1. Chris Pratt

Born: USA, June 21, 1979
Best known for:
– Owen Grady in “Jurassic World trilogy” (2015-2022)
– Star-Lord in “Guardians of the Galaxy Trilogy” (2014-2023)

Chris Pratt is a fantastic actor, and the reason I love him so much is because he’s always portrayed as a clumsy yet funny guy. He plays such relatable characters, like in everyday life. Even as Star-Lord, he’s charming, macho, and full of charisma. His humor always works, and he’s such a down-to-earth actor. Unlike actors like Tom Cruise, Mel Gibson, or Denzel Washington, who often take on Oscar-worthy roles, Chris Pratt consistently plays the cool guy, and that’s one of the reasons I love watching his movies.

2. Mel Gibson

Born: Australia, January 3 1956

Best known for:
– Martin Riggs in “Lethal Weapon” series (1987-1998)
– Rocky in “Chicken Run” (2000)
– Father Graham Hess in “Signs” (2002)

Say what you want about his controversial opinions and past actions, but Mel Gibson is one of the best actors and directors in Hollywood. He directed The Passion of the Christ, Apocalypto, and Hacksaw Ridge, while also starring in iconic movies like Mad Max, Lethal Weapon, Chicken Run, Pocahontas, Bird on a Wire, Braveheart, Hamlet, Blood Father, The Beaver, What Women Want, Signs, and many more. This guy has range. Compared to other action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger or his friend Sylvester Stallone, Gibson is simply an incredible actor.

3. Matt Damon

Born: USA, October 8, 1970

Best known for:
– Jason Bourne in “The Bourne” Series (2002-Present)
– Mark Watney in “The Martian” (2015)
– Will Hunting in “Good Will Hunting (1997)

Despite often playing similar roles in his movies, Matt Damon is not like Ryan Reynolds, who tends to play the same character in every film. Matt brings something unique to each role. In movies like the Bourne series, Elysium, and Contagion, he may play similar characters, but he brings a depth to each one. That’s what I like about him.

4. Mark Wahlberg

Born: USA, June 5, 1971

Best known for:
– Dirk Diggler in “Boogie Nights” (1997)
– Charlie Croker in “The Italian Job” (2003)
– Marcus Lutrell in “Lone Survivor” (2013)

Like Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg is one of those actors who, before 2018, often played very similar characters in movies like The Italian Job, Lone Survivor, Patriots Day, Transformers: Age of Extinction, and The Last Knight. Despite being in different films, he often seemed to play the same type of character but he brings it in a different acting style.

5. Denzel Washington

Born: USA, December 28, 1954

Best known for:
– Robert McCall in “The Equalizer” series (2014-present)
– Alonzo Harris in “Training Day” (2001)
– John Q in “John Q.” (2002)

Glory, Malcolm X, Crimson Tide, The Equalizer series, Man on Fire, Training Day, John Q., Out of Time, Unstoppable Denzel Washington is one of the most celebrated American actors ever, and I completely agree. Like Mel Gibson, he is one of the best actors out there. From powerful dramas to fun, popcorn action movies, this man can carry any role he takes on.

6. Taron Egerton

Born: Wales, Nov 10, 1989

Best known for:
– Eggsy in “Kingsman” series (2014-Present)
– Eddie Edward in “Eddie the Eagle” (2016)
– Johnny in “Sing” series (2016-2021)
– Elton John in “Rocketman” (2019)
– Henk Rogers in “Tetris” (2023)
– Ethan Kopek in “Carry-On” (2024)

Taron Egerton is one of the best young actors we have today, and he’s incredibly underrated. Despite his successful films like Kingsman: The Secret Service and The Golden Circle, Rocketman, Eddie the Eagle, Sing 1 & 2, and most recently Carry-On, I believe he’s one of the best young talents, though often overlooked compared to his rivals like Tom Holland and Austin Butler. I place him alongside Timothée Chalamet as a promising young actor. Every time he takes on a new role like Elton John in Rocketman or Ethan Kopek in Carry-On—he completely transforms, showing a different side than his character in the Kingsman series. That’s one of the reasons I’m inspired by his acting ability.

