean you think he only had a career when he became well known in America for films before that Ian McKellen had a career that most American movie actors could only dream of. I’m just astounded, you seem to know a fair bit about that world so I’m just comfused
Take a chill pill Lousie. We all got what he was saying. He was thinking top down. Most people view the world that way. That is why brains are important.
@@mmuzzwell3654 that amazes me that you not only know what and how he thinks but apparently you know how much of the world thinks, your ego must be hardly able to fit through your door. I personally don’t need a chill pill as I don’t assume what he’s thinking or the rest of the world I’ll leave that up to the big brains like yourself 😳😳😳😳
@@louisemiller3784 A bit grouchy Louise. Let's apply logic to your comment. "I'm astounded"-- "you mean you think" then conclude with (answering for him) "I'm just astounded". Also meanwhile implying that he is biased towards American actors when this OP is known for his quirky pro British reactions. Then you go on to imply: I attempt to speak for the world (I have a huge ego, can't fit through the door). In the context that I was using it does apply to the world of animals. Humans (as with most other animals) not only physically view objects top down, but socially also. About the chill pill comment, I owe you an apology, Sorry Louise for saying "take a chill pill". In my next comment I might apologise for calling you grouchy.
I think Sean Connery deserved an honourable mention. He was a fantastic Bond but also did some great movies in the second half of his career like Highlander, Indiana Jones and The Rock to name just a few
I agree with what you say in that it is totally impossible to rate actors in order of "Top" over a period of "All Time", when it is so hard to rate them over roles within even a year. I have been lucky enough to work with Laurence Olivier (twice), Tony Hopkins and Michael Caine, but to choose the "best" acting skill of one over the other is just impossible.
I love Michael Caine but to have him in this list and skip over Alec Guinness, Mark Rylance, Ralph Fiennes , Richard Burton , John Hurt and many others makes this list seem rather superficial. And great as Chaplin was, he was he played only one role!
@@christinemo9622 That's why it's impossible to have a list. By the way you are wrong re Chaplin playing only one role. Check out A countess from Hong Kong, Limelight, A king in New York, Monsieur Verdoux and The Great Dictator for example (Also all written by him.) And also John Hurt should be near the top of any list!
How about John Hurt? Also, Stanley Baker, David Hemmings, Ralph Richardson, John Mills, Richard Attenborough, Charles Laughton, Malcolm McDowell, Sean Bean, Stephen Graham, Ray Winstone, Richard E. Grant, Michael Hordern, Michael York, Freddie Jones, Dirk Bogarde, Richard Harris, to name a few more...
Yep,that's the one, brilliant movie, but Hopkins performance in,Magic is, I think, truly fantastic. In the movie he plays opposite, Anne Margaret and the legend that was, Burgess Merideth.
Actors who could play serious and comedy were Herbert Lom, Dennis Price, Rex Harrison and Richard Attenborough. Also John Mills. They all did theatre, so were used to playing the same part twice a day for months. It was a good way to learn to change the voice, mannerisms, just to keep it interesting.
Sadly my favourite (British, or otherwise) actor never makes these lists, Jason Isaacs. Yes he’s been in plenty of things that aren’t going to win an award, but he’s never given less than 100% to his role. Hello To Jason Isaacs.
I agree with your addition of Michael Gambon and Antony Sher. They were both sometimes typecast, but the strength of experience and genius shone through.
Solid choices, would maybe have personally moved them around a little. But I think Christopher Lee deserved a spot on the list, not just an honourable mention.
The reason some of these seem mout of order is that the list is completely movie orientated. There are at least a dozen classic stage actors who are much more than a match for any of these!
Alan Rickman, Michael Caine and Peter O'Tool might be my favorites on this list even though they are all great. The first Alan Rickman movie I saw was Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves where he was the sherif of Nottingham, The first Peter O'tool movie I watched was The Last Emperor, and The first Michael Caine movie I watched was The Cider House Rules, which has also become one of my alltime favorite movies.
You could add Steven Berkoff to the list. He was the villain Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop. Or Terence Stamp, General Zod in Superman 2. The first movie I remember seeing Sir Ian McKellen in was 'Jack & Sarah' (1995) along side Richard E. Grant (he could be on the list too). He played a tramp :) A hidden gem of a movie I highly recommend to anyone. It's a British rom com.
Ian McKellen was appearing at the Haymarket Theatre in London, around 2009 in a two headed play called 'Waiting for Godo' alongside Patrick Stewart, when Patrick was distracted by the resident ghost, playwright, actor and producer Johan Buckstone..
Gary Oldman is my favourite actor of all time! The corrupt DEA agent in Leon, The Professional. The Pimp in True Romance, Zorg in The fifth Element, his performance as Churchill. Incredible in every movie.
What⁉️No Sir Alec Guineas! He was definitely one of our best and all time greats and he could morph into each character he played. He was just brilliant.
