1. Marlon Brando 

Considered by many to be one of the best actors of all time, Marlon Brando imposing presence commanded both respect and admiration from his peers, even in the later years of his career. His role as Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather pretty much shaped the entirety of the Italian mob genre.

Besides The Godfather, Brando also starred in Apocalypse Now, comedies like The Teahouse of the August Moon, and as a true 50s rebel in The Wild One and A Streetcar Named Desire. Even at his worst, Brando still managed to be absolutely enjoyable, like he was in the fever dream that is The Island of Dr. Moreau.

2. Leonardo Dicaprio 

Starting in the movie business at a young age is rarely kind to child actors, but some of them, like Leonardo DiCaprio, end up reshaping the entire entertainment industry for the better. Not only is DiCaprio an incredible actor, but he’s also an immensely altruistic fellow, helping the environment and those in need with his philanthropic organizations. 

In 2015, thanks to The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio finally managed what some thought was impossible: he finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, an accolade he had been pursuing for quite some time.

 3. Al Pacino

 Al Pacino’s name became synonymous with some of Hollywood’s most popular crime films of all time. This is an actor that makes being bad look good – from The Godfather to Scarface, Pacino has proved his mettle as an amazing character actor time and time again.

Even if he has recently appeared in some… questionable roles the fact remains that Pacino’s career is one of the most prolific in cinema history. His starring role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part II rivals in quality with the work of Marlon Brando – a feat that not many actors can presume of.

4. Jack Nicholson

One of the most recognizable personalities in Hollywood, Jack Nicholson has some of cinema’s most iconic performances under his belt. It would be hard to pick a single role to call his best, but if we had to choose some of our favorite's Nicholson movies, we’d probably pick One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, A Few Good Men, The Shining, and, of course, his version of the Joker in 1989’s Batman.

Here’s a fun fact: it’s well known that Stephen King wasn’t a huge fan of Nicholson as Jack Torrance in The Shining, but did you know why? The reason is that King believed that the audience would immediately know that Nicholson’s character was going to go wild at some point in the film due to his already menacing looks.

5. Morgan Freeman 

There’s hardly anyone in the entertainment business with a voice as soothing as Morgan Freeman. Known primarily for his collaborations with Christopher Nolan, Freeman has become a drama icon thanks to his impressive skills and the sheer emotion he manages to communicate through his acting.

Some of his best films are Seven, the Nolan Batman trilogy, and the absolute classic that is The Shawshank Redemption. He also played everyone’s favorite's version of God in the Bruce Almighty duology.

6.  Clint Eastwood 

When it comes to working in the film industry, some actors have tried it all: from standing in front of the cameras to moving behind them and directing their own feature films. Clint Eastwood is a man who has done both – and also redefined the face of the American cowboy for generations to come.

Starring in such legendary western films as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and For a Fistful of Dollars, Eastwood has also directed some spectacularly touching drama films. 2004’s Million Dollar Baby might be his magnum opus, and even now, at 91 years old, Eastwood is still directing and starring in films like Cry Macho.

7.  Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford redefined what it meant to be cool back in the 80s, and he hasn’t stopped being cool ever since. Starring in legendary franchises like Indiana Jones and Star Wars, the image of Ford as a rogue who plays by his own rules is engraved in the minds of everyone who grew up during the 80s and 90s.

Besides his more mainstream roles, Ford has also starred in some great thrillers, like the 1993 classic The Fugitive. He also had the lead role in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, and its sequel, Blade Runner 2049. With a fifth Indiana Jones movie coming to theatres soon, Ford simply shows no signs of ever slowing down.