at the turn of the millennium the movies
were big business and over the next 10
years these actors really made the
industry their own welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 decade
defining actors of the 2000s Kenda yes
for our series on the top ten decade
defining male actors / period we’ve made
our choices based on a combination of
their commercial success their
box-office scores their productivity
their awards and how they helped set the
tone and raise the standard in Hollywood
for the era neato Johnny hooyah way from
my man crack number 10 Robert Downey jr.
I am Iron Man
this man staged a rise back to
superstardom across the first decade of
this century in 2000 he was in and out
of jail and Rehab battling addictions to
all manner of substances let’s face it
this is not the worst thing you’ve got
me doing but by 2010 he was a leading
face of the Marvel franchise and a
blockbusting international hero
oh man that’s kind of catchy it’s got a
nice ring to it I mean it’s not
technically after the suits a gold
titanium alloy but it’s kind of
evocative the imagery
Downey Jr’s credentials have always been
apparent after all he earned an Oscar
nomination for his role as Charlie
Chaplin in 1992 but this decade saw him
really flourish first Iron Man then
Tropic Thunder then Sherlock Holmes
check the ground under the real windows
for any signs of footprints knots around
data data data I cannot make bricks
without clay and now he’s an
inspirational success man I don’t drop
character till I’ve done a DVD
commentary and uh this time around I
know what I’m fighting for
number 9 Russell Crowe at my signal
unleash hell much of Russell Crowe
success came in the early 2000s but he
remained a much sought-after actor
throughout the decade and into the next
what am I now it was five in Gladiator
his performance as Maximus gained
maximum attention and he picked up the
Academy Award for Best Actor why you not
entertained the following year he
starred in a slightly more subdued role
as trouble genius John Nash and again
received critical acclaim I don’t
exactly know what I’m required to say or
if you have intercourse with me he
became a national hero was awarded the
Australian centenary medal and is now
honoured with a place on our top 10 my
name is Maximus Decimus Meridius
commander of the armies of the North
General with the Felix legions loyal
servant to the true Emperor Marcus
Aurelius
father to a murdered son husband to a
murdered wife and I will have my
vengeance squeeze in if you can left leg
right leg your body will follow they
call it walking number eight Jason
Statham seatbelts this tough guy owes
his big break to director Guy Ritchie
who casts a ‘some first as bacon in Lock
Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and then
as Turkish in his violent flick snatch
the latter was released in 2000 and
Statham soon became the face and voice
of 21st century action movies tonight he
appeared in the title role of the
transporter three times took the lead in
another Ritchie film revolver and even
showed his funny side in crank he’s an
all singing all dancing all beating us
up action star
number seven ian mckellen I will bring
you home old friend and I ask only one
thing in return
don’t get in my way he’s one of the more
mature actors on our countdown and while
it’s true that Ian McKellen’s career
isn’t limited to the 2000s it certainly
was a decade in which he excelled at the
turn of the century he was cast as the
villainous magneto in x-men you sure you
saw what you saw and one year after that
he appeared as heroic Gandalf in The
Lord of the Rings
how are you foods switching between the
very bad and the very good he did so
with versatility style and apparent ease
number six seth rogen I’m in director
Judd Apatow and the frat pack group of
actors that dominated comedy during the
2000s really pushed the genre into the
future people like Steve Carell Paul
Rudd and Owen Wilson deserved
recognition but Seth Rogen did more than
most to set the sophomoric standard all
the time man like every day I wonder how
you like me films like knocked up and
pineapple Express took everyday
characters and situations and turned
them into side-splitting hilarity a
policewoman and a guy another guy shot
another guy in Asian guy in the window
dead house super bad was also super good
and just think it’s a movie Rogen wrote
while in high school
this guy’s a joking genius how say when
height wise I’m gonna start up here just
tell me what I’ll start in the bottom
number five George Clooney now this is
gonna be a little difficult so stay with
me
he made it onto this list through acting
ability alone though in truth he’s an
all-round cinema supremo George Clooney
was a big name before this century but
he became even bigger within the first
few years of it I knew I was doing
Ocean’s eleven gave him a lead role in a
film that grossed four hundred and fifty
million dollars and spawned two sequels
we go 20 yeah Michael Clayton earned him
an Oscar nomination and Syriana earned
him an Oscar victory if anything happens
to me or my family an accident and iqs
Asian anything and first your son will
disappear his body will never be found
and your wife her body will never be
found either now this is guaranteed he
since branched out into writing
directing producing everything he’s
smooth sexy and hugely successful play
long enough you never change the stakes
the house takes you unless when that
perfect hand comes along you bet big
and then you take the house number for
Will Ferrel oh yes that’s awesome
the frat pack has already been featured
on this list but they’re rowdiest
representative has yet to be heard from
Will Ferrell’s impact on popular comedy
movies cannot be understated I’m in a
glass case of emotion is screaming
screeching mad bad honest and outrageous
brand of humor has set the tone for
everyone else he’s someone who just
can’t help being funny and he must be a
director’s dream
after his Saturday Night Live days old
school set him in motion and elf
anchorman and countless others snow
balled this guy to stardom I love scotch
scotch is got Scotty
accept no imitations there is only one
okay people tomorrow morning 10 a.m.
