Most chameleonic actor/actress

[Mr. Scot]

Way too many actors today aren't really actors, they're personas.

I mean seriously, is what Jack Nicholson does really "acting"? In every film, he's essentially just himself with a different name and situation. Ditto for Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise, Dennis Quaid, Matthew McConnaughey and others.

Who are the real "actors" out there? The guys who actually come off as different guys when they play different roles?

[natty]

Leonardo DiCaprio

Tom Hanks

Brad Pitt

Meryl Streep

[OneBadassCat]

Daniel Day Lewis

Leo DiCaprio

Christian Bale

Brad Pitt

Robert Deniro

Al Pacino

Matt Damon

Russel Crowe

[88 Bronco]

Billy Bob Thorton

Jonny Depp

[Mr. Scot]

Good choices, though I find Pitt and Depp a tad overrated.

Should have included a second question in the original: Who is the most overrated of the bunch and/or the one with the least range? I'd probably nominate the afforementioned Jack Nicholson, but I'm sure there are others.

On the main point, I'd argue for Philip Seymour Hoffman as the most underrated of the bunch. He's played a pretty broad variety of characters. Hard to believe the roles in things like Twister, MI3, Boogie Nights, Red Dragon, Capote and Doubt are all the same guy.

[88 Bronco]

I only picked Depp because he stands out above most of his peers.

[rodeo]

George Clooney

his ability to go from "older charming man who quips" to "older charming man who quips, and has a mustache" is incredible.

[OneBadassCat]

I don't think Depp's talent is overrated, I think it just happens that his movie selections have made him look like the same character, not that he isn't capable. And honestly I think Pitt is underrated.

I think DD Lewis is overrated. Now bear with me, I think he is one of if not the best actor out there but I don't find to be leaps and bounds the best.

Clooney is overrated. Zac Efron is a scrub.

[Jase]

It's Gary Oldman by a mile.

[dimbee]

Sean Penn

Gary Oldman

Johnny Depp

Meryll Streep

Matt Damon

Oh, and Shaq

[dimbee]

Robert Deniro

Al Pacino

I think these 2 are 2 that don't play characters anymore. They used to. Not anymore though.

[OneBadassCat]

I think these 2 are 2 that don't play characters anymore. They used to. Not anymore though.

Meh yea it's sort of true. More with Pacino than Deniro though. As far as Nicholson goes he's used to be diverse and I still think he is today. But for these 3 guys they don't have to prove themselves anymore, they don't have to show how diverse they are, they have the luxury of making movies for fun.

[DirtyMagic97]

Daniel Day Lewis...I think that guy can do anything he wants. It's crazy he's played so few roles because he will only take those that he thinks are really good.

[Starscream]

Robert Downey Jr. has been quite good as of late.

I'm also a fan of Johnny Depp. I haven't seen Sherlock Holmes yet, but I bet Depp could have played a better Holmes.