Major spoilers for Episode 3 of Cape Fear are ahead! Read with caution and stream with an Apple TV subscription.

In the new adaptation of Cape Fear that’s airing on the 2026 TV schedule, we get to see Javier Bardem’s take on Max Cady, a villain who has been played by Robert De Niro and Robert Mitchum in some of the best horror movies of all time. That's one big connection between all the projects; however, there’s a cast member in this new series who played a major role in the 1991 movie. So, I had to ask the creator and the cast about the actress's new part.

The actress I’m talking about is Juliette Lewis. In the third episode of Cape Fear, it’s revealed in a creepy way that she’s the one who has been lurking around in that raincoat and mask. Of course, she played Danielle, the daughter in the family Max tormented, in the 1991 film. So seeing her return as seemingly an antagonist is a very fun twist that I discussed with creator Nick Antosca.

How Juliette Lewis Got Involved In Apple TV’s Cape Fear

The Apple TV version of Cape Fear that’s gotten solid reviews already has ties to the 1991 movie. For example, Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg worked on both of them. However, when it comes to what we see on-screen, the biggest connection between the last film and this new project came with the addition of Juliette Lewis.

The show’s creator, Nick Antosca, told me that he’s always “loved” Juliette Lewis’ performance in Cape Fear since the early ‘90s. So, the idea of involving her was always on his mind. Speaking about how he acted on this idea, Antosca told me:

In the 1962 version of Cape Fear, Gregory Peck played Sam Bowden while Robert Mitchum played Max Cady. Those parts then went to Nick Nolte and Robert De Niro, respectively, for the 1991 movie, while Peck returned to play Lee Heller and Mitchem came back as Lieutenant Elgart.

So, in that situation, Lewis has returned to Cape Fear as a new character. And it seems like she’s out to get Max Cady. To that point, Antosca told me how they developed this character for the Yellowjackets actress in the writers' room:

While we’ve only seen a peek of her so far, she’s been fabulously scary. It’s also clear that her character rattles Max in a way that surprised me. And it’s extra cool to watch when you consider who she played in the 1991 movie.

How The Actors Playing The Kids In 2026's Cape Fear Felt About Juliette Lewis

Speaking about who Lewis played in that movie, I also chatted with the actors who play the Bowden children in the Apple TV series. Lily Collias portrays Natalie, the daughter of Anna and Tom Bowden, and the closest parallel to Lewis’ Danielle from the 1991 film. When I asked Collias what it was like to have the actress who played a similar part on set, she explained:

She went on to say she’s “eternally grateful” that she got to work alongside Lewis for this show, especially considering the parallels that can be drawn between Natalie and Danellie.

Joe Anders, who plays Natalie’s brother, Zach, agreed with her. He also told me that they didn’t know Lewis would be involved at first. However, they were thrilled when they found out she was joining the cast, with Anders noting that the Natural Born Killers actress is “really one of the greats.”

Now, it will be very exciting to see how this story unfolds and how Juliette Lewis’ new character plays into it. To find that out, you can catch new episodes of Cape Fear every Friday on Apple TV.

Growing up, there were two movies my mom told me I was never allowed to watch: The Silence of the Lambs and Cape Fear. Both are considered some of the best horror films ever made, and as of late, I’ve been warming up to the genre. So, I watched The Silence of the Lambs a few years ago, and thought it was very good. Now, with a Cape Fear TV show on the 2026 TV schedule, I figured it was time to give the 1991 flick a chance. I gotta say, after watching it, I see why my mom told me not to.

Robert De Niro’s Max Creeping Around Is So Genuinely Terrifying

From essentially the jump, I was creeped out by Robert De Niro’s Max Cady. Just seeing him stare at people from afar gave me the heebie-jeebies. In real life, I’m constantly worried about bad people who could potentially appear, and that’s literally all Max does in this movie. So, I was watching a massive fear of mine unfold for two hours straight.

Max is out for revenge, and he got it in the most disturbing and unsettling way possible. He also wanted to torment this family and drive them to insanity. So, it wasn’t like his acts of revenge were quick and violent. No, they were evil, drawn out and calculated. And as they accumulated on top of each other, the reality of this situation became even more terrifying.

I think that’s what’s so great about this Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese collaboration. The actor is giving the creepy performance of his life, and his actions build on themselves to create a story about a family being driven truly mad by this man.

The Way Max Treated Women In This Movie Made Me Never Want To Watch It Again

Overall, what really scared me in Cape Fear was how badly the women were treated. As a young woman, it was terrifying to see them be manipulated and tortured.

Sadly, I don’t think I’ll ever forget the scene where Max literally bit part of a woman’s face off. I was also so disgusted watching him kiss Juliette Lewis’ Danielle at the high school theater that I had to look away from my screen.

While Nick Nolte’s Sam was tormented and abused by Max, there’s no question that his wife and daughter got the worst of it. Throughout the movie, Max uses the women close to Sam to torment him. It’s diabolical, disgusting, and outright disturbing. It scared the living daylights out of me, honestly, and it had me not wanting to leave my home alone after watching the film.

However, while it did terrify me, Cape Fear is also a very good movie; there’s no denying that.

So, as the show approaches, I’m mentally preparing to be traumatized. To be clear, I mean that as a compliment. Cape Fear is brilliantly unsettling, and I want Javier Bardem’s take on Max to be frightening like De Niro was. So, you best believe I’ll be tuning in on June 5 with my Apple TV subscription. However, in the same breath, I also think it’s worth noting that I won’t be rewatching 1991’s Cape Fear anytime soon, because my mom was right, it’s terrifying.

Taxi Driver, Martin Scorsese’s masterpiece starring Robert De Niro and Jodi Foster, is generally considered not just among the best films of the 1970s, but also of all time. The movie was released in February 1976 and doesn’t feel dated at all. In fact, it’s even more stressful today than ever given the current political environment. There is nothing partisan about my feelings, either.

Political Violence Horrifies Me

Political violence, by anyone and against anyone, regardless of beliefs, is abhorrent to me. While there is a lot of violence in Taxi Driver, the threat of an assassination by Travis Bickle (De Niro) of presidential candidate Charles Palantine (Leonard Harris) is easily the part of the movie that was hardest to watch this time. That scene is so well composed, and the tension is on such a level that I actually had to pause the movie after it to take a breath. And this is a movie I’ve seen multiple times over the years; it just hit differently this time.

Bickle is a lost soul, of course, and his descent into madness is what makes Taxi Driver, and De Niro’s performance in it, so memorable. That much I already knew. The ambiguity of Bickle’s fate is something we’re all left to ponder, and many of us have been doing just that for half a century or so. For years, the scene at the rally when the Secret Service gets wise to Bickle was just one piece of the puzzle, and, honestly, not the most disturbing one for me in the past. With this watch, it was the most salient and scary.

Why Bickle’s Alienation Scares Me

Whatever causes Bickle’s alienation, whether it’s his time in the military (even if he might not have served in Vietnam), his growing racism and disgust of New York City, or mental illness, it doesn’t matter. What scares me is that kind of alienation is still very much a part of society, and who knows, maybe it always has been and always will be. In my opinion, though, it’s only been made more acute with modern times for a whole host of reasons, from social media siloing to pandemic loneliness.

Bickle is a hero to some, an antihero to others, but to me, he’s just a villain. He’s a villain like every other person who thinks it’s up to them to solve the complicated problems of the world by using violence to get their point across. Violence is never the answer, and while I understand that sometimes force must be met with force, I fully subscribe to the idea that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, and no one wins.

I will admit, I did not think that this latest viewing of Taxi Driver would stress me out. I went into it, like I’ve gone into all of the movies from 1976 that I’ve been watching this year, as I celebrate that incredible year in cinema, expecting to enjoy rewatching a classic. I came out of it more stressed than ever.

When it comes to comedies being released as part of 2026 movie schedule, one of the most exciting titles is Focker-In-Law a.k.a the fourth Meet The Parents movie. The sequel will not only reunite Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro in their hilarious roles of Greg Focker and Jack Byrnes, respectively. Ariana Grande is now in the mix as the latest in-law-to-be. Per Stiller, Grande and De Niro together will be a particular highlight of the film.

Ben Stiller offered up some new details about the upcoming movie, which wrapped filming back in October. Check out what he had to say:

The 82-year-old actor is, of course, one of the most iconic Hollywood actors, who’s known for starring in acclaimed dramas like Taxi Driver and The Irishman. However, he's also proven to be a rather gifted comedic actor, particularly in the Meet The Parents movies. During his recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Stiller had a lot of sweet things to say about De Niro, but I'm particularly pumped that the Oscar winner is going to get some sweet screen time with Grande’s character.

Per what we know about Focker-In-Law, Stiller decided to make the sequel much because he’s now the age De Niro’s character was in the original 2000 film, and thought it would be fun to return to the franchise to see Greg Focker dealing with his own kid bringing home his future wife. While we’d expect Greg to have a similar reaction that Jack did to his son’s fiancée, it sounds like Jack and Grande’s character, Olivia, will get along just swimmingly.

It’s the perfect setup, isn’t it? Greg might think he can finally bond with his father-in-law on the very thing that brought them at odds years ago, but it sounds like him being “stuck on the outside” again will mean that Jack will be all in on Olivia.

Grande previously said being on Focker-In-Law was actually more physically taxing than the Wicked movies, because she plays a triathlete, who’s kind of obsessed with exercise. She teased that she spent all day “doing burpees and high knees with Robert De Niro.” The detail definitely seems to prove further that Jack and Olivia will be buddies if they are even working out together! I can’t wait to see this chemistry unfold on the big screen, as it sounds like it will be comedic gold.

Along with Grande joining the cast and the return of Stiller/De Niro, other returning cast members are Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner and Teri Polo. Superman’s Skyler Gisondo will play Greg and Pam’s son, Henry Focker and Beanie Feldstein and Eduardo Franco are also part of the cast. Rumors have also swirled about Barbra Streisand possibly returning as Greg’s mom, though that remains to be seen. In any case, fans can see Grande and De Niro chop it up on the big screen when Focker-In-Law hits theaters on November 25 later this year.

When George Lucas decided to move forward and produce the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, it was one of the biggest cinematic undertakings we’d ever seen. The three movies had a massive amount of hype that has rarely been matched since. So many people wanted to know what was going on on the set, and that apparently included Robert De Niro.

In a video posted of Hayden Christensen appearing at Fan Expo New Orleans, the Anakin Skywalker actor talks about the process of filming the final lightsaber battle with Ewan McGregor in Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith. Apparently during the long process, which took over a week to film, according to the actor, De Niro stopped by to see what his friend George Lucas was up to. Christensen said…

Robert De Niro isn’t necessarily a name I would expect on a Star Wars movie set, but one can imagine Hayden Christensen and Ewan McGregor freaking out a little when one of the biggest movie stars ever happened to show up. Christensen says he’s a big fan, so the moment was an especially big deal.

However, the moment became even more special after a brief exchange between the two. Christensen revealed that he was in the habit of doing pushups before takes for the fight scene in order to get the proper physical feeling for the scene. This got the seal of approval from De Niro. The Anakin actor continued…

The tradition of big names visiting Star Wars sets would continue long after the Prequel Trilogy. Several celebrities ended up with cameos as stormtroopers during the Sequel Trilogy after visiting the production. More recently, director Shawn Levy revealed that Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise both visited the set of Star Wars: Starfighter.

While the reaction to the Prequel Trilogy was mixed at best when the movies were released, the films have been reevaluated in recent years, which is part of the reason fans have been so excited to see Hayden Christensen return to the franchise in Disney+ series like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka.

Robert De Niro has been professionally acting for over 60 years, but it was in the mid-1970s that he started becoming the household name we know him as today. After impressing in 1973’s Mean Streets and 1974’s The Godfather Part II, the latter of which netted him an Academy Award, 1976 brought Taxi Driver, where he played the Oscar-nominated role of Travis Bickle. De Niro starred opposite an adolescent Jodie Foster in his second collaboration with director Martin Scorsese, but I just learned that the she thought the elder actor was “really uninteresting” when they were working together.

Foster herself revealed this while speaking at the Marrakech Film Festival (via Variety) after receiving a tribute award. After sharing how Robert De Niro “took me under his wing” during Taxi Driver and ran lines with her at coffee shops. However, because he was taking a Method approach with playing Travis, the mentally unhinged Vietnam War veteran (or is he?)-turned-cab driver, Foster actually found him to be boring during this time, saying:

Remember, Jodie Foster was just 12 years old during Taxi Driver’s summer 1975 shoot, so it’s understandable why she would have felt that way about Robert De Niro during this period. Even though she was clued in on him going Method at the time rather than being informed about it after the fact, like she said, Travis Bickle isn’t exactly the most interesting person to hang out with. She wasn’t getting to know the real De Niro, so I probably would have been bored too during those lunches.

Fortunately for Jodie Foster, who starred as child prostitute Iris in Taxi Driver (one of the best ‘70s movies), eventually the two reached a “breakthrough” once Robert De Niro have her a better understanding of his acting preparation process. She continued:

I’m glad things turned around between the two actors, otherwise the rest of Taxi Driver’s principal photography would have been pretty awkward between Robert De Niro and Jodie Foster. I’d like to think that the latter reaching that “epiphany” helped her score her own Oscar nomination for performing Iris. Alas, it was Beatrice Straight who Best Supporting Actress for Network at the 49th Academy Awards ceremony, while De Niro lost out to Peter Finch in the Best Actor category from the same Sidney Lumet-directed movie.

If you’re inclined to stream Taxi Driver after reading about this portion of Jodie Foster’s filming experience, that can be done with an HBO Max subscription. That’s also where you can watch Foster’s turn as Liz Danvers in the most recent season of True Detective, while Robert De Niro will next be seen reprising Jack Byrrnes in Focker-In-Law when it opens November 25 on the 2026 movies schedule.

Ariana Grande is about to take the stage in one of the most anticipated movies on the 2025 movie schedule. Wicked: For Good, which is the second half of a massive musical undertaking, certainly had to be a lot of very exhausting work. It may be easy to assume that Grande's next film, Focker-in-Law, wouldn't be as strenuous. However, it seems the actress' next film has been almost as bad, if not worse.

In the latest Meet the Parents sequel, Grande plays a character named Olivia Jones, and details about how she figures into the story remain mostly under wraps. While appearing on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcasr, though, Grande -- who recently wrapped on Focker -- revealed that she did some pretty serious physical exercise for the new movie. That was because it’ was specifically required for the character she is playing. She explained...

All the choreography and dancing the Wicked movies required was almost certainly a lot for the stars of the films. However, some may assume that, considering Ariana Grande’s pop star career, she’s had some experience with such work that it wasn’t anything she wasn’t able to handle. It’s less clear if she does burpees regularly.

On top of that, can we take a second and be in awe of the fact that Grande worked out with 82-year-old Robert De Niro and, from the sound of it, was taking her to school? Given that De Niro referred to the star as "Olivia," though, it's possible that Grande was describing a scene from the film involving Jones and Jack Byrnes.

Most notably, Grande says her Focker-in-Law character is “a lot of things,” with one of them being a triathlete, and that there's apparently a lot of biking in the movie. It seems that, while Grande clearly isn’t out of shape, she’s had a bit of a time keeping up with both her co-stars, who seem to be in good shape.

That said, the "7 Rings" singer confirms that making Wicked was quite a physical experience. It wasn’t just the physicality of the performance, though. Grande says that the costuming also had its own struggles, because nearly every outfit she wore in the musical duology included a corset. Only one outfit provided relief, as Grande continued…

From serious clothing to serious workouts. Let it never be said that Ariana Grande isn’t willing to put the work in. But maybe she'll eventually land a movie that doesn’t require quite so much.

Wicked: For Good soars into theaters on November 21, while Focker-in-Law hits the 2026 movie schedule on November 25.

On December 15, 1995, Michael Mann gave the world one of the greatest heist films of all time and an amazing ‘90s movie that is still influencing pop culture with the release of Heat. Known as the first movie to feature Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in a scene together (they never appeared together in The Godfather Part II), this landmark action flick broke new ground for the genre and introduced audiences to some of the most iconic movie characters of all time.

With one of the biggest films of 1995 about to celebrate its 30th birthday, I’ve gone back and watched what I consider one of Mann’s crowning achievements (it’s a toss-up between this and Thief) to see how things hold up. Spoiler: this movie still rocks, still has the loudest shootout of all time, and still has one of the meanest movie villains of all time.

The Downtown L.A. Shootout Is Still The Best (And Loudest) In Cinematic History

Long before I watched Heat in all its nearly three-hour glory, I was introduced to the film’s iconic shootout in Downtown Los Angeles. Taking place after Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and his crew pull off one final bank robbery (and earn more than $12 million in the process), this legendary, lethal and loud-as-hell firefight between L.A.’s finest and a hardened crew of robbers is still the stuff of legend after all these years.

Michael Mann’s decision to use the audio of the blanks being shot on the streets and under the towers of Downtown Los Angeles is still the right call 30 years later, as it adds a level of realness, chaos and disorientation to the 10-plus-minute sequence. You don’t know where the bullets are being fired, where they’re going and who’s who in the intense exchange of gunfire. You’re just thrown into the middle of it, your heart jumping with each concussive blast. They don’t make em like this anymore.

It’s Also Crazy How Much Heat Inspired Both Cinema And Pop Culture

There’s no denying Heat’s place in pop culture, as Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic inspired all kinds of crime films, video games and other aspects of pop culture in the immediate fallout of its release and over the past 30 years. Look no further than movies like Den of Thieves and The Town (the Fenway shootout is up there with Heat’s gunfight), and you’ll see this film’s DNA running through them. Hell, the opening sequence from The Dark Knight is an extended love letter to this movie that even includes William Fichtner.

A little more than a decade after the film’s release, Grand Theft Auto IV took inspiration from the epic heist scene to create the beloved “Three Leaf Clover” mission, where you rob a bank. Five years later, Rockstar Games took their love of Heat and based pretty much an entire game on it with Grand Theft Auto V, which has a story centered around big heists. I mean, the list could go on and on, but you probably get the point by now.

Vincent And Neil Are Just Different Sides Of The Same Coin

Though they’re on opposite sides of the conflict throughout Heat, LAPD detective Vincent Hanna and hardened bank robber Neil McCauley are really just different sides of the same coin. Sure, one guy is a criminal and the other hunts criminals, but their personalities aren’t as different as they initially appear. Both have some serious personal issues when it comes to being vulnerable and communicative, both live by a set of rules they aren’t willing to break (to an extent), and they’re both what many would consider to be obsessive.

The famous diner scene, the first time Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared the screen, shows both this duality and dichotomy of their relationship and character dynamics at play. They go about their business in similar ways; it’s just that they want completely different things. That’s what makes their dynamic so great all these years later.

Before I move on, it’s also not lost on me that the criminal (the typical bad guy) is less unhinged than the man hunting him down. I just kind of wish Michael Mann hadn’t cut that wild scene involving Vincent and cocaine.

Neil Would Have Survived Had He Not Broken His Own Code

In the famous diner scene, Neil McCauley says, “Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.” This famous line, from which the movie’s name is drawn, perfectly explains the prolific bank robber’s personal code and highlights how he’s been able to stay alive despite so many close calls. Everyone needs a code, right? Well, as long as they live by them.

Here’s the thing: Neil ended up breaking his own code. Instead of living by it, he died because he strayed from it when he went back to kill Waingro (Kevin Gage) after pretty much getting away from the downtown shootout. Instead of driving off into the sunset and counting his blessings, he went back to settle the score with his one-time accomplice and paid for it with his life.

However, Waingro Had It Coming

The line between good and bad is blurred for pretty much every character in Heat... well, except for Waingro. Introduced in the opening minutes of the movie as a new member of McCauley’s crew for the armored car robbery, Waingro immediately shows that he’s a force of pure evil and chaos by murdering a guard without reason or remorse. A killer, serial rapist and all-around terrible person, Waingro becomes a thorn in Neil’s side after escaping death early on.

Waingro has no redeemable qualities and can be seen as the Grim Reaper, as everything and everyone he touches dies in the end. While Neil probably should have kept going to LAX and gotten on the plane with his love interest, Eady (Amy Brenneman), to escape the City of Angels, I understand why he went back and killed Waingro. It cost him his life, but he did get retribution before breathing his final breath.

I know there are still a few weeks before the official 30th anniversary of Heat, but with a movie like this, it’s never too early to celebrate!

I don't know what it is, but if you were around during the ‘90s, then Robert De Niro and Al Pacino were ostensibly linked. Perhaps it was the fact that they both starred in one of Francis Ford Coppola's best films, The Godfather Part II back in the ‘70s.

Or maybe it was that they both starred in numerous gangster films, with Pacino famously connected to one of the coolest ones, Scarface, and De Niro, of course, starring in multiple Scorsese gangster flicks, like Casino and Goodfellas. But, whatever the reason, when you think of De Niro, you likely also think of Pacino, and vice versa (again, that’s if you were around during the ‘90s).

Speaking of the '90s, both actors had a really interesting decade. But, whose was better? Well, you're about to find out.

Robert De Niro Made Far More Films In The '90s Than Pacino

Do you know how many movies Robert De Niro made in the ‘90s? Twenty-five. Yes, you heard that right. Of those films, I’d say the REALLY big ones were Goodfellas, Backdraft, Cape Fear, Casino, Heat, The Fan, and Analyze This. Of the medium-sized (and probably more importantly, respected) movies, I’d say Awakenings, This Boy’s Life, A Bronx Tale, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Wag the Dog, Sleepers, Jackie Brown, and Ronin.

That is a LOT of movies, and noteworthy ones at that. All counting, I’d say De Niro was in 15 meaty roles, with many of them still being talked about today (Most notably in Goodfellas, which is definitely one of the best movies of the 1990s). However, I did say he was in 25 films, and many of them you might not have heard of before. Here are just a few of them: Stanley & Iris, Mistress, Night and the City, Mad Dog and Glory, Cop Land, and Flawless, just to name a few.

Now, I’m not saying that these other movies aren’t good (I especially love Cop Land), but sometimes an actor can be in too many films, and you start to wonder how big of a role they actually played in all of them.

For example, yes, he is in Goodfellas, but is he the first person you think of, or is it Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta? Yes, De Niro’s in one of my favorite Tarantino movies, Jackie Brown, but is he the lead, or supporting cast? These are all important questions to ask when considering who had the better decade!

That Said, Pacino Might Have Had More To Do In This Same Time Period

Okay, so let’s look at Pacino’s ‘90s now, shall we? When it comes to films, he was in 14. That said, I’d say that they were probably meatier roles than De Niro’s for the most part. For example, of the big movies, Pacino starred in The Godfather Part III, Scent of a Woman, Carlito’s Way, Heat, Donnie Brasco, The Devil’s Advocate, The Insider, and Any Given Sunday. For smaller roles, he was in Dick Tracy, Glengarry Glen Ross, and City Hall.

However, it doesn’t stop with film, because unlike De Niro, Pacino also did some theater in the ‘90s, such as Chinese Coffee, Salome, and the Eugene O’Neill play, Hughie, which he also directed. Not only that, but he also did documentaries (De Niro did one in the ‘90s, that being narration for Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth) such as Madonna: Truth or Dare, and Looking for Richard (which Pacino also wrote and directed).

I think this is important, because it shows that Pacino branched out more than De Niro in the ‘90s, as the latter stayed mostly in front of a camera. That said, was The Godfather Part III anywhere near as impactful as Goodfellas, or even Casino (which I still don't think gets enough credit)? Of course not. But, Pacino carried that film. Inversely, Pesci did a lot of the legwork in those aforementioned De Niro movies.

Which is a salient point. Because besides Cape Fear and Ronin, I feel like De Niro was more of a supporting actor in the ‘90s. A damn strong one, sure, but more supporting than leading. Not so with Pacino. He led in most appearances.

De Niro Made His Directorial Debut In The '90s

Here's a big one. De Niro beat Pacino to the director's seat by a few years, as A Bronx Tale, which was De Niro's directorial debut, came out in 1993, whereas Pacino's directorial debut (if we’re talking featuring length films and not documentaries) was 2000’s Chinese Coffee, which was based off of a two character, one-act play that he starred in back in 1992.

However, Chinese Coffee is rather small in scope, which I assume is similar to the play (I’ve never seen it). A Bronx Tale, on the other hand, is very ambitious in scope, and it feels like the work of somebody who has been in the director’s seat for years.

Also based on a play (this one a one-man show written and performed by Chazz Palminteri, who plays mob boss, Sonny, in the movie), A Bronx Tale is about a teenager named Calogero (Lillo Brancato Jr.) who becomes enamored with a life of crime, but also wants to do better because of his hard-working father, played by De Niro himself. There’s also racial tensions between Black people and Italians in the story, and it’s a pretty potent film.

And, the story broadened years later when it was turned into a Broadway musical. Now, the musical is based more on the original play, but De Niro co-directed the Broadway show in the 2010s, and it’s almost like it’s the story that keeps on giving for him, so there’s that as well. That said…

Pacino Won Best Actor In The '90s

Not too long ago, I wrote about how I thought Scorsese's best decade was the ‘80s, and I'd say the same for De Niro. That was the decade when he won his Best Actor Academy Award for Raging Bull, and also the decade he starred in one of my favorite Scorsese movies, The King of Comedy.

It's also the decade where he was in three of my favorite De Niro movies, those being Brazil, Once Upon a Time in America, and The Mission. All of this is to say that I think De Niro had a stronger ‘80s than ‘90s, even though he did substantially fewer films.

So, he didn't win any Best Actor Awards in the ‘90s. But, do you know who did? Al Pacino for 1992's Scent of a Woman, which is about a blind, retired Lt. Col. who bonds with a preparatory school student (Chris O'Donnell) over the holidays.

I'm going to be honest with you. I don't even like Scent of a Woman. When Elaine from Seinfeld makes fun of it (“Hoo-ah”), you know you've lost. That said, Pacino DID win Best Actor for his performance, which is a crowning achievement for any actor. So…

I Guess It All Comes Down To Heat

You knew it would come down to this, right? Pacino and De Niro have appeared in four films together (The Godfather Part II, Heat, Righteous Kill, and The Irishman), but 1995's Heat is arguably the most memorable, and mostly because Pacino and De Niro are in direct opposition with one another.

De Niro plays a master criminal, while Pacino plays a police detective, and the question is, who's cooler in the movie?

Well, as great as Pacino's character is, I have to give it to De Niro as Neil McCauley. It's probably his coolest character of all time, and for that reason, I'm giving the ‘90s to him.

What do you think? Would you give it to Pacino? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Who is the best living actor? If one were to ask that question to a room of 100 people, there's a chance that you could get 100 different answers, as the world is populated with not only a great number of brilliant performers, but also a great number of takes on what it means for an actor to be "the best." For Spike Lee, however, there is really only one correct response to the query, and it's Denzel Washington – though he knows that friend and filmmaking colleague Martin Scorsese would disagree.

The legendary director of Do The Right Thing made his thoughts on the matter known recently in an interview with Vulture, having just had the chance to work with the Oscar-winner actor on his new drama Highest 2 Lowest. On the subject of Denzel Washington's potential nearing retirement, Lee was asked if he felt that their latest collaboration serves as "a fitting potential capstone" to their many years of working together, an he explained his grander thoughts about their partnership:

To be totally fair, Marlon Brando has been out of the "greatest living actor" conversation since he passed away in 2004... but the debate of Denzel Washington versus Robert De Niro for the title is a hefty one. Both have spent decades unleashing some of the best performances of all time in some of the most incredible movies of all time – with features directed by both Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese on the list. Perhaps what is needed to provide a proper answer to the matter is for De Niro to make a movie with Lee and for Washington to make a movie with Scorsese (it's actually kind of crazy that neither collaboration has ever happened).

As referenced by Lee, it was back in 1990 that he first had the chance to work with Denzel Washington, as the star played trumpeter Bleek Gilliam in the drama Mo' Better Blues. What is arguably their greatest collaboration came next, with Washington playing the eponymous role in 1992's Malcolm X, and the power of He Got Game in 1998 and the awesomness of 2006's Inside Man followed.

It's been nearly two decades since Spike Lee and Denzel Washington worked together, but their latest is in theaters now. Highest 2 Lowest is a reimagining of the great Akira Kurosawa classic High And Low that sees Washington play David King – a legendary music producer facing a powerful moral conundrum. After a kidnapper abducts the son of his employee/closest confidant (Jeffrey Wright) thinking that it's King's child, he must make the decision to mortgage his own family's future to pay the ransom.

Washington's work in the movie really only furthers Spike Lee's argument – and if you can't presently see the film in a theater near you, know that it will be streaming soon. Those with an Apple TV+ subscription will find Highest 2 Lowest available from the service starting on September 5.

I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro are coming back for another Meet the Parents sequel, an upcoming 2026 movie with an on-brand title of Focker in Law. With the franchise back in the spotlight once again, I’ve been thinking a lot about the iconic 2000s movie that started it all 25 years ago this October. I’ve been thinking about the funniest scenes, that legendary movie cat (Mr. Jinx), and how much I love this movie.

I’ve also been thinking about all those great characters, as well as the franchise’s worst: Pamela Byrnes-Focker (Teri Polo). Before you get all worked up, I don’t have a problem with Polo’s performance or anything like that. However, I can’t sit here and act like Pam’s anything but the worst. Hear me out…

Pam Byrnes Is One Of The Least Supportive Girlfriends And Worst Communicators

There have been a lot of rotten boyfriends and girlfriends in movies (especially comedies like this) over the years, and I’d totally put Pam Byrnes on that list. Throughout Meet the Parents, she’s not very supportive of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and is hands-down the worst communicator in the whole movie. She doesn’t tell her overbearing and intense-as-all-hell father, Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro), that she and Greg are living together, doesn’t tell Greg that he’s so freaking high-strung, and doesn’t fill in a lot of gaps.

I mean, just look at the section where they go to Kevin Rawley’s (Owen Wilson) house. Pam doesn’t tell Greg that they’re going to her ex-fiancé’s house until they get out of their cars in the driveway, setting up a disastrous afternoon. Sure, it leads to some hilarious and painfully awkward moments I still laugh about, but yeesh. It’s just one thing about this movie that hasn’t aged well.

I Know It's A Comedy, But She Totally Set Greg Up For Failure In Meet The Parents

I know, Greg Focker being a fish out of water in the Byrnes home and their way of life totally makes Meet the Parents such a funny movie, but she’s setting up her boyfriend and soon-to-be fiancé up for failure from the jump. She does have his back in the end when she gets Greg’s MCAT scores and shows her parents he was in the 97th percentile, but honestly, it’s too little too late.

Greg is a prickly dude, I’ll admit that, but he had no one on his side and no one supporting him throughout the whole weekend. I’m not saying Pam standing by him would have prevented the Mr. Jinx incident or the backyard pool flood or the big fire, but you know what I mean.

Even Watching As A Kid, I Thought, 'What Gives, Pam?'

I saw Meet the Parents at my best friend’s 12th birthday, and I remember thinking “what gives, Pam?” whenever everything was going down. I knew nothing about love, relationships, or adulting at the time (I’m still iffy on most aspects), but I knew that I didn’t like what she did to Greg during his downward spiral and fall from grace. Again, I didn’t think then, and I don’t think now that her being 100% supportive would have made Jack less of a psychopath, but some support would be nice.

It’s not like Pam Byrnes killed anyone or left Greg behind and became some cult leader, but her lack of communication, unwillingness to get her boyfriend's back, and fear of her admittedly crazy dad is just something I can’t get past.

Some of the most enduring stars got their starts more than six decades ago, and they are still going strong today. Stars like Harrison Ford, Dame Judi Dench, Jeff Bridges, and even Jodie Foster have been acting their whole lives, and their amazing careers will live on forever. Here is our list of amazing actors who started in the 1960s and are still working today.

Robert Duvall

After cutting his teeth with some television appearances starting in 1959, Robert Duvall made one of the most memorable film debuts of all time as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall hasn't stopped stealing scenes in the 60+ years since. He's starred in some of the greatest movies ever, like The Godfather, and won an Oscar for Tender Mercies. His most recent credit is The Pale Blue Eye from 2022.

Sally Field

Sally Field is truly America's sweetheart. Her breakout role came on the classic TV show Gidget, and she's starred in some legendary movies and TV shows ever since. With roles in movies as diverse as Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, and Fried Green Tomatoes, Field has proven she can handle any role she takes on.

Clint Eastwood

There are no bigger legends in Hollywood history than Clint Eastwood. Not much has been said here. His career started in earnest with Spaghetti Westerns, and he's been directing and starring in movies ever since.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Henry Fonda, so it's no surprise that she started her career at a young age. Her first credit goes all the way back to 16960's Tall Story, and she's still starring in movies today, like 2023's 80 for Brady.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's career really didn't take off on screen until the 1980s (though he had plenty of credits in the '70s, too). He started mostly on stage in the 1960s and kept his focus there until landing a TV gig in 1971 on PBS's The Electric Company. Today, he remains one of America's most beloved stars.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine made her film debut way back in 1955 and by the 1960s was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her star has never dimmed in the decades since, either, with memorable roles in Downton Abbey and the live-action The Little Mermaid in 2018.

