Pop Culture

The greatest actors of 2022 have had some awesome movies and TV shows come out this year, whether they&#39;re action-packed or serious dramas, they really show their talent. Of course, you&#39;ll recognize a lot faces from the MCU and adjacent movie universes. You&#39;ll also find actors starring in long awaited sequels/reboots like Tom Cruise in&nbsp;Top Gun: Maverick&nbsp;acting alongside younger talent like Miles Teller. Maybe Ben Affleck will surprise us with another sleeper performance like the one he gave us in&nbsp;The Tender Bar.&nbsp;But now it&#39;s time to determine the best actor of 2022 way ahead of the awards season.

The best part about this list of great actors from this year is that you don&#39;t have to choose just one. You can vote up all your favorite actors and then check back throughout the year to see which one&nbsp;made it to the top of the list or even the top ten.

The Best Actors Of 2022

Actor

The Best Actors Of 2022, Ranked By Fans

Jason Bancroft

Looking closer at the actors who have played cold-blooded bad guys—and totally nailed it.

Playing the Villain

Are you nostalgic for movies from the &#39;80s and &#39;90s? If so, you will undoubtedly have a special place in your heart for the character actors who played the bad guy again and again during those two decades. Why did the same actors get typecast so often? Hard to say, but there&#39;s no denying those eras had a bunch of talented performers who did the villainy thing extremely well. Whenever they popped up on-screen, viewers knew stuff was about to go down.

Every single one of these gentlemen carved out a strong career for himself. That said, none of them are what you would call an A-list star. These are not the Bruce Willises or the Eddie Murphys of their day. They were reliable &quot;that guy&quot; actors who didn&#39;t need to be front and center in order to make a huge impression. Let&#39;s take a closer look at their distinct abilities, as well as give a brief rundown of some of their most notable performances.

Which of these &quot;bad guy&quot; actors&nbsp;is the most memorable? Your votes will decide.

17 Actors Who Were The Bad Guy In Every Movie In The '80s And '90s

Mike McGranaghan

Celebrities

Celebrities often <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/nerdy-tv-cameos/julian-hoffman">guest-star</a> on popular network sitcoms, usually on&nbsp;well-known shows like Friends, which featured&nbsp;a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/friends-guest-stars/cehudspeth">long list</a> of celeb appearances during its run. But the big TV shows aren’t the only ones to feature an A-lister or two. Underrated sitcoms feature some of the funniest and best cameos around.&nbsp;While some guest-star roles on underrated shows are an act of self-promotion, many come about because the celebrity is a fan of the show and wants to be involved in any way possible. Seriously acclaimed actors are often doing pretty silly stuff in these sitcoms - with some appearances resulting in fan-favorite episodes.

18 Surprising A-List Cameos In Underrated Sitcoms

TV Actor

Big Cameos In Small Sitcoms

Griffin Peters

A look at the best and most underrated in entertainment, music, and sports in 2022.

2022: Wrapping Up

Actors

The year 2022 was a very rich one when it came to discovering new stars. Whether in fantasy or biopic, sweeping drama or intimate comedy, the year marked a key moment in the careers of some of the industry’s most promising performers. Many of these individuals had fine careers before this year, of course, but very often they managed to fly under the radar, waiting for the one big role that would not only give them a chance to flex their acting muscles but also reach a wider audience.Fortunately for them, and for those sitting in the audience, many got just what they wanted, heralding a bright new future for their careers.

14 Up-And-Coming Actors Who Officially Arrived In 2022

Up-And-Coming Actors Who Officially Arrived In 2022

Thomas West

Looking at standout roles, unforgettable performances, and behind-the-scenes drama of famous and forgotten actors.

Casting Calls

Underrated

A debut film is a big deal in any actor's career. The chance to be seen onscreen, even if only for a minute or two, can be enough to get career momentum rolling. Many performers <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/great-actors-who-started-in-bad-movies/saim-cheeda">struggle for years</a> before getting that kind of break, so they're usually determined to make the most of it once it comes. Famed acting teacher Konstantin Stanislavski said, “There are no small roles, only small actors.” He meant that a good actor can do something interesting with a role of any size.The following A-list stars exemplify that idea with their debut films. Some of them lucked into leading roles, others have significant supporting parts. All of them used the opportunity as a launching pad to something else. Aside from featuring future stars, the movies below are underrated and deserving of bigger audiences. The next time you're looking for an evening of at-home entertainment, give one of these titles a spin.&nbsp;

Underrated Debut Movies That Launched A-List Stars

Film

Lists about famous people caught acting like entitled jerks or even committing real offenses—probably expecting to get away with it.

