Stephen Stonebraker's Top 10 Favorite Female Actors

10. Catherine Hicks

 

In a way it's really a shame that Hicks is so well known for her role on "7th Heaven" because there is so much more to this vastly talented actor than the wholesome, Christian valued, family woman that she plays on the series.   Hicks is a vastly decorated actor that has the talent to play a variety of roles and has proven it in some lesser known films and made for television films.   As she proved in "Child's Play" in 1988, she has an ability to do horror as well.

9. Cher

 

This is a real rarity for me to add a singer on my favorite list of actors, as most of the time I feel that singers ought to stick to singing and stay out of acting.   In this particular case though,  I have to bow down and give credit where credit is do.   Even though Cher is much more known for her musical talents, I actually feel she is a better actress than she is a musical talent.    As good as she was in "Mask", "Mermaids", "Suspect" and especially "Moonstruck"  I'm surprised she wasn't offered more roles.   Unlike most musicians who try and make the transition from music to films,  she was quite natural in front of the camera and very realistic.   I'd like to see her in more films.   She's quite good.

 

8.  Molly Ringwald

 

Molly Ringwald is my Kevin Costner, on my list of Top 10 Male actors.   She doesn't have a wide arsenal of roles that she can play, but what she can play, no one can play better.    Unfortunately for Ringwald, her expertise is playing a teenage girl stuck somewhere between wanting to be popular and yet remain nice to everyone.  Not exactly a role she's going to win at age 46.    Nevertheless I absolutely adored her in "Sixteen Candles", "Pretty in Pink" and "The Breakfast Club".     She was also quite good in "Teaching Miss Tingle" and I'd have liked to have seen her in similar roles.   It seems that she's succumbed to less meaningful roles however as of late.  I'd like to see her rejuvenate her career but I'm not exactly sure what types of roles would suit her best at the moment.   Perhaps the mother of the type of girl she used to once play.  

 

7. Jennifer Jason Leigh

 

What makes me love Jennifer Jason Leigh is that she has such talent that she can make me love her, hate her, want to kiss her and want to slap her.   If her objective is to create a character that the audience can fall in love with, she can do just that.  If her objective is to create a character that the audience will absolutely loathe, she can do just that.   A lot of beautiful actresses are unable to play the role of a vicious antagonist because the audience cannot allow themselves to believe that a beautiful woman would be capable of such horrific atrocities.    Even though Jennifer Jason Leigh is phenomenally gorgeous, she is so good at what she does, that she can make her audience forget how beautiful she is, and truly despise her for the despicable acts that her character commits.   To me that is true talent and why I adore Jennifer Jason Leigh as one of my favorites.    "Fast Times At Ridgemont High", "The Hitcher", "Backdraft" and "Buried Alive".  Jennifer Jason Leigh can play an absolute sweetheart that you want to wrap your arms around in a big warm hug and she can play the part of an all out evil bitch that makes you want cringe at the sight of her.   She's truly one of the best.

 

 

 

6.  Penelope Ann Miller

 

Pronounced, "Pen El Oh Pee" and not "Pen elope" as I thought when I was younger.   Penelope Ann Miller has been one of my favorite actresses since I was a little kid.   Her appeal to me?  As you've probably guessed it,  her diversity as an actress.  She can play a complete nerd, with no sexual appeal whatsoever and then turn around and portray a complete knockout.   Whether she's playing the part of a loser or a well renowned popular citizen, she's playing the role with complete believability.   "Kindergarten Cop", "The Adventures in Babysitting", "Big Top Pee Wee" and "Awakenings" she has the ability to play whatever character is put forth in front of her.

 

 

5. Lori Petty

 

A lot of people give Lori Petty a lot of crap because of some personal decisions that she has made in her life and some professional decisions that she has made such as "Tank Girl" and rightly so, but she's also been in a variety of films where she has done an outstanding job in her role.   I don't get why sometimes in Hollywood fans, directors and other actors seem to forgive others for personal and professional mistakes/wrong doings/mishaps but not others.   I'm not sure what Lori Petty did that is so bad, to where she can't get the type of work she is more than capable of.    "Point Break", "A League of Their Own" and "Free Willy" I thought that she was fantastic.   In the late 80's and early 90's she seemed to have a career that was going places.  It stopped, understandably, but as far as I'm concerned it should have started again.   Time's ticking away, but there is still plenty of it left to do just that.