Dustin Hoffman

When you burst onto the scene in a movie like The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman did in 1967, it's pretty much a guarantee you're going to be a star. In the 60 years since that seminal movie, Hoffman has won countless awards and starred in everything from comedies like Tootsie to dramas like Rain Man, getting nominated for Oscars for both (and winning his second for the latter).

Faye Dunaway

If you look at a list of the best movies of all time, you'll notice Faye Dunaway in the credits of many of them. Starting with Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, right up until the 2020s. She took a small hiatus in the teens, but has been back working regularly since.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell's career started when he was just a kid, often starring in Disney projects. It's even Hollywood folklore that Walt Disney's last words were when he scrawled Russell's name on a piece of paper. Though there is no way to know when the note was written. Still, for the better part of seven decades, Kurt Russell has been a Hollywood superstar.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (you know they are important when they get a title like "Dame") started in film in 1966, and that was after having already started acting professionally on stage in the UK. She's never stopped, including starring in the recent hit MobLand on Paramount+

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins' first credited film role came in the Shakespeare adaptation The Lion in Winter in 1968 alongside Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. He's since become one of the most beloved actors of his generation and has won countless awards and accolades.

Jodie Foster

If you look at Jodie Foster's credits, you might think she started in the 1970s as a teenager, but she was starring in commercials as far back as 1967 when she was just three years old.

Jeff Bridges

When you have a legend for a father like Jeff Bridges with Lloyd Bridges, its not hard to understand how he got his start so young. His amazing career in the decades since can only be credited to his immense talent, charm, and charisma on and off screen. And that's not, like, my opinion, man, it's a fact.

Rita Moreno

Puerto Rican superstar Rita Moreno can do it all. She can act, she can sing, and she can dance, and she's been dancing into our hearts since she first way back in 1950! For those of you counting, that's EIGHT decades of excellence.

Judi Dench

Like Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench started in the theater, especially doing Shakespeare plays. Her first professional stage credits date back to 1957, and right up through the 2020s, she's been a favorite of millions. One of the best actors of her generation, it's crazy she's only won one Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love).

Harrison Ford

The first thing you might think of when you think of Harrison Ford is Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It's true that it was those movies in the late '70s and early '80s that made him a superstar, but his career started humbly with roles in movies like A Time for Killing and Luv in 1967.

Sophia Loren

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has been a star in Europe and the United States. She started in her native Italy in 1950 before coming Stateside in 1958 when she signed on to star in movies for Paramount. Before long, she was a superstar on both sides of the pond.

Warren Beatty

Like his co-star in Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty has been a star in Hollywood for decades. He's also been discerning in the roles he's taken over the years, so he doesn't have a long list of credits like most of the people on this list. That's not because his star dimmed. He's just particular, and that is something we all strive for.

Barbra Streisand

What can we really say about Barbra Streisand? She's a legendary singer and actor, and she's equally well-known for both. There are few stars as enduring and amazing as "Babs."

Robert Redford

Though he is officially retired now, Robert Redford is still one of the biggest Hollywood stars today (and ever). His career started with early roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, and by the time he hung up his cleats, so to speak, the star of The Natural was one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Blythe Danner

Like many on this list, Blythe Danner started her professional career on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 1960s. Her first movie credit came in 1972, but by then, she was a seasoned pro. She may be best known as the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow these days, but that is selling her way short, as she's been an award-winning actress for decades.

Al Pacino

Famously, Al Pacino entered the American consciousness in 1972's The Godfather, but he'd been working for a few years at that point, mostly on stage. His film debut was in Me, Natalie, alongside Sopranos cast member Nancy Marchand. He has been widely considered one of the best actors of his generation ever since.

Ellen Burstyn

Though her breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with The Last Picture Show, Ellen Burstyn had been picking up small roles on TV shows for years at that point. She has since gone on to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Not too shabby.

Robert De Niro

When you ask someone who the best actor of the last 60 years is, there is a decent chance Robert De Niro will be the name that comes out of their mouth. For many, many decades, De Niro has been stealing scenes and working his tail off to be the best actor he can be. He's gained weight for roles, dropped weight for others, and gotten completely cut for still others. All the while delivering his trademark charm and skills.

Cher

If you could turn back time and you were taking bets in the 1960s that Cher would still be one of the biggest stars in the world in the 2020s, you would probably get pretty good odds that she wouldn't be. She's proven everyone wrong, winning an Oscar for Moonstruck and continuing to wow audiences with her concerts.

Martin Sheen

It's hard to say just what role Martin Sheen will be best remembered for long after he's gone. Will it be Jeb Bartlett on The West Wing? Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now? Carl Fox in Wall Street? Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg? What is for sure is that Sheen, who landed his first movie role in 1967, will be remembered fondly by millions of fans.

Vanessa Redgrave

English actress Vanessa Redgrave got her star in period pieces like A Man For All Seasons and Camelot in the 1960s. She parlayed that into a decades-long career that is still going, including a role in Cold Storage in 2025.

Ian McKellen

For modern generations, Ian McKellen is known for his roles as Gandalf the Grey and Magneto, but his career is so, so much more. One of the great Shakespearean actors of the last 60 years, he's been starring on stage and screen since the mid-'60s.

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen found her biggest fame in the 1990s with Murphy Brown, but her career started way back in 1966 in the Sidney Lumet film The Group. She was a model before that, and has turned in role after beloved role on TV and in films.

Ron Howard

These days, Ron Howard is pretty much sticking just to directing, and he's an ace director to be sure. He famously started his Hollywood career as a kid in the 1950s and became a child star in the '60s as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred in Happy Days, before getting behind the camera and becoming one of the great directors of his time.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn first became a household name in 1968 when she starred in Laugh-In. She's been a star ever since, including starring in a slew of box office hits in the '70s and '80s. There is no question she is one of the funniest actors of her generation, and now she's also the mother to some big stars, too, in Wyatt Russell and Kate Hudson. Not a bad legacy to leave.

Patrick Stewart

Like others on this list, Patrick Stewart will be best known for roles that came in the second half of his career, like Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in The X-Men series. Of course, his career is much more than those two roles. It's a career that started in TV in the '60s on British shows like Coronation Street and Civilisation.

Back in the fall of 2015, my wife and I went to see The Intern, the most recent (that’s still the case) movie from Nancy Meyers, the director behind some of the best ‘90s movies as well as some all-time great rom-coms. Though I thoroughly enjoyed the movie starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway, there was something that made me irrationally angry about it. It’s nothing major and doesn’t really ruin the movie for me, it’s just a little sticking point that I remember then forget again.

The Intern recently became available to stream with a Netflix subscription, and the comedy focusing on aging in a meaningful way quickly started trending again, so I started thinking about that one little complaint all over again, like it’s 2015 and I’m experiencing it for the first time. Allow me to explain…

I Enjoy The Intern, But Nancy Meyers' Portrayal Of Millennial Men Is Absurd

By now, you probably know the basic gist of The Intern – a retired widower is hired as part of an internship program at the offices of a successful up-and-coming online clothing retailer – and what happens throughout the movie. Though I like just about everything about Robert De Niro’s Ben Whittaker and Anne Hathaway’s Jules Ostin, there’s one thing I don’t like, and that’s the way Nancy Meyers portrays Millennial men.

Throughout the movie, pretty much every male character besides Ben is either portrayed as fumbling manboys like the various other interns and junior-level employees or unfaithful partners who don’t know how to properly communicate their feelings, like Jules’ husband (played by Anders Holm). I get it, today’s men (or at least in 2015) aren’t the same as they were 50 years ago, but this “one size fits all” approach to portraying an entire generation is absurd and out of touch.

Yeah, We Don't Dress Or Act Like Robert De Niro's Generation, But We're Not Hapless

There’s a scene in The Intern that drives me up a wall and makes my skin crawl to the point where I’m a walking skeleton. During an afterwork get together (it’s featured in the movie’s trailer from way back when) where Jules, speaking to Ben and a group of younger male employees, says: “How, in one generation, have men gone from guys like Jack Nicholson and Harrison Ford to…” while looking at one of the millennial guys. That sounds like something I’d hear from one of my distant relatives in the middle of a Facebook rant, not from an Academy Award-winning actress in a major studio picture.

I get it, the younger characters in The Intern, who are supposed to be a general representation of the modern man who don’t dress or act as masculine as those from Ben’s generation, but times have changed. We’re not as hapless, irresponsible, or meek as the movie makes us out to be, and it’s just bonkers that this happened.

I know this all sounds utterly ridiculous, and the comedy of this gripe isn’t lost on me, but I can’t act like Nancy Meyers’ portrayal of young male characters in The Intern isn’t totally off base.

As fans await the release of the long-awaited family comedy sequel Freakier Friday, another star-studded fan-fave from the early 2000s, Meet the Parents, is once again spreading its franchise wings with a new entry. It’s been 25 years since the flagship film hit theaters, and 15 years since its lackluster second sequel Little Fockers hit #1 at the box office, and co-stars Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro revealed why they’re reuniting for even more cross-generational awkwardness.

During the Tribeca Festival’s 25th anniversary screening and Q&A for Meet the Parents (via Deadline), several cast members reunited with O.G. director Jay Roach to watch what remains one of Ben Stiller’s best movies with an audience for the first time in years. When the discussion turned to the future of Gary Focker’s family, Roach championed screenwriter John Hamburg (who will direct the fourth film) for finding a “great new predicament” to center the new movie around.

Stiller opened up about why the timing for the untitled project lined up so applicably with everyone’s real lives, saying:

Gotta love how Ben Stiller slid that A+ compliment in there about Teri Polo still looking the same age she was when the first film was produced.

To be sure, the new film won't be hitting the 2025 movie schedule, so it'll technically arrive 26 years after the original, but the way Stiller put it, it doesn't matter so much how much time passed by between the films, because the cast and creatives' kinetic spark still survives. As he put it:

For all that the "having a baby" concept was handled not-so-ideally with Little Fockers, it sounds like the latest look at this expanding family will be a reflection of the first film, with Gary and Pam now more or less in the same shoes that Jack and Dina filled for the O.G. comedy, though Gary is nowhere near as intimidating and uncomfortable as his father in law. So it'll be interesting to see how those expectations are flipped around.

Robert De Niro Wanted To Get Another Sequel Going Years Ago

It's been a full 15 years since Little Fockers came out, but if Robert De Niro initially had his way, fans might have already heard about and seen another franchise sequel come to life in the meantime. The esteemed actor revealed how he tried to talk others into keeping the train rolling years ago.

By all means, the Fockers could easily remain a Hollywood first family for many decades to come, assuming no one in the clan suddenly goes sterile due to some wildly cringe-worthy accident. Of course, I'm going to need Ben Stiller to work on those discussed Severance spinoff ideas before going back to the Fockers drawing board again.

The currently untitled sequel will be hitting the 2026 movie schedule on November 25, 2026, just in time to make the holiday season a Focker-filled delight.

Often considered one of the best heist films ever made, Michael Mann’s Heat is an absolute crime epic with everything you want in a movie: intense action sequences, a cast of Hollywood heavyweights, and so much style. Clocking in at nearly three hours in length, this all-time great ‘90s movie has become one of the most influential films since its release 30 years ago. And a lot of that love comes because of one scene in particular: the downtown Los Angeles shootout.

However, I recently realized that the best scene from Heat doesn’t involve high-caliber shootouts after an epic bank robbery, or any action at all. Instead, the best scene, the most consequential in the movie in my eyes, is a much more mellow yet poignant conversation. Let me explain…

For The Longest Time, Heat's Shootout Scene Was My Favorite Part Of The Movie

Make no mistake, the big shootout scene in Heat is one of the greatest action sequences ever caught on film. The intensity, drama, and deafening sound of gunfire in the middle of downtown Los Angeles create an unforgettable moment, and I totally see why it’s everyone’s favorite scene (and mine as well, for a very long time). Hell, for a lot of us, we saw this sequence multiple times before we ever sat through Michael Mann’s full epic.

There are shootouts before Heat, and there are those after. Everything from movies like The Town and The Dark Knight to cinematic video games like Grand Theft Auto and Max Payne has taken inspiration from this epic scene. When the movie is brought up, this is the sequence people are going to talk about nine times out of 10.

But On A Recent Watch, I Realized That The Movie's Best Scene Isn't About The Action

There’s a scene about 40 minutes into Heat where Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) finds Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer) sleeping on the floor of his oceanfront condo after going through some “husband and wife shit” with Charlene Shiherlis (Ashley Judd). Unlike the doomed heist that starts the film, or the major shootout that follows about an hour later, this relatively short scene has no shooting, no robbing, and no action. Instead, it’s all emotion, especially from the late actor.

Despondent, tired, confused, and caught between being a bank robber and a family man, Chris is going through it in this moment. After Neil tries to give him a speech about having no attachments and nothing he can’t drop in 30 seconds, his partner-in-crime responds with the movie’s best line: “For me, the sun rises and sets with her, man.”

Rewatching this scene, and fully taking in Kilmer’s understated performance, really resonated with me recently, and it completely changed the way I see his character, and the movie as a whole.

Chris Shiherlis' 'The Sun Rises And Sets With Her' Line Sets Up The Rest Of The Movie Perfectly

On its own, this little scene is a masterclass in acting, but when you look at it as part of the bigger picture the film is painting, it’s the stuff of wonder. See, Chris’ “The sun rises and sets with her” line perfectly sets up the rest of the film and is the initial spark that leads to Neil McCauley undergoing a massive change by the time the credits roll.

For years, I went back to Michael Cheritto’s (Tom Sizemore) “The action is the juice” quote as the defining line from the film. That rationale about the thrill and adrenaline rush of the heist being better than the reward is still great, but Chris’ more heartfelt explanation of his motivations is the real kicker. Shortly after this early-morning conversation, there’s a change in Neil, and he becomes less of a lone wolf as he starts a relationship with Eady (Amy Brenneman). Sure, this ultimately leads to Neil going against his code and getting killed, but the point still stands.

Honestly, this is the best part about rewatching one of your all-time favorite films for, like, the umpteenth time, as you start to notice little things that make it even better. And that was the case with Heat.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains some spoilers for Sinners. If you have not yet seen the film, A) what are you waiting for?!, and B) proceed at your own risk.

In the early decades of cinema, having a single actor play two different characters performing together in a single scene was a magical feat that blew the minds of audiences… but on a technical level, it has become pretty basic in modern Hollywood. Between visual effects, advanced editing procedures, and cameras that can be programmed to repeat precise movements in multiple takes, contemporary filmmaking has taken the shine off that particular apple.

What can still make dual performances stand out, however, is the caliber of the actor pulling double duty – and we’ve seen a fascinating array of them in the first four months of 2025 alone between Christian Convery and Theo James in Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey, Robert Pattinson in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, Robert De Niro in Barry Levinson’s Alto Knights, and Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. It’s been a bit odd to see all of these movies released in close proximity to one another, and each employs the cinematic trick differently, but along the titles, there is a standout that executes it best and a standout that executes it worst.

Michael B. Jordan Does A Spellbinding Job Bringing Smoke And Stack To Life In Sinners

As far as capturing a dual performance is concerned, Ryan Coogler flexes his filmmaking skills early in Sinners, with the very first scene between Michael B. Jordan’s twin brothers Smoke and Stack featuring a moment where one lights the other’s cigarette. There isn’t a drop of artifice to it (certainly no faint line down the middle of the screen that the characters never cross), and the work has you see the two men independently, wearing stylish, color-accented suits and waiting for the opportunity to close the real estate deal that is the first step towards achieving their dream. Our eyes tell us that we are watching two brothers, but it’s truly Jordan’s performance that maintains the illusion throughout the horror/crime epic.

A lot of movies that utilize a dual performance in their storytelling use it as an opportunity to showcase a star’s range. The same actor plays two characters who look alike but otherwise have wildly divergent personalities – and it’s often the case that they will be protagonist and antagonist (The Monkey presents a textbook example of this, with the shy, introverted Hal presented in contrast to the bullying, aggressive Bill). This is a significant part of what makes Michael B. Jordan’s work in Sinners stand apart, however. They aren’t a study of opposites; it’s a masterpiece of realistic subtlety.

Let’s quickly examine who Smoke and Stack are. Elijah and Elias Moore are twin brothers who grew up together in the Mississippi Delta and are forever bonded from the trauma of their abusive father. They found freedom from that horror together, and when they matured, they chose to move to Chicago together to find their fortune. Their lives are intertwined from birth, and through their shared experiences, they developed shared goals. This is not a story for twins who mature in extreme contrast.

But it’s not as though Michael B. Jordan is playing two incarnations of the same character. If I can loosely play on the significance of music in Sinners, they are variations on a theme. Every person is wired differently, looks at the world through different eyes, and has experiences that impact their filters and behavior. In a dependent relationship, one’s shortcomings can be compensated for by the other’s skill. The blue and red accents of the costuming by Ruth E. Carter give away how Smoke and Stack fit this reality. We see this best expressed in their romantic relationships: the former having his history with his estranged wife, Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), the tragic loss of their child permitting Jordan to add extra layers of emotional depth; and the latter carrying on a fiery affair with the once-spurned Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), which ultimately leads to his monstrous transformation.

Sinners presents an atypical version of the dual performance, and while I love what Christian Convery and Theo James do in The Monkey and how Robert Pattinson plays the various clones Mickey 17, Michael B. Jordan pulls off something special. And all of them are leagues better than what was attempted by all of the legendary talent behind the gangster film Alto Knights.

Only One Word Explains Why Robert De Niro Plays Both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese In Alto Knights, And That Word Is “Gimmick”

To be blunt, there is no real reason why Robert De Niro plays both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese in Alto Nights, and that does nothing to help the performance’s standing in this conversation. Unlike with The Monkey or Mickey 17 or Sinners, the characters are neither twins nor clones, and the real people on whom they are based have some shared features but are hardly identical. The filmmakers could have easily paired De Niro with another renowned actor from the gangster movie genre to amplify marketability, but they went with De Niro in a dual role as a hook. Or to use a more loaded, (very) purposefully negative term, a gimmick.

Without a natural justification for the double duty part, there is an onus put on the characterization and performance to make it make sense, and that test is failed. The personalities come down to “equanimity” versus “anger management issues,” and neither possesses any particular charisma or dynamism to remind audiences of what made De Niro a legend in the genre. This particularly becomes clear in scenes where Frank and Vito sit down in scenes together, which never feel like anything more than a cinematic trick with the actor in costume and makeup talking to himself.

It’s been strange to see high-profile dual performances at a rate of one per month in 2025 so far, but it has successfully showcased fascinating utility for storytelling and has exemplified the best and worst way to do things. I’m not sure how many more of these movies we’ll get in the rest of the year 2025, but I’ll certainly be hopeful that they will all be more Sinners than Alto Knights.

Everybody loves Goodfellas, right? In fact, when we ranked Martin Scorsese's best movies, we put it at number one. I mean, how could we not? It's almost universally accepted as Scorsese’s best film. Either that, or Raging Bull, or Taxi Driver. Honestly, it’s a three-way tie amongst those aforementioned movies.

And, I love Goodfellas! It’s a great movie. However…what if I were to tell you that I prefer Casino? Crazy, right? Sure. And if you think I have bad taste in movies, you wouldn’t be the first.

That said, Casino is not a bad movie at all! In fact, most would agree that it’s really good. It’s just not as good as Goodfellas. I have five reasons why I prefer it to one of Scorsese’s most popular films. Here’s why.

It's Rare That We Actually Get To See A Robert De Niro Character Sweat

Based on the nonfiction book, Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, Casino follows Robert De Niro as gambling expert Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a character loosely based on the real-life gangster Frank Rosenthal. He’s hired by the Chicago mob to oversee their casinos and make more money for them.

To protect their interests, the mob sends Sam’s longtime friend, Nicky (Played by Joe Pesci), to “protect” him. Sam is great at his job. In fact, one of my favorite moments in the movie is the gruesome “cheater’s justice” scene with the hammer.

However, Nicky’s a wildcard, and Sam doesn’t quite know how to handle him, especially when it turns out that Nicky is having an affair with his wife (Which I’ll get into later). Now, what I love about all of this is that De Niro is really playing against type. As a Jewish-American gambling handicapper in the film, he’s a bit of an outsider from the primarily Italian Mafia.

He’s tough, as he has to be for his job, but he’s also not Mafia tough. In fact, a lot of times, we get to see De Niro’s character sweat. It’s a big reason why I think this is one of Robert De Niro’s best movies, since I love seeing this actor, who is normally seen as unflappable, actually afraid for his life.

It’s a rarity we don’t get often, and I love seeing it in Casino. A terrifying Robert De Niro? I’ve seen that plenty of times. Just rewatch Cape Fear or most of the movies that he’s been in. But a scared Robert De Niro? Now that’s something we don’t get to see every day.

I Also Prefer Joe Pesci's Performance In Casino Over Goodfellas

One might argue that Joe Pesci is playing the exact same role in Casino that he played in Goodfellas (but lesser), and yeah, I can see that argument. In both performances, Pesci's character is in the Mafia, and in both movies, his character is reckless.

However, what makes me prefer Pesci's character as Nicky in Casino is his relationship to the protagonist, as Nicky and Sam have a history together.

One might say that they're friends, as they are in Goodfellas, but they are also at odds with one another when it comes to business, unlike Goodfellas. In both films, Pesci's character is a liability, but in Casino, that creates most of the tension.

This makes all the difference. And, I especially like how Pesci is at odds with De Niro, and in fact, has a sort of power over him for most of the film, which is different from Goodfellas. In that way, I consider this to be the superior Pesci performance, and that means a lot since he's one of the best parts of Goodfellas.

Sharon Stone's Performance Is So Potent In This film, And We Don't Have Something Like It In Goodfellas

Okay, now I know what you're going to say. What about The Sopranos’ star, Lorraine Bracco? She was excellent in Goodfellas as Henry's scorned wife. And, you know what? You're right! She is excellent in the movie (who can forget Henry waking up with a gun in his face?).

However, I think Sharon Stone’s character in Casino as Sam's wife (and former prostitute and con artist), Ginger, is even more potent and impactful, and mostly since she's not the kind of woman who would point a gun in her husband's face and not use it. No, no. She's the kind of woman who would sleep with her husband’s childhood friend and then ask him to kill her husband.

And yet, it's hard to hate her for it. Going into the marriage, she tells Sam straight out, “You don’t even know me,” and she even tries to talk him out of the proposal, even going so far as to tell him that she’s not in love with him. But, good old Sam pushes it, and for his trouble, he gets a wife who wants him dead.

In a lot of ways, Ginger is just as involved in Sam’s downfall as Pesci’s character (If not more so), and I really like that about her performance. She’s detestable, sure, but all of the characters in Casino are detestable, so she fits right in.

So, as much as I like Lorraine Bracco’s character in Goodfellas, I always view her as more of a victim; a willing victim, sure, but a victim, nonetheless. But Ginger is no victim. If anything, she’s an agent of chaos, and I love that about her.

I Like Casino's Setting Better Than Goodfellas

I like period pieces, especially ones set in the 1960s (Which is one of the reasons why I’m so looking forward to this upcoming Fantastic Four movie), and Goodfellas spans multiple decades, from the ‘60s to the ‘80s. I also like the New York and New Jersey setting. Being from Jersey myself, it’s nice seeing some of that local flavor, as I know all about places like JFK airport, and Upstate New York.

That said, since I’m from this area, movies set in this location, even as period pieces, just don’t do it for me. Like, I don’t find anything exotic or unique about Brooklyn, New York. That’s just where I get my annual steak at Peter Luger.

However, even though I’ve been to Vegas, it’s still a unique setting for me, as I only stayed on the strip and didn’t go out into the desert, which seems terrifying. In fact, the setting itself really feels like its own character in Casino, what with the darkness of the film and all the bright lights. I really love that juxtaposition, and I think it works in making this movie feel even more interesting than Goodfellas.

AS for the setting, and the deaths that occur, Pesci's death in Casino is scarier. His characters die in both movies, but which movie has the more terrifying death scene? Pesci getting whacked in some random room with a fish on the wall, or Pesci being brought to an Illinois cornfield, and being beaten by baseball bats, and then buried alive?

You might say, well, it’s the death itself that is more impactful, but don’t disregard that cornfield. It really leaves an impression on you, as do all of the settings in Casino, which I think are superior to Goodfellas. But–and this is the point that might get me in the most trouble–I have one other reason why I prefer Casino to Goodfellas.

Honestly, As Much As I Love Goodfellas, I Think It's A Tad Bit Overrated

I know everybody’s favorite gangster movie is either The Godfather or Goodfellas, but do you want to know my favorite gangster movie? It’s Scarface.

I only bring that up because I don’t have any allegiance to Goodfellas. In other words, I don’t have any skin in the game. Yeah, I love it, but it’s not my favorite gangster movie. In fact, I actually think it’s a tad bit overrated.

I say this because I often see it on a lot of “Best movies of all time” lists (For example, IMDb users have placed it at number 17 on their list of the Top 250 movies). And, while I love Goodfellas, I wouldn’t put it in my Top 20. Hell, I wouldn't even put it in my Top 50.

So, even though I think Goodfellas is one of Scorsese’s best movies, I wouldn’t put it above films like Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, or especially Casino. In fact, I wouldn’t even put it above Scorsese’s hidden gem, After Hours. Because while I love Goodfellas, I don’t love love it.

I do love love Casino.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

With a career that goes back seven decades, Robert De Niro has made an impact on just about every genre, but he’ll always be viewed as a legend from gangster films. From The Godfather Part II to Once Upon A Time In America to The Untouchables to Goodfellas and more, he is a star who has an outsized impact on the history of organized impact in cinema, and it’s an unignorable aspect of his oeuvre.

If this reflection feels familiar, it’s because it’s one movie-lovers analyzed a great deal relatively recently around the release of Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. In 2019, the film ended up being worthy of the legacy talk, as it’s an epic on a tier with De Niro’s best – but six years later, Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights feels like a drop of poison in the well. You don’t want to think about the actor’s history in the genre in concert with it because it has no positive contributions.

On top of Robert De Niro starring in a new gangster movie, the gimmick here is that the star plays dual roles, but the fact that this ends up being a very badly executed gimmick is only part of the film’s problems. Constantly dumping out exposition and the story dragging at a snail’s pace, the narrative lacks even the most remote concept of energy and never delivers a single satisfying sequence (despite coming from two filmmaking greats in Levinson and screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi). Practically every scene drags out two minutes longer than necessary, the dialogue so stilted and empty that it feels like bad improv, and while it occasionally tricks you into thinking something interesting is coming around the corner, nothing of the sort ever materializes.

Robert De Niro plays both Frank Costello and Vito Genovese – major New York City crime figures through the middle decades of the 20^th century. While the two men grew up together and long see each other as best friends, their dynamic changes when Vito flees the country to avoid criminal charges and leaves his criminal enterprise in Frank’s hands to control.

Everything in the underworld is running smoothly thanks to Frank’s leadership, but when Vito returns to the United States, the edgy, quick-tempered gangster not only wants his power back, but he wants to introduce hard drugs into the business. Amenable, Frank cedes some power, but their conflict continues to escalate – heat added by government investigations into organized crime – until the point where Vito puts out a hit on his childhood pal that ends up being botched.

In a year full of dual performances, Robert De Niro seriously underwhelms.

Between Robert De Niro in The Alto Knights, Theo James in The Monkey, Robert Pattinson in Mickey 17, and Michael B. Jordan in the upcoming Sinners, audiences are seeing a lot of dual performances on the big screen in the first half of 2025. De Niro’s turn will not be remembered as a highlight of the trend.

Part of the problem is the general approach; unlike all of the other movies mentioned above, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese are not brothers or twins or clones, and as independent people, there is not enough distinguishing them to make the dual performance interesting. Vito is a hothead and wears dark glasses everywhere, and Frank is more relaxed and has a bit more hair. That’s pretty much the full extent of it. Mostly, you’re just actively aware of De Niro trying to pull off a dual performance and the job not getting done.

The forced scenes where the two characters interact one-on-one are wholly unreal – and not just because of the clear efforts to otherwise make the sequences as simple as possible (the two men generally sitting on opposite sides of restaurant tables and left undisturbed ). With editing sharing some of the blame, it’s never convincing that they having a natural conversation; the attempted dual performance is constantly transparent, and it never lets you engage with the content of the interaction.

The story in The Alto Knights is terribly uninteresting, and the dialogue is maddening.

To be fair, the distraction of De Niro’s double work is somewhat welcome in the sense that it’s something to actively contemplate as scene after scene of dull conversations unfurl. There are what feel like a dozen scenes that play out with this rhythm:

“He doesn’t trust you.”
“He doesn’t trust me?"
“He doesn’t trust you.”
“What do you mean he doesn’t trust me?
“He doesn’t trust you because of that thing you did.”
“How could he not trust me because of that thing I did? How dare he!”
“What can I say? He doesn’t trust you.”

If I’m being generous, I’d say that it’s a swing at natural, off-the-cuff dialogue, but they drag on excessively and are of so little substance that you find yourself mentally begging for the film to move on.

Adding insult to injury is the laziness of the storytelling. It’s bad enough that the movie takes the shortcut of an in medias res opening by starting the first act with the failed assassination of Frank Costello (easily the most interesting thing that happens in the two-hour runtime), but the story is also spoon fed to the audience with Frank providing constant voiceover narration explaining what is happening (the film also frequently cuts to shots of him telling his story directly into the camera that are ultimately given zero context). Like Robert De Niro, Nicholas Pileggi is a legend in the gangster genre – his credits including Goodfellas and Casino – but The Alto Knights is a title to be forgotten from his filmography.

While I don’t like to give away spoilers in reviews, this is a film where the big third act climax is a bunch of crime bosses fleeing a gathering when they spot police officers writing down license plate numbers; meanwhile, the protagonist is killing time going to roadside fruit stand on his way to the meeting. The Alto Knights looks like it had the potential to be a genre classic on paper, but the execution leaves one wanting in just about every respect, and I’m willing to bet that anyone who sees it on the big screen will be challenged to remember details from it in a year’s time.

There are so many inspiring movies about getting older that show we don’t need to dread the process of aging. Plenty of stars over the age of 50 have shown that eventually hitting retirement can mean fun, adventure, and joy, proving that life isn’t over yet. Compared to the stereotypes of the elderly being frail or forgetful, here are five movies that portray these senior protagonists thoughtfully and originally.

Thelma (2024)

Starring Nebraska’s June Squibb, Thelma's about a 93-year-old woman who gets scammed into sending $10,000 to a stranger pretending to be her grandson. Compared to accepting defeat, she decides with the help of a friend and her grandson to track down the scammer and get her money back.

While you’re quick for your heart to break seeing poor Thelma get taken advantage of, your feelings of pity quickly fade away when you see how well the movie handles aging. As the retired woman felt inspired to see Tom Cruise doing crazy stunts in his movies, she decided to take a risk and not let being in her ‘90s stop her from getting back what was stolen.

We see Thelma ride like the wind on her scooter (with Squibb doing her own stunt work), rolling over beds, and gun-handling. Sure, Thelma may still have challenges as a senior citizen, but the comedy was original and thoughtful for having an elderly main character drive the story without feeling dependent on the younger characters around her.

Thelma is available with your Hulu subscription.

The Intern (2015)

Anne Hathaway and Robert DeNiro really are at their charming best in The Intern. The plot follows an e-commerce fashion company, run by Jules Austin, that takes elderly folk as interns. Compared to the stereotypes of retirees portrayed as frail, out of touch, or grumpy, De Niro’s Ben Whittaker defies those tropes. He’s portrayed as a go-with-the-flow guy who uses his wisdom to impart effective business strategies to Jules and help his young colleagues with their personal problems.

While Ben had old-school methods like wearing a suit to work and carrying a briefcase, he was also interested in learning from those younger than him. For instance, he educated himself on how Facebook worked and the realities of stay-at-home fatherhood. Not to mention, Ben still made retirement look enjoyable; like being willing to go on dates and maintaining an active social life. The Nancy Meyers comedy is a thoughtful and original one showing that getting older doesn’t mean your life story is over. Senior citizens can still be useful to the next generation just as younger generations can teach them in return.

The Intern is available to rent on various streaming platforms.

Secondhand Lions (2003)

When teenage boy Walter got sent to live with his two great-uncles by his mother, little did he know that Hub and Garth had plenty of adventures worthy of an Indiana Jones movie during their youth. But, even though these two men grew to be elderly, they still had spirit in them during their retirement to recklessly fly airplanes, fight teenagers in bars, shoot at traveling salesmen, and more. They treated aging not as an excuse to wither away, but to celebrate life while they still have liveliness in them.