Santa’s comin back number 3 Christian
Bale I guess I’m pretty uh I mean I get
some a pretty sick guy this man’s rise
to the top has been far from easy don’t
I look okay
Christian Bale does not shy away from a
role when he believes the film is good
enough there any thinner you wouldn’t
exist no he has great acting ability and
has shown constant dedication to his
characters there is an idea of a Patrick
Bateman some kind of abstraction but
there is no real me only an entity
something illusory and though I can hide
my cold gaze and you can shake my hand
and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe
you can even sense our lifestyles are
probably comparable I simply am NOT
there for American Psycho he spent
months honing the Olympian physique of
Patrick Bateman four years later he lost
over 60 pounds within months for the
machinist before gaining 100 pounds to
play Batman he died here oh really
father
to see yourself don’t yell vanilla it’s
a tremendous effort there are tremendous
films and he’s a tremendous actor listen
very very carefully I kill Paul Allen
and I like that been a number two Daniel
day-lewis on my challenge by the ancient
laws of combat
we are met at this chosen ground to
settle for good nor who hold sway over
the five points like Christian Bale
Daniel day-lewis has done more than most
to meet the demands of his characters an
advocate of method acting in 2002 he
lived the violent life of bill the
butcher for Gangs of New York I’m New
York don’t you never come in here
empty-handed again and in 2007 he was
oil prospector Daniel Plainview and
there will be blood out of Old Men but
beg for a chance to drill rods maybe one
in 20 will be oilman the rest will be
speculators such men trying to get
between you and the oil men to get some
of the money thought by rights come to
you receiving numerous awards including
an Oscar he barely came out of character
for the duration of filming for Gangs of
New York
he almost refused treatment for
pneumonia because he believed it was ill
fitting for the period that’s hardcore
stop trying
sniveling ass stop your nonsense you
just you afterbirth Eli though slithered
out on your mother’s filth oh they
should have put you in a glass door on a
mantelpiece before we unveil our pick
for decade defining actor of the 2000s
here are a few honorable mentions Oh
burn it out okay all right no seriously
I think I’ve done I used to drag here
back in high school
that railroad-crossing up there is
exactly a quarter mile away from here
on green I’m going for but I shot a man
in Reno just to watch em die if you’re
good at something never do it for free I
do not know what strength is my butt but
I swear to you I will not let the White
City number one Leonardo DiCaprio can
you beat that the list of critically
acclaimed box-office hits that he racked
up within the first decade of the 2000s
is more than most actors achieve in a
lifetime I think so kicking things off
with the beach he went on to play serial
fraudster Frank Abagnale I’m a doctor
and started a lasting partnership with
Martin Scorsese in 2002 alright let’s
kiss goodnight to that pretty on the
face of yours
his portrayal of aviation pioneer Howard
Hughes won him a Golden Globe Award the
departed earned him another nod and in
2008 he won even more acclaim for his
role in Revolutionary Road actually it’s
so well it’s sort of a stupid job really
there’s nothing interesting about it at
all he’s the modern-day movie star
classical and cutting-edge and a role
model for his generation it’s not the
money it’s some well it’s more of a more
of a personal thing I hope you
understand do you agree with our list
which to thousands actor do you think is
the most iconic when you leave this
building you will be endowed with all my
powers for more classic top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com yeah that’s a heart
honey
were big business and over the next 10
years these actors really made the
industry their own welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we’re counting
down our picks for the top 10 decade
defining actors of the 2000s Kenda yes
for our series on the top ten decade
defining male actors / period we’ve made
our choices based on a combination of
their commercial success their
box-office scores their productivity
their awards and how they helped set the
tone and raise the standard in Hollywood
for the era neato Johnny hooyah way from
my man crack number 10 Robert Downey jr.
