Ten Most Promising Actors of the 21st Century...For Now

One of the downsides of a pandemic is watching otherwise gainfully employed individuals scrounging for purpose. No, I'm not talking about the unfortunate people who lost jobs or were furloughed because social distancing and the implementation of CDC Guidelines forced their workplace to close or to decrease the number of employees. I'm talking about those who continue to collect a paycheck even if there is little for them to do.

Take film critics, for instance. With many theaters closed (or selectively open) since last March, and movie distributors deciding to delay theatrical releases (or send them straight to streaming), film critics have found themselves searching for stories. In the absence of a regular slate of movie openings, movie columns have dwindled to a select few. The New York Times Arts section is a shell of itself, with mostly feature stories on sometimes minor artists or topics. Talk about the lowly raised up in times of trouble.

This week, NY Times film critics A.O. Scott and Manohla Dargis decided it was time to anoint 25 actors as the "best" of the 21st century...so far. Mind you, these two exalted critics have epitomized cultural journalists looking for stories. Back in the spring, when cineplexes started closing, A.O. and Mano began writing a series of "revisited" reviews that invited readers to re-watch classic (and sometimes not-so-classic) films, inviting comments on social media, an opportunity and join the critics' in their dialogue.

Great idea, but apparently not a sustainable one. "Movies: Take Two" (or some such cutesy title) seemed a like an interesting concept, at best, appearing intermittently throughout the spring and early summer, until the retrospective series no longer graced the Arts section pages. A.O. and Mano then movied on to relevant topics in film, exploring everything from obscure films and film techniques to social themes and politics (as if we hadn't had enough of both in real life).

So it should come as no surprise that they've now landed on the ubiquitous "list" - deciding it was time, two decades in, to identify 25 actors who appear to be defining the century with their great performances. Relying more on their "insider" status as critics than any real academic or creative insight, Scott and Dargis present another treatise similar to their annual Oscar predictions, one that does more to emphasize their "insider track" and not-so-subtle commitment to inclusivity than it does make a statement about films or the actors who make them.

To be honest (and fair?), their list is a curious collection of movie stars and (mostly foreign) unknowns. But after spending the better part of a half-hour wading through the list, Denzel Washington comes in at #1, making you wonder why you spent time reading through a list only to arrive at such a banal culmination. Nothing wrong w/Denzel, but to place an actor who is closer to 70 than to 60 at the top of a "best" list so early in the century gives some pause as to why Scott and Dargis think he'll still be on the list at the end of the century. P.S. No Meryl Streep (only Julianne Moore, Viola Davis, Nicole Kidman and Alfre Woodard hold up the "older" female actor category, along w/ Tilda Swinton - maybe all of them combined equal Meryl).

Go figure.

Anyway, the article got me thinking about what my list might look like. So, with apologies for submitting yet another list for blog readers to review, and w/nods to both A.O. and Mano for kicking my butt into crafting another movie post, here goes....with a few of my own parameters:

First, I selected actors who made their movie debuts in the 21st century, so no temptation to re-evaluate if/why Streep, DeNiro, Pacino, or any other late 20th century greats who are still working, should make the list. Second, I tried to pick actors who have achieved some notoriety in American cinema, which doesn't take away from the many other actors around the world who are "stars" in their own right, just trying to steer clear of having to justify the inclusion of obscure actors (the topic for another blog). That means that the actors included here have achieved some level of recognition (Oscar - or other notable - nominations/wins, critical praise, and consistency in turning in memorable performances). In other words, these are actors you would (in non-Covid times) leave your home and pay to see in the theater. Maybe the new barometer of interest is subscribing to streaming services that carry their films.

At any rate, in the theater or at home, here are the 10 actors that compromise my list of the most promising actors of the 21st century...for now.