Celebrities Behaving Badly

Entertainment

Opinions are like elbows, everybody has one, but no one knows what they&rsquo;re for. Sometimes our opinions can ruin something another person loves. Case in point, when an actor comes out and says that he or she REALLY HATED a film that fans REALLY LOVED it can throw us into an existential quandary that lasts for days. So steel your nerves before reading this <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/worst-living-a-list-hollywood-actors?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">list of actors</a> who hate their own films. It&#39;s definitely going to bum you out to learn that some of these actors hate their past roles, but don&#39;t worry. There&#39;s also a movie Ben Affleck hated that you probably do too!

On this list we have auteurs tearing apart some of their seminal work, aging actors dismissing fan favorites as &ldquo;absolute rubbish,&rdquo; and a few folks that are just calling it like it is (*ahem* Catwoman). If one of the movies on this list happens to be your favorite, don&rsquo;t fret, you don&rsquo;t have to have your Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked tattoo removed, just maybe don&rsquo;t show it to David Cross... he&rsquo;s kind of touchy about the subject.

Of course, some <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/actors-who-cant-watch-their-own-movies/jonathan-kantor" target="_blank">actors just hate to watch themselves</a> in any film, no matter its quality. Meanwhile, some film stars and Hollywood celebrities are definitely regretting being talked into an awful role. These are the actors who came out and said so.

Actors Who've Criticized Their Own Films

Person in Film

www.thisisjacobshelton.com

Actors Who Criticized Their Own Films

Jacob Shelton

Total Nerd

The beautiful thing about acting on film is that audiences only see what&#39;s projected on the silver screen -&nbsp;and not the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/co-stars-who-hated-each-other/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">tensions and problems</a> that erupt between cast members on set. This list describes&nbsp;movie friends who hated each other in real life, proving that some of the most memorable cinematic relationships were pure fiction.

While quite a few actors are known for having big egos, arrogance isn&#39;t always the source of conflict. Sometimes poor conditions on set, controlled substances, or extreme method acting can create discord between cast members - especially ones who share a lot of camera time. Who would&#39;ve guessed that <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/dana-carvey-mike-myers-feud/jacob-shelton?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Mike Myers and Dana Carvey</a> refused to spend time together, or that Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger&#39;s mother-daughter performance in Terms of&nbsp;Endearment&nbsp;required a lot of emotional maneuvering?

These beloved movie duos may stand the test of time on screen, but stories of behind-the-scenes conflicts and&nbsp;insulting media comments prove that these actors did not believe they were in good company.

Buddies From Movies Who Hated Each Other In Real Life

General

Movie Friends Who Hated Each Other In Real Life

Megan Summers

Musicians have been acting in films for practically as long as films have existed. But not all <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/musicians-turned-actors/ranker-music?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">musicians turned actors</a> are created equal. If a musician reaches a certain level of stardom, they often parlay that into an acting career - see the film resumes of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley for two examples.&nbsp;Yet movie history is also full of musicians who successfully made the transition to acting just for acting's sake. Plenty of musicians have a natural charisma that's friendly to the camera. This is why <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movie-villains-played-by-musicians/mike-mcgranaghan">musicians have turned in riveting performances as movie villains</a>. But many musicians are capable of playing non-villainous roles as well.&nbsp;Here are times musicians were cast in movies and nailed it.&nbsp;

20 Times Musicians Were Cast In Movies - And Nailed It

Person

Jim Rowley

As highly as they tend to think of themselves, successful actors aren&rsquo;t always the smartest or the most capable humanity has to offer. Yet a few of them do indeed have <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-with-hidden-talents/zack-howe" target="_blank">skills and abilities outside the realm of make-believe</a> and would very much like you to know it. So, occasionally, they will take the opportunity to make weird flexes in the films they appear in, whether or not it&rsquo;s in the best interests of the plot or the film overall.