Sir Kenneth Brannagh, Sir John Hurt, Rowan Atkinson, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Micheal Gambon, David Thewlis, James McAvoy. I think Tom Holland is incredible too. Watch The Impossible if you haven't already, he was so good in that for someone so young. Edit to add: can't believe i forgot about Sir Patrick Stewart.
Re Anthony Hopkins,,check him out in the movie, MAGIC, one of his best performances any day. This is a reworking of an old film starring Michael Redgrave. Enjoy, Tony
I studied music at a music/drama conservatoire many years ago. Some of the drama students have done incredibly well. Occasionally I remember a name and google them and are amazed at what they have achieved.
most people will think of Chaplain as a silent move actor but his speech in the great dictator is one of the true greats, everyone should look it up on youtube.
It's quite irritating when acting success is measured on these type of videos by when they first had success in Hollywood. For example, Helen Mirren & Judy Dench were well known in their early careers as members of the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) and performed many roles in Shakespeare plays and also other roles in the Westend. They both then appeared in television series, before they undertook roles in films at a late stage in their careers. Patrick Stewart is another example of a theatre actor who appeared in films in later years.
I do know the answer to this. British actors get proper trading both in drama school, theatre and television. They come in all shapes and sizes to fill all roles and are very used to doing accents of all sorts including American as there are many, many American shows and films watched in the Uk. American actors pursue excellence, they have to be the best looking, the most muscly including in soaps. Look at Johnny Depp who started in a cop show, stunningly beautiful and he himself said employed for his looks. Any female cop on tv in the US has to be stunningly beautiful any male actor stunningly handsome. Americans are also notorious for not being able to do accents so British actors who compete against American actors are generally better trained and able to do US accents.
McKellan His stage career was wonderful. Mainly he’s thought of as a Shakespearean actor. Maybe the greatest. He is still touring in the U.K today, I’m going to see him soon, yet another Shakespearean role. He’s saying maybe it will be his last touring role. His longevity, you have to admire the man,
What can you say about Daniel Day Lewis? in my humble opinion, he is excellent but best in quieter roles, when he is BOMBASTIC in my head ‘over-acting just repeats over and over again’ while I watch, although, yes, some roles, like Butcher Bill, makes sense, but toning things down just a wee notch would make him shine more. But what do I know? Just what I like ✌🏼
I saw Gary Oldman playing the cat in Dick Whittington in panto in York many years ago .Thats why our actors are good they learn their craft in theatre and rep
I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Sir Michael CaineH in Harrodsburg on my 16th Birthday... I was on a week long trip from my school in Yorkshire to London, on our last day we went to Harrods before heading back up to home. It was my 16th Birthday, suddenly loads of our classmates heard a rumour that Princess Michael of Kent was in the store and they all ran to find her. My friend and I were in the record department (I bought the Single version of Trapped by Colonel Abrams) and we laughed about the rest of our group getting excited, when a man behind us laughed... We turned and there stood this man, he looked REALLY familiar, so I thought I must know him from somewhere. We chatted for about 30mins, with me keep guessing where I knew him from. Meanwhile my friends knows and is looking at me like I just kicked a corgi in front of the Queen... lol I never guessed, we chatted about our London trip, where we came from (he guessed accents were from Yorkshire). My friend mentioned it was my 16th Birthday. After he left my friend was doing the “my name is...” impression and I was still puzzled, he had been a lovely guy and funny. We headed out to our coach the school had hired for our trip. Before we set off he asked for someone called my name and gave me a HUGE bunch of flowers and a birthday card... it was signed Michael Caine... The items had been brought out to our bus by one of the Harrods Footmen... I almost died, I was amazed me not knowing him had not insulted him. But our teachers both said it was probably refreshing to not be mobbed & just have a nice conversation for a change. It was such a huge thing to me, but I often wondered whether he even remembered it.
To do justice to this top ten, it needs to be a top 30. Scrolled down a fair bit, without noticing a mention for Peter Sellers. Then multiply the length if the list x2 when counting some of our amazing lady actors. There are just as many.
Richard Burton, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Oliver Reed, John Mills, Kenneth Moore, Kenneth Branagh, Jeremey Irons, Michael Sheen. The list is endless. Ian McKellen has spent most of his career in theatre, which he still prefers. Both McKellen & Derek Jacobi had a huge crush on each other when they were younger, but neither said anything due to homosexuality being illegal at the time. They're now friends, (nothing more as Jacobi has been married for years & was in a civil partnership with his now-husband before then) &, between 2013-16, they starred in a British sit-com, Vicious. It was about an old gay couple who'd been together for 50 years. I loved it. You say that Daniel Day-Lewis is scary, he's not. He's actually very earnest & shy but pleasant to talk to & eager to help. In the 1980s, he was with the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) & they toured schools in the UK puitting on performances of plays that were being studied for O levels, the public exams we had to take at age 16. They came to my Mum's school & she took me to see them. We had a choice of Romeo & Juliet or A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mum has always preferred Shakespeare's trasgedies to comedies plus I was studying Romeo & Juliet, so we watched that. Afterwards the cast had a Q&A with the audience which was mainly kids, & he got very involved. 2 young males alternated between playing Romeo & Tybault, & I was at the performance where Daniel Day-Lewis was Romeo. Another great actor who is actually sweet is Jeremy Irons. In the mid 1990s, I was on the outward ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, where you had to spend 2 nights on board. The first night, my parents & I were going to dinner. We left our cabin & saw the room opposite had left its door wide open, with valuables, money, passport, jewellery, on the table right in front of the door, & the key card in the lock. We weren't looking, it was simply right in our view as we walked out of our cabin. We pulled the door closed to lock it, then handed in the key to reception. Later that night, there was a knock at the door, & it was Jeremy Irons coming to thank us for protecting his stuff. He said his kids had been playing up so he & his wife had been flustered & forgotten to lock the door when they went to eat. His wife is also an actor, Sinéad Cusack, from a famous Irish family which includes her Dad, Cyril Cusack, her Mum Maureen, & her sisters Niamh & Sorcha, who are/were all actors, & brother Pádraig Cusack who is a theatre producer.