 

4.  Kirstie Alley

 

Kirstie Alley is a phenomenally talented actress that has proved her capabilities in both television and in film.   She does seem to play many of her characters the same way, but in the way that she plays them, she does a very good job.  I really like the way she handled her weight gain and took it head on, rather than let it get the best of her.  Even though tabloids, the news and talk show host tried to bury her, she stayed alive and well and when she lost all her weight, she shoved it hard back into their face.  Whether she was on "Cheers" as Rebecca or she was in films such as "Look Who's Talking", "Look Who's Talking Too" and "It Takes Two" she has always stepped up to the plate and done a great job.  

 

3.  Lea Thompson

 

Lea Thompson has always been one of my favorite actresses, who I feel was a bit type casted throughout her career.   I saw her in two episodes of "Tales From the Crypt" and didn't realize her capabilities to do horror until I saw them.    I almost feel that taking the role in "Caroline in the City" may have been a bit of a mistake as I think it really hampered what could have been an illustrious movie career full of many more titles.   She was phenomenal in the "Back to the Future" films, "Dennis the Menace" and I'll go as far to say "Howard the Duck".    I'm a huge fan of Thompson's and hope to see her more in the future.

 

 

2. Roseanne Barr/Pentland/Arnold/Thomas

 

Every single fat and unattractive female actor that ever makes it in the world of film, owes at least a little something to Roseanne.   She was a pioneer that paved the way for extremely talented female actors who weren't blessed with good looks to have a legitimate shot at making it in Hollywood.   She is one of the funniest women to ever grace the television screen and she is also one of the best dramatic female actors to ever be on screen as well.    She may not always be the most pleasant person in the world and she may not always have popular opinions but she laid a foundation down for the unattractive community to be able to shine in front of the camera.   Some say that she was just practically playing herself on the television show "Roseanne".  I say that maybe, but she obviously did one Hell of a good job playing herself, because audiences resonated enough with it to make it a #1 rated show and have it last for 9 seasons. 

 

1. Dianne Wiest

My favorite female actor of all time is Dianne Wiest.   I love watching her on the screen and I never grow tired of her.  A very diverse female actor that has the ability to play a multitude of roles.   She can play genuine and sincere and then in her next role play flakey and sinister.    I realize that after a long and illustrious career that her time in films has worn thin and that truly saddens me because she is just so good at what she does.   "Footloose", "The Purple Rose of Cairo", "The Lost Boys", "Parenthood", "Edward Scissorhands", "The Birdcage" and "I Am Sam" are just a few examples of her immense load of work.  



 

Stephen Stonebraker's Top 10 Favorite Male Actors

10.  Eddie Murphy

 

I consider Eddie Murphy to be one of the funniest people on the planet, and I enjoy him so much because of his comedic timing, his improvisational genius and his ability to mix comedy and drama near perfectly.   In theatre and film there is something known as "comic relief" but with Murphy it's often just the opposite.  You are laughing so hard that you actually need a break from the comedy, and Murphy will provide, "serious relief."   His comic genius shined through in "48 Hours", "Another 48 Hours", "Coming to America",  "The Nutty Professor",  "Dr. Doolittle" All of the "Shrek" films and "I Spy".   He showed us his ability to do drama in the action/comedies "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Beverly Hills Cop 2".      His career has thus slipped off the Hollywood radar after a few bad decisions personally and professionally.   Rumor has it that he is currently working on "Beverly Hills Cop 4" which I am optimistic about.   "Beverly Hills Cop 3" was a disappointment and I'd like to see both the series and Murphy's career revamped.

9. Kevin Costner

 

Kevin Costner gets a lot of flack and I'll admit that some of it is well deserved.  He is not a diverse actor that can do a multitude of different things.   He's made a list of horrible films from "The Postman" to "3,000 Miles to Graceland" to "Water World" and he has proven that he should always just use his normal everyday voice, because his accents in "JFK" and "The Company Men" are downright laughable.    Yet, with all that said,  what Kevin Costner does well,  he does extremely well.    He's one of the best dramatic actors and he's more than proved that in "Bull Durham", "Field of Dreams", "Dances With Wolves",  "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", "The Bodyguard" "A Perfect World" and "The War".   As an actor you want to branch out and try new things, but unfortunately for Costner his career slipped when he tried playing roles that were clearly out of his range.   He recently came back to portray Jonathan Kent in "Man of Steel" and I hope to see him in some more dramatic roles in the future.   Perhaps some would conclude that Costner is not all that great of an actor considering that his capabilities to play comedy, horror and a list of other roles is very limited.   I disagree with that notion, because of how incredibly talented he is in playing dramatic roles.   He's one of the very best. 