Not only is Secondhand Lions important for Hub and Garth portraying the elderly in thoughtful, original ways, but the lioness herself. That's right, the uncles ordered a tame, retired circus lion that Walter kept as a pet named Jasmine. This lion may have been aging too, but she still had a lot of vibrancy in her when she cared for and protected Walter like her own cub. If goes to show that if there’s still adventure in someone or something’s soul, age won’t stop that spirit from unleashing.

Secondhand Lions is available to watch for free with ads on YouTube.

Cocoon (1985)

Directed by Ron Howard, Cocoon certainly offers a whimsical yet original ode to aging. Before aliens made their way toward a Florida retirement home, the elderly residents felt physically limited or lonely. Then once the aliens put a “life force” into a pool next to the retirement home, the elderly who snuck into the pool began feeling rejuvenated. They could dance like no one’s watching, climb trees, and have more energy than ever. The “life force” woke up the youthful personalities stuck in the residents’ aging bodies.

Even though Cocoon is a sci-fi film, its fantasy themes still hit hard with reality. As the aliens gave the elderly residents a choice to go home with them (where they’ll be immortal), this made them question if they’re ready to chase new adventures or accept the natural order of mortality. The originality and thoughtfulness of the Academy Award-winning flick used aliens as a catalyst for a journey about the fears, hope, and possibilities that come with getting older.

Up (2009)

Compared to other animated movies or shows where old folks are portrayed as a punchline, Up beautifully defied the formula for Pixar and family films in general. The first ten minutes provided a gut-wrenching yet beautiful sequence of a couple who’s known each other since childhood. Carl and Ellie hit many milestones true to life like owning a house, jobs, pregnancy, miscarriage, and Ellie’s death during old age that’s bound to lead you to tears. With animated movies normally designed to make kids laugh, the Academy Award-winning Pixar movie offered audiences a dose of reality that set the stage for Carl’s motivation to have an adventure during his old age.

Because it was Ellie’s dream for her and Carl to have an adventure in Paradise Falls before her passing, Carl strung thousands of balloons to their house to go there. Boy Scout Russell became an accidental stowaway and a storm disrupted plans by blowing everyone away to South America. Through each obstacle, Carl discovered there were opportunities for new adventures motivated by his love for Ellie. Compared to a sidekick or a comic relief, Carl is a complex human being, driving Up's story by providing a refreshingly thoughtful and original take on aging gracefully.

Up is available with your Disney+ subscription.

It can be thrilling to watch a movie that gives you optimism for when you reach old age compared to dreading it. As the mentioned movies prove, showing the elderly in an original way shows getting older does not mean that life withers away. With a youthful spirit and an optimistic view, there’s always room for more experiences and thrills.

As we enter the back half of February, the best streaming services are serving up a host of great drama series. A political thriller is coming soon to Netflix while a new entry in the Yellowstone cinematic universe arrives on Paramount+. And, if that’s not quite your cup of tea, then we have a new animated series upcoming on Disney+ or Jack Reacher beating the hell out of people on Prime Video. There's a little something for everybody. Here’s what you won’t want to miss on streaming this week.

Win Or Lose - February 19 (Disney+)

The first original animated series from Pixar was sure to be of interest to fans. However, with news of major changes to at least one character that made headlines, we can guess there may be even more interest in the show that follows a little league baseball team, with each episode presenting a different perspective of the same story.

Reacher Season 3 - February 20 (Prime Video)

Reacher might be the single best reason to have a Prime Video subscription. It offers great action and a solid lead performance from Alan Ritchson. Also, best of all, it doesn’t make you wait three years between seasons. Season 3 of Reacher premieres this week and sees our title character infiltrate illegal drug exporters led by Anthony Michael Hall.

Zero Day - February 20 (Netflix)

Zero Day is a new Netflix limited series that stars Robert DeNiro as a former U.S. President, who is tasked by the current POTUS with finding the perpetrators of Zero Day, a nationwide cyber attack that led to the deaths of thousands.

Nosferatu - February 21 (Peacock)

Nosferatu was one of the most talked about horror movies of 2024, but if you decided to wait until you could scream in terror in the privacy of your home, that day is almost here. The newest movie from horror master Robert Eggers becomes available with a Peacock subscription this week.

1923 Season 2 - February 23 (Paramount+)

Yellowstone may be over, but its cinematic universe lives on with a new season of 1923. While watching the core show requires a different streaming subscription, to see the origin story you’ll instead need a Paramount+ subscription. Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren return as the Dutton family of the early 20th century, who will be (literally) fighting off an attempt to take their land led by an industrialist played by Timothy Dalton.

The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - February 23 (Netflix)

The Academy Awards will still be a couple of weeks aways when the Screen Actors Guild Awards air live on Netflix, but there’s a safe bet that they may act as something of a preview for Hollywood’s big night as we get an idea of what actors think of last year’s best film performances. Angela Bassett and Jesse Plemons also star in what looks to be an excellent political thriller.

Next week will see February come to an end and March begin. While we certainly don’t know everything arriving next month yet, Daredevil: Born Again will premiere very soon, which is enough reason to be sure you have a Disney+ subscription ready to go.

Some of the most extraordinary performances in movie or TV history have seen the actor completely disappear into a role, not only changing their appearance but also adopting a voice almost entirely different from their own. Take a look at some of the most impressive voice alterations that an actor took on to perfect their unique portrayal of a now iconic character (or characters).

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

The Academy Award for Best Actor has been handed out every year since 1929 — fun fact, it was awarded to German actor Emil Jannings for not one but two acclaimed roles, in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh — and in the near-century since, it's been presented 97 times to 86 actors. But while taking home that coveted statuette is definitely a career highlight for any performer, the honor does add a little extra pressure on the actor's next project. Will it be as beloved and acclaimed as the role that won them the gold? Here are 32 films that Oscar-winning actors did after taking home the Academy Award, and how they were received.

Cillian Murphy

After the enormity of portraying famed physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolan's billion-dollar blockbuster Oppenheimer, and taking home the 2024 Oscar for Best Actor in the process, Cillian Murphy went small for his next film — literally. In the 2024 adaptation of Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These, Murphy returned to his native Ireland to play Bill, a quiet coal merchant and father of five internally struggling with the harsh realities of the infamous Magdalene Laundries. While Murphy didn't replicate the awards dominance of Oppenheimer with SMTLT, his internal and affecting performance was widely praised by critics.

Joaquin Phoenix

After four nominations throughout his decades-spanning career, Joaquin Phoenix finally took home that Best Actor statue in 2020 for his engrossing portrayal of the nihilistic clown Arthur Fleck in Todd Phillips' Joker. Following that iconic role, Phoenix next appeared in the 2021 Mike Mills dramedy C'mon C'mon, an improv-heavy performance that saw the actor play a middle-aged radio journalist tasked with babysitting his nephew (Woody Norman) while on the road for work. Phoenix was nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance at the Gotham Awards, and the film was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the Top 10 Independent Films of the year.

Will Smith

Will Smith had quite an, um, eventful evening when he took home the Oscar for Best Actor in 2022 for King Richard after two prior nominations (Ali, The Pursuit of Happyness). Winning an Oscar means that a spotlight is already bright on an actor, but the added publicity from the ceremony means his post-slap comeback would be even more scrutinized than usual. His follow-up was 2022's Emancipation, in which he played a runaway slave in 1860s Louisiana. Though the drama received mixed reviews overall, Smith won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance.

Anthony Hopkins

Though he's garnered six Oscar nominations across his illustrious acting career — with his most recent win being for 2021's The Father — Anthony Hopkins' first Academy Award was for that scene-stealing villain, psychiatrist turned serial killer Hannibal Lector in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. Following up such an iconic performance is no small task and unfortunately, Hopkins' next film, 1992's Freejack opposite Emilio Estevez and Mick Jagger, was a sci-fi dud, bombing both with critics and audiences. During an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, Hopkins himself called the film "terrible."

Leonardo DiCaprio

Five-time nominee Leonardo DiCaprio had a bit of "always the bridesmaid" syndrome where the Academy Awards were concerned, until he finally took home the Best Actor Oscar for his emotionally raw and physically punishing performance in Alejandro G. Iñárritu's 2019 Western epic The Revenant. His next big-screen role was, graciously, a bit less cold and blustery, trading the frosty American Midwest for starry Los Angeles in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The latter received 10 Oscar nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards, including a nod for DiCaprio's individual work.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington had already taken home a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for playing a Civil War soldier in the 1989 war drama Glory, but he got his first big Best Actor win for portraying corrupt LAPD officer Alonzo Harris in the 2001 crime thriller Training Day. His next performance was another memorable Denzel role: as the title character in the 2002 Nick Cassavetes-directed drama John Q, which saw Washington play a desperate father who takes a hospital emergency room hostage in order for his son to receive a heart transplant. Alas, despite some praise for Denzel's performance, the film itself boasts only a 26% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Robert De Niro

Six years after taking home the Best Supporting Actor statue for The Godfather Part II, Robert De Niro got his Best Actor win for his iconic and intense work as boxing champion Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull. A year later, De Niro put away the boxing gloves and picked up the Bible to play a Roman Catholic monsignor in 1981's True Confessions, opposite fellow The Godfather great Robert Duvall. Though reviews for the neo-noir were largely positive, the National Review's William F. Buckley, Jr. panned it: "Robert De Niro is badly miscast. He is never entirely convincing."

Matthew McConaughey

After acclaimed turns in 2011's Lincoln Lawyer and 2012's Magic Mike, the so-called "McConaissance" was officially solidified a year later with Matthew McConaughey's Oscar-winning portrayal of Ron Woodroof, a cowboy diagnosed with AIDS, in the biopic Dallas Buyers Club. Despite not having nearly as much screentime, the actor's next performance was just as memorable: a chest-thumping, meme-inducing extended cameo as Mark Hanna in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street.

Tom Hanks

Beyond being one of the most beloved actors of all time, Tom Hanks also holds a piece of cinema history: he's one of only two actors to win back-to-back Academy Awards for acting. Yes, that means after taking home the Best Actor Oscar for his heart-wrenching performance as HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in 1994's Philadelphia, Hanks struck Oscar gold yet again with his very next performance, as the titular lead of 1995's Forrest Gump.

Rami Malek

Rami Malek belted his way to an Oscar as legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in the glossy 2019 biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. His first post-award performance also revolved around his voice — voice acting, that is, as Malek portrayed a mountain gorilla named Chee-Chee in the 2020 fantasy-adventure film Dolittle, with his future Oppenheimer co-star Robert Downey Jr. as the titular doc. The family-friendly flick received abysmal reviews from critics, with Courtney Howard of Variety writing: "What should have been an awe-filled adventure quickly curdles into an awful one, thanks to a pedestrian formula and the filmmakers' fixation on fart jokes."

Adrien Brody

In 2003, Adrien Brody made Oscar history when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at age 29 for his portrayal of Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski's war drama The Pianist, becoming the youngest actor ever to win in that category. Later that year, he followed up his historic win with the musical crime comedy The Singing Detective, about a mystery writer (Robert Downey Jr.) who relives his detective stories through his imagination and hallucinations. The film scored a 39% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx had one hell of a 2004, serving up not one but two award-worthy performances: He took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as soul great Ray Charles in the 2004 biopic Ray and also received a Best Supporting Actor nod that same year for his work in the crime film Collateral. It would be near-impossible for any performer to hit that kind of stratospheric high again, especially with Foxx's follow-up Stealth — the 2005 military action flick co-starring Josh Lucas and Jessica Biel was dubbed a "stink-bomb" by Roger Ebert.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Acting legend Daniel Day-Lewis deservedly holds the record for the most Best Actor awards ever, with three wins out of six nominations, but his first was for playing Christy Brown, a writer-artist born with cerebral palsy, in the 1989 drama My Left Foot. And though he would later follow that iconic role up by playing famous figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Bill the Butcher, his immediate next performance was as an Irish-American dentist traveling around Argentina in the forgettable 1989 dramedy Eversmile, New Jersey.

Jack Nicholson

The first of three Academy Awards for the legendary movie star, Jack Nicholson's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest performance as Randle McMurphy nabbed him the Oscar in 1976. Later that year, he would star as cattle rustler Tom Logan opposite Marlon Brandon in the Arthur Penn-helmed Western The Missouri Breaks. Coming hot on the heels of not only his own Oscar win but also Brando's for The Godfather, the film was highly anticipated — however, it failed to live up to those expectations and became a notorious critical and commercial flop.

Marlon Brando

One of the most iconic cinema stars of all time, Marlon Brando was nominated for eight Oscars across his decades-spanning career. He won two, the first being for his electrifying role as prizefighter turned longshoreman Terry Malloy in the 1954 crime drama On the Waterfront, widely considered one of the greatest acting performances of all time. His next role as Napoleon Bonaparte in the historical romance Désirée didn't win him any awards, but Variety reportedly called his performance "a masterful exhibition of thesping" at the time.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman had already solidified himself as a vibrant and vital supporting actor with films like The Talented Mr. Ripley, Almost Famous, Magnolia and 25th Hour, but his Oscar-winning portrayal of author Truman Capote in 2005's Capote officially upped him to leading man status. He would receive another three Oscar nominations in the years to follow, but his very next role was more of a crowd-pleaser than an awards grab: as arms dealer Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III.

Russell Crowe

Audiences and critics alike were very much entertained by Russell Crowe's performance as Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 Rome-set epic Gladiator, which earned the New Zealand-born star the Best Actor Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards. Crowe would go up for the same award only a year later, for his portrayal of American mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr. in the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind, but he lost to Training Day lead Denzel Washington.

Jean Dujardin

Jean Dujardin rose to international fame with his performance as George Valentin in the 2011 silent movie The Artist — his Oscar win was a historic one, as he was the first French performer to ever take home the Best Actor statue. Despite his newfound Hollywood status, however, the actor-comedian returned to his native France for his next film credit: The Players, a 2012 comedy anthology co-starring Gilles Lellouche, with each man also directing and writing a segment.

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage's filmography is a wild ride, from critically acclaimed fare like Raising Arizona, Moonstruck and Adaptation to straight-to-video shlock. Thankfully, his 1995 drama Leaving Las Vegas falls into the former category, winning Cage the Best Actor Oscar for his role as alcoholic screenwriter Ben Sanderson. (Funnily enough, it's not one of Nic Cage's favorite Nic Cage movies.) His next movie was the 1996 action thriller The Rock, which also won Cage an award: the Best On-Screen Duo statue at the MTV Movie Awards alongside co-star Sean Connery.

Eddie Redmayne

British star Eddie Redmayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of famed theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking in the 2014 biographical drama The Theory of Everything. But that career high was immediately followed by a career-low: a Golden Raspberry Award — a parody award honoring cinematic failures — for Worst Supporting Actor for his work in the galactically goofy 2015 space opera Jupiter Ascending. Even he admitted his performance was bad!

Sidney Poitier

A movie icon through and through, Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier made history in 1964 as the first Black performer to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Lilies of the Field. A year later, he moved on from that seminal role with the 1965 Cold War thriller The Bedford Incident, as a civilian photojournalist aboard a U.S. Navy ship that gets into some messy business with a Soviet submarine. Though Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote that "the whole thing transcends plausibility," other critics clearly disagreed — the movie has an 86% Certified Fresh rating.

Sean Penn

After a trio of Best Actor nominations, Sean Penn's haunting performance as a grieving, vengeful father of a murdered Boston girl in the Clint Eastwood-directed neo-noir Mystic River finally got him the Academy Award in 2004. Later that year, Penn starred in yet another crime thriller, The Assassination of Richard Nixon, based on the story of the POTUS's would-be assassin Samuel Byck in the mid-1970s. The latter film didn't share the award-worthy gravitas of Mystic River, though, per Rotten Tomatoes, critical consensus said: "A fascinating true story and compelling Sean Penn performance are worthy compensations."

Roberto Benigni

Few Oscar wins were as memorable as Roberto Benigni's, what with presenter Sofia Loren's passionate declaration of "Roberto!" to Benigni's literal victory lap up to the stage. The Italian actor-director took the Best Actor trophy in 1998 for the Holocaust tragicomedy Life is Beautiful, making him the first honoree for a non-English language performance. A year later, he would appear in a very different movie: French-Italian-German comedy adventure flick Asterix and Obelix vs. Caesar opposite Gérard Depardieu and Christian Clavier, which was a box office success.

Al Pacino

One of the most influential actors in modern cinema, Al Pacino was nominated for eight Academy Awards — including for The Godfather films, Serpico and the crime drama classic Dog Day Afternoon — before finally taking home the Best Actor statue for playing Frank Slade in 1992's Scent of a Woman. That Oscar win gave viewers an extra critical eye on his next role, as Nuyorican criminal Carlito Brigante in the De Palma crime drama Carlito's Way, however, reviews were largely positive.

Ben Kingsley

It's a daunting thing playing any famous figure in movies based on true stories, especially when the subject is so famous, that they need only one name. Case in point: Gandhi, the 1982 bio epic about the Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough and performed by English actor Sir Ben Kingsley. Luckily for them, the film won Best Picture and Kingsley took home the Best Actor award. Though his next project, the 1983 film adaptation of Harold Pinter's play Betrayal, didn't get Oscar acclaim, it was well-received by critics.

Humphrey Bogart

It seems surprising that Humphrey Bogart didn't win the Oscar for a role as iconic as Rick Blaine in the 1942 classic Casablanca. No, it would actually be another eight years until ol' Bogie won Best Actor for The African Queen, starring as Canadian mechanic Charlie Allnut opposite Katharine Hepburn's Methodist missionary Rose Sayer. His post-Oscar follow-up was the 1952 noir Deadline – U.S.A.: Variety said "Bogart gives a convincing performance all the way" as a big-city newspaper editor who exposes a gangster's crimes.

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker was ferocious and formidable as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the 2006 historical drama The Last King of Scotland, one of his best performances that got the performer a Best Actor Oscar in '07. Later that year, the actor appeared in the ensemble crime drama The Air I Breathe alongside Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy and Brendan Fraser. Though reviews for the film were overwhelmingly negative, several singled out Whitaker's performance. Annabelle Robertson at Crosswalk wrote: "Whitaker, in particular, is extremely sympathetic in his role—a feat that is all the more outstanding after his turn as the evil dictator in The Last King of Scotland."

Dustin Hoffman

After three Best Actor nods, New Hollywood icon Dustin Hoffman received his first Academy Award for playing half of a couple going through a devastating divorce (alongside an equally great Meryl Streep) in Kramer vs. Kramer in 1980. His next movie role is just as much of a classic: as Michael Dorsey-slash-Dorothy Michaels in the beloved 1982 comedy Tootsie, which nabbed the star yet another Best Actor nomination.

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman was nearly unrecognizable in his prosthetics-heavy performance as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the 2017 historical drama Darkest Hour. The Academy Awards honored the quintessential Oldman role with a Best Actor award, his second nomination after Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. His next role was just as transformative, if not nearly as acclaimed: Oldman voiced an artificial intelligence in the 2018 sci-fi thriller Tau, which holds a woeful critical rating of 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Laurence Olivier

One of the most celebrated Shakespearean actors in film history, cinema icon Laurence Olivier starred in and directed adaptations of three of the Bard's best-known words, Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948) and Richard III (1955), and earned a Best Actor Oscar for playing the Prince of Denmark. After portraying one of the most famous characters of all time, Olivier switched it up by cameoing as a no-name policeman in the 1951 drama The Magic Box, a "distinguished" bit of stunt casting that The New York Times praised as a delightful "extravagance."

Casey Affleck

Casey Affleck's devastating performance as a father grieving the loss of his three children in Kenneth Lonergan's gut-wrenching Manchester by the Sea clearly broke the collective hearts of the Academy, which voted to give the Boston-bred performer the Best Actor award in 2017. That year, he would tackle another exploration of love and loss with the supernatural drama A Ghost Story, which was a hit with critics — Richard Brody of The New Yorker included the title on his list of the decade's best films.

Brendan Fraser

Brendan Fraser experienced quite the career comeback when he took the Best Actor Oscar for his acclaimed performance as a morbidly obese, housebound English teacher in the 2022 Darren Aronofsky-directed melodrama The Whale. He kept those high-profile projects going with his next film credit, as attorney W. S. Hamilton in Martin Scorsese's stunning American crime drama Killers of the Flower Moon, which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Great actors don't need a lot of makeup or total body transformations to improve their performance, but when you get the combination of a great and those things, the effect can be amazing. Sometimes the effect is so good the actors become completely unrecognizable, like the examples in this list where actors like Jared Leto and Gary Oldman were completely transformed for roles.

Jared Leto - House Of Gucci

It's fair to say that House Of Gucci was, at best, an uneven movie. It was a daunting challenge for everyone involved and none more so than Jared Leto. Leto played the legendary Paolo Gucci, and while his accent was a little shaky, his look and his mannerisms were completely on point. It's one heck of a transformation.

Charlize Theron - Monster

There is no more intense transformation for a role than Charlize Theron's performance as real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster. Theron completely embodies the monster that Wuoronos was, while also subtly allowing the audience to understand how the killer became the way she was. Theron rightfully won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the brutal murderer.

Christian Bale - Vice

Christian Bale is one of the best actors of his generation and he's never been afraid to alter his look for a performance. The Machinist is one excellent example, but even that transformation pales in comparison to the way he completely became Dick Cheney in Vice. Not only does he look just like the former vice president, but he nails his speech pattern and mannerisms as well. It's remarkable.

Lily James - Pam & Tommy

When Lily James was cast as Pamela Anderson in Pam & Tommy it raised a few eyebrows. The actress seemed like a complete opposite in every way, especially her looks, as the blonde bombshell. Yet, when the movie came out, people were amazed at how well James pulled it off. No, it's not the best movie, but James was the spitting image of Anderson.

Gary Oldman - True Romance

One actor who is truly a master of disguise is Gary Oldman. He seemingly looks completely different in almost every role he plays. One of the most astounding transformations was early in his career when he played a pimp in True Romance. He literally looks and sounds nothing like himself in the film, to the point where if you didn't know it was him, you'd never guess.

Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye

You know when a film wins the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Best Actress, the role is going to be special. Such is the case for Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Chastain is completely unrecognizable in the role of the wife of the infamous Jim Bakker and is simply incredible in the movie.

Margot Robbie - I, Tonya

Turning Margot Robbie into a street tough figure skater like Tonya Harding is no easy feet. Through a combination of incredible makeup work and even better acting, Robbie completely disappears into the notorious skater made famous for her part in attacking her rival Nancy Kerrigan before the 1994 Olympics.

Glenn Close - Hook

Steven Spielberg's 1991 Hook isn't generally remembered as the legendary director's best work, but it is chock full of fun cameos and one of the hardest to spot is Glenn Close. The actress plays one of the pirates on Captain Hook's ship and if you don't look closely, you'll never notice the multiple Oscar nominee under the beard and makeup turning her into a male pirate.

Tilda Swinton - Trainwreck

The most remarkable thing about Tilda Swinton's transformation in the rom-com Trainwreck is just how conventional she looks. Swinton has one of the most unique looks in Hollywood and most of the time that look is enhanced by the roles she plays, it's part of what makes her so great. Her "normal" look in Trainwreck is made remarkable by that,

Mike Myers - Bohemian Rhapsody

Mike Myers took a long hiatus from acting in the 2010s and when he returned in Bohemian Rhapsody, audiences had to do a triple-check to make sure it was him in the role of a record executive arguing with Queen about the song that the movie is named after. With sunglasses and a full blonde beard, Myers looked nothing like his normal sense and his performance was excellent.

Colin Farrell - The Batman/The Penguin

When the trailer first dropped for The Batman, people were astounded at how Colin Farrell looked as Penguin. When the movie came out and we all watched his performance, it was even more shocking (in a great way). When he took the role to HBO for the TV show named after the character, we were all completely lost in it, because he was just so great. Though he says the suit and makeup aren't worth it, we have a feeling he'll be back as the Gotham-based villain.

50 Cent - All Things Fall Apart

50 Cent has proven to be quite the actor. The rapper has branched out into producing, even. Perhaps his best performance was as the fallen football star in All Things Fall Apart. His body transformation to play a pro athlete in peak physical condition who falls victim to cancer is incredible

Sarah Paulson - Impeachment: American Crime Story

Sarah Paulson knows how to completely disappear into a role. She was as incredible as Marsha Clark in The People Vs. OJ Simpson and she was even more remarkable as Linda Tripp in Impeachment: American Crime Story. Seriously, if you didn't know it was her, you'd never guess. She looks more like Tripp than Paulson in every way.

Billy Bob Thornton In U-Turn

Billy Bob Thorton is one of the most fun actors to watch in everything he is in. Take, for example, his role in Sling Blade, in which he looks completely different from himself. Another fine example is as the mechanic in U-Turn with Sean Penn. If it wasn't for his distinctive voice, you'd never know it was him.

Eddie Murphy - Coming To America

For a while there, Eddie Murphy made it his job to look completely different in his movies like The Nutty Professor, but at no point in any of those movies did he transform quite like he did to play the Jewish guy who hung out in the barbershop in Coming To America. Even his role as the barber in the movie was more recognizable. We also have to give props to Arsenio Hall for his various roles in the movie as well.

Mia Goth - X

Mia Goth playing the elderly Pearl in X is fantastic. Though you can tell it's her as Maxine, if you just walked in on the movie as those scenes of her as the older Pearl was playing, you'd never know who it is.

Tom Hardy - Bronson

Tom Hardy has never been shy about taking on challenging roles that require him to transform completely. He changes so much, that you almost feel like you don't know what he actually looks like in real life. Bronson is one of his finest transformations as he looks way more like the notorious British prisoner than like himself in the movie. It's so much more than just a mustache, that's for sure.

Donnie Wahlberg - The Sixth Sense

Mark Wahlberg may be the more famous brother, but Donnie Wahlberg also has some incredible acting chops and his performance comes in his minor-ish role in The Sixth Sense. It's clear that the former (and current) New Kid On The Block lost a ton of weight for his haunting performance in the movie.

Steve Carell - Foxcatcher

Murderer John du Pont of the famous du Pont family was a unique-looking guy. In Foxcatcher, Steve Carell completely embodies that uniqueness, It's almost unsettling how much Carell looks like du Pont and not like himself in the disturbing movie about the murder the scion of the wealthy family committed in 1997.

Cate Blanchett — I’m Not There

The legendary Bob Dylan has been played on screen a few times and remarkably the actor that pulled off his look and mannerism best is the amazing Cate Blanchett in I’m Not There. Of all the actors who play a version of the folk singer, Blancett is the most convincing and she looks nothing like herself in the movie.

Zac Efron - The Iron Claw

Early in his career Zac Efron was kind of typecast as the goofy good-looking guy. In 2023's The Iron Claw he completely upends that as he embodied the late Kerry Von Erich in the fantastic biopic about wrestling's first family, the Von Erichs

Renée Zellweger - The Thing About Pam

After a little bit of a career lull that included a four-year break from acting, Renée Zellweger returned in a big way in the late 2010s, culminating in an Oscar-winning performance as Judy Garland in 2019's Judy, which completely revived her career. Her best was yet to come because despite not getting the same accolades in the press, her performance as murderer Pam Hupp in The Thing About Pam was a complete transformation

Jared Leto - Chapter 27

Turning someone as good-looking as Jared Leto into someone as despised as the man who killed John Lennon is no easy feat. Leto's performance as Mark David Chapman is incredible and even though the movie has flown under the radar for years, it's worth seeking out just to see how different Leto can look from himself.

Missi Pyle - Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

How do you take a beautiful woman like Missi Pyle and make her look like a deranged Eastern European dodgeball player? Ask the makeup department for Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. The work they did, along with Pyle's acting, was amazing. There's no way to know it was her in any way unless you double-check the credits.

Sebastian Stan - A Different Man

A Different Man tells the hilarious and heartwarming tale of a struggling actor with a condition known as neurofibromatosis. Sebastian Stan plays the actor under a whole ton of wonderful makeup and despite the obvious limitation that makeup puts on the actor, Stan puts in a career-defining performance.

Chris Hemsworth - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

While it isn't the most extreme example on this list, Chris Hemsworth's look in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is amazing. The only reason you really know it's him is that he uses his natural Aussie accent in the movie, which he doesn't do all that much these days. He's even won awards for the performance!

Ryan Reynolds - Blade: Trinity

Okay, we'll admit this isn't the biggest transformation on this list, but you can't deny that Ryan Reynolds has a completely different, more sinister look in Blade: Trinity. It's way different from what you expect from a standard Reynolds performance.

Nicole Kidman - Birth

Nicole Kidman is an amazing actress, but she's not one of those actors you expect to completely change her look for a role. Her part in Birth shows that she certainly can do that, and do it in spectacular ways.

Robert De Niro - Raging Bull

Robert De Niro famously put on a ton of weight for his role as Al Capone in The Untouchables. He also got completely jacked for Cape Fear. He did both for his incredible performance in Raging Bull. As a young Jake LaMotta he was cut and fit and as an older version of the boxer, he was flabby and overweight. Either way, De Niro looks less like himself and more like the real-life boxer. He certainly deserved the Oscar he won for the role.

Margot Robbie - Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots had a unique look that was only enhanced by the odd style of 16th Century Scotland. Still, Margot Robbie nails the look of the queen in a way that leaves the audience squinted to see if it's really the Australian actress.

Gary Oldman - The Darkest Hour

No one transforms quite like Gary Oldman. He's completely different in every role he plays and in The Darkest Hour, he completely embodies his role as Winston Churchill. It's not just the makeup, though that is perfect, it's also the voice and mannerisms he brings to the role that makes you believe you're actually watching the legendary prime minister.

Charlize Theron - Bombshell

Bombshell is one of those movies where you might think you're watching the real-life characters that the cast of Bombshell are playing. Charlize Theron's portrayal of former Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly tops the performances. It's pitch-perfect in every way.

Hollywood's penchant for adapting hit movies into TV shows continues, with one of cinema's most frightening thriller villains set to terrorize viewers, at least those with Apple TV+ subscriptions. The streaming service previously revealed development plans for an episodic take on Cape Fear, the 1991 film from Martin Scorsese that was itself a remake of the 1967 feature, with Steven Spielberg also on board. And now we know who’s taking on the role that Robert De Niro made so chilling.

Apple TV+ announced a full 10-episode series order for Cape Fear, along with the reveal of its main star and creative team-leader, and I couldn’t be more impressed with both choices. Let's take a closer look at both while hoping this exciting new project will be ready in time to debut on the 2025 TV schedule.

Javier Bardem Is Starring As Max Cady

To date, Javier Bardem has already played (at least) two of cinema's most captivating villains that also happen to be in two of his best movies, with my examples here being No Country for Old Men's expressionless monster Anton Chigurh and Skyfall's expression-filled cyberterrorist Raoul Silva. Now, he'll once again raise audience stress levels as Cape Fear's released killer Max Cady, who was first portrayed in live-action by Robert Mitchum.

Along with playing the central threat, whose knuckles will presumably again be tattooed with the opposing ideas of "Love" and "Hate," Bardem will also be slightly more involved behind the scenes as executive producer alongside Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.

Javier Bardem's career currently seems as busy as can be, having recently co-starred in Netflix's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story and in Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two, with Skydance Animation's Netflix feature Spellbound on the way before the end of the year. Fans can see him opposite Brad Pitt next year in F1, also. But now I'm just going to be waiting to see him beefed up and hopefully with a mohawk for Cape Fear.

The Act & Chucky's Nick Antosca Is Showrunner

I pretty much adore everything Nick Antosca gets involved with, and I think he definitely has the skills to put together a story that justifies stretching this core narrative out for ten episodes. Cape Fear was first adapted from John D. MacDonald's 1957 novel The Executioners, and the new TV series will take inspirations from both the book and the 1991 film.

Antosca's career highlights go back to his days as a writer and producer on Hannibal, followed by creating one of my favorite horror TV shows of all time, Channel Zero, and then a string of acclaimed true crime hits in The Act, Candy, and Friend of the Family. And let's not forget his bonkers Netflix horror drama Brand New Cherry Flavor, nor his EP duties on Chucky.

By and large, Nick Antosca is a genre master, and Cape Fear is something of an ideal crossroads where its suspenseful thriller nature could be taken even deeper into more horror-driven sequences.

For those who may be completely unfamiliar, Cape Fear centers on a happily married pair of attorneys named Amanda and Steve Bowden who become targets for Max Cady, a notorious killer whose past connects with the couple's. This version, however, is said to be an "examination of America's obsession with true crime in the 21st century."

The original ranks as one of CinemaBlend's Best Movies of the 1990s, and it'll be difficult for Javier Bardem to raise the stakes high enough to surpass De Niro as the ideal Max Cady portrayer.

All Saturday Night Live hosts have appeared "as themselves" in their monologue but things get really fun when they take allow themselves to be the butt of the joke in a sketch and appear as themselves. Not counting some of the jaw-dropping SNL cameos over the years, these are some of our favorite examples of a celebrity going meta at Studio 8H in a sketch from an episode that they headlined.