I am Iron Man
this man staged a rise back to
superstardom across the first decade of
this century in 2000 he was in and out
of jail and Rehab battling addictions to
all manner of substances let’s face it
this is not the worst thing you’ve got
me doing but by 2010 he was a leading
face of the Marvel franchise and a
blockbusting international hero
oh man that’s kind of catchy it’s got a
nice ring to it I mean it’s not
technically after the suits a gold
titanium alloy but it’s kind of
evocative the imagery
Downey Jr’s credentials have always been
apparent after all he earned an Oscar
nomination for his role as Charlie
Chaplin in 1992 but this decade saw him
really flourish first Iron Man then
Tropic Thunder then Sherlock Holmes
check the ground under the real windows
for any signs of footprints knots around
data data data I cannot make bricks
without clay and now he’s an
inspirational success man I don’t drop
character till I’ve done a DVD
commentary and uh this time around I
know what I’m fighting for
number 9 Russell Crowe at my signal
unleash hell much of Russell Crowe
success came in the early 2000s but he
remained a much sought-after actor
throughout the decade and into the next
what am I now it was five in Gladiator
his performance as Maximus gained
maximum attention and he picked up the
Academy Award for Best Actor why you not
entertained the following year he
starred in a slightly more subdued role
as trouble genius John Nash and again
received critical acclaim I don’t
exactly know what I’m required to say or
if you have intercourse with me he
became a national hero was awarded the
Australian centenary medal and is now
honoured with a place on our top 10 my
name is Maximus Decimus Meridius
commander of the armies of the North
General with the Felix legions loyal
servant to the true Emperor Marcus
Aurelius
father to a murdered son husband to a
murdered wife and I will have my
vengeance squeeze in if you can left leg
right leg your body will follow they
call it walking number eight Jason
Statham seatbelts this tough guy owes
his big break to director Guy Ritchie
who casts a ‘some first as bacon in Lock
Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and then
as Turkish in his violent flick snatch
the latter was released in 2000 and
Statham soon became the face and voice
of 21st century action movies tonight he
appeared in the title role of the
transporter three times took the lead in
another Ritchie film revolver and even
showed his funny side in crank he’s an
all singing all dancing all beating us
up action star
number seven ian mckellen I will bring
you home old friend and I ask only one
thing in return
don’t get in my way he’s one of the more
mature actors on our countdown and while
it’s true that Ian McKellen’s career
isn’t limited to the 2000s it certainly
was a decade in which he excelled at the
turn of the century he was cast as the
villainous magneto in x-men you sure you
saw what you saw and one year after that
he appeared as heroic Gandalf in The
Lord of the Rings
how are you foods switching between the
very bad and the very good he did so
with versatility style and apparent ease
number six seth rogen I’m in director
Judd Apatow and the frat pack group of
actors that dominated comedy during the
2000s really pushed the genre into the
future people like Steve Carell Paul
Rudd and Owen Wilson deserved
recognition but Seth Rogen did more than
most to set the sophomoric standard all
the time man like every day I wonder how
you like me films like knocked up and
pineapple Express took everyday
characters and situations and turned
them into side-splitting hilarity a
policewoman and a guy another guy shot
another guy in Asian guy in the window
dead house super bad was also super good
and just think it’s a movie Rogen wrote
while in high school
this guy’s a joking genius how say when
height wise I’m gonna start up here just
tell me what I’ll start in the bottom
number five George Clooney now this is
gonna be a little difficult so stay with
me
he made it onto this list through acting
ability alone though in truth he’s an
all-round cinema supremo George Clooney
was a big name before this century but
he became even bigger within the first
few years of it I knew I was doing
Ocean’s eleven gave him a lead role in a
film that grossed four hundred and fifty
million dollars and spawned two sequels
we go 20 yeah Michael Clayton earned him
an Oscar nomination and Syriana earned
him an Oscar victory if anything happens
to me or my family an accident and iqs
Asian anything and first your son will
disappear his body will never be found
and your wife her body will never be
found either now this is guaranteed he
since branched out into writing
directing producing everything he’s
smooth sexy and hugely successful play
long enough you never change the stakes
the house takes you unless when that
perfect hand comes along you bet big
and then you take the house number for
Will Ferrel oh yes that’s awesome
the frat pack has already been featured
on this list but they’re rowdiest
representative has yet to be heard from
Will Ferrell’s impact on popular comedy
movies cannot be understated I’m in a
glass case of emotion is screaming
screeching mad bad honest and outrageous
brand of humor has set the tone for
everyone else he’s someone who just
can’t help being funny and he must be a
director’s dream
after his Saturday Night Live days old
school set him in motion and elf
anchorman and countless others snow
balled this guy to stardom I love scotch
scotch is got Scotty
accept no imitations there is only one
okay people tomorrow morning 10 a.m.
