10 Coolest Movie Actors
10- Charlton Heston (October 24, 1924-): At six-foot-three, he's as big as his reputation. He did some time in the military during World War 2 and eventually would become the president of the N.R.A. Whether he was playing Moses in The Ten Commandments, or a lost astronaut in The Planet of the Apes, he was always the star of the show.
9- Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924-August 29, 1987): His deep, rough voice and rugged looks meant he often played a tough guy, a role he excelled at. He was a marine sniper and was wounded in action in World War 2, which made him great in war movies, where he used his experience to help the directors add realism. Just rent The Dirty Dozen to see him at his best.
8- John Wayne (May 26, 1907-June 11, 1979): The crude, tough as nails but with a heart of gold sheriff in a western…that's John Wayne, the iconic American cowboy. Also called "The Duke", he was the most macho of the macho men, with a much imitated masculine walk. And his size matched his legend: He carried a rifle in Rio Bravo that looked like a child's toy in his hands. Not so much a great actor as a great character, he seemed to be playing himself more than the role…and you have to be cool for people to want to see that.
7- Paul Newman (January 26, 1925-): Great actor, he's had many memorable roles in films like Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and one of my personal favorites, Slap Shot. He rarely does interviews, but when he does, he's humble, short, and to the point. He became interested in racing in the seventies, and he occasionally will strap himself into a race car even now…at eighty two years old! Cool.
6- Jack Nicholson (April 22, 1937-): A talented actor, who puts a lot of character into his roles, that's not why he made this list. Apparently, he's slept with over two thousand women! Even if that's only half true…damn! And he's still going at it…at seventy years old! Astounding, considering he's not the best looking dude. Though his fame, money, and the rumors of his big, uh, heart, don't hurt, you gotta be cool to make it all work for you…especially two thousand times!
5- Harrison Ford (July 14, 1942): Han Solo, Indiana Jones…need I say more? He's starred in over thirty films, at one time being the world's richest actor. His best talent: Nobody can look like he's taken a beating in a brawl like he can. Just check out Blade Runner after he gets his butt kicked by Leon, and the fight scene at the flying wing in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He insisted on doing his own stunts in Raiders, despite the protests of the producers…they eventually convinced him to cut back by telling him that the stuntmen needed the work. Ford also is a pilot, flying both airplanes and helicopters, and once even helped rescue a stranded hiker.
4- Sean Connery (August 25, 1930- ): Bond…James Bond…no actor said that line like Sean Connery could. Excuse me, that's Sir Sean Connery, as he was knighted in 2000. Six foot two and muscular, with a distinctive voice and a thick accent, he excelled at playing macho, he-man characters: A cop in The Untouchables; an adventurer in The Man Who Would Be King; a rebel submarine captain in The Hunt for Red October; and he's aged well, as he continues to play such roles well into his sixties.
3- Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940-July 20, 1973): At age 18 his parents sent him to live in the United States because they feared reprisals after he beat up the son of a Triad gang member in China. His martial arts talent was legendary, and people came from everywhere to learn his techniques. He did exhibitions where he would do two-finger pushups, and hard hitting punches that would knock over volunteers from only one inch away. He was responsible for introducing Chinese martial arts movies to America, and the ones he starred in were extremely successful, his last being Enter the Dragon. On set and off, there were frequent challenges to his martial arts talents, most of which he diffused verbally. Those who wouldn't let up though, were taught a lesson…the man lived up to the legend.
2- Clint Eastwood (May 31, 1930-): The quintessential action hero, from spaghetti westerns to police dramas, to comedies, he's done them all, and done them well. He's tall, has a trademark frosty cold squinty expression when angered, and his catch phrases "Go ahead…make my day", and "Do you feel lucky…punk?" couldn't have been read better by anyone but Dirty Harry himself. Not only is he a strong presence on the screen, but he can direct as well; his movie Unforgiven is one of the best westerns ever.
1- Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930-November 7, 1980): In Bullitt, he did some of the driving in the famous car chase, it was actually him on the motorcycle outrunning the Germans in The Great Escape, and he studied martial arts under Bruce Lee. He was extremely fit, and at one time the world's highest paid actor. How macho was he? He once saw the married woman he was fooling around with attending a movie premiere with her producer husband, and became furiously jealous, saying: "Who does he think he is, putting his hands on her like that". Despite all that, he would often quietly visit the reform school he attended as a child bearing gifts, and taking the time to talk to and play with the kids. As far as the coolest actors go, Steve McQueen es mas macho.