Brunch (Chris Hemsworth)

At first, in the Season 41 SNL sketch "Brunch," it seems that host Chris Hemsworth is playing a woman named Claire, who happens to be obsessed with the Thor actor until her friends begin to suspect that she is the Australian celebrity himself. They turn out to be correct when he reveals he wanted to make sure he was still one of the most desired Hollywood Chris' and the most desired Hemsworth.

Your Mom Talks To Megan Fox (Megan Fox)

One sketch from Megan Fox's sole hosting gig from SNL Season 35 sees the star of the Transformers movies appear as herself waiting for a friend of hers to get ready for a night out. During that time, she chats with Kristen Wiig as the friend's mother while she does laundry and has some eye-opening life advice to offer the actor.

I'm Just Pete (Pete Davidson)

For his return to Studio 8H as a host, Pete Davidson welcomed the opportunity to poke fun at his post-SNL career and personal life, most notably with a music video that quickly became one of the most popular sketches of Season 49. Set to the tune of the Oscar-nominated song "I'm Just Ken" from Barbie, the comedian channels Ryan Gosling's portrayal of the iconic doll (and dons his hairstyle) for a hilariously self-effacing ballad with blockbuster-level production design.

Little Focker Film Fan (Robert De Niro)

On his third appearance on SNL as a host, Robert De Niro stars in a sketch taking place on the set of 2010's Little Fockers, where meets a young boy named Keith (Bobby Moynihan) who is extremely excited by everything he sees, except for the two-time Academy Award winner. He even ribs De Niro for a few of his career misfires but, of course, goes crazy over receiving a page of the script, meeting a makeup artist, and when Ben Stiller, also playing himself, appears.

Why is Benedict Cumberbatch Hot? (Benedict Cumberbatch)

Everyone in this sketch, stars as themselves, including Beck Bennett, who sets up a game show in an attempt to understand why people find the night's host, Benedict Cumberbatch, attractive. It gives the Doctor Strange actor a chance to be self-effacing (comparing himself to the likes of a hammerhead shark and Sid the Sloth from the Ice Age movies) before his compliments toward Beck finally lead the SNL star to understand the English actor's appeal.

Meet The Family (Christopher Walken)

Everyone has their own Christopher Walken impression and most of the SNL cast, circa Season 33, had the opportunity to demonstrate their own right in front of the Academy Award winner. They play members of the host's family who reunite with him at a restaurant, discuss highlights of his career, and reminisce about their own lives together.

Friends (Matthew Perry)

Then Friends cast member Matthew Perry appears as Matt LeBlanc's character, Joey Tribbiani, for what starts a typical parody of the hit sitcom. It evolves into something more meta when Colin Quinn walks in as an overly flamboyant caricature of Chandler Bing, causing the host to unhappily break character and derail the whole sketch.

Ryan's Hometown (Ryan Gosling)

In 2015, first-time SNL host Ryan Gosling appeared as himself in a sketch set at a bar in Ontario, Canada, where he is being interviewed for a GQ profile. The interview is interrupted by the Drive star's childhood bully, Trevor (Kyle Mooney), who challenges him to perform a song from Dreamgirls, dance to Cathy Dennis' "Touch Me," and compare their muscular physiques before admitting that he misses the actor's presence.

United Way (Peyton Manning)

One of the funniest SNL sketches featuring a professional athlete is an SNL Digital Short framed as a United Way ad, featuring Peyton Manning spending the day with a group of children. Quickly, it becomes clear that this fictionalized version of the former Denver Broncos quarterback is the farthest thing from a good role model to the world's youth.

Old Lady Gaga (Lady Gaga)

Lady Gaga proved that she was totally game to make fun of herself when she hosted a 2013 SNL episode, which featured an entire sketch dedicated to mocking some of her most famous radio hits and iconic career highlights. It is set in a future where the world has forgotten about the pop star and her older self, desperate to find a fan, calls up her building's superintendent (Kenan Thompson), who at least can recognize "Empress Beyoncé."

Star Trek Convention (William Shatner)

Emmy winner William Shatner owes his career to the Star Trek franchise but you would think he was not so grateful with the way he treats fans in an SNL sketch from 1986. The Captain Kirk actor appears at a convention, where he urges a group of Trekkies to "get a life" instead of obsessing over the sci-fi TV show that he did "as a lark" back in the 1960s.

Hamm & Bublé (Jon Hamm)

After promoting "Jon Hamm's John Ham" in his first SNL hosting gig, Jon Hamm teamed with Michael Bublé (who was that night's musical guest) to introduce a new restaurant that serves pork and champagne. However, the crooner explains in his musical interstitials that he is being held captive by the Mad Men cast member and forced into helping him with this misguided and pun-fueled idea.

Point Blank (Wayne Gretzky)

The legendary Wayne Gretzky appeared as himself in a number of sketches, and proved to have some surprising comedic timing when he hosted SNL in 1989. One of the funniest moments sees the hockey star appears on a talk show that encourages viewers to call in to ask the guest something but none of the questions have anything to do with him or with hockey and are all people seeking advice for something obscure.

Easter Candy (Michael Keaton)

In 2015, Oscar nominee Michael Keaton appeared as a flamboyant, blonde-haired gentleman showing off the contents of his Easter basket, with help from Kate McKinnon as the seemingly imbalanced Portia. It is not until the very end of the deeply bizarre sketch that we discover the Batman actor has been portraying a highly fictionalized version of himself the whole time.

Bill Swerski's Super Fans (Michael Jordan)

NBA legend Michael Jordan plays himself in a few sketches from his sole hosting gig from 1991. One of the most essential highlights sees the Space Jam cast leader join the hosts of Bill Swerski's Super Fans in a cheer for his fellow Chicago Bulls while wearing hula skirts.

Steve Martin Wants More Money (Steve Martin)

When Five-Timers Club member Steve Martin returned to SNL for his then-record-breaking 14th hosting gig, the comedian starred in a sketch set backstage, where he demanded Lorne Michaels a pay raise. However, the producer insists that he go on or he could be replaced with the one person who was closest to matching his record at the time: Alec Baldwin.

Investigation Discovery Presents: White People Problems (Charles Barkley)

In one of the few SNL sketches starring Charles Barkley as himself with no relation to basketball, he is seen hosting a true crime docuseries. However, instead of covering murders or kidnappings, Investigation Discovery Presents: White People Problems discusses instances of caucasian people reacting angrily to situations that seem completely blown out of proportion to the Black people involved.

Chris' Bedtime Story (George Foreman)

In Season 20, George Foreman starred in a backstage-set sketch in which one-season SNL cast member Chris Elliott asks the host to read him a bedtime story so he can take a nap in his dressing room. We imagine that, if anyone else demanded such a request from the boxing champ in real life, it might not end well for them.

Elton John And The Royal Wedding (Elton John)

Most of the sketches from host Elton John's 2010 episode see the Grammy winner playing himself. One of the best SNL sketches featuring the musician sees him visiting the Royal Family, who reveal their nasty, conniving true selves to him behind closed doors.

Brian Diaries (Brian Williams)

A non-actor who still nailed it as an SNL host is Brian Williams, who actually portrayed several original characters throughout the show. However, the former NBC Nightly News anchor did play himself in a Digital Short offering an exaggerated account of his daily routine, which includes receiving a motivational message from Bono (also appearing as himself) while meditating.

Read To Achieve (LeBron James)

LeBron James made his true acting debut hosting SNL before portraying himself in Trainwreck convinced audiences he had talent off the basketball court. He also stars as himself in one sketch in which his attempts to film a PSA are repeatedly interrupted by an obnoxious PA (Jason Sudeikis) who cannot seem to throw the ball at the athlete correctly.

Garth Brooks Backstage With Tracy (Garth Brooks)

During his second hosting gig, Garth Brooks appeared in an SNL sketch taking place backstage at Studio 8H, where cast member Tracy Morgan voices his disparaging opinion of that night's musical guest, Chris Gaines. What the country music star does not disclose to the comedian is the fact that he and the rock singer are actually the same person.

Sugar-Frosted Anabolic Steroids (Fran Tarkenton)

SNL has poked fun at how professional athletes often endorse products on many occasions, such as when John Belushi played himself in an ad for a breakfast cereal that was literally chocolate donuts. In the 1970s, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton tried his hand at the topic with a sketch that sees him endorse a cereal that is literally just performance-enhancing drugs.

Fernando's Hideaway (Mr. T And Hulk Hogan)

When actors/professional wrestlers Mr. T and Hulk Hogan hosted SNL together in the 1980s, they mostly appeared as themselves throughout the show. The most esteemed highlight sees them as guests on a recurring talk show bit hosted by Billy Crystal as Fernando Lamas, who goes off script to acknowledge the Hulkster's bouncing pecs when he accidentally laughs in the middle of the segment.

Marvin PSA/Knockouts (Marvin Hagler)

No one through a knockout punch quite like Marvelous Marvin Hagler in his day, which served as the inspiration for a bit from his SNL hosting gig. He appears in a PSA to help prepare people for if and when they might be forced to oppose him in the ring.

Boston Teens: Ski Lift (Jonny Moseley)

Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch used to star in a recurring SNL sketch as stereotypical Boston teenagers Pat Sullivan and Denise McKenna. One edition saw them share a ski life with Olympic Gold medalist Jonny Moseley, who acts as a referee when the couple gets into an argument.

Finnish Talk Show (Katy Perry)

Katy Perry's second time on SNL was also her first time serving as a host, during which she starred in a sketch in which the pop star appears on a talk show from Finland. She soon discovers that the host (played by Kristen Wiig) has employed an unusually thorough research team, allowing her to have a clip ready to fun for literally any topic that comes up.

Football Liar (Walter Payton)

One of Jon Lovitz's most popular recurring characters on SNL was the habitually dishonest Tommy Flanagan. One sketch sees him run into Chicago Bears running back (and that night's host) Walter Payton who ends up being just as big a liar as he is.

Sports Beat (Nancy Kerrigan)

After suffering an infamous attack which was later dramatized in 2017's I, Tonya, Nancy Kerrigan proved she had a sense of humor about it when she hosted SNL. One sketch sees the figure skater appearing on a talk show with other Olympians who endured much worse injuries than she did but would receive far less favorable treatment.

Tommy Flanagan: Drinking With The Jaggers Cold Open (Jerry Hall)

Tommy Flanagan talks up model Jerry Hall and tries to convince her that he personally knows Mick Jagger. It seems that the facade is compromised when the Batman 1989 cast member's boyfriend, the Rolling Stones frontman himself, appears but he ends up using the pathological liar as an excuse for his absence a previous weekend.

Michael Phelps Diet (Michael Phelps)

Like any committed athlete, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps consumes a high-calorie diet for the purpose of burning off those calories during practice in the pool. However, when he hosted SNL, he starred in a fake ad promising that regular people could indulge in the same diet without exercise, on to show that the results would be disastrous.

Tennis Player Adoption (Andy Roddick)

To younger viewers, the 2021 biopic King Richard's depiction of Richard Williams' disciplinary coaching style of his daughters, Venus and Serena, must have been shocking. However, it was common knowledge when 2003 U.S. Open winner Andy Roddick hosted SNL and appeared in a sketch where Williams (Kenan Thompson) proposes to adopt the athlete as his son.

We see it all the time, serious actors with some major dramatic skills tearing it up in lighter, more comedic roles. Actors who’ve made us cry in Best Picture winners have gone on to make us fall over with side-splitting laughs, which can sometimes be harder than you’d think.

In the past, we’ve talked about some of the great dramatic performances by comedians, but today we’re going to turn our attention to the other side of that coin and highlight 32 serious actors who crushed in in comedic roles.

Robert De Niro (Meet The Parents)

Robert De Niro, an Oscar-winning actor known for serious parts in some of Martin Scorsese’s best movies, including Raging Bull and Goodfellas, as well as his turn as a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II, showed the world that he was also one of the funniest stars in Hollywood with his portrayal of the iron-fisted Jack Byrnes in Meet the Parents. The deadpan expressions, the playing on his gangster roles, and his chemistry with Ben Stiller make this an all-time classic.

George C. Scott (Dr. Stranglelove)

George C. Scott will always be remembered for his portrayal of U.S. General George S. Patton in Franklin J. Schaffner’s Patton, but the acclaimed actor also crushed it in a more comedic role a few years earlier. His take on General Buck Turgidson in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove is nothing short of magnificent and hilarious as it gets. The satirical tone of this iconic anti-war film is biting, as is Scott’s legendary performance.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Along Came Polly)

Though we could have included Rusty from Twister or Brandt from The Big Lebowski, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s performance in Along Came Polly is just too good to overlook. Though he’s atrocious at basketball (and in most social situations), Sandy Lyle is a force of comedic nature. It’s crazy that Hoffman went from Cold Mountain to this 2004 rom-com to Capote in the span of three years.

Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder)

Tom Cruise steals the show in Tropic Thunder, which is no easy feat considering Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr. sit atop the cast of this outrageous 2008 action comedy. But hey, Les Grossman, Cruise’s over-the-top and ill-tempered Hollywood exec is unforgettable in every single one of his scenes, especially whenever he dances.

Meryl Streep (Death Becomes Her)

Though not a slapstick or “laugh-a-minute” comedy, Death Becomes Her does feature some wild and hilariously comedic performances from the likes of Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn, and Meryl Streep, who kills it with her portrayal of Madeline Ashton. The Oscar winner does get to show off her serious skills in the movie, but her character’s darkly humorous personality is worth a watch.

Leslie Nielsen (Airplane!)

It’s wild to think that Leslie Nielsen, an actor mostly remembered for spoof films, started out as a very serious dramatic actor. But that all changed with landmark comedies like Airplane!, where his deadpan humor and signature charm truly shined.

Kate Winslet (The Holiday)

Kate Winslet is known for dramatic movies like Titanic, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Revolutionary Road, but the talented dramatic actress was able to show off her comedy chops in The Holiday. This 2006 Nancy Meyers romantic comedy showed off a different side of Winslet, one we haven’t forgotten nearly 20 years later.

James Caan (Elf)

James Caan wasn’t really known for his comedy. Sure, his characters had some humorous lines in The Godfather and Thief, but drama was always his bag. And that’s what makes his performance in Elf so great. We weren’t used to seeing Caan share the screen with someone like Will Ferrell, and that juxtaposition of personalities made it so much fun to watch.

Morgan Freeman (Bruce Almighty)

Morgan Freeman will go down as one of the best dramatic actors of all time, and for good reason. His work in The Shawshank Redemption, Glory, and countless other movies is the stuff of legend. However, let’s not forget that he also put on one of the funniest performances when he played God in Bruce Almighty.

Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)

A little more than two decades after playing the vile Amon Goeth in Schindler’s List (and only a few years after portraying Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies), Ralph Fiennes proved he was a great comedic actor with his take on M. Gustave in The Grand Budapest Hotel. Equal parts hilarious and charming, this performance was a breath of fresh air.

Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon)

After playing more serious roles in films like The Color Purple, Witness, and Silverado, Danny Glover showed off his comedy skills in Richard Donner’s iconic buddy cop action film, Lethal Weapon. Though he was more straight-laced compared to Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs, Roger Murtaugh gave us some laughs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Kidergarten Cop)

Kindergarten cop isn’t just one of the funniest Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, it’s also one of his best. Featuring some of the actor’s most memorable one-liners, this 1990 action comedy showed that the Austrian bodybuilder-turned-actor was more than an ice-cold robot or trained killer.

Jeff Daniels (Dumb & Dumber)

Two years after playing Colonel Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg, one of the best Civil War movies ever made, Jeff Daniels played a vastly different type of character in Dumb and Dumber. The obnoxious and absurdly dim-witted Harry Dunne would end up becoming one of the more dramatic actor’s most famous roles.

Jack Nicholson (As Good As It Gets)

Jack Nicholson, one of the most well-known dramatic actors of the 20th century, has popped up in comedies over the years. Perhaps the best of the bunch, As Good as It Gets earned the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment star his third Oscar.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski)

Whenever the topic of the best Jeff Bridges movies comes up, it doesn’t take long for the conversation to turn to The Big Lebowski. Still considered to be one of his most iconic roles, the performance also showed that the largely dramatic actor could pull off an incredibly funny and beloved character.

Liam Neeson (Extras)

Liam Neeson is best known for his work in dramas like Schindler’s List and the Taken action movie franchise, but the decorated actor with that ice-cold delivery has shown off his funny side over the years. His attempt at improv on Extras is the stuff of legend, as is work in The Lego Movie.

George Clooney (O Brother, Where Art Thou?)

George Clooney often rides the line between comedy and drama in the likes of the Ocean’s movies and several Coen Brothers projects, and one of the best examples of that is found in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, a 2000 loose adaptation of The Odyssey. The scheming and conniving Ulysses Everett McGill is one of the all-time great movie characters.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, Midnight Cowboy, and All the President’s Men were just a few of the movies that showed off Dustin Hoffman’s incredible dramatic acting skills. It’s a similar story with Tootsie, the beloved 1982 comedy in which Hoffman plays an unlikeable and hirable actor who decides to dress like a woman to land a gig on a daytime soap opera.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire)

Cuba Gooding Jr. was out of this world in early 1990s dramas like Boyz n the Hood and A Few Good Men, but he was even better in Jerry Maguire as Tom Cruise’s titular character’s temperamental and needy client Rod Tidwell. The over-the-top performance was hilarious beyond belief.

Timothy Dalton (Hot Fuzz)

Timothy Dalton, an actor best known for playing James Bond and showing up in adaptations of Jane Eyre, got to show off his comedy chops in Hot Fuzz, Edgar Wright’s satirical action comedy. His take on Simon Skinner is just as great all these years later.

Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)

Leonardo DiCaprio teamed up with Martin Scorsese for the fifth time in 2013 to make The Wolf of Wall Street. While previous collaborations like Gangs of New York and The Departed were far more dramatic, this hopped-up and raucous biopic allowed the actor to be outrageously funny on screen, and it paid off.

Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa)

Up until starring in Bad Santa, Billy Bob Thornton was mostly known for dramatic roles in films like Monster’s Ball and Sling Blade, but this 2003 R-rated comedy changed all of that. Over the line, vulgar, and one of the funniest performances of the 2000s, Thornton’s take on a mall Santa was an instant classic.

Brad Pitt (Burn After Reading)

Burn After Reading isn’t the best Coen Brothers movie, but it does feature one of Brad Pitt’s funniest performances. Chad Feldheimer, Linda Litzke’s (Frances McDormand) lovable yet moronic coworker is just so silly, so memorable, and so dumb. You just can’t help but love him.

Michael Caine (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)

On top of being an actor who’s appeared in the most Christopher Nolan movies, Michael Caine is also one of the all-time greats of screen and stage, with dozens of iconic films to his name. And while he’s mostly known for his dramatic work, his portrayal of the dastardly Lawrence Jamieson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is so dang good.

Matt Damon (Dogma)

Long before he showed up as an actor playing Loki in Thor: Ragnarok, Matt Damon did it for real in Kevin Smith’s 1999 comedy, Dogma. Sandwiched between Rounders and The Talented Mr. Ripley, the actor’s portrayal of a fallen angel banished to Wisconsin was great and showed a funnier side.

Samuel L. Jackson (The Other Guys)

Samuel L. Jackson in The Other Guys is on a whole other level and is funnier than anything else the actor has done over the years. Sure, Pulp Fiction and Jurassic Park are better movies, but his short yet memorable performance as a gung-ho cop who throws caution (and himself) into the win is comedy cold.

Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest)

Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Alexander Dane, a Shakespearean actor fed up with life and his career direction in Galaxy Quest, is so funny yet so heartbreaking. The way the Die Hard actor (who was also classically trained) finds the balance between comedy and tragedy is perfection.

Russell Crowe (The Nice Guys)

Russell Crowe made a career out of giving commanding, and largely dramatic, performances in everything from Romper Stomper to Gladiator, so it was great to see him play a more comedic role in The Nice Guys. This 2016 Shane Black film also starring Ryan Gosling, felt like a throwback to buddy action movies of yesteryear, and allowed Crowe to try a different approach to character-driven stories.

Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride)

Tony and Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor Mandy Patinkin has given incredible dramatic performances in movies like Yentl and shows like Homeland, but he’s probably best known for his portrayal of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. The skill with a sword, the dashing good looks, and a killer backstory make this not only a great cinematic character but also a hilarious icon of the fantasy genre.

Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda)

Kevin Kline is great in just about everything (especially The Big Chill and Dave), and that includes some great comedies. One of the best featuring a serious and dramatic actor’s work is A Fish Called Wanda. The despicable and charismatic Otto West steals the show whenever on screen.

Christian Bale (The Big Short)

Though not the most standard comedy of the past few years, The Big Short is funny in a frightening and thrilling kind of way. Adam McKay’s biographical crime dramedy about the events that led to the 2007 housing market crash and subsequent economic crisis does feature one of Christian Bale’s most interesting and hilarious performances with his take on hedge fund manager Michael Burry. Not a totally likable guy, but a great character without a doubt.

Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Thor: Ragnarok is still considered one of the best Marvel movies years after its release, and that’s mostly because of Chris Hemsworth’s new and improved portrayal of the “God of Thunder.” While the character was more serious in the first two movies (and two Avengers films), the more light-hearted and silly superhero was a comedy tour de force.

Celebrities owning restaurants is an old tradition in Hollywood. Sometimes, like Mark Wahlberg, it's a simple burger chain, other times, it's a classy hotel where you can have an elegant meal, like Richard Gere. Everything from tacos to sushi to fried chicken and everything in between. 

Just like people love watching scenes in movies about food, people love to rub elbows with the elite in some of these establishments. Here are 32 actors who own restaurants all over the country. 

Mark Wahlberg - Wahlburgers

The first Wahlburgers opened in Hingham, Massachusetts in 2011. The chain has since grown to dozens of stores all over the country and was the subject of a reality show for 10 seasons on A&E. The chain is collectively owned by three Wahlbergs, including Mark and Donnie, along with their chef brother, Paul. 

Ryan Gosling - Tagline

Ryan Gosling has become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and so it makes sense he would open a restaurant in Beverly Hills. Co-owned by the Barbie star and Chef Ben Benameur, the Moroccan joint serves up delicious food in a cozy atmosphere.

Lady Gaga - Joanne Trattoria

Joanne Germanotta was a beloved aunt to Lady Gaga (whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta). Not only did Gaga name a 2016 album after her, but the family has also opened Joanne Trattoria on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. In true Gaga style, the restaurant is not only a great place for Italian food, but it supports local artists, hosts regular drag shows, and has regular performances by local musicians. 

Robert De Niro - Nobu

Robert De Niro first became a regular at chef Nobu Matsuhisa's LA sushi joint Nobu way back in the 1980s. In the mid-90s, De Niro approached Matsuhisa about opening a New York spot. Nobu opened in 1994 in Tribeca and the company has since become a powerhouse in the hospitality industry, with dozens of restaurants and hotels all over the world. 

Michael Imperioli - Scarlet

White Lotus star Michael Imperioli has dabbled in the restaurant industry for a long time. In the mid-'90s Imperioli and his wife opened a speakeasy-style bar called Ciel Rouge, in Tribeca. Almost 30 years later, and 20 after Ciel Rouge closed in 2005, the couple opened Scarlet on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It sticks with the classy, chill speakeasy vibe that made their first venture successful. 

Sandra Bullock - Walton's Fancy & Staple

Walton's Fancy & Staple in Austin, TX, is pretty much exactly what you would expect from Sandra Bullock. It's an upscale neighborhood place with hearty food and a cheery atmosphere. Walton's is the Speed star's second restaurant in her adopted hometown. The first, Bess Bistro, closed in 2016 after a successful 10-year run. Walton's opened in 2009. 

Ludacris - Chicken And Beer

Is there anything better than good fried chicken and great beer to wash it down? If you're in Atlanta and don't check out Ludacris' place, simply named Chicken and Beer, you're missing out on those two wonderful things that pair so well together.

Norman Reedus - Nic & Norman's

Norman Reedus is famous for playing rough-around-the-edges characters like Daryl in The Walking Dead, but his restaurant is not. Nic & Norman's, which has locations across the Southeast is rustic, but it's not rough in any way. The upscale but relaxed gastropubs are sure to satisfy anyone. 

Susan Sarandon - SPiN

When Susan Sarandon and her fellow investors opened SPiN in 2009, there was a surge in the popularity of table tennis (or ping pong). The fad was pretty short-lived, but the table tennis-focused restaurants have remained successful with multiple locations around the country. 

Dan Aykroyd - House Of Blues

One of Dan Aykroyd's most beloved SNL characters, Elwood Blues of The Blues Brothers, has proven to be more than just a role for the actor. On Thanksgiving Day 1992, Aykroyd and his partner Isaac Tigrett (who founded the Hard Rock Cafe), opened the first House of Blues in Cambridge, MA. It has since grown into one of the largest chains of live music venues in the world, and serves some pretty delicious food, too. 

Eva Longoria - Beso

Eva Longoria can do no wrong on the big and small screens, but she didn't have much luck in the restaurant industry. Her steakhouse in LA, Beso, ran into multiple problems in its short run, though none were the fault of the actress. 

Kevin Hart - Hart House

Kevin Hart's LA chain Hart House was ambitious. He wanted to create an affordable vegan chain, and despite rave reviews, it just couldn't make it in the market. The company closed all of its locations in 2024 after initially finding success. 

Issa Rae - Hilltop Coffee And Kitchen

Issa Rae is a true force of nature both in front of and behind the camera. She's also found success in the food industry. Hilltop Coffee And Kitchen brings high-end coffee vibes to historical Black neighborhoods in LA, like Inglewood and View Park. 

Danny Trejo - Trejo's Tacos

Everyone loves tacos and every loves Danny Trejo. So of course a concept like Trejo's Tacos is sure to work and it has succeeded greatly. The chain has multiple locations across LA and has even spawned a second concept: Trejo's Donuts which also opened to rave reviews. 

Channing Tatum - Saints And Sinners

Saints And Sinners, a bar on Bourbon Street in New Orleans co-owned by Channing Tatum was a wild success... at least for a time. The industry is notoriously fickle and Tatum and his partners learned that the hard way when the bar closed in the summer of 2024 after 12 great years. 

Justin Timberlake - The Twelve Thirty Club

Justin Timberlake first dabbled in the food industry in the early teens when he helped design a Memphis-style BBQ joint in New York City called Southern Hospitality. Though he wasn't an owner, he was involved in the concept phase of the place and was a regular there. More recently, he has teamed up with restauranteur Sam Fox to open The Twelve Thirty Club in Nashville. 

Nicholas Braun - Jac’s On Bond

Cousin Greg may not always get the most respect on Succession, but the actor who plays him, Nicholas Braun, sure gets respect in the hospitality industry. Braun is an investor in multiple restaurants in New York City, including a chill bar and restaurant called Jac's on Bond Street in the trendy NoHo neighborhood. 

Zach Braff - Mermaid Oyster Bar

MacDougal Street in New York's Greenwich Village is home to some great restaurants, like the legendary Caffe Reggio and Mamoun's Falafels. It's also where you can find Zach Braff's more upscale, but still laid-back seafood spot appropriately called Mermaid Oyster Bar. 

Anthony Mackie - NoBar

Like others on this list (and in the world), Anthony Mackie has had mixed results as a bar/restaurant owner. His most famous spot, NoBar, opened in Brooklyn in 2011, followed by a second Booklyn location in 2013. Sadly both closed in 2015. 

Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis - Planet Hollywood

The granddaddy of all actor-owned restaurants has to be Planet Hollywood. The first Planet Hollywood opened in New York City in 1991. Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis, among others, were all investors in the concept and, at least at first, the restaurant was a huge success, opening additional locations across the globe. At its peak, there were upwards of 60 locations in the late '90s, but the fun didn't last. Things started to unravel and the stars started to jump shit and most of the locations, other than their most successful ones, closed. 

Richard Gere - Bedford Post Inn

Legendary actor Richard Gere doesn't just own a restaurant, he owns an 8-room bed and breakfast called the Bedford Post Inn in... appropriately, Bedford, NY. The stylish and quaint inn does include a spot to eat, the Bedford Post Tavern, and the inn and the restaurant both draw all kinds of celebrities for a restful stay or a delicious dinner. 

Robert Redford - Zoom

It shouldn't come as any surprise to learn that Robert Redford's former restaurant in Park City, UT was home to a lot of home to a lot powerbrokers during the Sundance Film Festival for many years. Prior to closing in 2016, the hot spot was where the elite met to eat and strike deals during one of the biggest film festivals in the world. 

Hugh Jackman - Laughing Man Coffee

The origin story for Hugh Jackman's Laughing Man Coffee is one of the best on this list. The Aussie actor and his wife took a trip to Ethiopia to learn more about coffee and how the beans were grown. There, according to the coffee shop's website, Jackman met a coffee farmer named Dukale. Dukale gave Jackman a real hands-on experience and after the trip, he and some partners opened Laughing Man Coffee with the goal of working directly with farmers around the world to bring their coffee to New Yorkers. 

Jon Bon Jovi - Soul Kitchen And JBJ's

Jon Bon Jovi may be most famous for being the voice of the band named after him, but he's dabbled a lot in acting, and a little in the hospitality biz. His first venture was started by his foundation and called Soul Kitchen. The restaurant, located in Red Bank, NJ, sells food for whatever hungry customers can afford. Bon Jovi has also opened a spot on the famous Broadway strip in Nashville called JBJ's which features live music and a full menu, in addition to beer and booze, of course.

Piper Perabo - Jack's Wife Freda

Piper Perabo got her big break playing a bartender in Coyote Ugly and while the New York City chain she's an investor in, called Jack's Wife Frida, doesn't feature half-dressed women dancing on the bar, it's got something even better: delicious Mediterranean food. With five locations across the city, you can always find what you're craving, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Jessica Biel - Au Fudge

Au Fudge, which closed its doors in 2018, was something unique in the celebrity restaurant world - a kid's restaurant. As the name implies, Jessica Biel's spot was all about dessert and candy. It also had all the stuff kids love, like chicken fingers, on the menu. The world needs more of these, right parents?

Debi Mazar - The Tuscan Gun

Debi Mazar and her chef husband's love of food was first shown through a cooking show on the Cooking Channel. They spun that into a Tuscany-themed New York restaurant called The Tuscan Gun. Using chef Mazar's husband Gabriele Corcos' recipes, the Italian joint brought the best of Italy to Williamsburg. 

Quentin Tarantino - Do Hwa

For years, Quentin Tarantino's Korean restaurant Do Hwa brought the delicious flavors of East Asia to the West Village in New York. While very few people would call Tarantino "understated," his restaurant was, in all the best ways. It was cozy and delicious before it closed in 2018.

Jerry Ferrara - Fat Sal's

A sandwich joint called Fat Sal's is just perfect for Entourage star Jerry Ferrara. It sounds exactly like something Turtle would open on the show. Fat Sal's has multiple locations around LA and is a great spot if you want traditional deli sandwiches sold by a guy you can be sure loves them as much as you do. 

Justin Theroux - Ray's

Justin Theroux is a jack of all trades. He's an actor, a writer, and an ex-husband to Jennifer Aniston. He's also a bar owner, along with partner Nicolaus Braun with Ray's on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The dive bar is everything you could ever want in an unpretentious local water hole, which is no surprise, coming from Theroux. 

Ashton Kutcher - Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante

Ashton Kutcher has never been afraid to make risky investments. Some have paid off handsomely, like his early investments in Spotify and Uber. Others haven't worked out so well, like his short-lived Italian spot, Dolce Enoteca E Ristorante. The hot spot worked for a while but it closed in 2020, like so many other restaurants. 

Ty Burrell - The Eating Establishment

Modern Family star Ty Burrell took a slightly different route to restaurant ownership than most of the other actors on his list. Instead of starting a new spot, he bought an old one. The Eating Establishment, which dates back to 1970, was purchased by Burrell and other investors in 2016 and they've continued to run the popular Park City, UT restaurant ever since. 

Eminem - Mom's Spaghetti

Mom's Spaghetti is the perfect kind of place for Eminem to own, right? The Detroit, Michigan-based eatery has name that perfectly describes the food you can get there, and it's taken straight from an Eminem lyric in "Lose Yourself."

Jon Huertas - Clutch

Jon Huertas, best known for playing Brad Alcerro in Sabrina The Teenage Witch, is the proud owner of Clutch Roadhouse in Culver City, CA. Clutch is known for its great food and charitable works, both very important to the This Is Us star. 

Whenever we talk about the best ‘90s movies, it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the most iconic actors of the final decade of the 20th century and their most beloved performances. But what are Will Smith’s, Julia Roberts’, or Keanu Reeves’ best movies for the unforgettable and transformative 10-year stretch? 