Santa’s comin back number 3 Christian
Bale I guess I’m pretty uh I mean I get
some a pretty sick guy this man’s rise
to the top has been far from easy don’t
I look okay
Christian Bale does not shy away from a
role when he believes the film is good
enough there any thinner you wouldn’t
exist no he has great acting ability and
has shown constant dedication to his
characters there is an idea of a Patrick
Bateman some kind of abstraction but
there is no real me only an entity
something illusory and though I can hide
my cold gaze and you can shake my hand
and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe
you can even sense our lifestyles are
probably comparable I simply am NOT
there for American Psycho he spent
months honing the Olympian physique of
Patrick Bateman four years later he lost
over 60 pounds within months for the
machinist before gaining 100 pounds to
play Batman he died here oh really
father
to see yourself don’t yell vanilla it’s
a tremendous effort there are tremendous
films and he’s a tremendous actor listen
very very carefully I kill Paul Allen
and I like that been a number two Daniel
day-lewis on my challenge by the ancient
laws of combat
we are met at this chosen ground to
settle for good nor who hold sway over
the five points like Christian Bale
Daniel day-lewis has done more than most
to meet the demands of his characters an
advocate of method acting in 2002 he
lived the violent life of bill the
butcher for Gangs of New York I’m New
York don’t you never come in here
empty-handed again and in 2007 he was
oil prospector Daniel Plainview and
there will be blood out of Old Men but
beg for a chance to drill rods maybe one
in 20 will be oilman the rest will be
speculators such men trying to get
between you and the oil men to get some
of the money thought by rights come to
you receiving numerous awards including
an Oscar he barely came out of character
for the duration of filming for Gangs of
New York
he almost refused treatment for
pneumonia because he believed it was ill
fitting for the period that’s hardcore
stop trying
sniveling ass stop your nonsense you
just you afterbirth Eli though slithered
out on your mother’s filth oh they
should have put you in a glass door on a
mantelpiece before we unveil our pick
for decade defining actor of the 2000s
here are a few honorable mentions Oh
burn it out okay all right no seriously
I think I’ve done I used to drag here
back in high school
that railroad-crossing up there is
exactly a quarter mile away from here
on green I’m going for but I shot a man
in Reno just to watch em die if you’re
good at something never do it for free I
do not know what strength is my butt but
I swear to you I will not let the White
City number one Leonardo DiCaprio can
you beat that the list of critically
acclaimed box-office hits that he racked
up within the first decade of the 2000s
is more than most actors achieve in a
lifetime I think so kicking things off
with the beach he went on to play serial
fraudster Frank Abagnale I’m a doctor
and started a lasting partnership with
Martin Scorsese in 2002 alright let’s
kiss goodnight to that pretty on the
face of yours
his portrayal of aviation pioneer Howard
Hughes won him a Golden Globe Award the
departed earned him another nod and in
2008 he won even more acclaim for his
role in Revolutionary Road actually it’s
so well it’s sort of a stupid job really
there’s nothing interesting about it at
all he’s the modern-day movie star
classical and cutting-edge and a role
model for his generation it’s not the
money it’s some well it’s more of a more
of a personal thing I hope you
understand do you agree with our list
which to thousands actor do you think is
the most iconic when you leave this
building you will be endowed with all my
powers for more classic top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com yeah that’s a heart
honey
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