#10

Armie Hammer. I had to have at least one unabashedly handsome leading man on the list, and Armie Hammer fits the bill and then some. Brad Pitt is so 20th century! Whether he's playing identical twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss ("The Social Network") or The Lone Ranger to Johnny Depp's Tonto, Hammer has shown range beyond his movie star good looks, and often opts to appear in smaller, independent films (his Oliver in 2017's "Call Me By Your Name" was a revelation), or takes on a supporting role (playing Martin Ginsburg to Felicity Jones's Ruth Bader G). Equally at ease in comedy or drama, Hammer continues to impress with this diverse and eclectic filmography. I'm excited to see what he does next.

#9

Michael B. Jordan. Okay. Maybe two unabashedly handsome men. He's probably the second "hunk" on the list, but Michael B. Jordan began his career in a series of independent films before breaking out as Rocky Balboa's mentee (and former rival-turned-friend Apollo Creed's son) in "Creed." Since then, he's played Marvel heroes ("Black Panther") and modern day social activists (real-life lawyer Bryan Stevenson in "Just Mercy"), but my favorite role is still one of Jordan's earliest: Oscar Grant, the 22 year-old African-American wrongfully killed waiting for an Oakland BART train in "Fruitvale Station." Recently crowned People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive," Jordan doesn't need that kind of attention to confirm his arrival as a courageous, intelligent actor, willing to take on a variety of roles that define the African-American experience.

#8

Timothee Chalamet. A few years ago, I might have placed Chalamet higher on the list, having raved about his back-to-back tour-de-force performances in "Call Me By Your Name" and "Beautiful Boy." Oscar nominated for both (and also acclaimed for his supporting role in "Lady Bird"), Chalamet seemed to be the "it" boy for the ages: his chiseled face and soft dark curly hair would have been the stuff of "Tiger Beat" and "16" Magazines a half-century ago. But recent film choices, including "Little Women" and "The King" failed to dazzle, so it will be fun to see if the upcoming "Dune" and the much anticipated sequel to "Call Me" (probably a few years away) will restore luster to his signature cinematic persona: a quiet, often brooding, sometimes troubled, but infinitely fascinating young man whose dilemmas can define the ages. So far, Chalamet's performances have mostly transcended generations. Let's hope for more.

#7

Constance Wu. Considered as important for her social activism as her acting, Constance Wu has been a recent force in film, with "Crazy Rich Asians" marking her auspicious arrival. But Wu has been around for awhile, working in both film and television, creating a number of memorable characters that underscore the world of immigrants in America. With each part, she digs deeper into the immigrant experience, revealing layers of character development that will continue to shape and change the image of Asian-Americans. Though "CRA" is her most commercial effort so far, she easily matched the powerful screen presence of co-star Jennifer Lopez in "Hustlers," showing audiences her keen ability to create complex characters with depth, conviction, and chutzpah.

#6

John David Washington. I was originally going to put JDW @ #1 just to say "Ha" to A.O. and Mano's selection of Denzel Washington @ #1 (Denzel is JDW's father). Though, JDW made his movie debut in the early 1990s in Spike Lee's "Malcolm X" (in which his father played the title role), JDW instead opted for a career in professional football. When that option didn't work out, he returned to acting, but often took great pains to not use his father's name as an entree to film work. He did, nonetheless, find his way back to Spike Lee, helping turn the director's "BlacKkKlansman" into a darkly comic treatise on racism in 1970's America. He followed up "KkKlansman" w/another memorable turn in this year's much-touted "Tenet." If JDW continues on this path, working w/great directors like Lee and Christopher Nolan will help establish him apart from his father, but similarly as another "thoughtful" actor who brings natural grace and intelligence to any role he tackles.

#5

Janelle Monae. Monae could find her way to any one of two "promising" lists: film and music. In this case, her supporting roles in movies like "Hidden Figures" and "Moonlight" quickly positioned her as a scene stealer. The ease with which she takes on roles ranging from an opioid-addicted mother to a NASA aerospace engineer demonstrate what a trailblazer she is, confirmed again by Billboard Magazine's selection of her as a "Trailblazer" in music (2018). Monae moves effortlessly from medium to medium. Here's hoping we see more of her on the big screen.