Below are some&nbsp;memorable times movie stars couldn&rsquo;t help but show off the real-life things they could do on screen - or otherwise give themselves a little shoutout. Vote up the weirdest celebrity flexes that you think are actually pretty impressive.

12 Times Actors Worked Weird Flexes Into Their Own Movies

E. Reid Ross

Lists about and ranking the best, worst, most interesting, and most surprising names of real people, normal and famous.

What's In a Name?

Weird History

The saying goes that your name is your brand. This cannot be more true for these professional actors. Some have chosen to keep their birth names, and others have changed them for personal and professional reasons. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/meryl-streep-interview-moments/brian-roque">Meryl Streep</a> was originally named Mary but decided to go by what her father called her. Both <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoopi-goldberg-trivia/rydavis">Whoopi Goldberg</a> and Jamie Foxx changed their names to get comedy gigs. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/rappers-who-have-won-awards-for-acting/ranker-hip-hop">Rapper turned actor</a> Ice Cube got his rap name from his brother.&nbsp;While all their stories are different, it's interesting to see how each actor used their name to navigate Hollywood. Vote up your favorite stage name backstories below.&nbsp;

Actors Talk About Their Stage Names

Cortland Jacoby

Performances

Fantasy movies can be something of a mixed bag. While some of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-movies-of-all-time">the best films ever made</a> are fantasy movies, they can also end up being not-so-great. There are plenty of things that draw fans to fantasy movies, whether it's ancient magical artifacts or interesting character archetypes like pirates or witches. However, even the most dedicated genre fans won't stick around if a movie ends up being terrible.It can be hard for filmmakers to get a high enough budget to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/details-about-fantasy-worlds/loren-o_connell">convincingly recreate fantasy worlds</a>, and the genre can be a hard sell for some audience members. With fantasy movies always having the opportunity to be the next&nbsp;Lord of the Rings, it’s no surprise that big-name actors are attracted to the genre. However, this sometimes leads to situations where the incredibly talented cast is stuck with an awful script. While&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/great-acting-bad-horror/jacob-shelton">great performances can still shine in a bad movie</a>, even the best actors can’t make a subpar script sound good. The draw of these talented actors can sometimes help save even the worst movies from being a box office bust, but it doesn't save them from being torn apart by critics upon the movie's release.

Overqualified Actors In Bad Fantasy Movies

Great Actors In Bad Fantasy Movies

Sean Migalla

How does one break the internet in a second? Announce a character replacement, of course! Even if it's a beloved actor taking over, a group of vocal fans will whine about it on Twitter. Heck, every time&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/stories-about-actors-getting-recast-in-famous-roles/tracey-graham">a popular role</a>, such as Batman or Spider-Man, is recast, social media attracts all the fortune tellers who will confirm the forthcoming movie will suck because they just know it.The reaction is understandable, though, since change is uncomfortable, and most people tend to stick with what they know. Yet,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/sitcom-characters-who-were-unceremoniously-replaced/raelyn-giansanti">unexpected replacements</a> aren't always for the worst. There are numerous cases where the new actor is better than the predecessor. So, let's take a look at the examples where the characters and fans won with the recastings.

12 Movie Recastings That Actually Worked Out

Fictional Character

Movie Recastings That Actually Worked Out

Sergio Pereira

For the most part, everyone knows who a film&#39;s&nbsp;protagonist is; either they&rsquo;re in the opening scene or the beginning ties heavily into their backstory, yada yada yada. When you see a lead actor on screen, something clicks. Then again, sometimes&nbsp;supporting actors do more than <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-starred-on-stage-together/celebrity-lists" target="_blank">share the stage</a>. How do actors steal scenes? Well, by somehow transcending the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/supporting-tv-characters-who-became-main-character/tyler-mitchell" target="_blank">more limited role for which they are intended</a> and dramatically standing out from the crowd - even <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-with-forgettable-main-characters/williamsbrianjake" target="_blank">overwhelming the presumptive leads</a>.

