Top 5 Male Actors of the 2020s

№ 1

Paul King

Jeff called Wonka a revelation and was equally blown away by A Complete Unknown and Marty Supreme. He thinks his Dune work holds up with the best of his generation.

№ 2

Greta Gerwig

Playing the main Ken was just one entry on a 2020s résumé that also includes Project Hail Mary and the upcoming Star Wars film Starfighter. Jeff calls him a hit machine.

№ 3

Christopher Nolan

Carrying the cultural-moment torch the way Spider-Man already has, even if it's an open question how he transitions out of the role eventually.

№ 4

Paul Thomas Anderson

Has stayed relevant generation after generation, with Killers of the Flower Moon and the Best Picture winner One Battle After Another among his recent work, even in a role Jeff felt anyone could have played.

№ 5

Joachim Trier

A dark-horse pick. Jeff calls him a workaholic who's in everything lately, from Sentimental Value (nominated for Best International Film) to Dune and Andor, on top of decades of earlier work like Good Will Hunting and Chernobyl.

№ 1

Florian Zeller

Matt watched this one fresh while researching the list and was captivated by a performance about dementia that holds up alongside Olivia Colman's. His pick for the actor still bringing it after decades in the business.

№ 2

Christopher Nolan

Matt respects the research and language work that went into the role, even if that kind of actor prep doesn't always move him on its own. Pairs with Robert Downey Jr.'s Strauss as one of the film's standout performances.

№ 3

Denis Villeneuve

Matt's excited for a third Dune film after how well the first two landed, and admires how openly he's said he's chasing roles that push him.

№ 4

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Took on Jonathan Larson despite not considering himself a singer, and fully committed in a performance Matt thinks didn't get the recognition it deserved.

№ 5

Cord Jefferson

Grew from a supporting player into a lead role, bringing a skeptical perspective to the film's satire that Matt thought stood out even next to Sterling K. Brown's performance.