Ian McKellen was an extremely well respected, successful theatre (and TV) actor before he 'made it' as a Hollywood star, which is the case with many, if not most, British actors due to their training. Hate that this list's category for 'best actor' only means as a film actor. Lot more to acting than being a movie star.
Acting can be very subjective depending on how you specifically think a character should be played so it’s no surprise people disagree on who has the best acting chops all the time
So many more actors too numerous to mention deserve appreciation here. I agree that Christian Bale in ''Empire of the sun' was extraordinary. I was mesmorised.
I would have put Cary Grant and Alan Rickman higher up the list. Alec Guinness and Christopher Lee should have been on there. I wouldn't have put Daniel Day Lewis number one, great list though. On a side note, The Italian Job (1969) is one of my top ten favourite films ever. Wishing you well 😀
I bet a British vlogger would have judged more on acting talent overall rather than those who were Oscar nominated. All great UK actors (of both gender) are trained for theatre rather than looking good on screen - Richard Burton, Judi Dench, David Suchet, Derek Jacobi, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, etc. etc. Check out RADA which is the most famous Drama Academy - and the hardest to get into if you have great looks but little talent.
Yes my favourite but .Michael Cain's in Zulu tops it for me.Story told about him , always associated with cockney accent, He was being considered for Zulu, was asked did he think he could do an upper crust British accent his reply was I can do any accent if the pay is right. He proved he could
Hugh Laurie, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Christian Bale, Paul Bethany, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery, Orlando Bloom, Idris Elba, Daniel Day Lewis, Daniel Craig, Jason Statham, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor, Damien Lewis, Gerard Butler, Tim Roth, Henry Cavill, Albert Finley, Peter Sellars, etc………
1. Lawrence Olivier 2. Richard Burton, 3 Alec Guinness, 4. Peter O Toole, 5. John Mills, 6. James Mason 7. John Hurt 8. Alan Rickman 9. Sean Bean 10. Stanley Baxter, My top ten of great British Actors, Watch mojo obviously hasn't seen much British movies 😂
Richard Burton, John Gielgud, Paul Schofield, Jeremy Irons, John Hurt, James Mason, David Niven, Stewart Granger, Ralph Fiennes, Oliver Reed, Ben Kingsley,Anthony Quayle, Robert Shaw.
Yes. So much, and it's our centuries of theatre tradition, centred round Shakespeare, that must be the biggest influence here. But not for all of these. I don't know, but I particularly admire Gielgud, Schofield, Fiennes, and Kingsley. Robert Shaw is an outlier, his career cut short. I'm sort of glad that I never got into acting. It's a tough game.
Alec Guineas and Lawrence Oliver.
Wasnt Lawrence Aussie...@@dee2251
Paul Schofield was superb on stage, too. John Hurt was wonderful, from Richard Rich to Doctor Who. Ralph Fiennes is a great shout. Ben Kingsley has to be up there. But, what about Mark Rylance and Idris Elba? What about Alfred Molena - stage and screen - epic! David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Adrian Lester (The definitive Othello) Sacha Baron-Cohen needs a whole new category and...
It’s impossible, isn't it?
It’s wonderful, isn't it?
@@graceygrumble
Paul Schofield in 'A Man for All Seasons ' was brilliant, he was also cast to play a role in the Shooting Party, another favourite of mine, but broke his leg early on in the filming, to be replaced by James Mason.
Sir Ian McKellern had a very successful career as a Shakespearean actor. It was almost like he retired from that to become a Hollywood superstar as a hobby in his old age.
oh he still does theatre, but movies pay the bills
I know, he's about to do Falstaff in 'The Player Kings'.
He just does what he fancies doing: whether that's a stint on 'Coronation Street', playing a dame in pantomime, or one-man shows.
Definition of 'national treasure', IMO.@Short
Yes, in the UK actors are revered for Shakespeare etc and great heavy weight tv roles. They only go to Hollywood for the money. Most of the acting they can do in their sleep ( and do, Anthony Hopkins).