We’re being totally subjective here (Because why not?), but here are the best ‘90s movies for these 32 actors. Best Picture winners, a handful of the best action movies of all time, and other films that turned up-and-comers into overnight megastars can all be found below.

Will Smith (Independence Day)

Will Smith was already a household name by the time Independence Day was released and became the biggest movie of 1996, but this massive sci-fi flick took him to new heights. Electric, magnetic, and charismatic beyond belief, the Fresh Prince became the King of the summer blockbuster with his portrayal of Captain Steven Hiller.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic)

Is there a bigger ‘90s movie than Titanic, both in terms of financial returns and cultural prominence? Yeah, James Cameron’s story of the ill-fated ship, his special effects, and the rest of the cast made this 1997 disaster movie a must-see, but Leonardo DiCaprio, with his “King of the World” moment, made this an all-timer. 

Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire)

Picking the best ‘90s movie for Tom Cruise is no easy task, considering some of the actor’s best performances took place that decade. However, despite Magnolia and Mission: Impossible being great in their own ways, this has to go to Cruise’s dynamic portrayal of the struggling sports agent in Jerry Maguire. “Show me the money,” is a quote we keep in our repertoire nearly 30 years later. 

Sandra Bullock (Speed)

Sandra Bullock put herself on the map with her performance in Speed, one of the most iconic 1994 movies. Though she was great in Demolition Man the year before, Bullock’s take on Annie Porter made her an overnight sensation and quickly became one of her best roles to date, even outside the ‘90s.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

How Morgan Freeman didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in The Shawshank Redemption is one of the biggest mysteries, and travesties, in Hollywood history. His portrayal of Ellis "Red" Redding in this spectacular Stephen King adaptation is so strong and so believable that you don’t see him as an actor playing an inmate, but more like an aging prisoner trying to “get busy living or get busy dying.”

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

As much as we would have loved to argue for Jurassic Park being Samuel L. Jackson’s best ‘90s movie, Ray Arnold has nothing on the bad mother [redacted] that was Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction. Easily Quentin Tarantino’s best movie, this 1994 classic is essentially a master class in dialogue and non-linear storytelling.

Meg Ryan (Sleepless In Seattle)

A few years after leading the best romantic comedy of all time with When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan teamed up with Nora Ephron (who was directing this time around) for Sleepless in Seattle in 1993. The chemistry between Ryan and Tom Hanks as Annie Reed and Sam Baldwin, is incredible, even if they only share a couple minutes of screentime.

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

It’s hard to imagine what Julia Roberts’ career and Hollywood in general would be like if the actress didn’t play Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman. Sure, Roberts already had some hits and would have gone on to land big roles, but this 1990 rom-com instantly made her one of the brightest stars on the planet and showed off her dynamic range and impeccable comedic timing.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It)

Angela Bassett’s best movie, What’s Love Got to Do with It saw the celebrated actress take on the role of the legendary Tina Turner in this 1993 biopic about the late singer’s life, career, and toxic relationship with husband and music partner Ike Turner. Bassett had some pretty iconic ‘90s roles throughout the decade, but this is at the tippy top of the mountain.

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix)

Picking Keanu Reeves’ best movie of the 1990s is more difficult than you’d think. Point Break, My Private Idaho, and Speed are all contenders, but none come close to the heights of The Matrix and his performance as Neo, aka, the One. Watching Reeves’ character develop throughout this great ‘90s sci-fi film never gets old.

Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)

Robin Williams had SO many good movies in the ‘90s, but Good Will Hunting was in a league of its own, at least in terms of performances by the late comedian. The richness, range, and emotion found in his portrayal of Sean Maguire is something to behold. No wonder he took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense)

The ‘90s saw Bruce Willis play everything from his most iconic character in the second and third Die Hard movies to the leads in multiple blockbusters. However, none of those compare to his work in The Sixth Sense. There is just something so warm and refreshing about his portrayal of a child psychiatrist trying to help a young boy make sense of life and his strange gift.

Harrison Ford (The Fugitive)

Have you gone back and watched The Fugitive lately? If not, do so now. If you have, you’re all too familiar with Harrison Ford’s performance as Richard Kimble, the Chicago doctor trying to clear his name after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. Air Force One and Clear and Present Danger are great, but this 1993 thriller is one of Ford’s career-best.

Frances McDormand (Fargo)

Frances McDormand’s portrayal of Marge Gunderson in the Coen Brothers' Fargo earned the actress the first of her three Academy Awards, and for good reason: she’s the heart and soul of the 1996 crime comedy.  

Gary Oldman (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman played some of the meanest ‘90s villains in movies like Air Force One, Leon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element, the latter of which features his best work of the decade. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg is one of those characters that you love to hate and enjoy watching as much as the 1997 sci-fi film’s hero, which is saying something.

Wesley Snipes (White Men Can't Jump)

In the years following his breakout performance in Major League, Wesley Snipes became one of the dependable faces in Hollywood thanks to unforgettable turns in New Jack City, Demolition Man, and Jungle Fever. But let’s be real, Snipes’ take on Syd Deane is one of the most iconic ‘90s characters and essentially carries this all-time great basketball movie.

Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan)

Tom Hanks dominated the ‘90s with Oscar-winning performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump as well as other decade-defining films like Toy Story and A League of Their Own. But in terms of the BEST movie, that has to go to Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s harrowing World War II epic about heroism, survival, and the hope of a better tomorrow.

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

We could have listed Goodfellas, Heat, or even A Bronx Tale as Robert De Niro’s best movie from the ‘90s, but his performance as Max Cady in Cape Fear is on a whole other level. Easily one of the Oscar winner’s most menacing characters, the psychopathic ex-con with a bone to pick is a force of pure evil here.

Al Pacino (Heat)

After playing all-time great gangsters in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Al Pacino was on the other side of the law in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic, Heat. Sure, Scent of a Woman earned him that elusive Oscar for Best Actor, but his take on Lieutenant Vincent Hanna is the stuff of legend. Plus, we also got to see Pacino and Robert De Niro share a scene for the first time.

Anthony Hopkins (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest performances of all time. That said, it should be no surprise that this great horror film gets the call here. Though there was some stiff competition.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights)

As much as we would love to break down all the awesome ways Philip Seymour Hoffman stole the show in Twister and My Boyfriend’s Back, the late actor really came into his own in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 drama, Boogie Nights. Hoffman’s sympathetic take on Scotty J. was nothing short of brilliant and showed what was to come.

Jodie Foster (The Silence Of The Lambs)

If you were to break down Jodie Foster’s best performances, her portrayal of Clarice Starling would be at or near the top of that list. A movie that has been quoted or referenced countless times over the years, this 1991 thriller remains one of the best ever made.

Brad Pitt (Seven)

David Fincher’s Seven is Brad Pitt’s best movie from the ‘90s for a variety of reasons: 1) the movie about a serial killer taking lives based on the seven deadly sins is violently unique, 2) it was the start of a partnership between actor and director, and 3) Pitt showed he was more than a pretty face and really had what it took.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (T2: Judgment Day)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is not only a decade-defining action movie or a landmark achievement in visual effects, it’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best movie of the ‘90s and perhaps all time. James Cameron’s sequel is bigger and louder than its predecessor and epic beyond compare.

Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act)

Whoopi Goldberg won her first Academy Award for her role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost, a film that kicked off an impressive decade for the comedian and actor. Her spiritual guide for Patrick Swayze’s ghostly Sam Wheat in this supernatural thriller helped anchor the film and turn it into the biggest movie of 1990.

Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting)

Matt Damon went from a relatively unknown actor to one of the brightest faces (and voices) in Hollywood thanks to Good Will Hunting. His tortured performance as a young math prodigy in South Boston is still captivating more than 25 years later.

Eddie Murphy (The Nutty Professor)

Eddie Murphy did a little bit of everything in the ‘90s, but The Nutty Professor shows off some of the comedian’s best work. Playing multiple characters (heroes, villains, and in between) really showed off Murphy’s dynamic range and varied comedic styles.

Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore)

Though Big Daddy proved that Adam Sandler could handle slightly more dramatic roles, there’s no denying the fact that Happy Gilmore is the former SNL star’s best ‘90s movie. His take on a failed hockey player finding new purpose (and fortune) in the world of golf was a game-changer and created one of the best sports characters of all time.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington is another actor who had more great roles in the ‘90s than we can count, but at the top of his “best” list is Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic, Malcolm X. The movie about the controversial civil rights icon was eye-opening, enchanting, and epic.

Joe Pesci (Goodfellas)

We could have talked about My Cousin Vinny, we could have talked about Home Alone, and we could have even made a case for Casino, but none of that is possible without Goodfellas. The movie, which introduced the world to Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito, is one of the greatest gangster movies of all time and an influential piece of cinema we still rave about 30-plus years later.

Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise)

Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise, a movie featuring one of the best female friendships with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis’ titular characters, helped kickstart the decade back in 1990. Easily Sarandon’s best movie of the ‘90s, this crime drama about two friends on the run from the law is just so dang great.

Jim Carrey (Dumb & Dumber)

Jim Carrey absolutely dominated the ‘90s comedy scene, and the box office in general back in 1994. While Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask both have their moments, we have to be real for a second and admit that Dumb and Dumber is some of Carrey’s best work.

Movie fans had lots to love in the '90s and these actors and their best movies of the decade will never be forgotten.

Whether it's in biopics or in other historical movies, playing an important person often leads to some of the most amazing performances put on film. There are far too many to count, much less list here, but we do think you'll agree that this list of 32 actors playing famous people rank among the best. 

Ben Kingsley - Gandhi

The 1982 epic Gandhi starring Ben Kingsley as the revered leader of India and icon to peaceful protestors all over the world is an amazing movie. At the heart is Kingsley's amazing, transformative performance. He looks and sounds just like Gandhi, it's almost uncanny. 

Margot Robbie - Tonya Harding

When the news first broke that Australian Margot Robbie was cast to play controversial US Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in I, Tonya, it's safe to say that many were skeptical. It took the actor all of about 30 seconds of screen time in the movie to prove those skeptics very wrong. Robbie is fantastic as the troubled skater with a family life that you wouldn't wish on anyone. 

Paul Dano - Brian Wilson

The Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy seems to have been overlooked by many, but if you're a fan of The Beach Boys, you need to see it. John Cusack plays the older Wilson in the 1980s and it is fantastic. Paul Dano, who plays the Pet Sounds-era Wilson, is simply amazing. He completely disappears into the role. 

Reese Witherspoon - June Carter Cash

Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix are both amazing in Walk the Line as June and Johnny Cash. Really both deserve to be on this list, but we've the honor to Witherspoon if only because she won Best Actress at the Oscars in 2006. 

Robert Downey, Jr - Charlie Chaplin

It took a long time for Robert Downey to win an Oscar, which he finally did for Oppenheimer. More than 30 years before that win, he earned his first nomination for 1992's Chaplin for playing the legendary actor and Hollywood trailblazer. It's a movie that doesn't get talked about much these days, but it's still great. Especially Downey's performance. 

Natalie Portman - Jackie Kennedy

Jackie Kennedy has to be a tricky person to play. She is so iconic and so well known to so many people that the scrutiny would be stressful. Luckily for all of us, Natalie Portman hit it out of the park when she played the former First Lady in Jackie. 

Meryl Streep - Margaret Thatcher

It's hardly surprising to see Meryl Streep's name on any list of great performances. She has been arguably the best actor in Hollywood for 50 years. One of her finest performances came in 2011's The Iron Lady where she played the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher. 

Rami Malek - Freddy Mercury

You knew we couldn't have this list without including Rami Malek's incredible performance as Freddie Mercury in the biopic about the late Queen singer, Bohemian Rhapsody. It's not all about the prosthetic teeth, as Malek nailed so many nuances and mannerisms of the icon rock star. Just as in real life, the performance at Live Aid at the end of the movie brings down the house. 

Val Kilmer - Jim Morrison

If you grew up in the '90s, The Doors was probably a seminal film for you. Val Kilmer blew audiences away as the late Jim Morrison. It was so good you'd swear you were watching the real Morrison as he rose to fame and then burned out quickly before tragically becoming a member of the "27 Club" in 1971.

Denzel Washington - Malcolm X

A powerful personality takes an actor with equal strength to pull off and in Malcolm X, Denzel Washington is more than up for the task. Playing the combative, controversial civil rights leader could not have been easy, yet Washington brings him back to life in every way. It's the reason everyone should see this biopic. 

Faye Dunaway - Joan Crawford

Faye Dunaway gives the performance of a lifetime in Mommie Dearest. It's scary and mesmerizing. Joan Crawford was one of the most beloved actors in Hollywood in the Golden Age in Hollywood, but this movie changed the public's opinion of her forever - and not for the better. 

Jennifer Lopez - Selena

Before played the murdered superstar Selena in the movie of the same name, Jennifer Lopez had had a few roles in movies, but after Selena, she was the legend we all know today. It's a groundbreaking performance. 

David Oyelowo - Dr, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Everyone in America has heard the powerful voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. hundreds of times. His speeches are part of everyone's education. That makes David Oyelowo's turn as the civil rights leader that much harder - and that much more impressive. It's just fantastic. 

Cate Blanchett - Bob Dylan

Okay, we admit, technically Cate Blanchett is playing a character named "Jude Quinn" in I'm Not There, but c'mon, let's be real, she's playing Bob Dylan. It's an uncanny performance as well. There is actual footage of Dylan from that time in his career in the excellent D.A. Pennebaker-directed Dont Look Back. Compare that to Blanchett and you'll realize just how great she was. 

Daniel Day-Lewis - Abraham Lincoln

Of all the amazing performances on this list, Daniel Day-Lewis as Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln just may be the best. It frankly could be the greatest acting performance of all time. There's an argument for it, at least. He's simply incredible and brings the tragic president to life like no one else has before or since, and likely never will. 

Cillian Murphy - J. Robert Oppenheimer

Cillian Murphy won a well-deserved Best Actor Award for playing J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer. It's a subtle, smoldering performance, just like the personality of the real Oppenheimer. Playing the scientist in his greatest moments in life and his lowest, it's a fantastic showing by the Irish actor. 

Cynthia Erivo - Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman is one of the most important people in US history, but one that hasn't been explored on film nearly as much as you might expect. Luckily, when someone did decide to finally tell her full story on the big screen in 2019's Harriet, they had the good sense to cast Cynthia Erivo as the former slave-turned-freedom fighter. She's amazing. 

Forest Whitaker - Idi Amin

Forest Whitaker is pretty great in everything he's in. He cranks his talent up to another level in The Last King Of Scotland as the brutal dictator of Uganda, Idi Amin. He's so good there are even moments where viewers might feel compassion for the man, despite his worst tendencies as the leader of the country. 

Jessica Chastain - Tammy Faye Bakker

If you were around in the 1980s, you remember all the insanity around Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Jim Bakker crying on TV with Tammy Faye right next to him is something no one will forget. Jessica Chastain's turn as the evangelical preacher's wife is just as memorable. 

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Truman Capote

it's hard to imagine anyone will ever play Truman Capote as well as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote. The role completely takes control of the actor in the best way. It might as well been the writer himself. You completely forget there is even an actor behind the role. 

Daniel Kaluuya - Fred Hampton

Fred Hampton was a controversial and complicated leader in the Black Panther Party in the 1960s. Casting a Brit like Daniel Kaluuya in the role was a daring choice by the filmmakers of Judas and the Black Messiah, but it paid off brilliantly as Kaluuya nails the role. 

Gary Oldman - Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill has been played on the big and small screen by plenty of great actors. John Lithgow (The Crown), Brendan Gleeson (Into the Storm), and Albert Finney (The Gathering Storm) have all garnered praise for playing the legendary prime minister. Gary Oldman, who won an Oscar for playing Churchill in 2017's The Darkest Hour may just be the best. His reading of those famous speeches is just mesmerizing. 

Angela Bassett - Tina Tuner

Tina Turner was a fierce woman, who deserved a fierce performance and she got one with Angela Bassett in What's Love Got To Do With It. Bassett's performance is transcendent and certainly deserved the Oscar nomination she received. She should've won it! 

Austin Butler - Elvis Presley

Austin Butler got so caught up in his performance as Elvis Presley in Elvis that critics of the actor complained that even months later he was still talking like the King of Rock and Roll. he wasn't, but that does say something about how good he was in the Baz Luhrmann-directed bio flick. 

Jesse Eisenberg - Mark Zuckerberg

When The Social Network was first announced, many were confused as to how someone could make an interesting movie about the founding of Facebook. It turns out, that if you get a great writer like Aaron Sorkin, a great director like David Fincher, and someone like Jesse Eisenberg to play the Mark Zuckerberg, you can make it look easy. The movie is great, and Eisenberg's performance is pitch-perfect. 

Leonardo DiCaprio - Howard Hughes

Howard Hughes is one of the most mercurial and odd celebrities in US history. In The Aviator, Leonardo DiCaprio fully embodies everything about the director and businessman. He takes on his greatest triumphs and sinks to the depths of Hughes' despair in the lowest points of his mental illness with the same gusto. 

Charlize Theron - Aileen Wuornos

Serial killer Aileen Wuornos was a terrifying person. A true monster, as the name of the movie about her is called. That's not to say a viewer can't have some sympathy for the circumstances that brought her to the point of murder, but you can't excuse her. Charlize Theron does an incredible job bringing all of that to the role in Monster. 

Sean Penn - Harvey Milk

Milk is one of the great political movies of the last few decades and the biggest reason why, besides the inspiring story, is Sean Penn's performance as Harvey Milk. Like Penn has done so often in his career, he completely disappears into the character. It is Harvey Milk.  

George C. Scott - George Patton

George S. Patton was a great, and complicated leader in World War II. He was responsible for some of the greatest military gains in the war, and he couldn't keep himself out of trouble with his controversy. George C. Scott's portrayal of the general in Patton is amazing. Even though the opening scene of him making a speech in front of the flag is fictional, it sets the tone perfectly and the movie never lets up. 

Cate Blanchett - Katharine Hepburn

Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic in The Aviator as Howard Hughes, but he's not the only great performance in the movie. Cate Blanchett as the iconic Katharine Hepburn is, well, iconic. There's just no better word for either. It's not only a spot-on impression, the portrayal nails everything that was great about Hepburn. 

Robert De Niro - Jake LaMotta

Jake LaMotta was one of the toughest prizefighters of all time. His incredible story and Robert De Niro's performance are the two things that make Raging Bull legendary. Scorsese's direction is pretty great too. 

Helen Mirren - Queen Elizabeth II

it's really hard to play a person who has been on television screens all over the world for decades. Helen Mirren takes on that difficult task in Queen Elizabeth II. The late Queen was an icon in every sense of the word and playing her could not have been easy, yet, when you have the talent of Helen Mirren, it looks easy. It surely wasn't. 

Sometimes, all it takes is one joint appearance in a movie or television show for two popular actors to become known as an acting duo, and sometimes they prove to work so well together that they go on to star in even more projects together. We’ve come up with a list of 32 acting duos who have worked together multiple times, so you can see if you’ve watched all of the times these talented stars have been on screen with each other.

Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

Obviously, this funny duo began their most famed time together while starring on Saturday Night Live, but Tina Fey and Amy Poehler didn’t let the good times end there. The women were both in Mean Girls, starred in the movies Baby Mama and Sisters, and used their talents to great effect when co-hosting the Golden Globe Awards for several years.

Robert De Niro And Al Pacino

Two legendary actors make for a legendary acting duo, and while Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are frequently mentioned in the same breath, they’ve only been featured in four films together. Two of those movies, however, are absolutely the reason people often talk about them together as they count The Godfather Part II, Heat, Righteous Kill and The Irishman as their joint efforts.

Julia Roberts And George Clooney

Now, these two actually have made quite a few movies with one another, and largely with both in on-screen roles. Of course, it’s hard to forget that George Clooney and Julia Roberts are in all three of the Ocean’s Eleven films, but they’ve also starred in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney also directed), Money Monster and the 2022 rom-com Ticket to Paradise. The erstwhile Danny Ocean also produced August: Osage County, while Roberts starred.

Jane Fonda And Lily Tomlin

Frequently we see an acting duo together multiple times because they really are buddies in real life, and that’s true for Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. After first starring together in the 1980 hit 9 to 5 (with Dolly Parton, of course) they eventually re-teamed for the Netflix series Grace and Frankie (which ran for seven seasons), as well as the dark comedy Moving On and 80 for Brady.

Emma Stone And Ryan Gosling

This duo has produced some well-known and beloved comedies and dramas over the years, as Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling first starred together in Crazy, Stupid, Love in 2011, moving on to Gangster Squad in 2013 and the Oscar-winning musical La La Land in 2016. Stone even once said she couldn’t “imagine” her life without Gosling, so these two will probably be friends forever.

Salma Hayek And Antonio Banderas

Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas sharing the screen in Desperado caused considerable heat, along with igniting a very real friendship, so it’s no surprise that they’ve now worked together a number of times. They’ve also been in the casts of Four Rooms, Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 3: Game Over, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard and both Puss in Boots animated movies. That’s a lot!

Dwayne Johnson And Kevin Hart

We’ve already born witness to a rather lengthy history of Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart ripping on each other during their (apparently) laugh and roast-filled friendship, and the two megastars have, indeed, brought that chemistry to the big screen multiple times. The duo counts Central Intelligence, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its sequel, Hobbs & Shaw and DC League of Super-Pets as the titles they’ve appeared in together.

Matt Damon And Ben Affleck

If this isn’t a classic acting duo by now, there are none. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been “bizarrely close” friends since childhood, and they first joined forces to great effect by penning and starring in Good Will Hunting (after having both appeared in School Ties), which won them the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. They also worked on Dogma in the 1990s, then, after nearly 25 years, they joined forces again to write and star in The Last Duel, and since then have also worked together on Air and the upcoming RIP for Netflix.

Denzel Washington And Don Cheadle

If only these two powerhouse stars had already been in more movies together…Denzel Washington and Don Cheadle’s first pairing was as P.I. Easy Rawlins and his loyal but unpredictable friend, Mouse, in 1995’s Devil in a Blue Dress. While their work in the film garnered critical acclaim, it would be over 15 years before they teamed again for Flight.

Sanaa Lathan And Taye Diggs

We should never underestimate the power of a franchise when it comes to popular on-screen pairings. Sanaa Lathan and Taye Diggs appeared in The Wood together in 1999 and then went on to star in The Best Man, its sequel and the Peacock mini-series, The Best Man: The Final Chapters. The duo also played the lead couple in the rom-com, Brown Sugar in 2002.

Scarlett Johansson And Chris Evans

Co-starring in a franchise with the same people will take an acting duo far, but Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans have surpassed even the typical standard where that’s concerned. Thanks to their joint time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they’ve appeared in a whopping seven movies together (including their mid-end credits cameo in Captain Marvel), and prior to their time as blockbuster movie-making superheroes they starred in The Perfect Score and The Nanny Diaries, bringing their current total to nine.

Anthony Mackie And Chris Evans

If you did enjoy many of those MCU movies, then you know that Chris Evans rubbed elbows with Anthony Mackie quite a bit there. But, did you also know that the two have been in XX non-Marvel movies together? Playing It Cool, What’s Your Number, and Ghosted also star/feature both actors and if you add in all their shared time in tights on screen, their total is also at nine.

Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson

The first time was a hit, so why not join forces again, right? Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson famously delivered winning chemistry in Jungle Cruise, and are coming back together for the upcoming drama The Smashing Machine. The two are also said to be willing to return for Jungle Cruise 2, whenever that can finally get off the ground.

Chris Pine And Ben Foster

The third time has been the charm so far for Chris Pine and Ben Foster. The duo famously portrayed bank-robbing brothers in Hell or High Water, joined up for The Finest Hours, and made it a three-peat in 2022 for The Contractor.

Margot Robbie And Will Smith

If it seemed that there could have been a little something extra going on between Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Will Smith’s Deadshot when you watched 2016’s Suicide Squad, then it might have been because you picked up on the chemistry the duo first built in Focus from the year before.

Margot Robbie And Brad Pitt

This big screen coupling made quite a showing for themselves across less than a decade, as Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt have starred in The Big Short, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Babylon. 

Margot Robbie And Leonardo DiCaprio

Just imagine, had it not been for this pairing, we might not have the megastar who is Barbie actor/producer Margot Robbie right now. Her role in Wolf of Wall Street as the second wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s corrupt fraudster propelled her career, and by the time they starred in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood together Robbie was a major star.

Halle Berry And Hugh Jackman

We, again, have a superhero franchise to thank for bringing two great talents together, as Oscar winner Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman both have four of the X-Men movies among their credits. The duo also starred in Swordfish and Movie 43.

Awkwafina And Michelle Yeoh

This duo counts two megahits in their joint credits, with Awkwafina and Everything Everywhere All At Once Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh both having starred in Crazy Rich Asians (and we’re still waiting for that rom-com sequel) and the MCU entry Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Michelle Yeoh And Jackie Chan

Michelle Yeoh has been a star for several decades, and part of that reason is because of her breakout role in the 1992’s Supercop, which also starred Jackie Chan. But, they’ve made a number of other films with each other, including Supercop 2, and Hong Kong action films Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars, Project S, and both voiced characters in Kung Fu Panda 2, along with having starred in a 1984 watch commercial together.

Angela Bassett And Laurence Fishburne

While Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were famously nominated for Oscars for their lead roles as Tina Turner and Ike Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do with It?, the duo was actually first together on screen for Boyz n the Hood in ‘91. They then later teamed up for Akeela and the Bee in 2006.

Julia Roberts And Richard Gere

If this isn’t a famous acting duo, then none are, despite their only making two movies with each other. Of course, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere starred in the mega-hit classic rom-com Pretty Woman and teamed up again for Runaway Bride in 1999.

Jennifer Aniston And Jason Bateman

For a while there, Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, who are friends in real life, were kinda on a roll. Their first joint film was The Break-Up in 2006, and since then they’ve filmed four additional movies with one another: The Switch, Horrible Bosses and its sequel, and 2016’s Office Christmas Party.

Kate Hudson And Matthew McConaughey

Who can forget the glorious chemistry created by Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey in How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days? No one, that’s who! This is why they made a second rom-com, Fool’s Gold, just five years later.

Kirsten Dunst And Jesse Plemons

It’s not unusual for an acting duo to become friends in real life, but Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons took that a few steps further after working on the TV series Fargo together. Not only have they since starred in the film The Power of the Dog (which netted each their first Oscar nomination) and the A24 drama Civil War, but they married in 2022 and have two sons.

Meg Ryan And Tom Hanks

We could hardly leave Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks off of this list, as the famed actors have co-starred in two of the biggest romantic comedies of all time. Everyone knows them for making Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail hits, but before all of that, they led one of the weirder rom-coms made with Joe Versus the Volcano, and reunited for the 2016 drama Ithaca, which Ryan directed.

Drew Barrymore And Adam Sandler

People often mention Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler as an acting duo they want to see more of and with good reason. The two have made magic in the classics The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates and Blended.

Adam Sandler And Chris Rock

This pairing goes back decades, to the time when Adam Sandler and Chris Rock starred on Saturday Night Live together in the ‘90s. Since then, the real-life buddies have appeared in seven movies together, with The Longest Yard, Grown Ups and its sequel, The Week Of and Top Five counted among that number.

George Clooney And Brad Pitt

Of course, George Clooney and Brad Pitt helped to make the Ocean’s Eleven franchise a hit, but the friends additionally teamed up for the live TV movie 8, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (which Clooney directed), Burn After Reading and the 2024 films If and Wolfs.

Keegan-Michael Key And Jordan Peele

The duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who first became recognizable during their time on MadTV, eventually went on to their own acclaimed sketch comedy series, Key and Peele. But, while making names for themselves on other series and in a number of movies, they continue to work with one another on projects like Keanu, Toy Story 4 and Wendell & Wild.

Awkwafina And Simu Liu

It was the MCU that first brought Awkwafina and Simu Liu together in the hit film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and while we’re still waiting to see when that franchise will bring them back together, 2024 saw them team up again for the action comedy, Jackpot!.

Jane Fonda And Robert Redford

Dedicated film fans probably know that legends Jane Fonda and Robert Redford starred together in Barefoot in the Park and The Electric Horseman, but their joint movie appearances do go beyond that. They also starred in The Chase in ‘66 and reunited for Our Souls at Night in 2017, and both had their film debuts in 1960’s Tall Story.

As you can see, film history is packed with acting duos who’ve worked together more than once, and that will probably always be the case.

The $2 billion lifetime box mark for all their movies is a major milestone for actors and only the most popular ones have reached that level. The full list, per The Numbers, includes a lot of names you'd expect, and a few you wouldn't. Many on the list play major characters in the MCU, though we've limited those somewhat here, to get a fuller picture. So here it is, our list of actors who've topped the $2 billion mark all-time at the box office.

Daniel Radcliffe

There are some huge franchises out there, and few are bigger than the Harry Potter series, so naturally, the actor who played its protagonist, Daniel Radcliffe, is going to find his way onto this list. With a box office total climbing north of $2.6 billion, Radcliffe has supplemented Harry Potter with big movies like Now You See Me 2 and The Lost City.

Tom Cruise

For four decades Tom Cruise has been one of, if not the, most bankable stars in Hollywood. The biggest chunk of the more than $4 billion he's earned has come from the Mission: Impossible movies, but almost every one of his movies, from Top Gun to War of the Worlds and beyond are usually big money makers. 

Harrison Ford

When you star in two of the biggest franchises in Hollywood history, you're going to make this list. As Han Solo in the Star Wars movies and as the titular character in the Indiana Jones series, Harrison Ford has been raking in box office receipts for decades.  He's also had big money earners outside those series as well, like the two Jack Ryan movies he starred in, and movies like The Fugitive and the two Blade Runner flicks.  

Tom Hanks

It's hardly a surprise to see Tom Hanks on this list. With a total box office of over $5 billion, Hanks has consistently crushed it in some of the most iconic roles in Hollywood history. The list of Hanks' best movies includes Saving Private Ryan, Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Big, and many more, but the movies that make the biggest contribution to that box office number come from the Toy Story franchise. 

Jack Black

Jack Black movies have brought in more than $2.7 billion. Before you wonder where that has come from, you have to remember just how huge the Kung Fu Panda series of movies have been. They all have collected huge box office numbers. Throw in School of Rock, and the Jumanji series, and all of a sudden, you're climbing in some pretty rarified air. Oh - and it might surprise you that the Super Mario Bros. Movie earned more than a billion on its own.  

Morgan Freeman

Is there a more beloved actor in Hollywood than Morgan Freeman? With movies like The Shawshank Redemption, Driving Miss Daisy, and Unforgiven he's proven he's one the best actors, and with huge movies like The Dark Knight trilogy, he's brought in a ton of money, with over $2 billion total. 

George Clooney

There isn't anyone in Hollywood who quite personifies a classic movie star than George Clooney. He's brought in more than $2 billion lifetime, with only one superhero movie on his resume (and a forgettable one at that, with Batman & Robin). Of course, the Ocean's movies have been his biggest box office successes, but he mostly has just put out great movie after great movie. 

Liam Neeson

While Liam Neeson isn't alone in actors we'd like to see in the MCU one day, he's still earned bank at the box office. He's appeared in a number of other big franchises, like Star Wars, The Dark Knight, and The Chronicles of Narnia, and the franchise he's most known for, the Taken movies. 

Steve Carell

It may surprise you to see Steve Carrell on this list until you remember how huge the Despicable Me franchise is. Those movies print money and Carell has been a monster piece in that puzzle. Of course, he's also had huge hits like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and the Anchorman movies. 

Meryl Streep

It's hard to argue against Meryl Streep being the finest actress of a generation, and perhaps even ever. With more than 20 Oscar nominations, she's built a career that is unparalleled. She has also managed to kill it at the box office despite not being a part of any huge franchises. The Mamma Mia! movies are the closest she's come to something like that, which makes her $2 billion+ that much more impressive.  

Eddie Murphy

Year after year Eddie Murphy just cranks out hit after hit. Sure, he's a long way away from his peak as a comic in the '80s, but you can't argue against the results, with over $3.5 billion in total receipts. The biggest contributors, of course, are the Shrek movies. 

Johnny Depp

Of course, Johnny Depp has to be on this list. Depp led one of the biggest franchises of the early 21st Century with the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He's had a lot of hits outside of his work for Disney, but the role of Jack Sparrow has translated to a big chunk of his more than $3.6 billion total box office. 

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence hasn't been in the MCU proper, but in full disclosure, she did appear in the X-Men franchise when it was outside of the MCU proper. So there is that. Still, she's also got another franchise under her belt with the Hunger Games movies. Outside of that, she's known for taking on serious roles in movies like Winter's Bone and Mother. It all adds up to more than $2.6 billion.

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro has been one of the most famous actors in Hollywood for more than 50 years and with that has come a lot of success at the ticket window. in total, his movies like Cape Fear, The Godfather II, Killers of the Flower Moon, and, the films that have contributed the most to his more than $2.6 billion lifetime box office sales, the Meet The Parents movies. 