These actors - typically built around the lead - overshadow the hero to such an extent that it becomes their movie instead. Think Jack Sparrow sailing in on a sinking ship and completely stealing William Turner&rsquo;s show in&nbsp;Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl&nbsp;or Furiosa being the real road warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road.&nbsp;This list will take a look at supporting actors who stole the movie. Vote up the actors and supporting players who contributed much more than an assist.

12 Actors That Totally Stole Movies From Their Co-Stars

11 Actors That Totally Stole Movies From Their Co-Stars

Josh Plainse

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's another one of your favorite comic book, graphic novel, and/or superhero properties in development for a series!

Comics on the Small Screen

There is no shortage of TV shows based on comic books, and with every superhero inevitably comes a few supervillains as well. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/ranking-the-best-seasons-of-the-flash/ranker-tv">A long-running show like&nbsp;The Flash</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;Arrow&nbsp;may feature a whole gallery of rogues for the heroes to face, while <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-jessica-jones-characters-list/ranker-tv">more focused series like&nbsp;Jessica Jones</a> may spend an entire season focusing on one big bad.Like any genre, there are good and bad comic book shows, and the quality of performances also varies. While some villains never get a chance to develop, there are some comic book TV villains that stand out, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-comic-book-movie-villain-performances/jonathan-kantor">even rival their big-screen counterparts</a>.Many of the best TV villains are the ones that stick around longer and serve as the main antagonist of a season or series. However, some actors give such strong performances that they can stand out in just a few episodes. While they may never appear in an MCU or big-screen DC project, these actors are more than worthy of a big-screen appearance.

Comic Book Villain TV Performances That Are Worthy Of The Big Screen

Fantasy

What made us really fall in love with the Harry Potter movies were the actors who brought the teachers of Hogwarts to life. Hogwarts wouldn't have been nearly as magical without them and their legendary performances.

The Cast Of 'Harry Potter' Was Stacked: 18 Posts About That Legendary Cast Of Hogwarts Professors


Colin  Morabito

They used to look one way, but now they look different.

Before & After

How can you tell when a movie is truly great? Likely when the actors finish the film, and you just want to see them back together as if they were a real family or really&nbsp;close friends. You want to check in with them over the years to see if the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-bffs/celeb-stalker" target="_blank">celebs are still hanging out</a>, keeping their signature looks, and saying the same catchphrases. (&quot;Inconceivable!&quot;)&nbsp;

Well, thank goodness for three things: Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, and social media. Because without them, we may never see these film cast reunions. Each year, Entertainment Weekly puts together <a href="https://ew.com/tag/reunions/" target="_blank">a reunion issue</a>, which Good Morning America usually covers on air. And for the ones that slip through the cracks - sometimes they just get together, hang out, and post their reunions themselves on Instagram and Twitter.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This list has some of your favorite classics, from <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/cast-of-the-goonies-now/donn-saylor" target="_blank">The Goonies</a> and The Way We Were to Forrest Gump and Clueless. Granted, there&#39;s usually at least one person who opts out of the reunion photo op, but who needs Joe Pesci when you&#39;ve got Goodfellas like Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro,&nbsp;and Lorraine Bracco. Check out this list of movie cast reunions to see pictures of some of your favorite movie casts back together again years later. Reunited and it feels so good.

Your Favorite Movie Casts, Reunited

Movie Casts Reunited | Iconic Film Cast Reunions

Matthew Cole Weiss

Actor lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for hundreds of actor lists and rankings.

Actor lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for top 10, top 100, best of, funny, factual lists of any kind

Actor lists on Ranker

Actors lists on Ranker

Tom Hanks

Morgan Freeman

Robert Downey Jr.

Christian Bale

Gary Oldman

Benedict Cumberbatch

Ryan Reynolds

Chris Hemsworth

Idris Elba

Sam Heughan

Gerard Butler

Who is going to be the new James Bond actor after Daniel Craig conclusively wrapped up his tenure with No Time to Die? So who should be the next James Bond actor?The actors below have been voted by fans as being the best candidates for taking on the 007 persona. Regardless of which actor gets the role, the consensus is that the next Bond after Craig should still be British and dapper. After all, all the previous Bonds, from original Sean Connery to the '90s Pierce Brosnan have been classy gentlemen.Vote up your favorite James Bond candidate below. Let's try to avoid a repeat of the George Lazenby Bond. At least Timothy Dalton got the Bond pose right. Living actors only as this is a casting call for the new James Bond actor, not who would've been the best Bond in their own time. &nbsp;

Joseph Fiennes

The Top Casting Choices For The Next James Bond Actor

The Top Casting Choices for the Next James Bond Actor

Ranker Community

What's your favorite Marvel movie? Character? Villain? Moment? Let's rank 'em.