Elephant man was John Hurt, a much greater actor than Anthony Hopkins IMHO, who I think is the same in every role.
As is Patrick Stewart. If you want a great actor look to David Suchet, or Jonathan Pryce, who I saw together in The Taming of the Shrew at Stratford in 1979. Wow.
Alan Rickman was also the best ever Sheriff of Nottingham in any Robin Hood series/movies!
spoon?
Ahh yes he was good in that film!
American actors want to be movie stars.
British actors want to be the best at their craft.
So true !
Whaaaat ??!!? No mention whatsoever of the Welsh great, RICHARD BURTON.?!!
A voice like a Lion's Purr 🏴❤️
Wait what, no Sir John Mills, Kenneth Moore, Jack Hawkins? Three of my favourite actors. Alec Guinness should had definitely made the list
Goes to show that the honourable mentions list should have gone on for an hour at least.
Moore... Douglas Bader?
And what about Ralph Fiennes
All enjoyable but light, no depth apart from Alec Guinness. They could not make you laugh one minute and make you afraid or cry the next.
What also surprises me ( maybe not) you measure success by the amount of Oscars they have won or been nominated for which isn’t really the true measure
No he didn't. Why so defensive Louise.
Should be titled ` Best British Film Actors`, as many others do excellent work ,winning Oscars but mostly concentrate on the stage, for example sir Mark Rylance
Charlie Chaplin my grandmothers favourite actor, now that’s going back 😂
It was a comment. The reactionary response is not coming from her. She can state an opinion.
@@Briardie??????????????? your comment: 1st part benign, middle bit very confusing, last bit benign.
Sir Ben Kingsley should easily be on that list. Anyone who can go from playing Gandhi to Don Logan in Sexy Beast has got seriously good acting chops.
there are so many top class actors not on this list but to not have Alec Guiness is unforgivable. this list i suspect is more like Top 10 British Actors that Americans have heard of.
I agree. This is the most well known to an American audience actors. I don’t necessarily disagree however, considering that fact.
How could Alec Guinness not be on the list? Kind Hearts and Coronets demonstrated his versatility.
Should be best 100 actors
@@helenag.9386... Even then someone would complain that someone had been omitted. You can't really win.
Man in the white suit .lavender Hill mob tinker Taylor.
@@janolaful
Alec Guinness plays more characters in Kind Hearts and Coronets than all of those films put together...
John Mills, David Niven, Stewart Granger, Lawrence Oliver, John Gilgude so many to mention.
Should be renamed 10 best actors that Americans know the names of
@Nicola: Right, or maybe 10 British actors Muricans think are Americans?
"My dear boy, why don't you just try acting?"....Olivier said to Hoffman after Dustin had been awake for 3 days in order to play a character that had been awake for 3 days...'Marathon Man' 1976
Sir Ian ''didn't have much of a career ...''! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Wtf do your research properly '
@@peterdarnell9183 Quote marks - see? Listen around 3:30 and learn to recognize sarcasm.
Ian Mckellen was a very famous stage actor (including a Tony award for best actor in 1980) before becoming wel known as a film actor after his great performance as Richard III (1995),
I could listen to that voice for hours on end.
Sir Richard Burton, John Hurt, and a modern day Tom Hardy ..... respect
Oh, Tom Hardy, very good point. And Richard Burton, impressive and slightly scary. John Hurt, wildly versatile, someone you don't notice is acting.
I think Tom Holland might be up there I'm the future if his career continues well.
Obviously too many people just like him because he's spiderman. But the fact that I've seen him convincingly play 2 completely different types of Americans and some people don't even know he's british from those films is impressive. He's got the chops to do a lot of varied roles
@@Sgt.chickens... I'd agree that Tom Holland is potentially a great all round actor, he's in the same model as Christian Bale - we've seen the great early films, but await the maturing roles.
For me, an honourable mention for Tim Roth & Andy Serkis.
Tom Hardy over acts. Yeah I said it.
The vast majority of british actors go to one of the plethora of great drama schools in the UK and usually cut their teeth in theatre and television before they move to film and then have a go at Hollywood
You thought Gary Oldman shouldn't be so high on the list? You should therefore look at some of his other work like, "Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy" and "Darkest Hour", plus his theatre work and listen to the opinions of him from other great actors.
I loved his cameo of Drexl Spivey in Tarantino's 'True Romance'. It was freaky but wonderful. 😊
At the moment he’s in Slow Horses which is a work of genius.
Loved him in Leon
Plus, more honourable mentions should be, Charles Dance, Micheal Gambon, Ralph Fiennes and Colin Firth.
Michael Gambon was Irish
@@1conor Yeah I believe he was, he was a child when he got British citizenship.
John Hurt and Sir Richard Attenborough deserve a mention also Richard Burton and Richard Harris.
Richard Harris is Irish.
In the UK you don't have to be in film to be a successful Actor , some people spend their whole lives in the theatre, McKellen is a proper theatre darling.