Emma Watson

As one of the key cast members of eight Harry Potter movies, it's hardly a surprise to see Emma Watson on this list. That franchise alone has made billions. She also appeared as Belle in the Disney live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast in 2017, which made a cool billion as well. 

Leonardo DiCaprio

The great Leonardo DiCaprio is another actor on this list who has built remarkable box office numbers – well over $2 billion – without the benefit of a major franchise. It helps to have Titanic on your resume though. 

Julia Roberts

Since the late '80s, Julia Roberts has been box office gold. In all, her movies have made more than $2 billion, and without the benefit of a major franchise, aside from the first two Ocean's movies. Instead, she's built her legendary career on movies like Pretty Woman, Erin Brockovich, and Eat Pray Love.

Bruce Willis

There are few action stars as loved as Bruce Willis. Before he retired due to aphasia and dementia, he not only starred in the Die Hard series, but he consistently churned out hits like Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, and one of his biggest movies, Armageddon. He also popped in two of the Expendables movies, earning an overall $3 billion or so. 

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson may have started out in professional wrestling, but he's owned Hollywood since making the transition to acting. In addition to the Fast and Jumanji franchises, Johnson's box office totals include two Mummy movies and a slew of other hits. It all adds up to well over $3 billion. 

Owen Wilson

There is a small caveat here. Owen Wilson has technically appeared in the MCU, but it was on the Disney+ show Loki and he's never been in one of the movies, so nothing in the MCU is reflected in his box office numbers. What does count is movies like Meet The Parents, Night At The Museum, and The Cars franchise. It all adds up to more than $2.3 billion.

Adam Driver

While he may not have the MCU on his resume, Adam Driver does have three huge Star Wars movies on it. That's a great way to pad your box office numbers. Driver is hardly a one-hit wonder though. House of Gucci, BlacKkKlansman, and others all add up to more than $2.3 billion.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock has put together an impressive career that's spanned over three decades. Despite not starring in many major franchises aside from Ocean's 8 and Minions. Still, over her career, she's generated more than $2.6 billion in box office totals. Impressive, to say the least. 

Kevin Hart

Everyone loves Kevin Hart, but it's sort of surprising just how successful his movies have been over the years. He's in rarified air here with over $2.4 billion in tickets sold to movies he's appeared in. It certainly helps that's his popped up in the Fast franchise, as well as the Jumanji movies, of course. 

Jim Carrey

Other than Batman Forever Jim Carrey has avoided major franchises over the years. Still, at one point, he was Hollywood's highest-paid actor because his movies almost always make big bucks, bringing in more than $2.9 million overall. Movies like Bruce Almighty and the Sonic movies have contributed greatly to that haul. 

Will Ferrell

What can you say about Will Ferrell that hasn't already been said? Frankly, he's the premier comedic actor over the last couple of decades. With movies like the Anchorman series, Elf, Step Brothers, and maybe his biggest contributor to his more than $2.8 billion in receipts, the Lego franchise, Farrell movies continue to clean up in theaters. 

Will Smith

Before the infamous "slap" at the Oscars in 2023, Will Smith was one of America's most beloved movie stars. His reputation has taken a hit, but his box office numbers over the years don't lie. With franchises like Bad Boys and Men In Black, in addition to a huge number of other hits over the years, Smith's total take is among the highest ever at over $3.8 billion. 

Keanu Reeves

You don't need comic book movies when you've got monster franchises like John Wick and The Matrix. Those two series have contributed a huge part to Keanu Reeves' amazing box office numbers, which stretch over $2 billion now. Throw in one of the Toy Story movies and a handful of other big hits and you're on top of the world. 

Denzel Washington

Until The Equalizer series, Denzel Washington had never even starred in a sequel, much a franchise. He has still managed to rack up more than $2.5 billion in box office numbers though. Washington has been one of the world's most famous actors for decades and has won a slew of awards, including two Oscars, so it's hardly a surprise, but it's still darn impressive. 

Brad Pitt

If Brad Pitt's Ocean's franchise co-star George Clooney isn't the most famous movie star in the world, Brad Pitt might be. Like Clooney, he's mostly built his box office record without the help of any major franchise, aside from Ocean's. It is worth mentioning that he had that infamous cameo in Deadpool 2, but that's still technically outside of the MCU. 

Adam Sandler

He's not everyone's cup of tea, sure, but Adam Sandler has put together one of the most impressive careers in Hollywood history with his unique brand of humor. Movies like Big Baddy, Mr. Deeds, You Don't Mess with the Zohan and Grown Ups have all tucked away huge amounts of money, as have others, meaning Sandler's overall box office is up over $2.8 billion. 

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck does benefit from his time as Batman in the ill-fated DCEU, which has since been replaced with the reboot DCU. Those movies, despite mostly middling reviews, did all make a lot of money. When you add in movies like Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, and Gone Girl, it's easy to see how his total haul adds up to more than $2.4 billion. 

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg might be the most surprising person on this list, believe it or not. Then you remember he was in some of the Transformer movies, and think about how much the Ted and Daddy's Home movies made, and you realize it's not actually all that shocking. In total, his movies have brought in well over two and a half billion dollars. 

For as long as there have been famous people, celebrity feuds have fascinated audiences. This includes real grudges, as well as Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman's faux feud. Actor Sylvester Stallone recently got candid after the internet brings up an alleged beef between he and Robert De Niro, being quoted saying "I just want to address an absurd rumor about myself and Robert De Niro." Let's break it all down.

Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere might have had a famous feud, but the Rocky icon wants to make it clear that things are just find between he and Robert De Niro. After rumors started circulating on social media, he posted a video on Instagram addressing the chatter directly. In the video he spoke about their relationship, saying:

There you have it. Despite what folks might be saying about about the pair of legendary actors, Stallone is denying that there's any beef between them. And if anyone would know the truth about their relationship, its Sly himself. 

The rumors about De Niro and Stallone feuding came from a social media post by controversial radio host Alex Jones. He claimed that Stallone referred to the Goodfellas actor as a "woke creep" after De Niro took shots at Donald Trump and called the former President a "clown." While the Tulsa King star didn't deny that the two might have differencing political beliefs, he also made it clear that it's not a subject that they talk about. 

Cinephiles will remember that the pair of A-list actors have worked together a number of times throughout the years. This includes 1997's drama Cop Land, as well as the 2013 sports comedy Grudge Match (see our review here). And per Stallone's video, he isn't opposed to collaborating together again on an upcoming movie.

Despite the rumors (and whatever political disagreements the actors have), there are plenty of fans who would like to see De Niro and Stallone back together on the big screen sometime in the future. Both of the actors' careers haven't slowed down much; De Niro is currently attached to six different upcoming projects, spanning both TV and film. The same is true for Sly, and fans are definitely invested in Tulsa King Season 2. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater next year. 

Jon Bon Jovi, a name synonymous with rock anthems and sold-out stadiums, has a lesser-known chapter in his storied career—his ventures into acting. While his music career soared with unforgettable hits, his Hollywood aspirations didn't follow the same trajectory. One particularly intriguing near-miss was his almost-casting in one of the best heist movies of all time, Michael Mann’s iconic action movie, Heat. According to the “Living On A Prayer” performer, he botched the audition and just “wasn’t good enough.”

In 1995, Bon Jovi made a notable entry into acting with his role in Moonlight and Valentino, starring alongside Gwyneth Paltrow. By 2002, he secured a 10-episode arc on the beloved TV series Ally McBeal. Despite these appearances, a sustained career in Hollywood remained elusive. But it was his near-miss with Heat that sticks in his mind. He recounted to Variety:

This revelation underscores the challenges the "Shot Through The Heart" singer faced in transitioning from the world of rock to the rigorous demands of Hollywood. Michael Mann, a director who made a great movie on his first try, known for his exacting standards, required a level of adaptability and spontaneity that Bon Jovi, accustomed to the structured realm of music and new to performing on screen, found difficult to meet. As a result, the role of Chris Shiherlis went to Val Kilmer, who, let's be fair, delivered a standout performance that added significant depth to the film.

Heat has since become a classic, lauded for its intense action sequences and deep character explorations. Kilmer’s portrayal, alongside legends like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, cemented the film’s status in cinematic history. The legacy even went on to spawn an instant New York Times bestselling sequel novel, which is now being adapted into a film. What we know about the upcoming Heat 2 isn’t much, but there are a ton of rumors that have been swirling about Adam Driver possibly playing a young Neil McCauley, the character famously portrayed by Robert De Niro. Given Driver's collaboration with Michael Mann on Ferrari, this casting would make a lot of sense. Speculation also surrounds Dune: Part Two star Austin Butler, who might step into the role that got away from Bon Jovi, a young Chris Shiherlis.

Fans can only imagine how different Heat might have been with Bon Jovi in the Shiherlis role, but the right choice was made, considering it's one of the best Val Kilmer movies. However, with a sequel on the horizon and a more seasoned Jon Bon Jovi, there's a role he could nail in the follow-up. It would be a poetic twist for the singer to finally get a part he could “Never Say Goodbye” to. See what I did there? Huh? Huh? Okay, I’m done now.

To learn more about the “It’s My Life” rocker, you can stream the four-part docu-series Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story with a Hulu subscription.

In Robert De Niro's best movies, he's gotten to play some of the most iconic characters in movie history. There are few characters as memorable as Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver or a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II. However, it turns out that De Niro could’ve played another famous role at one point. The Goodfellas actor recently revealed that Hannibal Lector from The Silence of the Lambs was originally offered to him, and he explained why Anthony Hopkins ultimately played the character instead. 

The veteran actor was a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher, where he chatted with the talk show host about his latest Oscar-nominated project, Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as issues regarding our political climate. Before the conversation turned away from acting, Maher asked the performer about some of his famous roles and if there were any parts he missed out on over the course of his prolific career. While Robert De Niro didn’t seem to have any regrets, he did mention that he was once offered the role of Hannibal Lector. He said: 

Anthony Hopkins feels like the perfect actor for the role in hindsight. But, at the time, wouldn't have exactly been surprising for Robert De Niro to have been offered the role first. The Silence of the Lambs was released in 1991, only a year after Goodfellas, and only a few years following De Niro’s turn as the villainous Al Capone in The Untouchables. The now-80-year-old actor was one of the most bankable movie stars at the time, and a movie villain like Hannibal Lector would’ve been right in his purview. Of course, Anthony Hopkins was well respected in his own right, but you can’t deny De Niro’s star power in the early '90s. 

Even with a part that was seemingly such a great fit for the Oscar winner, and an auteur mind like Jonathan Demme behind the project, the Casino icon still had a hard time committing to the film. The Irishman actor ultimately named his indecisiveness as the reason why he wasn’t cast as Lecter. He told Maher: 

Even though it’s easy to toss around “what-ifs,” his lack of regret makes it seem like he is ultimately content with how everything transpired. The right actor seems to have gotten the part, and Anthony Hopkins has been synonymous with Hannibal Lector throughout his entire career. He won Academy Award for Best Oscar for the role, and played Lector once again for the sequel film, Red Dragon. Ironically, De Niro played another mean '90s movie villain in a film that same year, taking on the fearsome Max Cady in Martin Scorsese’s rewatchable thriller, Cape Fear. Maybe the energy he had in that role is what he would’ve brought to Lector had he taken on the part. We'll never truly know. 

Robert De Niro may not have been Hannibal Lector, but he plays a villain just as unsettling in his latest film, Killers of the Flower Moon, which you can check out now with an Apple TV+ subscription. The movie made him, once again, an Oscar nominee in 2024, so check it out while you can. Fans of Silence of the Lambs can also revisit the film and see what Anthony Hopkins did with the iconic serial killer role now on MGM+. 

Martin Scorsese is an iconic filmmaker largely considered to be one of the greatest artists cinema has ever known. For his efforts, he’s also the recipient of a vast array of awards. Aside from all of that though, he’s also a loving father to three daughters, the youngest of which he welcomed at the age of 56. He’s not the only person in Hollywood to have children later in life, as his longtime collaborator, Robert De Niro, did as well. Now, like De Niro, Scorsese is sharing how he feels about having had a child at that stage of his life.

The now 81-year-old Mean Streets helmer’s youngest child is 24-year-old Francesca Scorsese, who he shares with his fifth and current wife, Helen Morris. “Marty,” who occasionally opens up about aspects of his personal life, discussed parenthood while appearing on Sirius XM’s This Life of Mine, which is hosted by James Corden. As the director told Corden, he was “gifted” with that pregnancy after he met Morris. He then went on to recall (via People) the night his little girl was born, and it honestly sounds a bit stressful:

As he went on to explain that because his daughter was born earlier than expected, he and his wife weren’t sure if she’d survive. Thankfully, though, she ultimately made it through. Mother and father were also able to cradle their baby girl. And, based on how the Oscar winner described a nurse handed him the little bundle of joy for the first time, he’ll never forget it:

So how exactly has fatherhood treated him as he’s in his later years? Well, Martin Scorsese conveyed that he’s been enjoying it, and that’s been especially evident over the past year or so. He and Francesca have been making waves with viral TikTok videos that highlight cinema trivia and their general father-daughter shenanigans. One memorable clip featured a montage of Martin being a dad and, in another post, he recalled The King of Comedy being dubbed a flop. These social media activities seem to be a strong way for the two to bond, and, as the Wolf of Wall Street director further explained, he wants to make the most of his time with his daughter:

His sentiments are just as sweet as those of Robert De Niro, who welcomed a baby at 79 back in 2023. It's a somewhat unusual situation that’s apparently brought upon some interesting dynamics for the De Niro family. However, the Raging Bull icon is happy that his other kids and grandkids can appreciate baby Gia, who he shares with his partner, Tiffany Chen. 

As someone whose parents had him a little later than others, I can certainly understand and appreciate the joy that Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro feel when it comes to their kids. People who are raised by somewhat older parents understand that in the long run, they may not get as much time to spend with their folks as other people do. However, as Scorsese so astutely mentioned, it’s all about making the most of it, and I’m glad he’s still relishing it.

You can stream the longtime movie-making duo’s latest effort, Killers of the Flower Moon, which is now streamable with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Robert De Niro surprised a lot of people when it was revealed that the 80-year-old actor was going to be a father for the seventh time. De Niro’s daughter Gia was born last year to the actor and his partner Tiffany Chen. While De Niro has talked about the difficulties of raising children, he’s certainly had his share of practice, and he seems to truly love it. The actor says the rest of the family is embracing the new addition with open arms.

De Niro’s six other children range in age from 56 to 12, and one of them has children of their own (although one of De Niro's grandchildren passed away last year), making the Oscar winner a grandfather long before he became a father for the seventh time. This does make things a bit complicated, as the newborn is technically an aunt to three teenagers. But it sounds like everybody loves the new member of the family. De Niro tells People…

It's not entirely unheard of for children to be born so far apart that two cousins have decades between them, making one of them more like an uncle. or to see a teenager become an aunt or uncle. It is a bit more unusual for your aunt or uncle actually to be younger than you are, but it sounds like De Niro’s three grandkids are around the same age as his 12-year-old daughter, and quite a bit older than their new aunt. It will likely all seem normal for them, though the math is a bit crazy.

News of Robert De Niro’s youngest came as a surprise during an interview last May, when an interviewer referred to his six children, and the actor corrected her, revealing he had just had a seventh. De Niro clearly loves children, and that hasn’t changed with his age. The 2024 Oscar nominee says it’s a “great joy” to spend time with his youngest. He explained…

Gia’s dad had other reasons to be proud right now. The two-time Oscar winner was just nominated for his ninth Academy Award for Fillers of the Flowers Moon. We’ll have to wait and see as Gia grows up if she decides the wildest thing about her life is that she’s aunt to kids much older than her, or that her dad is one of the greatest actors who ever lived.

How many times have you watched an incredible acting performance and looked up to see how many awards it won only to find out that the Oscar went to someone else that year? It’s shocking how many times this has happened over the years for some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time. Here are 32 times an incredible performance didn’t win an Academy Award for one reason or another.

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

Though he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson’s name wasn’t called at the 67th Academy Awards. This is nothing against Martin Landau’s performance from Ed Wood, but Jackson’s foul-mouthed and righteous hitman is an all-time great character that should have been recognized.

Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver)

Robert De Niro received an Oscar nomination for his career-defining portrayal of Travis Bickle in Martin Scorsese’s 1977 psychological thriller, Taxi Driver, but the unhinged and memorable performance wasn’t enough to win Best Actor. It’s hard to be mad, as Peter Finch’s Academy Award-winning turn in Network is the stuff of legend.

Harrison Ford (Witness)

One of the best actors without an Oscar, Harrison Ford has only one Academy Award nomination to his name, the 1985 crime thriller, Witness. Though not Ford’s most iconic character, his take on Philadelphia detective John Book as he goes to great lengths to protect a young boy is nothing short of amazing.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

Morgan Freeman gave the performance of a lifetime as Ellis Boyd “Red” Redding in The Shawshank Redemption. If the movie would have come out any other time besides 1994, a year dominated by Forrest Gump, there’s a good chance the aging prisoner and accomplished smuggler would have earned Freeman an Oscar.

Bill Murray (Lost In Translation)

Bill Murray’s portrayal of cynical, washed-up actor Bob Harris in Lost in Translation will forever be one of the comedian’s most beloved roles. While Sean Penn’s performance in Mystic River is more than deserving of an Oscar, it’s a shame the iconic comedian didn’t get properly recognized for a once-in-a-decade showing.

Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple)

Whoopi Goldberg showed off a more dramatic side with her lauded portrayal of Celie Harris-Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. It’s absurd that the emotional, dynamic, and powerful performance didn’t win Goldberg a much-deserved Oscar, which went to Geraldine Page in The Trip to Bountiful, instead.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler's List)

Schindler’s List features one of the best Ralph Fiennes performances with his portrayal of Nazi work camp commandant Amon Goeth in Steven Spielberg’s 1993-defining film. And while the movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Fiennes’ unforgettable turn was not among them. Instead, he lost out to Tommy Lee Jones from The Fugitive.

Dustin Hoffman (Tootsie)

If you’re looking for one of the best New York City movies, Tootsie has you covered. If you’re looking for a movie featuring an acting performance that should have won an Oscar but didn’t, Sydney Pollack’s 1982 comedy has you covered there as well. Seriously, how Dustin Hoffman’s portrayal of Michael Dorsey wasn't awarded is something we just don’t get.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington eventually won a Best Actor Oscar for his unforgettable turn in Training Day, but the actor was robbed nearly a decade earlier after not winning the big prize for his take on the titular Civil Rights leader in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X.

Florence Pugh (Little Women)

Florence Pugh was already a rising star at the time of Little Women’s release, but her portrayal of Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s coming-of-age drama took her to new heights. Though she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, Pugh lost out to Laura Dern from Marriage Story.

Jamie Foxx (Django Unchained)

Here’s something wild to think about – Jamie Foxx not only didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Django Unchained, he wasn’t even nominated for Best Actor. Admittedly, it was a stacked list of actors – Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, Hugh Jackman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Denzel Washington – but not even being named is just something.

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

The Wrestler felt like Mickey Rourke’s big redemption arc, more so than the character he portrayed in Darren Aronofsky’s great wrestling movie. Despite pushing himself to the breaking point from both a physical and emotional standpoint, Rourke lost out to Sean Penn’s take on Harvey Milk in Milk.

Michael Keaton (Birdman)

Michael Keaton gave the performance of a lifetime in the 2014 mind-bending drama film, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), one that seemed to channel the actor’s past in such a way it felt like an autobiography. However, stealing the show as Riggan Thomson, a.k.a., Birdman, wasn’t enough, as the prize went to The Theory of Everything’s Eddie Redmayne instead.

Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)

Saoirse Ronan has been nominated for an Oscar on four separate occasions, but not a single win, which is something. One of the performances that deserved an Academy Award the most was that of Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson in Greta Gerwig’s Lady Bird. The portrayal of a confused high school senior on the verge of entering the next stage in her life lost out to Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Tim Curry (Clue)

Tim Curry’s portrayal of Wadsworth in Clue, a butler or undercover FBI agent depending on which ending you watch, is a role that is beloved by fans of the classic murder mystery comedy. However, it wasn’t recognized at the Academy Awards or other ceremonies, which is the real crime.

Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)

Rosamund Pike’s take on Amy Elliott-Dunne earned the sole Academy Award nomination for David Fincher’s Gone Girl, a nod that was more than deserved. However, the incredibly nuanced and dynamic performance failed to win the Best Actress Oscar, which went to Still Alice’s Julianne Moore instead.

Jimmy Stewart (Rear Window)

Jimmy Stewart is one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors of all time and his portrayal of L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is one of the his top-tier performances. However, his take on an injured photographer who uncovers a murder mystery didn’t even get a nod at the Academy Awards.

Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

Kate Winslet gave one of her most powerful and unique performances in the 2004 sci-fi dramedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Her take on Clementine Kruczynski, a woman who had all memories of her ex-boyfriend wiped from her brain, was rich, beautiful, and iconic, but just wasn’t enough to win Best Actress.

Al Pacino (The Godfather)

Al Pacino put himself on the map with his portrayal of reluctant crime boss Michael Corleone in The Godfather. The gradual evolution of the character over the course of the film’s three-hour runtime should have been enough for an Oscar, but like co-stars James Caan and Robert Duvall, who were also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, he didn’t get the win.

Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard)

Gloria Swanson’s "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." line from Sunset Boulevard is one of the most iconic quotes in all of Hollywood and part of an Oscar-worthy performance. While Swanson was nominated for her take on aging film star Norma Desmond, she didn’t take home the top prize.

Jack Nicholson (The Shining)

Though considered one of Jack Nicholson’s best roles, his portrayal of Jack Torrance in The Shining didn’t result in an Oscar win. In fact, Nicholson wasn’t even nominated for the unforgettable performance. 

John Cazale (The Godfather Part II)

John Cazale’s Fredo Corleone in The Godfather Part II is one of cinema’s great tragic figures as well as one of the late actor’s best characters. What’s even more of a travesty is the fact that the late actor didn’t even receive an Oscar nomination for his efforts. Tragically, Cazale would never receive an Academy Award nomination prior to his shocking death in 1978.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It?)

Angela Bassett received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Go to Do with It?, but the miraculous turn as one of American music’s most famous and influential figures didn’t earn her a Best Actress win. 

Edward Norton (American History X)

Reformed neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard is one of Edward Norton’s most controversial and complex characters of his career, and the American History X performance earned him a Best Actor nod at the 71st Academy Awards. However, Roberto Benigni from Life Is Beautiful ran away with the top acting prize.

Ingrid Bergman (Casablanca)

Somehow, Ingrid Bergman, who was astonishing as Ilsa Lund in Casablanca, not only didn’t win Best Actress at the 16th Academy Awards, she wasn’t even nominated for her iconic portrayal of a woman caught between two men and two different lives in the 1943 black-and-white classic.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways)

In a perfect world, Paul Giamatti would have won the Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Payne’s Sideways, but alas, that is not the reality in which we live. Miles Raymond is one of Giamiatti’s best characters and carried the movie about two friends on a wine trip they’ll never forget.

Henry Fonda (12 Angry Men)

An amazing courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men is still arguably one of the best movies of all time. While its star, Henry Fonda, received a Best Picture nomination as a producer, his dynamic and rich portrayal of a juror who insisted on getting things right didn’t earn him an acting nod, which is a real miscarriage of justice.

John Goodman (The Big Lebowski)

You can add John Goodman to the list of great actors who have never received an Oscar nomination, which just doesn’t make sense. It’s especially maddening when you consider his legendary portrayal of Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, a character loosely based on John Milius, per Far Out Magazine.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix has since won an Oscar, but his portrayal of Johnny Cash in James Mangold’s 2005 biographical drama, Walk the Line, was more than deserving of the top acting prize at the Academy Awards. What’s interesting is the fact that Phoenix was beat by his future The Master co-star, the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who won for his take on Truman Capote in Bennett Miller’s Capote.

Ellen Burstyn (Requiem For A Dream)

A little more 25 years after winning an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her outstanding performance in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn had another shot at capturing an Oscar with her turn as Sara Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream. Her take on a woman battling unchecked depression, anxiety, and a diet of weight loss pills gave audiences one of the most incredible and sympathetic characters of the early 21st century. Unfortunately, this also happened to be the same year Erin Brockovich was released. 

Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood)

There Will Be Blood is remembered more than a half-decade after its release because of the Academy Award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, but one of the three-time Oscar winner’s castmates was also deserving of recognition. Paul Dano’s Eli Sunday (he also played the smaller part of Eli’s twin brother, Paul) is one of the more fascinating characters of modern cinema, and he should have received an Oscar for his troubles. Dynamic is an understatement for this overzealous, petty, and temperamental preacher.

Robert Shaw (Jaws)

Steven Spielberg’s 1975 summer blockbuster, Jaws, won three Academy Awards – Best Filming Editing, Best Original Dramatic Score, and Best Sound – but Robert Shaw, who acted his tail off as the boat captain, Quint, wasn’t recognized. This shameful act by the Academy, especially after watching the USS Indianapolis monologue, still stings nearly 50 years after the fact. That scene alone deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination and win.

Many of these actors won an Academy Award either before or after these movies and performances we just covered, but it’s just wild to think about how some of these roles didn’t take home the big prize at the Oscars.

Weddings are wonderful affairs, but they can also be incredibly stressful. It’s a day when you want everything to go perfectly, but so much is happening, that it’s nearly impossible for everything to go right. Jennifer Lawrence recently spoke about her own time as a bride and admits it was tough, though apparently one moment that made her feel better about the whole thing was when she told co-star Robert De Niro to leave.

Lawrence has spoken about her rehearsal dinner before. The actress, who co-starred with De Niro in both Silver Linings Playbook and Joy, said she invited him to her rehearsal dinner as a courtesy to her co-star and friend; she didn't expect him to show up. But De Niro, maybe just trying to be courteous, actually did. Lawrence realized he wasn’t enjoying himself, so, as she told E! at this year's Golden Globe Awards (where she was nominated for her comedy No Hard Feelings), she released her friend, telling him it was ok to go home. Lawrence explained… 

It seems what we have here is two people who are close enough that they want to make their friends happy. Jennifer Lawrence wants Robert De Niro to know that he is important to her, and De Niro wants Lawrence to know that he also values their relationship. In doing this the two friends find themselves in a situation they don’t want to be in, but are afraid to end for fear of upsetting their friend.

Weddings are wild affairs and once that ball gets rolling, there’s only so much you can do. And you want all your guests to have a good time, you want them to remember your wedding fondly. So if you see somebody not enjoying themself, you want to fix that. In this case, that meant letting a guest go home, but Lawrence says she was glad she did because it improved her mood. She continued…

It sounds like being allowed to go made De Niro feel better as well. He was there to make his friend happy, and once he understood that his being perhaps a bit bored was making her unhappy, he went home and made her happy once again. Everybody wins. De Niro recently became a father, so maybe he can repay the favor by inviting Jennifer Lawrence to the kid's first birthday party. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie, although De Niro and Lawrence aren't set for another collaboration.

Seeing A-list celebrities on SNL is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, considering there is a different one hosting the show each week, even including non-actors who end up nailing it. Lorne Michaels and company have still managed to shock the Studio 8H audience numerous times by bringing out a public figure whom no one could have guessed was going to be part of the show. The following are some of our all-time favorite Saturday Night Live celebrity cameos.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Season 39)

In Jonah Hill’s third SNL monologue, the Academy Award nominee is bombarded by questions about working with Leonardo DiCaprio before trying to convince the audience that the future Oscar winner was not even supposed to be in The Wolf of Wall Street initially. Just then, the Titanic cast member himself walks on to knock some sense into his co-star before agreeing to recreate the famous “We’re flying!” scene from the Best Picture Oscar winner. 

Barack Obama (Season 33)

In the cold open for SNL’s 2007 Halloween show, a spooky party hosted by Bill (Darrell Hammond) and Hilary Clinton (Amy Poehler) is crashed by an unexpected guest in a Barack Obama mask. The stranger removes the rubber face to reveal he is actually the future 44th President of the United States in the flesh.

Barbra Streisand (Season 17)

A recurring topic in Mike Myers’ “Coffee Talk” sketches was Linda Richman’s obsession with Barbra Streisand, who shocked the host and her guests (played by Madonna and Roseanne Barr) by briefly walking on the set to greet them in one sketch. According to Barbra Archives, Myers had been informed that the Oscar-winning Funny Girl star might show up, but Madonna and Barr’s shocked reactions were completely genuine.

Robert De Niro (Season 26)

Academy Award winner Robert De Niro never hosted SNL until 2002, but made multiple surprise appearances beforehand, such as the time he showed up on “Weekend Update.” The cameo was in response to Jimmy Fallon’s unfavorable review of 2000’s Meet the Parents, which Fallon tries to defend with his impersonation of the acting legend, who turns the tables by imitating him at the end.

Kel Mitchell (Season 48)

A pre-taped segment imagines a reboot of the classic Nickelodeon comedy, Kenan & Kel, but with host Keke Palmer as a new character named Kelly. However, the bit ends wonderfully with an appearance of Kenan Thompson’s original co-star, Kel Mitchell, who actually auditioned for SNL once before, to no avail

Judge Judy (Season 24)

Cheri Oteri made an impact on SNL in a short time with memorable characters and hilarious impersonations — especially that of Judge Judy. However, the honorable TV personality herself proved that no one “rules” like the original when she interrupted one of Oteri’s parodies of her court show.

Sarah Paulson (Season 48)

In a sketch poking fun at his internet persona, host Pedro Pascal plays a teacher whose students have made viral videos honoring him as a surrogate “daddy” and another teacher name Ms. Jenny as “mommy.” Entering the room to the crowd’s surprise as Ms. Jenny is the Last of Us cast member’s good friend, Emmy winner Sarah Paulson.

Taylor Swift (Season 49)

Even after her boyfriend — one of the funniest pro athletes to host SNL, Travis Kelce — made a surprise appearance in the same episode (hosted by Pete Davidson), no one anticipated Taylor Swift would show up in the Season 48 opener to introduce musical guest Ice Spice’s second performance. Reportedly, neither of these cameos were planned and were put together last minute when the Grammy-winning superstar and Kansas City Chiefs tight end happened to show up at 30 Rock.

Jason Momoa (Season 45)

In a courtroom-style sketch starring Chance the Rapper as a judge who rules purely by first impressions, one of the defendants is played by Jason Momoa, who already has the host in stitches with his ridiculous wardrobe. However, the Aquaman actor suddenly cannot stop laughing after accidentally referring to himself as a “paraplegic,” when he meant to say “paralegal.”

Eminem (Season 46)

Pete Davidson plays a young man named Stu who writes a series of increasingly erratic letters asking Santa Claus (Jason Bateman) for a PlayStation 5 in this holiday parody of “Stan” by Eminem. As we learn at the end of the bit (which original video star Devon Sawa loved), the Real Slim Shady is the one who ended up getting the PS5 under his tree.

The Property Brothers And Tony Hawk (Season 48)

Kenan Thompson plays the host of an international beauty pageant that is close to going off the rails when he makes note of the random selection of Property Brothers’ Drew and Jonathan Scott and Tony Hawk as the judges before introducing them. Much to the surprise of Thompson’s character (and the audience), the twin renovation reality show stars and the pro skateboarder are appearing as themselves.

Jeff Probst (Season 48)

At first, the only joke this wedding-set sketch has going for it is the repeated utterance of the word “Joker," in reference to the best man’s choice of Halloween costume, modeled after Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. What transcends the SNL sketch from terrible to amazing is when Survivor host Jeff Probst shows up to announce if the guests voted in favor of the best man (Andrew Dismukes) keeping on his makeup or in favor of the bride (Heidi Gardner), who thinks his costume has ruined the ceremony.

Conan O'Brien (Season 47) 

When John Mulaney’s induction into SNL’s Five-Timers Club doesn’t seem to be going well, with veterans like Steve Martin and Candice Bergen believing he doesn’t fit the quality standards, coming to his aid is none other than Conan O’Brien. The beloved late-night host-turned-podcaster’s surprise appearance was not only special because he starred in the first Five-Timers Club sketch while working as a writer, but because he previously severed ties with NBC after 2010’s embarrassing Tonight Show debacle.

The Hunger Games Cast (Season 40) 

After starting his third SNL monologue with a song about the year 1989 modeled after Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space,” Woody Harrelson is suddenly joined by his Hunger Games movies co-stars Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson. When Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence shows up, Harrelson initially mistakes her for “the real Taylor Swift.”

Eugene Levy (Season 46) 

Host Dan Levy offers a glimpse of what Studio 8H looks like backstage in a post-Covid environment. During the tour, he is shocked to learn his father and fellow Schitt’s Creek cast member, Eugene Levy, flew from L.A. to New York to support him, but pandemic protocols have forced the comedian to watch the show from a clear, protective case.

