The issue of being timeless in Hollywood is constantly sought-after by actors and actresses. In an industry that can make or break you overnight, every individual hopes they will create the performance that lasts an eternity. But reading movie reviews can be daunting as the authors fail to mince their words when they analyze your work. Nearly everyone has their own idea of what a “timeless performance” is, but only a few have been universally recognized. Included here are a few actors who made a name for themselves with timeless acting.
Leonardo DiCaprio
DiCaprio has been a hugely diverse actor since his humble beginnings in 80’s sitcoms to his legendary role in one of the most successful films of all time. DiCaprio is most widely-renowned for his timeless performance as Jack Dawson in the 1997 film, Titanic. DiCaprio was the living embodiment of a young American man in Titanic and created lovestruck young women everywhere with his performance. Since then, DiCaprio has only served to broaden his career with his performance in Inception directed by Christopher Nolan.
Al Pacino
Few people can deny that Pacino has long been a Hollywood force to be reckoned with. One of the last “greats,” Pacino took his place in the limelight and created genuinely timeless pieces of acting. Ask anyone who has seen his performance in The Godfather and they will attest to the greatness of that movie and Pacino. The actor inspired all sorts of cult followings after his performance as a Cuban kingpin in Scarface. In 2002, Pacino starred in a lesser-known film by Christopher Nolan called Insomnia which offered incredible cinematography coupled with sleep-deprivation induced madness.
Tom Hanks
Well-known for his incredible diversity of roles, Hanks has been a beloved Hollywood star for many years. From his timeless performance in Big, as a teenager in a man’s body, to his single-handed success in Cast Away; Hanks has shown time and again that he has what it takes. In spite of all these successes, Hank’s most timeless performance was in Forrest Gump. Lesser actors may have failed to maintain the high quality acting and interest Hanks portrays in every scene of the film, but his talent and diverse skills shone through to create a huge film success.
Johnny Depp
Depp has never been one to be concerned about type-casting and was always interested in the weirdest, most wonderful roles in Hollywood. His diverse acting career has covered serious roles like Edward Scissorhands to his bizarre madness in Alice in Wonderland. One of Depp’s most timeless performances was in a movie where he was paired with DiCaprio; in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Depp does a sublime job of melding complicated teen issues with adult sympathies creating a brilliant performance.