Also Mark Rylance .who has actually been in quite a few films before his Oscar as `Best supporting Actor` in Spielberg`s Bridge of Spies`,
I particularly like `The Grass Arena`.
In Great Britain excellence in the art form is a deeply ingrained part of the theatrical culture. In the US 'acting' is often a lot more often simply a vehicle to becoming as famous as possible.
I first saw Ian McKellen in 1982 in The Scarlet Pimpernel as a weasily, but brilliant, Citizen Chauvelin.
His King Lear in 2008 was a masterclass in the role. Fabulous actor.
Watching Daniel Day Lewis in 'My beautiful launderette' will undo any fear hopefully. Mark Rylance should of been given a spot as seeing him in theater as well as film is something to behold.
Very good point. Mark Rylance is underappreciated. An actor who proves that you have to restrain yourself.
Yes!
@@afischer8327 Yes.
Have
Burton? Redgrave? Donat? Mason? Hurt? Cushing? McDowell?
There's too many to count.
I agree with all of your choices,they're much better, Donat is Canadian, which I only found out a few years ago, I always thought he was English
Donat was born in Manchester, honed his craft on the English stage. What was his Canadian connection?
@@jatrius I stand corrected, I mixed Robert up with someone else
@@alistairmcdougall9625 We've all done it. Didn't Claude Rains end up in Canada? I could be wrong there, too. ;)
09:28 Michael gave an acting class once and he said the secret to delivering lines on screen is to never blink on close ups, the reason is when it's a close up on your face on the film screen you face is huge, as are your eyes. If you blink you can distract the viewer from the lines you are delivering, not blinking shows strength and gets attention focused on what you're saying.
I saw that one. What struck me was his demo of the same piece for stage and film. The exaggeration for stage, which looked rediculous in close shot and the miniscule movements for film which were totally lost on stage. Brilliant.
He retired last year ,but recently agreed to `one more film` .
Now in his 90s!
This is a very American view of what constitutes a great actor.
Not judged as Actors, but Film Stars.
Alan Rickman was great in the BBC TV series of Barchester Towers, as the awful Obadiah Slope
In fairness, most of the names in the list are or were great actors but there are or were many more equally so, and a top ten is not really enough.
I am also British myself and as much as there are great actors from here, that is not exclusive to Britain though.
It's simple - they take the time to learn their trade rather than instantly wanting to be a ''film star''!
🎯
If you’ve not seen Get Carter, watch Get Carter! The ultimate British film of the period, bleak but my god so intense! Watch it every 5 years or so, just magnificent.
I’m astounded when you said he didn’t have much of a career before he was much older, whaaatttt?????? You mean you think he only had a career when he became well known in America for films before that Ian McKellen had a career that most American movie actors could only dream of. I’m just astounded, you seem to know a fair bit about that world so I’m just comfused
Take a chill pill Lousie. We all got what he was saying. He was thinking top down. Most people view the world that way. That is why brains are important.
@@mmuzzwell3654 at least be able to spell my name
@@louisemiller3784 Sorry Louise. 😘
@@mmuzzwell3654 that amazes me that you not only know what and how he thinks but apparently you know how much of the world thinks, your ego must be hardly able to fit through your door. I personally don’t need a chill pill as I don’t assume what he’s thinking or the rest of the world I’ll leave that up to the big brains like yourself 😳😳😳😳
@@louisemiller3784 A bit grouchy Louise. Let's apply logic to your comment. "I'm astounded"-- "you mean you think" then conclude with (answering for him) "I'm just astounded". Also meanwhile implying that he is biased towards American actors when this OP is known for his quirky pro British reactions.
Then you go on to imply: I attempt to speak for the world (I have a huge ego, can't fit through the door). In the context that I was using it does apply to the world of animals. Humans (as with most other animals) not only physically view objects top down, but socially also. About the chill pill comment, I owe you an apology, Sorry Louise for saying "take a chill pill". In my next comment I might apologise for calling you grouchy.
Gary Oldman is phenomenal. Loved him in Leon and everything he's in. Should be at least top 3.
Tim Curry played a couple of well known villains
I would have added Peter Sellers to the list.
Three voices for the price of four
"Birdie num num."
Christopher Lee was a secret agent during WW2. He also met Tolkien and later was in the LOTR movies.
I think Sean Connery deserved an honourable mention. He was a fantastic Bond but also did some great movies in the second half of his career like Highlander, Indiana Jones and The Rock to name just a few
Sir Ian McKellen explaining acting to Ricky Gervais in "Extras" was hilarious 😅
So good!! One of my favourites. Have you seen the Patrick Stewart episode too?
I agree with what you say in that it is totally impossible to rate actors in order of "Top" over a period of "All Time", when it is so hard to rate them over roles within even a year. I have been lucky enough to work with Laurence Olivier (twice), Tony Hopkins and Michael Caine, but to choose the "best" acting skill of one over the other is just impossible.
I love Michael Caine but to have him in this list and skip over Alec Guinness, Mark Rylance, Ralph Fiennes , Richard Burton , John Hurt and many others makes this list seem rather superficial. And great as Chaplin was, he was he played only one role!
