True, awesome acting is not just about memorizing lines or hitting your marks perfectly. It is about totally turning into a character and making the viewers forget that they are watching a play. From the innocence of DiCaprio to the power of Denzel, the insanity of Nicolas Cage, and the numerous talented portrayals of Sherlock Holmes, these are the performances that have altered our concept of storytelling. As a result, you can imitate being a spectator and experience once again the feelings that those times awoke in us, such as breathing, applauding, and saying quietly, “This is the real acting.”
10. Jeremy Brett – Sherlock Holmes (The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)
We move on with the definition of the great Sasakian detective. Jeremy Brett didn’t only depict the great detective, he transformed into him. His interpretation is sharp, volatile, and also profoundly human, capturing Holmes’s genius with strangeness and even with the smallest bits of humor. Brett Holmes’ Holmes was not only a mystery-solver, but he was also a representation of obsession and intellect. For a long time, critics have acclaimed how accurate and charismatic his performance was, and, believe us, they are right. There is no other Sherlock who is so much alive.
9. Denzel Washington – Alonzo Harris (Training Day)
The screen almost melts when Denzel turns evil. Alonzo Harris, the bad cop in Training Day, by Denzel, is a character who is at one moment very alluring and at the next very terrifying – being full of charm one minute and absolute cruelty the next. Washington goes from showing off to being cruel in such a way that Alonzo is one of cinema’s most fascinating villains. This is the performance that cost him his second Oscar and which, along with other Hollywood greats, elevated him to the top of the list of all-time great actors.
8. Nicolas Cage – Charlie & Donald Kaufman (Adaptation)
The only one who could be set to portray two neurotic twin brothers in a writer’s block story and make it simultaneously tragic and comical is Nicolas Cage. He effectively pictures artistic insanity, self-hatred, and weakness all at once in Adaptation. It’s a clever, eccentric, and pure Cage magic. Some people call it his best work of all time, and genuinely, it’s hard to argue with this point.
7. Leonardo DiCaprio – Jack Dawson (Titanic)
Jack Dawson wasn’t just a character – he was a cultural phenomenon. DiCaprio portrayed a character so lovable, full of life, beautiful, and with strong emotions that the whole world accompanied him and fell in love with him indirectly. The love story between him and Kate replaced the ice of a flash with the power of the whole Titanic era and made the film not just a blockbuster but a love story that spans generations. Besides that, DiCaprio’s acting can be referred to as timeless without an Oscar nomination.
6. Basil Rathbone – Sherlock Holmes (The Hound of the Baskervilles)
Basil Rathbone, the original, was the only one before Benedict and Brett came on the scene. His Holmes was not only intelligent, suave, and always self-confident, but also, combined with a man’s dignity, was Holmes a gentleman. Rathbone’s portrayal of Sherlock cemented the character for the following generations and thus set the standard for all subsequent adaptations that emerged. He was the face of Sherlock Holmes if there was one in the golden period of cinema.
5. Denzel Washington – Whip Whitaker (Flight)
The inner turmoil of Denzel, in Flight, is as visible as few other performances. The pilot, who, unbeknownst to others, is addicted to substances and ends up crash-landing the plane, will only show his raw exposure and heartbreak through his quiet and restrained performance, with which Washington hits the nail on the head. Through his facial expressions, the audience sees a man fighting with his demons. This performance is one of his most complicated and most human, which proves that he can turn even silence into high drama.
4. Nicolas Cage – Castor Troy / Sean Archer (Face/Off)
Cage is simply not one to do the “crazy” role like anyone else. He didn’t just act the bad guy in Face/Off; he was the bad guy imitating the good guy, and he gave it such effect that the audience could follow. Nicolas Cage adds the intensity of an opera to the performance, switching rapidly between insanity and morality. Though it may be completely exaggerated, out of control, and stunningly brilliant at the same time, these are all the elements that make Cage so unforgettable.
3. Leonardo DiCaprio – Arnie Grape (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape)
DiCaprio amazed everyone with his heartfelt performance as Arnie, a developmentally challenged young man, before the Oscars and his worldwide fame. He is so convincing and so empathetic in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape that it was the first time he was nominated for an Oscar at the age of 19. Instead of the role collapsing in the hands of any other actor, DiCaprio made it come alive.
2. Denzel Washington – Private Trip (Glory)
The feeling of being defiant, and yet still dignified—this is Denzel’s Oscar-winning performance in Glory, which is not only that, but even more. As Private Trip, a rebellious ex-slave who became a soldier in the Civil War, Washington deeply explores every frame of the film to the very depths of his soul. The scene of the flogging, when one tear runs down his face, is widely known as one of the most powerful in movie history. It’s not good acting, it’s greatness, full stop.
1. Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock)
At number one, the detective underwent a radical transformation. The modern era Cumberbatch Sherlock Holmes is a completely different character—brilliant, sarcastic, and just messed enough to be quite lovable. Not only did their witty banter keep the show alive, but their cutting intelligence and emotional insight also made each episode like a class. It wasn’t just that Cumberbatch brought Holmes into the 21st century—he made him a legend again.
Those acting performances not only captivate the audience but also endure. From the Victorian streets of Baker Street to the planes of a fatal flight, each actor invested something intimate and unforgettable in their character. Whether it’s DiCaprio’s heart, Denzel’s intensity, or Cage’s anarchy, these icons remind us why we fall in love with television and film in the first place.