Marvel on the Big Screen

Get to know the charming people inside the super suits across the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Actors Who Make Marvel

Ah Marvel movies. It began in 1944 with serialized films of Captain America and 70 years later, are one of the biggest, most lucrative movies in the film world. From The Avengers and X-Men, to The Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Blade, Deadpool, Ghost Rider, and the dozens that have been released and the many <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/upcoming-movies-2018/ranker-film">upcoming Marvel films,</a> some of the most famous Hollywood actors have been cast in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/actors-in-both-dc-and-marvel-movies/jonathan-kantor">Marvel movies (and DC movies too)</a>. We've come a long way.Of course <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-avenger-actors-non-mcu-filmography/mike-mcgranaghan">Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo</a>, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Andrew Garfield, Tobey Maguire, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner, and so many other have taken on a Marvel character, but the question still remains - who are your favorite actors from Marvel movies?This <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-living-american-actors/ranker-film?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">list of actors</a> from Marvel movies is a start and is ever-growing as Disney, Marvel Studios, FOX, and Sony continue to develop Marvel Comics properties for the big screen.Vote on the list of Marvel movie actors below and if you see anyone missing (and I'm sure there are more than a few), feel free to add them so that other Marvel and comic book movie fans can vote on your additions!

Paul Giamatti

The Best Marvel Movie Actors Ever

Derrick Deane

England

You'd listen to Michael Caine talk all day, right? And surely you'd watch Ian McKellan in just about any movie Hollywood decided he should be in. Why? Because they're two of the best living English actors, along with the other English men on this list. These <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-actors-working-today/bustermcdermott?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest living actors</a> from England aren't just handsome and don't just come with a great accent, they're truly talented actors who have all made film history.Who are the top living English actors? These men (whether retired or still working) are still gracing the earth and many are turning out excellent performances in hit movies, like Christian Bale and Benedict Cumberbatch. The best at what they do, these English actors win awards left and right, from BAFTAs to Golden Globes, and are popular with film-going audiences the world over.This list features the greatest living English actors including Christian Bale, Michael Cane, Colin Firth, Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes, Sean Bean, John Cleese, Jude Law, Hugh Laurie, and Rupert Everett. Don't see your favorite living actor from England? Add him below so other film fans can vote. Then, be sure to vote and rerank the list according to who you think are the best English <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/old-celebrities-you-didn-and-_39_t-realize-are-still-alive/carly-kiel?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">actors still alive</a> today.&nbsp;

Tom Hiddleston

The Best Living English Actors

Best Living English Actors | List of Top Actors from England

Ranker Film

Lists that rank the greatest performers to hit the large and small screens.

The Best Actors and Actresses

It takes a lot to make a movie great. There has to be excellent writing, production, direction, editing, and of course, acting. While the crew draws out the parameters for a movie, the actors are the ones who color in the film to bring it to life, and without great acting, a great film can crumble.&nbsp;

These Hollywood actors are the ones who deliver time and again, regardless of how good the script or the production of the film is. These are <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-americans-ever/jacariah?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the greatest American</a> actors who are alive today. Who are the best actors from the USA? Sure, you have your Oscar winners like Tom Hanks and Tommy Lee Jones. But what about those reliable, <a href="/list/underrated-vincent-donofrio-movie-and-tv-roles/mike-mcgranaghan" target="_blank">underrated guys like Vincent D&#39;Onofrio</a>? Some other top American actors include Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, and Harrison Ford.&nbsp;

We can all agree there are a lot of great American actors. However, which of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-actors-working-today/bustermcdermott?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">male movie stars</a> is the best? That&#39;s up to you to decide. Vote up all of the popular male actors that you believe to be the best! Then check back to see which of the famous male stars have topped the list.&nbsp;