@@christinemo9622 That's why it's impossible to have a list. By the way you are wrong re Chaplin playing only one role. Check out A countess from Hong Kong, Limelight, A king in New York, Monsieur Verdoux and The Great Dictator for example (Also all written by him.) And also John Hurt should be near the top of any list!
My granny once met Anthony Hopkins on a dinner party scene while she was an extra in the film Picasso, which he was the titular lead in.
Carey Grant aka Archibald Leach was born in Bristol which is where I’ve always lived. We have a statue of him in Millennium Square.
How about John Hurt? Also, Stanley Baker, David Hemmings, Ralph Richardson, John Mills, Richard Attenborough, Charles Laughton, Malcolm McDowell, Sean Bean, Stephen Graham, Ray Winstone, Richard E. Grant, Michael Hordern, Michael York, Freddie Jones, Dirk Bogarde, Richard Harris, to name a few more...
Agree with all, but Richard Harris was Irish.
Yep,that's the one, brilliant movie, but Hopkins performance in,Magic is, I think, truly fantastic. In the movie he plays opposite, Anne Margaret and the legend that was, Burgess Merideth.
Actors who could play serious and comedy were Herbert Lom, Dennis Price,
Rex Harrison and Richard Attenborough.
Also John Mills.
They all did theatre, so were used to playing the same part twice a day for months. It was a good way to learn to change the voice, mannerisms, just to keep it interesting.
My God, no Richard Burton WTF. He is The Voice.
Sadly my favourite (British, or otherwise) actor never makes these lists, Jason Isaacs. Yes he’s been in plenty of things that aren’t going to win an award, but he’s never given less than 100% to his role. Hello To Jason Isaacs.
John Hurt, Michael Gambon, Richard Burton, Antony Sher, many superb younger actors - often men of colour
I agree with your addition of Michael Gambon and Antony Sher. They were both sometimes typecast, but the strength of experience and genius shone through.
Just in case MARK STRONG is waiting to see his name mentioned. Beautiful man.
I saw Ian McKellan a lot in the theatre before he got into movies. He was a great theatre actor.
Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed. Bill Nighy. David Nivan. Peter Cushing. Norman Wisdom 😅 Richard Harris. Richard Attenborough. John Mills. Brian Cox.
Richard Harris was Irish, not British
Solid choices, would maybe have personally moved them around a little. But I think Christopher Lee deserved a spot on the list, not just an honourable mention.
The reason some of these seem mout of order is that the list is completely movie orientated. There are at least a dozen classic stage actors who are much more than a match for any of these!
Good list but Sir John Mills deserved a place and Sir Richard Attenborough and Ralph Fiennes honourable mentions. ❤
Sir Allec Guinness not even placed.
Alan Rickman, Michael Caine and Peter O'Tool might be my favorites on this list even though they are all great. The first Alan Rickman movie I saw was Robin Hood Prince Of Thieves where he was the sherif of Nottingham, The first Peter O'tool movie I watched was The Last Emperor, and The first Michael Caine movie I watched was The Cider House Rules, which has also become one of my alltime favorite movies.
no-one has ever made a spoon more sinister than Alan Rickman.
Stephen Spielberg called Pete Postlethwaite the best in the business and rightly so. Very proud that he comes from my home town in the Northwest.
Greetings from Widnes 😁
You seem down on Gary Oldman and I don't know why. He's an incredible actor.
You could add Steven Berkoff to the list. He was the villain Victor Maitland in Beverly Hills Cop. Or Terence Stamp, General Zod in Superman 2. The first movie I remember seeing Sir Ian McKellen in was 'Jack & Sarah' (1995) along side Richard E. Grant (he could be on the list too). He played a tramp :) A hidden gem of a movie I highly recommend to anyone. It's a British rom com.
British actors are just more down to earth and relatable.
They aren't shallow and image driven like American actors seem to be.
Ian McKellen was appearing at the Haymarket Theatre in London, around 2009 in a two headed play called 'Waiting for Godo' alongside Patrick Stewart, when Patrick was distracted by the resident ghost, playwright, actor and producer Johan Buckstone..
Gary Oldman is my favourite actor of all time! The corrupt DEA agent in Leon, The Professional. The Pimp in True Romance, Zorg in The fifth Element, his performance as Churchill. Incredible in every movie.
Fun fact - Gary Numan is 13 days older than Gary Oldman
Who is Gary Numan?
musician@@vtbn53
Gary Numan fans - see "Here at the Spar" by Stevie Riks 😅
so the 'New' man is older than the 'old' man, yes??
@@vtbn53 One of the pioneers of electronic music in the 80s. Some of his biggest hits include: 'Cars' and 'Are Friends Electric?'
I loved Olivier in Rebecca and Wuthering Heights.
So many good actors missing from this list Sean Connery, Tim Roth, Malcolm McDowell etc
What⁉️No Sir Alec Guineas! He was definitely one of our best and all time greats and he could morph into each character he played. He was just brilliant.