 

8. Edward Norton

 

I remember the first time I saw him on the big screen nearly 17 years ago.  I thought to myself that this guy is the next big thing.  He will soon be the face of Hollywood.   He acts with such precision and puts all of himself into the role.  He completely encompasses the character that he is playing.    Why Hollywood has not utilized him more and made him into the top star that he truly deserves to be is discerning.  All of these other actors that they're trying to push and have been pushing for years makes me shake my head.   Norton is better than all of them.    His performances in "American History X", "Red Dragon" and "Pride and Glory" were phenomenal.   He was even magnificent in "Fight Club" and I didn't even like that movie.   He can play cool and collected,  insane and a variety of other roles.   I question his ability to do comedy, but I'd trust him to do absolutely anything else.  

 

 







7.  Tom Hanks






What can't this guy do?  Honestly,  what can't Tom Hanks do?  He can be dramatic, funny, scary and anything else you want him to be.  There is not a role that you can give this man that he cannot play.   What I admire most about him, is that I don't think he was born with the immense talent that he has developed.   If you go back and watch his roles from the early 80's and then compare it to stuff he was doing 10-15-20-25 years later, you can see how much he has progressed as an actor.   He is truly a student of the stage and that shows in every role that he has ever done.    While he's not my favorite,  I have to say that if I were asked who the greatest actor during my life time was, I'd almost have to say Tom Hanks, with only one other person in contention.    Every role he plays, I forget that he is Tom Hanks, and I honestly believe that he IS the character that he is playing.    "Splash", "Dragnet", "Big", "The Burbs", "Turner and Hooch", "Radio Flyer", "Sleepless in Seattle", "Philadelphia", "Apollo 13", "Forrest Gump",  All three "Toy Story" films, "The Green Mile", "Cast Away" and "Saving Private Ryan"  the list goes on and on.   He's made a multitude of phenomenal films.    He truly is one of the all time greatest.

 

 

6.  Dustin Hoffman

If you were wondering who the other person in contention for the greatest actor during my lifetime was,  here he is.    Dustin Hoffman's career has spanned over five decades because the man can do absolutely anything.   There is no role that this man cannot play.   He is the most diverse actor I have ever seen and most likely ever will see.   If I had 1/8 of the talent this man does as an actor,  I'd consider myself to be great.  That's how outstanding he is.    He can play his roles so well, that you don't even realize that it was him until you watch the ending credits.   On top of being so talented,  he is modest enough to where he doesn't always have to take the lead role.  "Dick Tracey" being an example of that.     If you have any question about his ability as an actor check out, "The Graduate" "All the Presidents Men", "Kramer vs Kramer", "Tootsie",  "Rain Man", "Hook" and "Sleepers".     The only time I've ever seen him play a role, where I felt he could have done better is "Death of a Salesman".   I suppose I enjoyed the way Lee J Cobb played Willy Loman in the 1966 version that I just wouldn't except any other adaptation of the role.  

5.  John Candy

 

I tear up a little every time I think of the man and how much I miss seeing him on the big screen.   It's hard for me to believe that it's been 20 years since his untimely passing.   He was taken from us way, way too soon.    Candy was a pioneer in many respects, because he proved that despite being unattractive, large and obese,  that a man could have such charm, eloquence and heart that audiences could fall in love with him.    He could play dramatic, he could even play mean or crass, but what he excelled at most was comedy.   "Splash", "Summer Rental" "Brewster's Millions, "Spaceballs", "Plains, Trains and Automobiles", "The Great Outdoors", "Who's Harry Crumb", "Uncle Buck", "Cool Runnings", "Wagon's East" and "Canadian Bacon."   I'll never turn down a film if John Candy is in it.   He's one of those guys that I wish I could have known.  Every character he ever played,  I would have liked to have been friends with.   I wish that he would have had the chance to have played a few more serious roles, even something suspenseful.  I think he would have surprised a lot of people with his capabilities and his talents.  It's a real shame that we couldn't have had him longer than what we did.  We were more than gifted with his presence. 