#4

Saoirse Ronan. Ronan has been a favorite of mine ever since I saw 2015's "Brooklyn," so beautifully did she capture the social and cultural isolation (and eventual acceptance) of an Irish American women in 1950's New York City. Less than two years later, she dazzled again in completely different role in Greta Gerwig's loosely-fashioned memoir, "Lady Bird." Her return to period drama in 2019's "Little Women" gave Alcott's classic novel a much-needed 21st century energy and earnestness, if not a completely realized reinterpretation of pre-feminist Jo March. Ronan has a malleable face, one that allows her to play characters of different backgrounds, ages, and sensibilities. She's definitely an actor to watch again and again.

#3

Scarlett Johannsson. Okay. So she made her film debut as a young teenage amputee in 1998's "The Horse Whisperer" (after minor roles in lesser-acclaimed movies like "Home Alone 3"). We can give her a pass on that, as ScarJo transitioned from child to adult actor early in the 21st century, with an ease that few others (save, maybe Jodie Foster) have shown. Her first films as an adult: "Lost in Translation" and "The Girl With the Pearl Earring," working alongside veterans like Bill Murray and Colin Firth and moving from modern day to the 17th century and back again with agility and panache. Early on, the tutelage of Woody Allen cultivated in ScarJo a deft range and penchant for both comedy ("Snoop") and seduction ("Match Point," "Vicky Cristina Barcelona").

Now, arguably, better known for her presence in the Marvel Comics franchise (as the deadly Black Widow), Johansson has continued to pursue roles outside the mainstream. Her recent (2019), double Oscar-nomination year for both Supporting Actress ("JoJo Rabbit") and Lead Actress ("Marriage Story") signal a future that will continue to combine big movie magic with independent film topicality. Either way, ScarJo promises more surprises and revelations in her movie portfolio.

#2

Lupita Nyong'o. I don't think I'll ever forget her face, her beautifully anguished face in (what was for me the otherwise pedestrian) "12 Years A Slave" (2013). I often wish Nyong'o had instead made her way into Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained," made that same year. But audiences have discovered that Nyong'o's Oscar-winning film debut was not her last. She has been wise and selective picking roles, and her diversity of film choice (from space-adventures like "Star Wars" to horror comedies like "Us" to commanding epics like "Black Panther") continues to surprise and delight. Still early in her film career, Nyong'o has been vocal about the need for more diversity in film roles and greater opportunities for female actors. She will undoubtedly be a force in that mission and on film.

#1

Adam Driver. He had some fans at "Hello" (well, maybe not) on the HBO series "Girls," but he definitely had my attention when he took on the unfortunate task of killing his own father, super-Star Wars hero, Han Solo, in "The Force Awakens." Embracing the role of Han Solo's renegade son, Kylo Ren, who has gone to the dark side, Driver made the tortured Kylo multi-dimensional and intriguing, despite the film franchise's popcorn-inspired nature. Since then, he has gone on to more eclectic roles, as the Jewish FBI agent who helps John David Washington expose the KKK in "BlacKkKlansman" and, more recently, as the theater director undergoing a bittersweet divorce (with ScarJo) in "Marriage Story." Driver would have gotten my vote for Best Actor last year, and I expect to see him nominated again the the not-too-distant future. Meantime, check out a little seen gem next time you go streaming: "Paterson." You watch and decide.

'Nuff said...except for a final comment:

A.O. and Mano included Keanu Reeves on their list of 25 - obviously, he doesn't qualify here, according to the parameters I've set. That said, and in spite of A.O.-Mano's snide inclusion of Keanu (movies like "The Matrix" and "John Wick" always guarantee a strong box office - snicker, snicker), I have argued (for decades) that Keanu is one of the most underrated actors of his generation. I'll write more about Keanu soon, and make what I hope is a solid case for his acting acumen and his unusual existence in the Hollywood universe.