Top 10 Beloved Hollywood Actors and Actresses

She is one of Hollywood’s youngest rising starlets as well as the youngest of our beloved picks. Having begun her career in television, Jennifer Lawrence has come a long way from her small screen start. She’s now known for her starring roles in such blockbuster film franchises as “The Hunger Games” and “X-Men.” Proving her potency beyond action flicks, Lawrence has also garnered a few Oscar nominations for her more deeper and dramatic roles. In fact, she won her first for her performance in “Silver Linings Playbook,” making her the second youngest winner in the lead actress category.

Son of an independent filmmaker, Robert Downey, Jr. began under his father’s wing with minor appearances in a few of Downey Sr.’s films. His career quickly flourished from its underground roots, reaching an initial peak with an Oscar nomination for his performance as silent-film era icon Charlie Chaplin. After an aggressive battle with alcohol and drugs, RDJ returned to work and stardom. In what became one of Hollywood’s most notable comebacks, he took on such classic character roles as Sherlock Holmes and, of course, the childish yet charming Tony Stark, otherwise known as Iron Man.

Before we knew him as the mentor of Marvel’s most famous group of superhero-mutants, he was the succeeding captain to one of the galaxy’s most celebrated starships. These two roles alone have garnered Patrick Stewart much reverence among sci-fi junkies and pop-culture fanatics. Apart from his roles on the silver screen, Stewart is also renowned for his works with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company, starring in classics like “Macbeth” and “Hamlet.” He has since extended his talents to vocal works, most notably as the strange but hilarious CIA supervisor of one “American Dad”!

It’s unfortunate that our #7 pick is mostly renowned for his supporting roles, but, he’s just so damn awesome at playing all of them! Garnering worldwide recognition as the sharp-tongued Jules Winnfield in Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” Samuel L. Jackson has since gone on to star as and own the roles of other beloved pop-culture characters. Everything from a Jedi master in a galaxy far far away to the director of a government agency housing superheroes, Jackson has consistently starred side-by-side with his own – and by that, we mean, the best!

This Hollywood leading lady has seen and done it all, from speeding dangerously through L.A. traffic in a bomb-armed bus to rebuilding the confidence and potential of a troubled athletic youth. While Sandra Bullock does have a strong prominence in the romantic-comedy genre, she’s consistently proven her worth as a well-rounded actress, having starred in such dramatic and powerful gems as “Crash,” and the acclaimed space-thriller “Gravity,” which earned her a second Oscar nomination.

After his short time as one of the earliest skit performers on “Saturday Night Live,” Bill Murray moved forward to silver-screen projects that didn’t stretch far from his roots in humor. He landed memorable roles in celebrated comedic classics such as “Ghostbusters,” “Groundhog Day,” and the comedy-drama “Lost in Translation,” for which he received an Oscar nomination. A frequent collaborator with the equally celebrated, comical, and witty director Wes Anderson, Murray has proven each time his facility to remain funny, relevant, and all-around entertaining.

Here’s one actor on our list that’s almost impossible to typecast. With his wide diversity of roles ranging from teenage heartthrob to undercover cop, and even cryptic and super-rich bootlegger in the roaring-twenties, Leonardo DiCaprio has certainly shown his worth. He’s a Hollywood great with a capacity to take on every role that he has accepted. Despite five nominations, his efforts have not garnered him a single Oscar trophy, but there’s no question on any moviegoers’ mind that that opportunity will continue knocking so long as he keeps up the beautiful performances.

We love him as Forrest Gump, Captain Miller, Woody, and as just about every character he’s ever played. Debuting on the big screen in 1980, Tom Hanks has seen his share of poorly received films in his career’s earliest stages. His reputation took a dramatic turn for the better with the actor’s transition into dramatic roles, for which he is now known and praised for. Today, this beloved Hollywood giant enjoys continued success above and beyond as a film actor, having expanded his artistic endeavors to directing, producing, and, most recently, to live-stage performances.

No list of beloved actors, Hollywood or not, would be complete without this dynamic and one-of-a-kind actress. Having received more Oscar nominations than any other actor or actress in history, Meryl Streep has been consistently renowned for her ability to not only play a diversity of roles, but to downright own them. She just has an amazing command of dialogue and emotion with every character she’s portrayed. Whether playing the heroine or villain of a story, her performances have had us either genuinely loving or hating her, both in a good way.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- George Clooney
- Denzel Washington
- Judi Dench
- Charlize Theron
- Neil Patrick Harris
- Hugh Jackman

Appearing in nearly a hundred films in his career span, audiences from every generation have gotten to know this beloved actor well. Morgan Freeman has dipped his feet into the shoes of characters in just about every genre, be it comedy, drama, or superhero. While his work onscreen has consistently amassed praise, his most distinct attribute has always been his commanding yet soft and gentle voice - which has been utilized beautifully for narration roles in a number of films.

Do you agree with our list? Which Hollywood actors or actresses do you think are worthy of praise? For more star-studded Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com!