 

 

4.  Robin Williams

 

The day Robin Williams died,  I have to say that I felt like I had lost a friend.  I suppose it's because we had so much in common.   We both have a great passion for the sport of amateur wrestling and the positives that it did for our lives.  We both absolutely love to entertain people.  We both have a genuine and sincere empathy for humanity and we both battled the horrible demon of depression.  I suppose it sounds asinine for me to say this, but I almost feel in part, guilty for his death.   Yes, I know how crazy that sounds, but I had such a high admiration and respect for the man,  that I wish I could have somehow been there for him when he needed a friend.   I'll never be to the world as an actor what he was as an actor and as of right now I can only dream of being to the world as a writer, what he was an actor.   I will make it as a writer, to what degree though, I don't know.  If I make it as big and as bold as I dream to,  I hope to be as beloved by my fans as Williams was by his.    Here I am speaking on behalf of him as a person, and rightly so because he was an outstanding human being.  Don't kid yourself though, he's on this list because of his immense talents as an actor.    "The World According to Garp", "The Best of Times", "Dead Poets Society", "Awakenings", "The Fischer King", "Hook", "Aladdin", "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Jumanji", "The Birdcage", "Father's Day", "Good Will Hunting", "Patch Adams" and "RV", Williams did it all.  He could make you laugh, he could make you cry, he could make you scared, he could make you think and he could make you feel.   He was truly an amazing person on and off the screen.

 

3. Christopher Lloyd

 

If you haven't noticed by now,  I am very big on an actor's ability to be diverse in the roles that he chooses to play.   It's why I love Christopher Lloyd so much.  He can play the straight man, and he can play the funny man.   What a lot of people don't realize about Lloyd is that he didn't have success right away.  He spent years working in theatre, before he finally got his first big break on Broadway in 1969.  He was pushing 40 by the time he landed his first film role in 1975.    I sometimes get discouraged as a writer, thinking that I'm damn near 30 and I have yet to even  place my hands on the rungs, let alone take the first step up the ladder.  Then I think of Lloyd and remember how long and how hard he had to work before he was discovered.    From "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next" to "Clue" to "Eight Men Out" to "Angels in the Outfield" to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" to "Dennis the Mennis" Lloyd has played a variety of different roles.   None of which have been as iconic as his role as Dr. Emmett L Brown in all three "Back to the Future" films.   If I had to pick my favorite character from film, it'd be Dr. Emmett L Brown.  

 

 

2. Michael J Fox

 

There are a lot of people in this world that are exceptionally talented that don't have the love and passion for whatever it is that they are talented at.   There are also a lot of people in this world that have an immense love and passion for something that they have no talent at (Me at amateur wrestling!).   Then there are people that have an unbelievable, immeasurable love and passion for something that they are incredibly talented at, and that is Michael J Fox at acting.   I hope I have the honor and privilege of meeting Michael J Fox someday and shaking his hand.   I wish that everyone in life could be as passionate and dedicated towards something as he is/was towards acting.   Damn Parkinson's disease to Hell because the world of film deserves to be graced with the talents of Michael J Fox and Michael J Fox deserves to be acting, where he was meant to be.    In all three "Back to the Future" films, "Teen Wolf", "Doc Hollywood" and "Homeward Bound" he showed the world his unquestionable ability to play a role that can only be played by him.   I wish that before he came down with Parkinson's that he would have had the opportunity to have played more roles like what he did in "Casualties of War".    I would have even liked to have seen him play a role in a horror or suspense film.   He always played the part of the protagonist and I believe if given the opportunity he could have been a great antagonist as well.   I would have liked to have seen that.  Maybe one day I will.   Michael J Fox is truly one of the greatest and one of my all time favorites.

1. Donald Pleasence

What makes having Donald Pleasence my favorite actor of all time, is that I actually didn't discover him until his death.  Entertainment tonight ran a short piece about him, in which Paul Rudd and Marianne Hagen spoke on his behalf.  After listening to Rudd speak so highly of Pleasence and his ability as an actor, I decided to check him out myself.   I started with "Halloween" and really, I had to go no further.   I was 10 years old at the time and I can remember vividly watching him on the screen as Dr. Sam Loomis.   It was then that I decided that I wanted to be involved in entertaining people.   It was then that I decided that I wanted to take a shot at acting and see if it was something I could do.   It was then that something snapped inside of me and told me that in some way or another,  what would make me happy in life would be to entertain people.   As the years went by,  I began to discover novelist S.E. Hinton and Stephen King, along with screenwriters John Hughes and Eric Roth, to realize that my real talents and gifts lay in creative storytelling and writing.    It was watching Pleasence however, that sparked the flame of my desire. 



There you have it.  My top 10 favorite Male actors of all time.   Honorable mentions in case you  are wondering are the multi-talented John Malkovich and the action star Patrick Swayze, who both just narrowly missed the top 10 list.