Matt Damon (Season 44)

Matt Damon is the face behind many of the most amazing celebrity cameos in movies, but the Oscar-winning writer and star of Good Will Hunting has worked his magic on the small screen as well. For instance: his surprise appearance on SNL as Associate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in a hilarious cold open recreating his senate hearing.

Julia Stiles (Season 49)

On “Weekend Update,” Chloe Fineman demonstrates her most romantic holiday gift idea: recreating the balletic performance from the end of one of the best dance movies, Save the Last Dance. Fineman and the crowd are suddenly starstruck when the film’s star, Julia Stiles, shows up to help bring the tribute to a grand finale.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (Season 14)

When an overly excited Danny DeVito interrupts his monologue and requests to re-do the show’s opening, he asks his good friend and Twins co-star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to launch things with the famous catchphrase while he is sitting in the audience. The Terminator movies star would show up in the episode again to pay a visit to his cousins, Hans (Dana Carvey) and Franz (Kevin Nealon).

Bryan Cranston (Season 42) 

In a funny cold open, CNN reporter Jake Tapper announces that then-President Donald Trump has selected a new head of the DEA. The person in question is former high school chemistry teacher Walter White, played by former Breaking Bad cast member Bryan Cranston reprising his legendary, multi-Emmy-winning role.

Paul McCartney (Season 32) 

This sketch is already crawling with amazing cameos when Alec Baldwin, in the Platinum Lounge at SNL’s Five-Timers Club, runs into Martin Short (working as a server) and Steve Martin, who attempts to murder his It’s Complicated co-star under the impression he is tying his hosting record. However, the biggest surprise comes when Paul McCartney walks in, whom Martin initially mistakes for fellow club member, Paul Simon. 

Melissa McCarthy (Season 42)

One of SNL’s all-time best hosts, Melissa McCarthy, showed up to play then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer during an episode hosted by Kristen Stewart. While then-President Donald Trump did not care for the sketch, Spicer did not seem bothered by the impersonation (save McCarthy’s amount of gum chewing), and the big became one of SNL’s most popular YouTube clips, later inspiring the Oscar nominee to reprise the role once more.

The Office Cast (Season 44)

When an audience member interrupts Steve Carell’s third SNL monologue to ask if an Office reboot is in the works, he initially says the beloved NBC sitcom might be best left alone. However, fellow Office cast members Ellie Kemper, Ed Helms, and Jenna Fischer pop in to convince him otherwise.

Barry Gibb (Season 39)

Arguably Jimmy Fallon’s single funniest SNL sketch is “The Barry Gibb Talk Show,” in which he and Justin Timberlake, as Bee Gees members Barry and Robin Gibb, discuss pressing topics with public figures. One of the later editions featured Madonna appearing as herself, but when the real Barry Gibb shows up at the very end is an all-time classic moment.

Larry David (Season 41)

While he never was an SNL cast member (but did perform sketch comedy on Fridays), Larry David had a brief stint at Studio 8H as a writer years before returning to the show in a legendary way. In a cold open recreating the 2016 Election’s Democratic presidential debate, the Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm creator drove the crowd crazy with his first of many appearances as Bernie Sanders, who, it turns out, is a distant cousin of the comedian, as they would later discover (per Time). 

Brad Pitt (Season 24)

Brad Pitt is, surprisingly, one of many celebrities who have never hosted SNL, but he has popped in on the show a couple of times. The first time was in a cold open for an episode hosted by David Spade, as the Tommy Boy actor’s therapist, for some reason.

Alex Trebek (Season 27)

One of SNL’s best “Celebrity Jeopardy!” sketches comes from Will Ferrell’s final episode as a cast member, particularly for the surprise guest at the very end. After Ferrell’s Alex Trebek announces the “Final Jeopardy!,” the real, late Alex Trebek appears to bid his impersonate adieu.

James Gandolfini (Season 30)

When reporting on then-New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey’s scandal on “Weekend Update,” Amy Poehler and Tina Fey introduce a native to New York’s neighboring state to comment on the topic. The guest turns out to be played by the late James Gandolfini of the Sopranos cast fame, whose commentary turns out to be filled with stereotypes at the expense of his own community and others.

Chris Rock (Season 42)

A highlight of Dave Chappelle’s Emmy-winning debut hosting gig was the appearance of his friend and collaborator, Chris Rock. The ‘90s SNL icon shows up in a sketch set on the night of the 2016 Presidential Election to bond with Chappelle’s character over their anticipation of the inevitable results.

Jake Gyllenhaal (Season 45)

One of the most dazzling cameos in one of John Mulaney’s best comedy specials, John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch, was Jake Gyllenhaal as Mr. Music. The Academy Award nominee later reunited with the beloved comedian in one of Mulaney’s best musical SNL sketches as a pajama-clad traveler at LaGuardia Airport.

Janet Reno (Season 26)

Before Jane Lynch played Janet Reno in a true crime series, she was portrayed by Will Ferrell on SNL for years in “Janet Reno’s  Dance Party.” The final edition of the hard-partying sketch, amid the end of Reno’s sting as U.S. Attorney General, went out with a bang when the real Reno crashed through the wall to greet her doppelganger.

Mick Jagger (Season 49)

Musician and actor Bad Bunny’s SNL hosting debut was pretty cameo-heavy, including appearances by Pedro Pascal, former cast member Fred Armisen, and Lady Gaga. However, it was Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger who brought the house down with his bewildering parts in two sketches — first as a telenovela actor and later as a man posing as a nun.

Mark Zuckerberg (Season 36)

Host Jesse Eisenberg’s monologue is interrupted by Andy Samberg’s impersonation of Mark Zuckerberg, whom Eisenberg portrayed to Academy Award-nominated acclaim in the Social Network cast in 2010. Little do they know that the real Facebook founder is backstage, but goes against Lorne Michaels’ suggestions and joins Eisenberg onstage for an “awkberg” first meeting.

Sometimes what makes SNL really fun is waiting to see which celebrities might show up for a surprise appearance this time.

You know what all of the best sports movies have in common? Well, besides featuring stories centered around football, baseball, and even roller derby? They all include tremendous performances by actors that are believable and help the audience suspend disbelief, if only for a couple of hours. However, there are also movies where the actors, despite trying their best, are a little bit outside. 

Here are 32 times actors played professional athletes and whether or not they were believable.

Burt Reynolds (The Longest Yard)

Considered to be one of the best football movies of all time, The Longest Yard (the 1974 version) features a tremendous performance by the late Burt Reynolds as Paul Crewe, a former pro quarterback who ends up in prison and leads a group of prisoners against the guards in the annual football game. At the top of his game, Reynolds is a lights-out QB and play-caller in this iconic comedy.

Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)

Margot Robbie is to die for in the 2017 sports biopic, I, Tonya, which sees her take on the role of Tonya Harding, the talented and raw figure skater who made a mark on the sport before being tied up in its most notorious controversy. While Robbie’s off-the-ice scenes are superb, her figure skating was just as impressive, which should come as no surprise.

Jamie Foxx (Any Given Sunday)

Oliver Stone’s 1999 satirical sports dramedy, Any Given Sunday, sees Jamie Foxx portray Willie "Steamin" Beamen, the third-string quarterback for the fictional Miami Sharks football team. Foxx is outstanding in his take on the young QB and does a wonderful job of showcasing the character’s on-field talents and off-the-field escapades.

Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby)

Hilary Swank won an Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald in Best Picture winner, Million Dollar Baby, and rightfully so. The talented actress told CBS News she spent three months training at a Brooklyn boxing gym before filming Clint Eastwood’s 2004 sports drama, and it shows.

Sylvester Stallone (Rocky)

Rocky is without a doubt the most well-known boxing movie of all time, and that’s mostly due to Sylvester Stallone’s commitment to the role of Rocky Balboa. Though not as bulked up as he was in later films in the franchise, Stallone has a great physical presence and ring awareness in his breakout role.

Kevin Costner (Tin Cup)

If Kevin Costner isn’t believable as a down-on-his-luck and washed-up golf pro looking for a shot at redemption and to settle an old score in Tin Cup, then I don’t know what will sell it to you. Sure, Costner seems more comfortable in baseball movies like Bull Durham and For Love of the Game, but his take on Roy McAvoy is top-notch. 

Emma Stone (Battle Of The Sexes) 

Emma Stone played tennis trailblazer Bille Jean King in the 2017 sports biopic, Battle of the Sexes, which saw her take on Steve Carell’s Bobby Riggs in the famous 1973 match of the same name. The Oscar winner does a great job when it comes to every aspect of the role, including those tense tennis scenes.

Geena Davis (A League Of Their Own)

Geena Davis looks, feels, and acts like a professional baseball player in A League of Their Own. There’s no need to suspend your disbelief when watching Davis’ Dottie Hinson lead the Rockford Peaches to one victory after another. The physicality, the presence, the believability are all there.

Chadwick Boseman (42)

Chadwick Boseman became a massive star in 2013 thanks to his celebrated portrayal of Jackie Robinson, the Professional Baseball Hall of Famer who broke the color barrier more than a half-century earlier. Boseman, who died in August 2020, was phenomenal in his performance and made the film’s various baseball sequences incredibly realistic.

Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry Maguire)

Okay, Cuba Gooding Jr.’s take on Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire is killer, even when you take out the classic “Show me the money” scene. He’s cocky, brash, and hard to deal with, but he can back it up and makes the big catch to earn his team a playoff berth. We’ll let the off-field antics slide…

Tim Robbins (Bull Durham)

Bull Durham, one of the best baseball movies of all time, sees Tim Robbins play Ebby “Nuke” LaLoosh, a hot-shot young pitcher with a “million-dollar arm, but a five-cent head.” And the six-foot-five-inch Robbins very much looked and acted like a talented yet undisciplined ball player. 

Wesley Snipes (Major League)

Wesley Snipes’ Wille Mays Hayes, who could run like Hayes but not hit like Mays in Major League, was a convincing ball player in the 1989 sports classic. Yeah, he had trouble hitting the ball (part of his character), but he had unmatched speed. The scene where he runs in his pajamas in spring training is still the stuff of legend.

Charlie Sheen (Major League)

If you were to build the ultimate baseball movie team, Charlie Sheen’s Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn from Major League would have a permanent spot as the closer. To pull off the dominant pitcher’s fastball, Sheen took it to the extreme and tried out steroids, as he later told Sports Illustrated. 

Damon Wayans (The Last Boy Scout)

Tony Scott’s The Last Boy Scout is an all-time great buddy action movie, one that also features a former professional football player, or at least an actor playing one. Though we don’t see his character in action on the field, Damon Wayans just gives off the energy of a pro quarterback who lost it all. 

Carl Weathers (Rocky)

Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed was one of the linchpins of the Rocky franchise and served as one of Sylvester Stallone’s best on-screen opponents. Weathers not only looked like a boxer with that ridiculous physique of his (especially in the later movies), but he also had that “it” factor needed to play such a flashy character.

Tom Berenger (Major League)

It’s hard to imagine anyone besides Tom Berenger playing Jake Taylor, the veteran catcher with bad knees and just enough gas left in the tank, in Major League. Throughout the movie, it feels like the Cleveland Indians’ senior slugger has been through the wringer multiple times, and that’s thanks to the incredible work of Berenger.

Chris Hemsworth (Rush)

Ron Howard’s 2013 sports biopic, Rush, features top-notch performances by Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl as James Hunt and Niki Lauda, respectively. While Brühl is great with his cool and collected demeanor, it’s Hemsworth who steals the show with his take on the self-confident and talented Formula One driver, thanks in part to the actor’s electric personality and physicality.

Paul Newman (Slap Shot)

There was no way we weren’t going to talk about Paul Newman in Slap Shot. Seriously, try to think about this beloved hockey movie with anyone else taking on Charlestown Chiefs player/coach Reggie Dunlop. Is he the most talented skater on the ice? No. But is believable in his portrayal of good, old-fashioned hockey? You bet! 

James Caan (Brian's Song)

Though James Caan was mostly recognized for his work in the latter half of Brian’s Song, this shouldn’t discount his portrayal of Brian Piccolo before he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. His take on the Chicago Bears halfback, along with Billie Dee Williams’ Gale Sayers, is phenomenal, to say the least.

Denzel Washington (The Hurricane)

Denzel Washington gave a commanding performance in the 1999 sports biopic, The Hurricane, which saw him take on the role of middleweight boxer Rubin “The Hurricane” Carter, who spent nearly 20 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of murder. Washington, once again proving he’s one of the greatest to do it, excels in the ring.

Keanu Reeves (The Replacements)

Audiences never got to see Keanu Reeves’ Johnny Utah throw a pass in Point Break, but we did get to watch the actor play another left-handed quarterback from Ohio State with his portrayal of Shane Falco in The Replacements. This is a "whatever" movie if there’s ever been one, but Reeves looks at home leading the Washington Sentinels after the regular players go on strike.

John Goodman (The Babe)

John Goodman looks like Babe Ruth in the 1992 sports biopic, The Babe, but he doesn’t really play like the Great Bambino. This isn’t a knock on Goodman’s talents as an actor, it’s just that it’s impossible to accurately imitate the unmatched talents of one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore)

Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore will probably always be considered one of the best sports comedies of all time. The movie is heavy on both humor and sports (especially if you include the hockey scenes), and Sandler pulls off both things really well. 

Raquel Welch (Kansas City Bomber)

In the 1972 sports drama, Kansas City Bomber, the late Raquel Welch played K.C. Carr, a recently retired roller games star who returns to sport to settle an old score. No surprise, Welch was great in the movie and was a dominant physical force on skates.

Robert De Niro (Raging Bull)

One of Robert De Niro’s best movies, Raging Bull, sees the Oscar winner take on the role of middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta at various stages in his life and career. De Niro, who went through a physical transformation for the part, could hold his own in the movie’s various boxing sequences and never looked out of place.

Robert Redford (The Natural)

Would saying Robert Redford looked natural in his take on Roy Hobbs in The Natural be too on the nose? Who cares! Redford’s boyish charm and remarkable swing of his trusty bat, “Wonderboy,” helped make Barry Levinson’s 1972 sports drama an all-time classic. 

Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Not only was Mickey Rourke outstanding in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler, but the actor’s portrayal of a washed-up Randy Robinson was also incredibly realistic. Whether he was in the ring or trying to fix the broken pieces of his life in the real world, Rourke bled, cried, and sweated like someone who had been in the squared circle for decades, not months.  

Tom Selleck (Mr. Baseball)

Mr. Baseball is one of those movies that feels like it should have been a much bigger deal, but here we are 30-plus years later with a baseball comedy that never really gets talked about anywhere besides the MLB Network. Despite this, Tom Selleck’s take on Jack Elliot, a New York Yankee who joins the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League, is both fun and believable. Come on, the Blood Bloods star even took an at-bat in an MLB spring training game a year before the film’s release.

Dwayne Johnson (The Tooth Fairy)

Dwayne Johnson, one of the greatest WWE Champions of all time, and a former college football player for the Miami Hurricanes, played a hockey player in the 2010 Disney movie, The Tooth Fairy. The Rock is great in just about anything, but not so much on the ice.

Will Smith (Ali)

Will Smith received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Muhammad Ali in Michael Mann’s 2001 epic sports biopic, Ali, and he did a decent enough job. The major problem with Smith’s performance doesn’t really have much to do with the actor, but instead, the man he was playing. Smith is great in the boxing sequences, but it’s hard to believe that he’s the greatest of all time and not an actor playing the iconic sports figure.

Dennis Quaid (The Rookie)

Dennis Quaid’s portrayal of Jim Morris in The Rookie is nothing short of magical. The way Quaid plays the high school chemistry teacher who becomes a major league pitcher more than a decade after his baseball dreams died is a lot of fun and believable. He has the heart and determination of the real-life Tamp Bay Devil Rays pitcher, which really carries the film.

Steve McQueen (Le Mans)

If there was a movie where Steve McQueen drives a car at a high rate of speed, you can guarantee the legendary actor looked natural doing so. That’s the case with the 1971 film, Le Mans, in which McQueen played Michael Delaney, a racer with a guilty conscience following a tragic accident. McQueen, who had experience as a race driver, looked like a natural.

Playing a professional sport is no easy task and takes years of training and dedication, but these actors did a fine job of playing athletes on the big screen. While some were better than others, each gave all they had.

Fashion can truly make an impression with any character you’re trying to get across; especially with the figures we’re about to discuss. Clothing is definitely not optional, it’s a way of life for some of the snazziest dressers in all of cinematic history. So straighten your tie, smooth out your sweater, and slip on your glasses to take a look at these shining examples of sartorial supremacy.

James Bond (The James Bond Movies)

How can you not admire the costume design throughout every era of James Bond movies? No matter your chosen actor for the job, 007 has made his way into the world with a fine style that matches his cutting wit. His fashion is forever.

Holly Golightly (Breakfast At Tiffany’s)

Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) became a fashion icon for the ages in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s certainly not hard to see why, as Hubert De Givenchy and Edith Head’s talents gave this movie its signature looks; chiefly among them some little black dresses that launched a thousand party outfits.

Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Casino)

How mythic is the wardrobe of Robert De Niro’s Sam “Ace” Rothstein from Casino? There are whole YouTube videos and posters designed to show them off. Not to mention even some of the oversized glasses that Martin Scorsese’s protagonist wears during the film have become the stuff of legend. Better still: Ace isn’t afraid to wear pink, and it suits him to a tee.

Lorelei Lee (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes)

Sure, as a musical showgirl, it was technically the job of Lorelei Lee (Marilyn Monroe) to always be on point with her looks. But at the same time, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes certainly snazzed her up in everyday life, thanks to some beautiful use of patterns and color. And of course, who could forget the iconic pink dress Monroe wore during “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend?”

Django (Django Unchained)

Once he entered the world of bounty hunting, Django (Jamie Foxx) took a lot of the advice Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) gave him to heart. And part of that package was the note that your wardrobe is basically your costume for the moments in your life. Everything from rough and tumble western wear to a natty blue velvet suit with ruffles resulted from that viewpoint, and we’re all the greater for it.

Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada)

If one is going to help make the decisions that puts cerulean sweaters on the backs of those who pretend to hate fashion, one needs to look like they’ve earned that right. The Devil Wears Prada’s Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) definitely earned that right, and then some. While Streep gave up Method acting because of the character’s miserable nature, her style never looked anything less than top-flight.

Caesar Flickerman (The Hunger Games Trilogy)

Oh Stanley Tucci: the respected actor that, early in his career, was a beefcake model for Levi’s. The man’s style sense has never left him, with Caesar Flickerman from The Hunger Games trilogy being one of his more outlandish cases of style. Bursting with color that matched his energy, it’s hard to hate Panem’s prince of propaganda.

Cruella DeVil (Cruella)

Cruella reinvented the Disney villain from 101 Dalmatians into someone who dug a lot more than Dalmatian spots. Emma Stone’s titular icon of villainy actually changed her tone in this reimagining, setting her sights on revenge in the fashion world, and adopting a sort of punk rock couture aesthetic to do so. Vengeance looked amazing in her hands.

Jinx (Die Another Day)

Yes, Halle Berry’s freezing James Bond entrance in Die Another Day showed her rocking an impressive bikini. But her outfits throughout the rest of the film didn’t slouch either, especially the red leather number that kept her warm in the ice palace of Gustav Graves (Toby Stephens). Though it probably also came in handy that time she was nearly carved up by lasers too. 

Charon (The John Wick Movies)

The entire John Wick universe is dressed to the nines, exuding a style profile that puts most action movies to shame. But if I were to highlight anyone, I’m afraid it’d have to be Charon, played by the late great Lance Reddick. Then again, The Continental is one of those places where you always have to be on your fashion game; so maybe this choice was easier than I thought.

Emily Nelson (A Simple Favor)

Paul Feig’s cinematic adaptation of A Simple Favor saw Blake Lively dipping her toe into all corners of the fashion spectrum. Through looks borrowing from both traditionally masculine and feminine modes, it all looked deadly beautiful throughout her neo-noir character’s arc. 

The Protagonist (Tenet)

Inspired by Sean Connery’s James Bond fashion, Tenet costume designer Jeffrey Kurland crafted fashions for The Protagonist (John David Washington), as well as his accomplice Neil (Robert Pattinson) that evoked the classic era of 007. Kind of fitting for a movie where incremental time travel is the game, and Christopher Nolan’s discipline for panache is also very much present. 

Astrid Leong (Crazy Rich Asians)

Astrid Leong (Gemma Chan) has a heart of gold, and the fashion sense to match it. Throughout the entirety of Crazy Rich Asians, she never failed to show up in some of the most gorgeous outfits; even in moments where her heart was breaking in devastating detail. Every time she’s on screen, it’s like watching a fairy tale.

Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

When you’ve got a character that’s described as “the man in the cool beautiful shirts,” your costume design needs to measure up. Director Baz Luhrman’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby used the talents of costume designer Catherine Martin to do just that, giving Leonardo DiCaprio’s interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s tragic character the finest threads money could buy. 

Tracy Chambers (Mahogany)

Mahogany’s Tracy Chambers (Diana Ross) has aspirations to be a fashion designer herself. So it’s only fitting that she not only found her way into modeling, but also onto this list of snazzy dressers. Epitomizing the color and opulence of the disco era, her cautionary tale saw Tracy looking absolutely fabulous, even in her most dire moments. 

Nigel (The Devil Wears Prada)

If you haven’t heard it before: Stanley Tucci is a man of great fashion. One of the best examples of this is the role of Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada. While he’s a bit nicer spreading the gospel of fashion than his boss Miranda (Meryl Streep), Nigel doesn’t let up in his keen eye for style in the process.

Jackie Brown (Jackie Brown)

Whether she’s coming home from flying the friendly skies, or keeping one step ahead of her criminal compatriots, Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) always looks fantastic. Of course, her striking blue uniform for her day job is what’s always stuck out in Quentin Tarantino’s film. That being said, Ms. Grier’s civilian clothes are no slouch either, especially in that food court outfit where she’s stylishly wearing a Kangol cap.

Thomas Crown (The Thomas Crown Affair)

Billionaire by day and thief in his downtime, The Thomas Crown Affair’s titular rogue is always sharply suited for the occasion. Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond movies certainly set a similar expectation, but this 1999 remake gave the actor some room to roam; even if he wasn’t contractually allowed to be seen in traditional black tie. 

Foxy Cleopatra (Austin Powers in Goldmember)

Borrowing from the rich fashion history of blaxploitation heroines, Austin Powers in Goldmember gave Foxy Cleopatra a whole lot of looks for a whole lot of woman. Then again, when you’ve cast Beyoncé as your female lead, it’s kind of hard to make her look anything other than stunning. Still, an abundance of color and flare is seen through every costume change in this spy movie spoof.

Patrick Bateman (American Psycho)

‘80s business attire was a unique beast that had stock brokers ready to step out into the night once the closing bell had rung. Using GQ and Esquire as a bible, it’s no wonder how American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) always looked as sharpened as a kitchen knife. Though spare a thought for the man’s dry cleaners, as he does have a bit of a temper.

Niobe (The Matrix Reloaded & Revolutions)

Pretty much everyone in The Matrix is a snazzy dresser, especially when they're in The Wachowski's cyberspace playground which gives the film its title. But extra credit has to be given to Niobe (Jada Pinkett Smith), as she's not a simple black-and-white dresser. With a long red coat that sets her apart from the rest, reflecting her colorful wardrobe in the real world, The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions were a bit brighter when she battled it out on screen.

Marvello Rubini (La Dolce Vita)

There are certain fashion touchstones of cinema history that will never, ever go out of style. And one such look is the classic suit and sunglasses worn by Marcello Mastroianni’s Marvello Rubini, in one of the greatest Italian movies of all time, La Dolce Vita. You can never go wrong with that black suit, but the eyewear that Federico Fellini's protagonist wears throughout the picture really clinches the win every time.

Elle Woods (Legally Blonde)

Pink is a hard color to work with because, in the wrong context, it could be seen as much too loud. Meanwhile, Legally Blonde icon Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) never met a shade of this pigment she didn’t like. Her signature hue throughout both films, this legal eagle soars high in the sky with flying colors; and it never goes out of style. 

Danny Ocean (Ocean’s Eleven)

A friend once told me, “no one looks as cool as Danny Ocean getting out of prison.” Judging by the look George Clooney’s Ocean’s Trilogy mastermind is rocking at the beginning of that first movie, it’s hard to argue. It’s even more difficult to argue that through all three films, the man isn’t bringing his A-game every single time he steps out.

Annie Hall (Annie Hall)

Blazing a trail for women’s fashion, Annie Hall’s eponymous figure took what was traditionally seen as “men’s clothing” and used it as her own statement to the world. Played brilliantly by Diane Keaton, her keen fashion sense was matched by her wicked wit, more often than not being deployed against lovelorn Alvy Singer (Woody Allen). 

Frank Abignale (Catch Me If You Can)

What is it about confidence crooks that gives them such brilliant fashion sense? Perhaps when Frank Sr. (Christopher Walken) told his young son Frank Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) about how those Yankees pinstripes bedazzle the competition, he was onto something. As a result, Catch Me If You Can’s “real fake” is seen kitted out in everything from pilot’s uniforms to orange sweaters, and he’s always looking dapper as a result. 

Reynolds Woodcock (Phantom Thread)

“Meticulous” is one word that sums up Phantom Thread’s Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis). Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark comedy about romance, fashion, and all the illnesses in between saw the Academy Award-winning legend retire in literal style, playing a fashion designer who would never step foot out the door with even a hair out of place.

Ginger McKenna (Casino)

Martin Scorsese’s Casino shows Las Vegas through some of its most tumultuous years. And one of the indicators of how time passes is in the fashion, as Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone) goes from good-time gal to the trusted wife of casino manager Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert DeNiro). Gliding through the years with an effortless eye, Ms. Stone’s costumes maintain an air of control, even when her character seems to be losing that very grasp in life.

Cher Horowitz (Clueless)

Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) is the ‘90s, period. A fashionista who made something like yellow with black plaid into a work of art, our Clueless hero is anything but when she’s putting together her outfits. Who could ever forget the first time they saw some of Cher’s most signature looks in play?

Jules Winfield (Pulp Fiction)

The look of a simple black suit cannot be understated, especially when someone like Samuel L. Jackson is the person wearing it. As imposing fixer Jules Winfield in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Jackson wears this outfit for most of the movie’s running time; save for those sequences taking place after one catastrophic accident. Even in a random t-shirt and shorts, the man knows how to make an impression and keep all the Fonzies in the room cool. 

Rachel Chu (Crazy Rich Asians)

While Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) isn’t from the same sort of world as the family of her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding), that doesn’t stop our Crazy Rich Asians lead from engaging in a makeover. As the film progresses, and through some friendly makeover advice from her best friend (Awkwafina), confidence and fashion are both boosted in equally impressive ways.

Trent (Swingers)

Most would remember the lead characters of Swingers for their big band revival threads that play a big part in their trip to Vegas. However, if you look at the styles that Trent Walker (Vince Vaughn) displays throughout the movie, he is a true example of making anything work. Even his outbursts in a late-night dining situation look sharp, as he knows how to crush a look when he’s relaxed or when he’s switched on. 

If you were looking for some style icons to look up to for a near-future wardrobe refresh, look no further than these movie mavens. With all sorts of looks at work for all types, there’s bound to be something here that could give you the upgrade you’ve been hoping to achieve. And now that you’ve read through this handy guide to such delights, don’t you think you’ve earned it?

Music means a lot in Martin Scorsese's films. He uses a ton of classic songs in Goodfellas and he uses them perfectly. Sometimes the songs add to the mood, and sometimes they directly contrast what is happening on the screen, but in all ways, they help make a great film one of the best of all time. 

“Layla” - Derek & The Dominos

When most people think of “Layla” by Derek & The Dominos (Eric Clapton & co.) they think of that monster riff that opens the song. Instead of using that, Scorsese uses the epic outro of the piano and dueling guitar solo by Clapton and Duane Allman as bodies from the Lufthansa Heist start showing up all over the place from dumpsters to meat lockers. It’s the best use of music in any movie, ever, and it’s one of those movie songs that make me think about a specific scene. 

"Then He Kissed Me" - The Crystals

Scorsese makes liberal use of that classic Phil Spector “Wall of Sound” sound throughout Goodfellas. In what is, if not the most famous scene in the movie, it's right up there as Henry (Ray Liotta) and Karen (Lorraine Bracco) make their way into the Copa in that amazing Steadicam shot that uses “Then He Kissed Me” by The Crystals. A perfect song for a perfect date. 

"Chariot" - Betty Curtis

Martin Scorsese didn’t just scratch the surface of late ‘50s and early ‘60s rock n’ roll, he dug deep. “Chariot” by Italian singer Betty Curtis is a perfect example. There are more famous versions of the song, but this one fits the scene when Karen confronts Henry after he stands her up on their double date.

"Sunshine of Your Love" - Cream

The late 1960s weren’t exactly the Summer of Love for Henry and his crew, but Martin Scorsese still managed to slip in a flower-power anthem with Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love." It comes much later in the movie’s timeline than the ‘60s, but it’s a pivotal moment in the film as Jimmy, played by Scorsese regular Robert De Niro, decides he’s going to whack Morrie (Chuck Low) and the rest of the crew he assembled for the Lufthansa Heist. 

"Atlantis" - Donovan 

There is something about Donovan that can add such a deep air of forbidding. David Fincher used Donovan to great effect in Zodiac, and in Goodfellas, it plays as Tommy (Joe Pesci) takes out a LOT of aggression on Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) while Donovan’s “Atlantis” raises the tension even more. 

"Look in My Eyes" - The Chantels

1961’s “Look in My Eyes” by The Chantels brings a laid-back and classic sound to the Air France heist, which conveys the laid-back way Henry’s first big heist was pulled off. Smooth and easy. 

"Can't We Be Sweethearts" - The Cleftones

"Can't We Be Sweethearts" by The Cleftones is a doo-wop classic that evokes the ‘50s perfectly in the early scenes of the movie. Young Henry is just figuring out his way in the underworld and his father is not pleased about it at all, taking his belt to Henry after the budding gangster misses a little too much school. 

“Gimme Shelter” - The Rolling Stones

One of the greatest songs of all time, “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones is one of a couple of Stones songs that Scorsese mixes into the Goodfellas soundtrack to great effect. It shows up as Henry is explaining his new Pittsburgh connection with help from Debi Mazar's character, Sandy, and selling something he shouldn’t be selling. Paulie (Paul Sorvino) would not be happy if he found out, which he explains to Henry as the song starts. 

“Jump Into The Fire” - Harry Nilsson

“Jump Into The Fire” by the late, great Harry Nilsson is another example of picking the exact right song for a scene in which Henry is on edge, burning the candle at both ends and hardly keeping his life or his work together. He’s strung out and paranoid as he runs all over town balancing his illegal activities, all while being convinced a helicopter is following him.

“Monkey Man” - The Rolling Stones

The paranoia continues for Henry as he, now with Karen in the car, with the helicopter following them as “Monkey Man” plays. Henry speeds off to Karen’s mother’s house to hide the guns. Karen is agitated and Henry looks so bad a doctor gives him something to calm him down. It’s the peak of Henry’s downward spiral. 

“Memo From Turner” - Mick Jagger

This underrated and somewhat obscure gem by Mick Jagger appears only for a little bit as Henry is on his way to the hospital to pick up his brother as he tears around town in his state of paranoia. The jumping back and forth between songs in this classic scene ups the frantic nature 10-fold and it works brilliantly. 

“Magic Bus” - The Who (Live At Leeds version)

This live version of “Magic Bus” by The Who is a long, drawn-out take on one of the band’s earliest hits. It also shows up in the helicopter scene, and like the other mishmash of jumpy songs, this one fits right in as Henry barely avoids an accident. 

"What Is Life" - George Harrison

The paranoia and chaos continue with the crunchy opening riff of George Harrison’s “What is Life” as Henry continues his hectic day, just before he’s eventually busted. It continues to help build the desperation Henry is feeling. 

Mannish Boy" - Muddy Waters

Henry meets up with Sandy (Debi Mazer) at her place and things seem to slow down a little bit as they prepare the package to go to Pittsburgh. Even as he fights with Sandy some, it’s the calmest part of his day, reflected by the blues legend Muddy Waters belting out his classic “Mannish Boy”–a song he also sang live in another Scorsese-helmed film, “The Last Waltz.”

“My Way” - Sid Vicious

As the credits roll at the end of the movie, Sid Vicious belts out his punk version of the Frank Sinatra classic “My Way.” It’s the perfect end of the movie, the serene ‘50s of Henry’s youth are long gone, and the ‘70s are a much more chaotic and edgier time for the gangster, ending with him ratting on all his friends, and while Henry did it “his way”, it wasn’t the way he expected when he got into the life. 