Richard Harris, Richard Burton and Alec Guinness would be in my top 10.
Sir Kenneth Brannagh, Sir John Hurt, Rowan Atkinson, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir Micheal Gambon, David Thewlis, James McAvoy. I think Tom Holland is incredible too. Watch The Impossible if you haven't already, he was so good in that for someone so young.
Edit to add: can't believe i forgot about Sir Patrick Stewart.
Alec Guinness was a great actor played everything from comedy to spy thrillers. Should of been on that list.
If they had mentioned Richard Burton,then Wales would have scored a hat trick 🏴
Grant from Bristol in England❤❤❤
Re Anthony Hopkins,,check him out in the movie, MAGIC, one of his best performances any day. This is a reworking of an old film starring Michael Redgrave. Enjoy, Tony
Do you mean 'Dead of Night'?
What makes British actors the best is ,they are credible and the accent helps
Also Sir Richard Attenboroughs Chaplin wonderfully played by Robert Downey Jr
I studied music at a music/drama conservatoire many years ago. Some of the drama students have done incredibly well. Occasionally I remember a name and google them and are amazed at what they have achieved.
Actresses, Glenda Jackson, Judi Dench, Don't get me started
Great Daniel Day early movies to check out are My Beautiful Launderette, My Left Foot and In the Name of the Father.
most people will think of Chaplain as a silent move actor but his speech in the great dictator is one of the true greats, everyone should look it up on youtube.
jeremy Irons and Ralph Fiennes are missing from this list. They should at the very least get an honorable mention.
It's quite irritating when acting success is measured on these type of videos by when they first had success in Hollywood. For example, Helen Mirren & Judy Dench were well known in their early careers as members of the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) and performed many roles in Shakespeare plays and also other roles in the Westend. They both then appeared in television series, before they undertook roles in films at a late stage in their careers. Patrick Stewart is another example of a theatre actor who appeared in films in later years.
Michael Caine is just himself in every film he does. A bit like Robert De Niro (oooh bit controversial!)
I do know the answer to this. British actors get proper trading both in drama school, theatre and television. They come in all shapes and sizes to fill all roles and are very used to doing accents of all sorts including American as there are many, many American shows and films watched in the Uk.
American actors pursue excellence, they have to be the best looking, the most muscly including in soaps. Look at Johnny Depp who started in a cop show, stunningly beautiful and he himself said employed for his looks. Any female cop on tv in the US has to be stunningly beautiful any male actor stunningly handsome. Americans are also notorious for not being able to do accents so British actors who compete against American actors are generally better trained and able to do US accents.
McKellan His stage career was wonderful. Mainly he’s thought of as a Shakespearean actor. Maybe the greatest. He is still touring in the U.K today, I’m going to see him soon, yet another Shakespearean role. He’s saying maybe it will be his last touring role. His longevity, you have to admire the man,
“Career NV” kills me 🤣👍🏻
What can you say about Daniel Day Lewis? in my humble opinion, he is excellent but best in quieter roles, when he is BOMBASTIC in my head ‘over-acting just repeats over and over again’ while I watch, although, yes, some roles, like Butcher Bill, makes sense, but toning things down just a wee notch would make him shine more. But what do I know? Just what I like ✌🏼
@5:25 your comment about dramatic actors not switching to comedy. Leslie Nielsen, Lloyd Bridges and most of the Airplane! cast
Peter Cushing.
I saw Gary Oldman playing the cat in Dick Whittington in panto in York many years ago .Thats why our actors are good they learn their craft in theatre and rep
I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Sir Michael CaineH in Harrodsburg on my 16th Birthday... I was on a week long trip from my school in Yorkshire to London, on our last day we went to Harrods before heading back up to home. It was my 16th Birthday, suddenly loads of our classmates heard a rumour that Princess Michael of Kent was in the store and they all ran to find her.
My friend and I were in the record department (I bought the Single version of Trapped by Colonel Abrams) and we laughed about the rest of our group getting excited, when a man behind us laughed...
We turned and there stood this man, he looked REALLY familiar, so I thought I must know him from somewhere. We chatted for about 30mins, with me keep guessing where I knew him from. Meanwhile my friends knows and is looking at me like I just kicked a corgi in front of the Queen... lol
I never guessed, we chatted about our London trip, where we came from (he guessed accents were from Yorkshire). My friend mentioned it was my 16th Birthday. After he left my friend was doing the “my name is...” impression and I was still puzzled, he had been a lovely guy and funny.
We headed out to our coach the school had hired for our trip. Before we set off he asked for someone called my name and gave me a HUGE bunch of flowers and a birthday card... it was signed Michael Caine... The items had been brought out to our bus by one of the Harrods Footmen... I almost died, I was amazed me not knowing him had not insulted him. But our teachers both said it was probably refreshing to not be mobbed & just have a nice conversation for a change.
It was such a huge thing to me, but I often wondered whether he even remembered it.
