Top 10 Actors with the Most Expressive Faces

Few actors could craft a believable relationship with a volleyball. This Oscar winning “Forrest Gump” actor’s face is so distinctive that computer scientists at the University of Washington used his face as a model for 3D face reconstruction technology. Now, this may be a little creepy from an ethical standpoint, but if anything, it’s a testament to Hanks’ ability to show a wide range of emotion with the slightest movements. Whether it’s an upbeat comedy or a survivalist thriller, Hanks can do more with a raising of the eyebrows than most can do with their whole face.

It’s not just her trademark red hair and green eyes that make Emma Stone a luminous screen presence. The Academy Award winner’s big eyes leave an impression on the screen, but her entire face is so malleable that she can be expressive in almost any genre. She’s put her versatile style to use in a range of roles in rip-roaring comedies, hard-hitting dramas, and even a musical. Though she’s clocked her go-to “teary cry smile” as one of her acting shticks, she’s got a lot more in her arsenal than that. Although, honestly, the teary cry smile gets us every time.

Featured in many films created by Tim Burton, this haunting British actress’ sharply etched cheekbones and deep set eyes give her the appearance of a time traveling Victorian woman. She can look hurt and vulnerable just as easily as she can seem evil and deranged. As with many actors, so much of this comes from the eyes. But the thing that always sets her apart is how she can also convey a knowing twinkle of wicked humor. Even some of her cruelest characters have a streak of good humor to them. It adds complexity to her characters that make them much harder to read.

Tony Stark may be his most famous character, but that’s definitely one of the more stoic performances Robert Downey Jr. has given. And you don’t have to dig very deep into his filmography to see that he’s an economical actor when it comes to his expressions. But subtle doesn’t mean invisible. There are few actors who can be spellbinding to watch even when they’re just listening. Let’s not forget either that one of his breakthrough roles was as Charles Chaplin, the master of silent comedy himself. Even scenes where he’s acting behind a face full of prosthetic age makeup are stunning.

Some of this actor’s strongest work to date is in a role that requires no dialogue. In “Edward Scissorhands,” it isn’t just his silence that puts him in line with great silent film actors. His gaze strikes the camera and pulls you in. What’s most surprising about Johnny Deep is how lowkey he is off-screen. He’s not an incredibly expressive guy. Truly, it seems like he saves himself for the camera. When he turns it on, he can brood like James Dean, pull as many faces as Jim Carrey, and he can even haunt the screen like a silent horror villain.

Look, he’s generated more memes than almost any other actor, and that has to be worth something. Whether it’s in one of his acclaimed roles or in a movie that has a small but loyal fanbase, Nicolas Cage can be trusted to provide endless entertainment. A large part of that is the way he uses his distinctive and intense face. No matter what emotion he’s trying to convey, there’s always a great big heaping dose of it. Where some actors go for subtlety, Cage tends to be fully committed to giving us our money’s worth. His wild eyed ferocity is sometimes funny, sometimes scary, but it’s never boring.

Actress and host Keke Palmer knows the secret behind this legendary actress’ mastery of face acting. According to Palmer, it’s all in the lips. It’s true that Angela Bassett is an unforgettable actor when it comes to pain and anguish. But even when she’s playing in lighter fare, like “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” her smolder puts her on par with the great screen romantic leads. The fact is, no matter what character she plays, Bassett commands our attention. Her expressions can run the gamut, but she’s at her best when her face is betraying what she so badly wants to say.

She has a once in a generation talent, and so much of her impact is due to the special care she pays in crafting the external life of her characters. It’s not that she doesn’t do the internal work, it’s just that she disappears into them so completely that the character and the performer become one and the same. This is probably Meryl Streep’s greatest weapon. Just using her face, she charts her character’s emotions and guides us through them without it ever feeling like too much. She can shift into new gears and discoveries all in the same close-up, letting her character’s realizations and moods play out organically.

Those arched eyebrows and that curling smile are the stuff of cinematic dreams… and also some nightmares. Over the top though they may be at times, Jack Nicholson’s severe facial expressions are so baked into his performances that it’s hard to imagine him without them. They’re part of the reason Nicholson is such a draw. His face is just as effective when he doesn’t move it at all. The actor is blessed with a naturally surly expression that somehow works no matter what kind of character he’s playing. Even his comedy characters have a touch of menace to them. But when he plays a villain, his natural expressions are downright chilling.

There are 42 individual muscles in the human face. Jim Carrey seems to have complete control over every single one of them. Since the beginning of his career, his somewhat uncanny ability to manipulate his face and completely change appearance has been a huge part of his persona. Changing his natural features to match actors like Jack Nicholson and Clint Eastwood was an early staple of his standup act. However, his command over his face isn’t just to comic effect. One of the reasons he’s so believable in dramas is because that control also means he can dial it back and project emotions with just a few well-chosen movements.

Which of these actors could you watch on mute? Let us know in the comments.