"Rags to Riches" - Tony Bennett

The opening of the movie is very different from the end in tone. Instead of the angry punk takedown of the ‘50s, audiences are treated to a classic big band number by the great Tony Bennett, “Rags To Riches”. The music serves to immediately put us in a time and place, with the same hopeful optimism that young Henry has when he discovers Paulie’s cab stand and sees Sopranos star Tony Sirico (as Tony "Stacks") getting out of a nice car. 

"Frosty the Snowman" - The Ronettes

There is a very brief moment of levity after the crew pulls off the Lufthansa Heist that is ushered in with the Phil Spector-produced Ronette's version of "Frosty The Snowman". It's short-lived though, as everyone starts showing up with expensive items they purchased with the money and Jimmy isn't happy. 

"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" - Darlene Love

Christmas is supposed to be the best time of the year, but at the Christmas party celebrating the heist, Jimmy is not in the best mood. It doesn't help when Morrie begs for his cut, as Darlene Love croons "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" under the tense conversation. 

"Bells of St. Marys" - The Drifters

It's a good Christmas for Henry and Karen after the heist. Henry buys an impressive white tree and showers his wife and kids with gifts, all to the tune of "Bells of St. Marys" by The Drifters.

"Leader of the Pack" by-The Shangri-Las

Reality sets in for Karen when she attends a party with all the other mob wives. As they mingle and test makeup with each other, the sounds of a classic girl group, The  Shangri-Las' song "Leader of the Pack" fits the all-women scene perfectly.

"Baby I Love You" - Aretha Franklin

When Henry sets his first mistress Janice up in an apartment, they have a party to celebrate and there is no better music for a party than the indomitable Aretha Franklin singing her song "Baby I Love You." Poor Karen.  

"Beyond the Sea" - Bobby Darin

Henry's description of prison for wise guys sounds a lot like a vacation. There's lobster, and steak, and very thinly sliced garlic by Paulie. What better way to evoke feelings of time off than "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin? 

"Speedoo" - The Cadillacs

One of the most pivotal moments in Henry's life comes to the tune of "Speedoo" by The Cadillacs, a fantastic early rock n' roll song. It's to the sound of this song that Henry first meets Jimmy at the underground casino run by Paulie. His life would never be the same. 

"It's Not for Me to Say" by Johnny Mathis

Even when the music isn't pivotal to the scene, Martin Scorsese still takes care to make sure it sounds good and fits the mood. Take It's Not for Me to Say" by Johnny Mathis, which plays quietly in the background of Henry's first awkward date with Karen. It features the perfect lyric, 

"Playboy" - The Marvelettes

"Playboy" by The Marvelettes is another great one you might miss if you're not paying attention, as it quietly plays in the car as Henry and Tommy sit outside Henry's restaurant which slowly is engulfed in flames as they look to collect the insurance money on the place. 

"Life Is But a Dream" - The Harptones

Another deep track Martin Scorsese pulls out in Goodfellas is "Life Is But a Dream" by The Harptones. It was never a big hit, but it's an amazing song and perfect for the wedding of Henry and Karen. The scene also has one of the great cameos of the movie with Scorsese's mother, Catherine, playing Tommy's mother and lecturing him at the wedding about settling down. 

"This World We Love In (Il Cielo In Una Stanza)" by Mina

Another one of the most classic scenes in Scorsese's Goodfellas features another deep track, "This World We Love In (Il Cielo In Una Stanza)" by Mina. It's the famous scene when Henry introduces all the gangsters at his restaurant and the music is just barely audible under the din, but once again it sets the mood perfectly. 

"Wives and Lovers" - Jack Jones

"Wives and Lovers" by Jack Jones is the song playing at another pivotal moment in Henry's life when Morrie pitches the idea of the Lufthansa Heist. During a dinner party with Morrie and his wife at the Hill's house, the song plays on the new stereo bought to celebrate Henry's coming home from prison. 

"Roses Are Red" - Bobby Vinton

During the whirlwind romance between Henry and Karen, one of the dates features a show by Bobby Vinton where he performs one of his biggest hits, "Roses Are Red." Karen can't help but be overwhelmed as Vinton sends champagne to the new couple. 

"Hearts of Stone" - Otis Williams and the Charms

Young Henry Hill learns pretty quickly just how ruthless his new mob friends can be when he lets slip that his father isn't happy about him working at the cab stand after a letter from the school reveals Henry hasn't been going. Paulie and the other guys from the cab stand take it out on the mailman and convince him not to deliver any more letter to Henry's house. "Hearts of Stone" by Otis Williams and the Charms adds some real charm to the scene. 

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - Tony Bennett

When Henry gets out of jail, Paulie holds a party for him. It's a celebratory affair, but underneath, of course, is the ominous dread that comes with Paulie warning Hanry not to sell drugs outside of prison. Tony Bennett sings the apropos "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" as the party goes on. 

"Sincerely" - The Moonglows

There is so much good music in Goodfellas it can be overwhelming. You really have to listen for some of the buried gems, like "Sincerely" by The Moonglows, which plays at the cookout hosted by Paulie early in the movie. It's a brilliant song. 

Martin Scorcese is, without a doubt, one of the best filmmakers of all time with a slew of legendary movies. One thing most have in common is his uncanny use of music to add to the drama, Goodfellas just happens to be among the very best. 

Every A-list actor had to start somewhere and all you have to do to find out what your favorite celebrity’s very first gig was is take a look at their profile on The Internet Movie Database. We sifted through the much celebrated site and found the first IMDb credit of some of today’s biggest stars. 

Tom Cruise (Endless Love)

As is often the case with many actors, Tom Cruise’s very first role is nothing like Maverick from the Top Gun movies, Ethan Hunt from the Mission: Impossible movies, or nearly anything else the Oscar nominee is known for for. He appears in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1981 romance, Endless Love — starring Brooke Shields and Martin Hewitt — as a student named Billy who describes the time he attempted arson at just 8 years old. 

Jennifer Lawrence (Monk)

While appearing on Conan to promote the film that earned her her first Oscar — 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook — Jennifer Lawrence recalled the embarrassing story behind her screen acting debut in an episode of Monk from the crime drama's fifth season called “Mr. Monk and the Big Game.” She thought she was playing a member of a high school basketball team that Tony Shalhoub’s title character helps take over, but would discover a little too late that she was playing their mascot.

Robert Downey Jr. (Pound)

It’s no wonder Robert Downey Jr. is such a confident and charismatic onscreen presence when you learn he has been in the game since he was 5, having debuted in 1970’s Pound. Written and directed by his late father, Robert Downey Sr., the bizarre, X-rated, avant garde drama stars a cast of characters who appear human, but are really dogs waiting to be adopted, including the future Academy Award nominee and Iron Man actor as a puppy. 

Zoe Saldaña (Law & Order) 

Years before she became one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, Zoe Saldaña’s career started when she appeared in the second half of a two-part Law & Order episode called “Refuge,” alongside Orange is the New Black cast member, Selenis Leyva, as her sister. Coincidentally, Saldaña would also appear in a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode in a different role years later.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Romper Room)

As he revealed to David Letterman in 1995, Leonardo DiCaprio made his show business debut at 3 on the children’s program Romper Room, but was so excited to be on camera, he had to be removed for disruptive behavior. He later appeared on shows like 1989's The New Lassie (pictured) or Growing Pains, paving the way for him to reach A-list status in the Titanic cast and win his overdue Oscar for The Revenant. His wild success today desperately makes us wish we could see his Romper Room footage, which may remain a lost relic, unfortunately.

Jenna Ortega (Rob)

At just 10 years old, Jenna Ortega proved she was destined to be a top Scream Queen when she made her debut on an episode of the short-lived CBS sitcom, Rob, called “The Baby Bug.” The future Emmy-nominated Wednesday cast member gets in (and wins) a fight against the title character — played by former SNL star, Rob Schneider — over a baby doll.

Nicolas Cage (The Best Of Times)

When his name was still Nicolas Coppola, the man who would be Nicolas Cage starred in a failed pilot for a coming-of-age ABC sitcom from 1981 called The Best of Times. The future Oscar winner’s scenes are a precursor to the iconic manic energy he would exhibit in movies like Vampire’s Kiss or Face/Off that every Cage fan should seek out if they can.

Margot Robbie (Neighbours)

Just like many other A-list Australian actors, Oscar nominee Margot Robbie got her start on a long-running soap opera called Neighbours when she was 17. The lead Barbie cast member actually appeared in one episode from 2022 to reprise her role as Donna Freedman.

Denzel Washington (Wilma)

Two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington is a living legend of the big screen, but made a name for himself on the small one. His very first gig was Wilma — a made-for-TV biopic about Wilma Rudolph that aired on NBC in 1977 — as the Olympic track sprinter’s then husband, Robert Eldridge.

Meryl Streep (Everybody Rides The Carousel)

Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep has done some great voice acting over the years, including an episode of The Simpsons, a Wes Anderson movie called Fantastic Mr. Fox, and her first job: Everybody Rides the Carousel. Originally airing on CBS in 1976, the animated film is inspired by psychoanalyst Erik H. Erikson’s “Eight Stages of Development” and Streep lends her voice to the “Stage 6” segment, which covers intimacy. 

Harrison Ford (Dead Heat On A Merry-Go-Round)

We’ve seen Harrison Ford play an intergalactic pilot in the Star Wars movies, a daredevil archaeologist in the Indiana Jones movies, and other intimidating professions, but it all started when he played a bellboy. He appears in one scene from writer and director Bernard Girard’s 1966 crime thriller, Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, delivering a message to a “Mr. Ellis,” which is really an alias for the con man protagonist, Eli Kotch, played by James Coburn.

Scarlett Johansson (Late Night With Conan O'Brien)

When Scarlett Johansson appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien to promote one of the best 2000s movies, Lost in Translation, the host recalls that the future Marvel star’s first paid gig was a bit on his show from a decade earlier. She played a Spelling Bee champion who turns out to have a habit of missing a letter or two, as exposed by Andy Richter.

Robert De Niro (Three Rooms In Manhattan)

New York just happens to have been the setting for many great Robert De Niro movies, such as Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and his very first gig — as an extra — called Three Rooms in Manhattan. You can very clearly see the two-time Oscar-winner in the background during a scene from the 1965 French drama about an actor’s romantic encounter with a woman in the Big Apple.

Amy Adams (Drop Dead Gorgeous)

The first time you saw Amy Adams might have been on The Office or in 2007's Enchanted or even in one of her many Academy Award-nominated performances — such as from Doubt or Arrival. However, her true introduction to the world was in an underrated ‘90s movie called Drop Dead Gorgeous — a mockumentary-style dark comedy in which she plays a contestant for a beauty pageant plagued by a murderous plot.

Brad Pitt (Hunk)

Fittingly, one of Hollywood’s most iconic “hunks” debuted in a movie called Hunk, in which a computer nerd’s deal with the devil makes him a looker. However, Brad Pitt is not the titular hunk of this 1987 comedy, but an extra who can be seen in the top right hand corner of the frame, enjoying some sun on the beach, for one scene.

Tom Hanks (He Knows You’re Alone)

In 2023, two-time Oscar winner Tom Hanks spoke to Jess Eagle about getting his SAG card for starring in a low budget slasher called He Knows You’re Alone as a psych student who befriends an engaged woman stalked by a killer. The Forrest Gump star would make a few other contributions to the horror genre, such as Joe Dante’s The Burbs, an episode of Tales from the Crypt, the Halloween special Toy Story of Terror, and as one of his best SNL characters, David S. Pumpkins.

Sandra Bullock (Hangmen)

The movie that skyrocketed Sandra Bullock to the A-list was one of the best action movies of all time, Speed. The Academy Award winner’s very first movie (and acting gig in general) was also an action flick from 1987 called Hangmen, in which she plays the girlfriend of a teen whose father must stay one step ahead of a terrorist organization that has infiltrated the CIA.

Ryan Gosling (The All New Mickey Mouse Club)

When he was 13, Ryan Gosling entered show business as a Mousketeer on Disney Channel’s variety series, The All New Mickey Mouse Club, where he introduced the world to his skills as an actor, singer, dancer, and comedian. He would later utilize these skills to much acclaim in the likes of La La Land and Barbie, but where he learned to be a stoic, intimidating action hero in other great Gosling movies like Drive and Blade Runner 2049 remains a mystery.

Julia Roberts (Crime Story)

Julia Roberts became America’s Sweetheart in the 1990s, but what officially launched her career was Crime Story — an Emmy-nominated 1960s-set detective drama that aired in 1980s, starring Dennis Farina and produced by Michael Mann. The Oscar winner appears in Season 1’s “The Survivor” — which you can check out with a Peacock subscription — as the teenager daughter of Farina’s character’s love interest, who is discovered to have survived a harrowing assault.

Ben Affleck (The Dark End Of The Street)

Ben Affleck’s career began when he played a young boy named Tommy in the 1981 drama The Dark End of the Street, which follows a teen couple whose information about a murder could save an innocent man’s life. That sounds like the kind of thriller that the Oscar-winning star and director of Argo could handle from behind the camera, too.

Michelle Yeoh (The Owl Vs. Bumbo)

Before becoming a martial arts movie legend, Everything Everywhere All At Once star Michelle Yeoh made her acting debut alongside martial arts legend Sammo Hung in this Hong Kong-based action-comedy. Kung also directed The Owl vs. Bumbo, in which two former thieves are forced to become mentors at a youth center.

Zendaya (Shake It Up)

Zendaya became an Emmy-winning actor for her role in the Euphoria cast as a troubled teen. However, when she was actually a teen, she got her start as a Disney Channel star on Shake It Up, in which Rocky Blue (Zendaya) and her best friend, CeCe Jones (Bella Thorne), land gigs as professional dancers on a hit variety show.

Jake Gyllenhaal (City Slickers)

Jake Gyllenhaal earned his first Academy Award nomination for playing a cowboy in one of his best movies, Brokeback Mountain. Somewhat coincidentally, the Spider-Man movie villain actor made his debut as the son of an aspiring cowboy (played by Billy Crystal) in the classic ‘90s comedy, City Slickers. 

Florence Pugh (The Falling)

Even before landing her Oscar-nominated role in 2019’s Little Women cast, Florence Pugh became an awards darling right out the gate with 2014’s The Falling. In fact, both she and Game of Thrones cast member Maisie Williams were nominated for Young British/Irish Performer of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards for their performances in the coming-of-age period thriller.

Matt Damon (Mystic Pizza)

Years before reuniting with her in the Ocean’s Eleven cast, Matt Damon made his acting debut alongside Julia Roberts in Mystic Pizza. The future Jason Bourne movies star appears in a small role from a memorable dinner scene in the 1988 romantic dramedy.

Jamie Lee Curtis (Quincy M.E.)

Three years before landing her big screen debut in the first Halloween movie, Jamie Lee Curtis tried screen acting for the first time in a Season 2 episode of Quincy M.E.  Her small, but still memorable, role is a woman whom the titular medical examiner (played by Jack Klugman) accidentally walks in on at a department store changing room. This prompts her to tell him that he won’t find what he is looking for here with a level of spunk that would become signature for the Academy Award winner.

Johnny Depp (A Nightmare On Elm Street)

Wes Craven’s 1984 supernatural slasher not only saw the debut of classic horror villain, Freddy Krueger (Robert England), but also of one of the biggest celebrities of all time. Johnny Depp’s career began when he joined the A Nightmare on Elm Street cast as Glen Lantz, who, arguably, has the best death scene in the film at the hands of the razor-clawed, dream-infiltrating boogeyman.

Brie Larson (The Tonight Show With Jay Leno)

Eight-year-old Brie Larson launched her career by starring in a series of faux ads for The Tonight Show during its Jay Leno era. The now Academy Award winner for Room and Captain Marvel actor recalled the experience on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show before showing a clip of her in a sketch called “Road Kill Easy Bake Oven.”

Ryan Reynolds (Fifteen)

Despite being known best today for his brazen sense of humor, Deadpool movies star Ryan Reynolds started his career in a most earnest way. He starred in 18 episodes of the Canadian coming-of-age drama Fifteen — which was also known was Hillside — in the role of Billy. 

Anne Hathaway (Get Real)

While her breakthrough role was the lead of Disney’s The Princess Diaries cast, Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway broke out in 1999 on a TV show called Get Real. The short-lived dramedy was also the debut of Hathaway’s Rio co-star, Jesse Eisenberg, and was an early gig for NCIS’s Eric Christian Olsen as well.

Jackie Chan (Big And Little Wong Tin Bar)

Fitting how one of the most quintessential kung fu movie actors, Jackie Chan, got his start in a movie from 1962 about the art itself called Big and Little Wong Tin Bar. You almost feel like you are watching the birth of a martial arts master as the future Rush Hour star plays a student of martial arts.

How does your first job compare to these?

Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have been working together since the '70s, and just released their tenth film together with Killers of the Flower Moon. The duo have been collaborating for over 50 years, and have an incredibly close friendship that has spanned the lengths of their longstanding careers. It’s hard to imagine that these two have been working together for so long, and De Niro and Scorsese have a hard time believing it as well. The Oscar-winning director recently shared a sweet anecdote about a moment he shared with the actor during the promotional tour for their latest film, and it really shows how meaningful their partnership has been for both of them. 

Martin Scorsese recently sat down with Stephen Colbert at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (via People): to chat about Killers of the Flower Moon and his long standing relationship with De Niro. The release of the film has been an incredibly nostalgic time for the two, who started their collaboration with Mean Streets back in 1973. The full circle nature of their new film resulted in lots of reminiscing, and Scorsese shared a particular moment of reflection with Colbert and the New Jersey audience. He detailed:

This is certainly something worth toasting to. Not only have they been making movies together for half a century, but the movies that have come out of their collaboration have been unmatched. Projects like Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull are considered to be some of the best films of all time and have become iconic over the years. Scorsese movies have drawn out incredible De Niro performances, earning him four Oscar nominations and a win. Scorsese and De Niro met as teenagers in New York City, and their bond has seemingly been incredibly meaningful for both of them professionally and personally. 

Killers of the Flower Moon is especially a significant entry for both of them. The movie marks several milestones, like their tenth film and 50 years of collaboration. But  it's also a shift for them given the subject matter explored, and the part De Niro plays. Scorsese recently opened up about how his partnership with the Irishman actor has evolved and changed over the years, especially as De Niro has aged into different roles. Scorsese has shifted to working with leading man Leonardo DiCaprio for many of his films, but hasn’t left De Niro and that partnership as he has explored this. Both actors appear in Scorsese’s latest epic, and it is the first time the two stars have shared a screen since This Boy’s Life in 1993. 

I’m glad that after so many years together, these two have taken a moment to celebrate all that they have accomplished together. It is because of each other that they have had successful careers that have allowed them to sip champagne by gorgeous pools in beautiful hotels. They have both shared their talents and their art with the world, inspiring filmmakers for generations, and never forgot their roots in the process. According to critics and fans, they have created yet another masterpiece together with Killers of the Flower Moon, and I’ll “cheers” to that.

You can catch Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s crime epic Killers of the Flower Moon which is currently playing in theaters nationwide, and will be available for AppleTV+ subscribers in the near future. Cinephiles can also revisit the duo’s first feature film together, Mean Streets, by renting the movie on Amazon. 

I know it’s not just me that’s noticed big movies are getting longer. In the recent words of the great Alexander Payne: “There are too many damn long movies these days.” I think about sitting down for all 180 minutes of Oppenheimer, 182 minutes of Avengers: Endgame and 192 minutes of Avatar: The Way of Water, and that’s over nine hours of my life to think about. So when I took a gander at the runtime of Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which is an epic 206 minutes long, I was very much intimidated about being in a theater for all that time. 

As a movie buff and a professional who reports on the film industry for a living, despite the runtime slump of Killers of the Flower Moon, I decided to stick it out and go to the dang thing. Goodness knows I’m not going to be able to focus on it at home once it reaches Apple TV+. Also, I was really interested in seeing the story, which based a nonfiction crime book come to life through the filmmaker’s perspective, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone as the stars. While I was not stoked for the runtime going in, I need to share my thoughts about my experience after taking it in. 

Generally, I’m Not A Fan Of Long Movies

I’m a big fan of movies that don’t overstay their welcome. Oftentimes I think when directors come out with overlong runtimes, they need to put their egos aside and learn to edit themselves rather than keeping audiences hostage for longer than one needs to. Now, Martin Scorsese defended the Killers of the Flower Moon runtime when he shared that people often sit in front of the TV for that long, and thus should be able to "give cinema some respect."

But when it comes to being in a movie theater, where it's likely I’m going to need to use the bathroom within three hours (as someone who hydrates like they are supposed to), get hungry or get bad luck and be seated next to someone annoying, it's really not the same as being at home. If theaters and filmmakers reinstated intermissions, however, I’m happy to withdraw most of what I just said. 

How Killers Of The Flower Moon Commanded My Attention

When I sat down for a 6 p.m. screening with my popcorn and drink, as soon as it began, I noticed myself thinking about the runtime and getting worried if I’d regret my evening plans. But I was easily swept up in the storytelling that takes audiences back to 1920s Oklahoma at a time when the Osage Nation were wealthy people following the discovery of oil under their land. 

I have not read the book the movie was based on, and thus was not necessarily familiar with this point in history where indigenous people in the United States held power and wealth. I was immediately drawn into learning about it, and Scorsese masterfully found a way to immerse one in that history while also developing an intriguing cast of characters. Once the setting was established, the first scene with DiCaprio’s Earnest and De Niro’s William Hale introduced a dynamic between family members that only became more interesting as the movie progressed. I realized it's not long just to be long; there's a lot to tell here. 

Why Scorsese Earns Every Minute Of Flower Moon 

After coming out of Flower Moon, I’ll say something I rarely say about movies that long: it earned every minute! I did leave briefly in the middle of the movie to go to the bathroom and refuel my drink, but I don't think I missed anything massive. I truly felt like Scorsese made the movie so long because he wanted to honor the true story and develop the circumstances of the Oklahoma murders of the Osage people, get into the specifics of the investigation, and honor the emotions involved across multiple parties. I’m so happy I experienced it in theaters. 

I went away from the movie wanting to learn more about the topic along with learning what, why and how these horrible events at the time took place and why I was unfortunately just being exposed to it, while also finding it entertaining and not really feeling the runtime. (We've all been in one of those movies.) Where was this in my high school history classes? 

Why I Actually Appreciate It As A Long Movie 

With Flower Moon, there were a lot of distinct decisions in the editing room (and in the script writing stage, especially considering the movie was rewritten during development) to faithfully tell the story from multiple perspectives rather than focus more on the investigation like the book apparently does. 

I found Flower Moon also earned its runtime by telling such a complex and compelling story. It felt like the runtime was a device that the filmmaker used to his advantage to communicate the exhaustion of the onslaught of grief and trauma Lily Gladstone’s Molly is going through as she watches much of her family die at the hand of the white men close to her. Scorsese told The Irish Times that the horror movie Midsommar was an inspiration for the pacing, and I can totally see why that choice was made and how it worked on me. Because for Molly, what’s going on is a horror movie, and illustrating her experience through runtime was so clever! Of course, we are talking about Scorsese here.

Yes, I would watch an entire miniseries on the subject, but for three and a half hours, Scorsese commanded the attention of a big screen, where I was fully discouraged to look at my phone. There’s something especially powerful about experiencing this film in all of its glory in a theater. I’d also say this topic deserves three and a half hours of your time, especially if you live on what once was indigenous land, and Scorsese absolutely makes a good use of its runtime. 

Check out CinemaBlend’s Killers of the Flower Moon review, as it’s most certainly one of the best 2023 new movie releases thus far.  

The new film Killers of the Flower Moon may be one of Martin Scorsese's best movies and is already getting strong positive reactions from critics. It seems all but certain that both Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, along with Scorsese himself, will be in the Oscar conversation again this year. And it seems DiCaprio certainly put himself through something of a physical ordeal for the new movie, as he gets spanked in the movie by De Niro, in a scene that required Leo to pad his rear.

Flower Moon cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto recently spoke with Insider and he talked about a scene in the film that surprised him because it wasn’t in the book the film is based on. In the sequence, De Niro’s character punishes his nephew, played by DiCaprio, by literally spanking him with a large paddle. DiCaprio made the decision to pad himself, which seems like a smart call, because according to Prieto, the scene took a few takes, and De Niro did not hold back. The cinematographer explained…  

It probably makes for a better scene to film if you don’t have to make De Niro hold back or edit around him smacking his grown nephew. So the rear-end padding was probably the way to go. Still, one assumes Leo could have talked about other options that didn't involve him getting spanked by an Oscar winner, but that apparently would never have entered into the actor’s head. 

Honestly, the padding couldn’t have been that significant, as it would have been noticeable on screen, so if De Niro really was spanking DiCaprio hard, he probably still felt it. Honestly, considering what DiCaprio put himself through for The Revenant, getting spanked was probably no big deal so this was likely just another day at the office for him. Though honestly, spanking a grown man had to be a pretty weird experience for De Niro as well.

Watching DiCaprio get spanked may be one of the more memorable moments in Killers of the Flower Moon, but it certainly sounds like the new Martin Scorsese movie is one that is quite memorable for a number of reasons. Critics who have seen Killers of the Flower Moon are giving it rave reviews, calling it one of the best movies ever made by this collection of stars who have made more than their share of great movies in the past. CinemaBlend's own Eric Eisenberg Flower Moon review gave the film five stars. The movie is in theaters now and will arrive on Apple TV+ at some point in the future.  

Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon is now playing in theaters. How will it do alongside the second weekend of Taylor Swift’s massive The Eras Tour movie? Per the latest projections, the true crime drama starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro may not necessarily make blockbuster numbers or anything, but it’s certainly ready to hold its own.

Over the summer, expectations surrounding the commercial viability of a three-hour historical drama blew the industry away when Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer had an $80 million domestic debut next to Barbie, which was amplified by “Barbenheimer” double features. According to Deadline, Killers Of The Flower Moon won't go head-to-head against the father of the atomic bomb. It will reportedly make around $24 million in its debut weekend. 

The projected opening weekend will place Killers Of The Flower Moon at No. 2 behind The Eras Tour concert movie, which is conversely expected to make $32 million in its sophomore weekend. This follows a record-breaking first weekend that scored the singer the best opening for a concert film ever with $97 million domestically and an overall $123.5 worldwide. 

The projections for Scorsese’s latest movie aren’t mind-blowing, especially when one factors in its reported $200 million production budget, but Flower Moon does sit at three hours and 26 minutes and tells the story of the Osage murders that took place during the 1920s, after all. The movie beats the runtime of recent long blockbusters like Avatar: The Way Of Water (3 hours and 12 minutes) and Avengers: Endgame (3 hours, 2 minutes). Plus, Scorsese’s movie is set to become available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription at some point, but the service has yet to announce an official at-home release date. 

Killers Of The Flower Moon may perform modestly to its potential due to the movie opening during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike as well. As the actors union continues to picket Hollywood studios in hopes of fair compensation in the streaming era, Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro were barred from promoting the movie. The cast also boasts Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser, who all would have normally taken part in a press tour to get the word out about the Hollywood release. 

Despite quite a few factors acting against Flower Moon, across the board, critics seem to love Scorsese’s latest movie, with CinemaBlend’s own Killers of the Flower Moon review awarding the film a perfect five out of five stars. The new release has been a longtime passion project of Martin Scorsese’s considering the filmmaker has been working on it since 2017. The writer/director adapted David Grann’s nonfiction book with Eric Roth and worked closely with Osage Nation’s Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear, along with numerous consultants. You can check it out in theaters now. 

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” (starring Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone) hits theaters this weekend. The film is filled with incredible performance after incredible performance from both its lead and supporting cast. Its tragic true story deserves the extended runtime Scorsese presents us, and we are sure to continue discussing “Killers of the Flower Moon” throughout the awards season. 

Join us this week for our full, spoiler-free reviews of one of this year’s best, and stick around once you’ve seen the film for our more in-depth thoughts in the spoiler section. 

Timestamps (approx. only)

• 00:00:00 - Intro 
• 00:06:09 - ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ Review (Spoiler-Free)
• 00:34:50 - SPOILER!
• 01:03:41 - Jake Interviewed Martin Scorsese!
• 01:07:33 - Outro

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Along with having a career that spans decades, Robert De Niro has also been parenting for more than 50 years. Over the last five decades, he’s welcomed seven kids into the world. Now, as his latest movie, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, prepares to premiere, the 80-year-old actor is opening up about raising a new baby, and while he loves it, he said “it doesn’t get easier.”

De Niro welcomed his baby this spring. This is his seventh child, and his first with his girlfriend Tiffany Chen. While speaking with The Guardian he opened up about their baby, and what it’s like parenting. While he’s done this many times before, he explained that it hasn’t gotten easier. The Raging Bull star said:

The Taxi Driver actor explained that “you never know what’s going to happen” as a parent, but he also said he really does enjoy being a father. When asked what he loves about it, he said:

Elaborating on interacting with his seven kids, he explained that he talks to his adult children differently than how he talks to his baby. 

Robert De Niro was 28 when his first child was born in 1971, and his youngest baby was born in early 2023. 

The actor and his first wife Diahnne Abbott share Drena De Niro, who is 52, and Raphael De Niro, 46. After they got divorced, the Goodfellas actor and his girlfriend at the time Toukie Smith had twins, Julian and Aaron De Niro, in 1995, they are now 27. In 1995, De Niro, and his now ex-wife Grace Hightower had their first kid, Elliot De Niro, who is 24. Their second child, Helen Grace is 11, and she was born via surrogate in 2011. He also has four grandchildren – Drena’s son was born in 2003 and sadly passed away in July 2023, and Raphael has three kids. 

Over the years, De Niro has learned a lot about being a dad, and he opened up about the “awareness” he’s developed about parenting later in life. He also explained that overall “it’s amazing,” and he noted that he is “very happy about” being a father. 

Along with being a parent, Robert De Niro is also a very busy actor. Along with Killers of the Flower Moon, he also released another movie on the 2023 film schedule called About My Father, and he appeared in the mini-series Nada. He also has six projects in development, including Wise Guys, which should drop among 2024’s new movie releases. 

While Robert De Niro continues to raise his kids and work on various movies and TV shows, you can go see his latest movie, Killers of the Flower Moon, in theaters starting on October 20, and you’ll eventually be able to stream it with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

Leonardo DiCaprio has worked with a lot of astounding directors like Christopher Nolan, Sam Mendes and Quentin Tarantino. But a lot of DiCaprio's best movies have arguably been helmed by Martin Scorsese, who he’s collaborated with since the 2002 crime flick Gangs of New York. You can actually thank Robert De Niro for being the man who introduced the longtime collaborators in the first place. Just recently, Scorsese opened up about his partnership with DiCaprio and how it's evolved since they first crossed paths.

After 21 years, the Titanic star and Mean Streets helmer's partnership is still going strong. The two -- along with Robert De Niro -- have made another movie in historical drama Killers of the Flower Moon. While speaking with Hindustan Times, the 80-year-old filmmaker talked about how he met his frequent leading man through his Raging Bull star, and it seems he and the former have forged a solid connection since:

I imagine it meant a lot to Leonardo DiCaprio to have his This Boy’s Life co-star introduce him to Martin Scorsese, who would positively impact his career. Every time you see one of DiCaprio's performances in a Scorsese film, you can't help but acknowledge how great he is. With the combination of DiCaprio’s stellar acting and Scorsese's outstanding direction, it’s no wonder these two have made successful movies together for over two decades. It seems that "very, very strong trust" they've developed has been invaluable for them.

Gangs of New York may have been a major showcase for Daniel Day Lewis, but it was also a great starting point for the aforementioned collaboration. As the Oscar-winning director has said, he likes to challenge his male lead to reach their full acting potential. That was definitely the case when the filmmaker and the Blood Diamond star teamed up for Shutter Island. The film as a whole may not have been critically acclaimed, though fans did praise the performance of its lead and the clever twist ending, which will always stay in my mind. And few would deny that The Aviator and The Departed were cinematic masterpieces born from the firm partnership.

More recently, it's been exciting to know that the two worked with the actor who introduced the two in the first place on Apple TV+’s Killers of the Flower Moon. The movie, which is based on David Grann's best-selling non-fiction novel, sees De Niro portraying William King Hale, who played a role in the Osage Nation murders in the '20s. His co-star is playing Hale's nephew, Ernest Buckhart, who found himself under his uncle’s influence while being married to a member of the Osage community. Critics saw the biographical crime film at Cannes and showered it with praise. 

This won’t be the last joint venture between Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese either. They’ll be re-teaming for another Apple TV+ movie that will be adapted from one of David Grann's other books, The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder. It's always interesting when the pair dive into the historical drama genre, and I'm already excited and hopeful for what's in store. Let's hope the production also allows their relationship to further develop in positive ways.

You can see both stars and Robert De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon, which opens in theaters on October 20 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. And be sure you have an Apple TV+ subscription so that you can stream the film at a later date.