To do justice to this top ten, it needs to be a top 30. Scrolled down a fair bit, without noticing a mention for Peter Sellers. Then multiply the length if the list x2 when counting some of our amazing lady actors. There are just as many.
Richard Burton, Derek Jacobi, John Hurt, Oliver Reed, John Mills, Kenneth Moore, Kenneth Branagh, Jeremey Irons, Michael Sheen. The list is endless.
Ian McKellen has spent most of his career in theatre, which he still prefers. Both McKellen & Derek Jacobi had a huge crush on each other when they were younger, but neither said anything due to homosexuality being illegal at the time. They're now friends, (nothing more as Jacobi has been married for years & was in a civil partnership with his now-husband before then) &, between 2013-16, they starred in a British sit-com, Vicious. It was about an old gay couple who'd been together for 50 years. I loved it.
You say that Daniel Day-Lewis is scary, he's not. He's actually very earnest & shy but pleasant to talk to & eager to help. In the 1980s, he was with the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) & they toured schools in the UK puitting on performances of plays that were being studied for O levels, the public exams we had to take at age 16. They came to my Mum's school & she took me to see them. We had a choice of Romeo & Juliet or A Midsummer Night's Dream. Mum has always preferred Shakespeare's trasgedies to comedies plus I was studying Romeo & Juliet, so we watched that. Afterwards the cast had a Q&A with the audience which was mainly kids, & he got very involved. 2 young males alternated between playing Romeo & Tybault, & I was at the performance where Daniel Day-Lewis was Romeo.
Another great actor who is actually sweet is Jeremy Irons. In the mid 1990s, I was on the outward ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao, where you had to spend 2 nights on board. The first night, my parents & I were going to dinner. We left our cabin & saw the room opposite had left its door wide open, with valuables, money, passport, jewellery, on the table right in front of the door, & the key card in the lock. We weren't looking, it was simply right in our view as we walked out of our cabin. We pulled the door closed to lock it, then handed in the key to reception. Later that night, there was a knock at the door, & it was Jeremy Irons coming to thank us for protecting his stuff. He said his kids had been playing up so he & his wife had been flustered & forgotten to lock the door when they went to eat. His wife is also an actor, Sinéad Cusack, from a famous Irish family which includes her Dad, Cyril Cusack, her Mum Maureen, & her sisters Niamh & Sorcha, who are/were all actors, & brother Pádraig Cusack who is a theatre producer.
Richard Burton, James Mason, Ben Kingsley Alec Guinness, John Mills, Trevor Howard the list goes on.
Ian McKellen was an extremely well respected, successful theatre (and TV) actor before he 'made it' as a Hollywood star, which is the case with many, if not most, British actors due to their training.
Hate that this list's category for 'best actor' only means as a film actor. Lot more to acting than being a movie star.
Acting can be very subjective depending on how you specifically think a character should be played so it’s no surprise people disagree on who has the best acting chops all the time
So many more actors too numerous to mention deserve appreciation here. I agree that Christian Bale in ''Empire of the sun' was extraordinary. I was mesmorised.
I would have put Cary Grant and Alan Rickman higher up the list. Alec Guinness and Christopher Lee should have been on there. I wouldn't have put Daniel Day Lewis number one, great list though.
On a side note, The Italian Job (1969) is one of my top ten favourite films ever.
Wishing you well 😀
Peter Cushing, Peter Sellers, Terry Thomas.
I bet a British vlogger would have judged more on acting talent overall rather than those who were Oscar nominated. All great UK actors (of both gender) are trained for theatre rather than looking good on screen - Richard Burton, Judi Dench, David Suchet, Derek Jacobi, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, etc. etc. Check out RADA which is the most famous Drama Academy - and the hardest to get into if you have great looks but little talent.
David Tennant, Gambon, Michael Caine, Michael Kitchen
RIP Alan Rickman. This would have been better as a top 30
Yes my favourite but .Michael Cain's in Zulu tops it for me.Story told about him , always associated with cockney accent, He was being considered for Zulu, was asked did he think he could do an upper crust British accent his reply was I can do any accent if the pay is right. He proved he could
Hugh Laurie, Anthony Hopkins, Michael Caine, Christian Bale, Paul Bethany, John Hurt, Patrick Stewart, Sean Connery, Orlando Bloom, Idris Elba, Daniel Day Lewis, Daniel Craig, Jason Statham, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor, Damien Lewis, Gerard Butler, Tim Roth, Henry Cavill, Albert Finley, Peter Sellars, etc………
They missed out Stan Laurel too.
Theatre is very big in Britain...Great grounding for actors..
Us Bristolians refer to Cary Grant as Our Archie.
1. Lawrence Olivier 2. Richard Burton, 3 Alec Guinness, 4. Peter O Toole, 5. John Mills, 6. James Mason 7. John Hurt 8. Alan Rickman 9. Sean Bean 10. Stanley Baxter, My top ten of great British Actors, Watch mojo obviously hasn't seen much British movies 😂
Hmmm, I really like what you said at the start about genders and actors!! Very interesting!!