7. Michael Douglas

Born: USA, September 25, 1944

Best known for:
– Nick Curran in “Basic Instinct” (1992)
– Dr. Hank Pym in “Ant-Man trilogy” (2015-2023)
– D-Fens in “Falling Down” (1993)

Just like Mel Gibson, Michael Douglas has starred in iconic movies, though he mostly produces rather than directs. He has appeared in films like Fatal Attraction, Black Rain, Wall Street, Basic Instinct, The Game, Romancing the Stone, Disclosure, and the Ant-Man trilogy. He’s one of the best actors, and like Mel Gibson, he shares a similar style in terms of his acting—playing tough guy, emotionally unstable characters who somehow exude a lot of charisma. You can relate to the struggles his characters face in life.

8. Tom Cruise

Born: USA, July 3, 1962

Best known for:
– Ethan Hunt in “Mission Impossible” series (1996-present)
– Captain Pete Mitchell in “Top Gun” & “Top Gun: Maverick” (1986 & 2022)
– Jerry Maguire in “Jerry Maguire” (1996)

Tom Cruise is not just famous for his action movies but also for his Oscar-worthy performances in films like Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, The Color of Money, Eyes Wide Shut, A Few Good Men, and Born on the Fourth of July. He’s been nominated for an Oscar for his work in these films and is known as a dramatic actor. However, after Top Gun, people also recognized him as a great action star, a title he solidified through films like Days of Thunder, the Mission: Impossible series, War of the Worlds, Knight & Day, The Last Samurai, Jack Reacher, and American Made. To this day, he’s one of the best action movie stars, often called “the last action movie star” because of his contribution to saving cinema. He helped bring audiences back to theaters during the pandemic with Top Gun: Maverick, and his Mission: Impossible series, especially since Rogue Nation, has set the standard for action films—showing audiences how an action movie should be made. He always delivers what viewers want from an action film, and that’s one of the reasons I love Tom Cruise so much. He’s not the big macho guy like Stallone he’s leaner but, somehow still manages to do insane stunts like flying a helicopter, hanging from the side of a cargo plane, and parachuting like he’s still young. The man will be 63 next year, and I can’t wait to see what he brings in The Final Reckoning.

9. Gerard Butler

Born: Scotland, November 13, 1969

Best known for:

– Mike Banning in “Has Fallen” series (2013-2019)
– Big Nick in “Den of Thieves” series (2018-present)
– Leonidas in “300” (2006)

Gerard Butler has had a unique career. From RocknRolla to Phantom of the opera to 300 to Law Abiding Citizen to starring in mostly action B-movies, he’s made only about 5 or 6 truly unwatchable films. Yet, his career is filled with action that surprises audiences also critics like the Has Fallen series, Greenland, Plane, Den of Thieves, and most recently, Kandahar and Copshop. He’s somewhat like Hugh Jackman in that, without a major franchise like Marvel, he’s still proven himself as a legitimate action hero. He may not be Tom Cruise, but he constantly surprises audiences, myself included. For example, Olympus Has Fallen may seem like just another Die Hard clone, but it actually feels more like Die Hard than the last Die Hard movie, A Good Day to Die Hard. And Den of Thieves I didn’t expect much, thinking it would be just another low-budget Heat rip-off, but it wasn’t. I was surprised; it was a competently made film with great LA night photography. The movie takes its time with the story, and Gerard Butler plays a character that’s different from what he usually does. The score by famous composer Cliff Martinez adds to its atmosphere. I even think this film is better than Michael Mann’s recent films, Blackhat and Ferrari, which were awful. Gerard Butler’s passion for his projects is clear, and he’s made a sequel to Den of Thieves, coming out next January. That’s why I respect him so much if he loves his career like this, I say, go for it.

10. Keanu Reeves

Born: Canada, September 2, 1964

Best known for:

– Neo in “The Matrix” series (1999-2021)
– John Wick in “John Wick” series (2014-present)
– Shadow the Hedgehog in “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” (2024)
– Jack Traven in “Speed” (1994)

Keanu Reeves is one of my favorite actors, and it’s simple why? He’s actually very similar to Tom Cruise in their career how he’s reinvigorated his career by listening to what the audience wants like he’s done with the John Wick series. While he may not be as Oscar-worthy as Tom Cruise, he consistently gives his all and listens to the fans. The fact that he’s starring as Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 shows that he’s one of the best out there. He’s humble and always pays attention to what the audience wants, giving them a reason to return to the theaters.