Top Twenty Female Actors - Page 2

4.) Cher is Cher and we could probably leave it at that if it weren’t for the fact she has the talent to overcome her glamorous persona of stage and award shows. On screen she transforms into a real person who we can identify with more readily then her off screen self. The characters she has created in such diverse movies asTea With Mussolini, Witches of Eastwick, and Moonstruck are all real and believable. Her talents as an actor are real and deserve to be recognised.

5.) Julianne Moore has until very recently skimmed under a lot of people’s radar. Very quietly going about her business establishing herself as a versatile and dependable actor. It’s only been recent roles in movies like The Hours, Shipping News, and The End of the Affair that she has garnered the attention she deserves. She is one of the new breed of actors who is willing to not be a “star” and play a variation of herself on screen but instead create a new character for each production.

6.) Cate Blanchett is part of the wave of Australian actors taking the world by a storm these days. You’d swear they had a factory producing interesting, beautiful and skilled performers. Whether a regal Elf or human queen, Lord of the Rings 1,2,and 3, and Elizabeth, sleazy white trash Shipping News or a flighty and bored housewife taking a walk on the wild side Bandits she illuminates the screen. She has the power to captivate with just the lift of an eyebrow and the tilt of her head. The glamour of an old time movie star are joined to the skills of a trained actor. An amazing combination.

7.) Maggie Smith seems to be the person everyone calls on to play the crusty English lady with the heart of gold. From Harry Potter, Gosford Park and Tea With Mussolini she has proved superlative in that role. But as she proved with her first major role, The Prime of Miss. Jean Brodie her skills are superior to those constraints. Hopefully she will get a chance again to demonstrate the scope of her talent.

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Article Author: Richard Marcus

Richard Marcus is the author of the forthcoming book What Will Happen In Eragon IV? and has had his work published in print and on line all over the world. The not so long-haired Canadian iconoclast writes reviews and opines on the world as he sees …

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Article comments

  • 1 - Claudia

    Jul 15, 2005 at 1:39 pm

    I totally agree on no. 16 (Mary Stuart Masterson). She's very versatile and is my absolute favourite actress (see my website).

    Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and the other British actresses you mention are just wonderful too.

    I also like Cate Blanchett and Susan Sarandon a lot.

  • 2 - doug

    Jul 16, 2005 at 3:11 am

    I think you have done an excellent job!
    Thank God you didn't include horse face Julia Roberts.
    I agree with Janeane Garfalo , and Cher and the rest.
    One for the future, after her recent run for fame, would be lisa Kudrow. She could be in the ranks with the best of them, given the correct vehicle.

  • 3 - Good

    Jul 11, 2006 at 6:32 am

    And your picks have nothing to do with the DVDs avertised below your 'blog' ?

  • 4 - Christopher Rose

    Jul 11, 2006 at 7:32 am

    You have it backwards, Good, the DVDs are chosen to go with the review, not the review to go with the DVDs.

  • 5 - Toby

    Jul 19, 2006 at 7:17 pm

    I agree with your comments about Kristen Scott Thomas. The expressions in her eyes are moving in every film I've seen with her in it. She is better than people give her credit for.

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