Movies Gene Hackman or Robert De Niro - Who's the better actor?

[Takes Two To Tango]

Tough choice I believe. Both are exceptional actors.

 

[Simple Southerner]

De niro

 

[Cherry Brigand]

Problem is that both of them are almost the same in every movie. Hackman is that charming slightly/subtly menacing guy who is smiling at you but he may just be twisting a dagger in your guts.

Dinero is... well... dinero.

Hackman by virtue of never sinking to the level of dinero and taking any part in any crap movie just to get a paycheck.

 

[BisexualMMA]

They're two of the greatest of all time but I've probably seen more range in characters and behavior from De Niro, especially in his younger days.

Hackman has a lot of very good performances that people don't really talk about anymore though...and he didn't spend his later years embarrassing himself.

 

[Badger67]

Hackman, slightly. Does have a wider range and is more compelling in all honesty. Deniro has had more iconic roles though.

 

[GoodBadHBK]

DeNiro just for Godfather II, Taxi Driver and Deer Hunter alone.

Not enough? What about Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Cape Fear.

 

[Why did you]

 

[Fatality]

Hackman, slightly. Does have a wider range and is more compelling in all honesty. Deniro has had more iconic roles though.

Yup, Hackman is the better actor but DeNiro has the more iconic roles.

 

[Kryptt]

Much love for De-Niro but I think Hackman has more talent... Even though I like him less...

 

[kahiljabroni]

Yup, Hackman is the better actor but DeNiro has the more iconic roles.

This. End thread

 

[drstrangelov]

Hackman is a really unique talent. Deniro is the best of a generation of similar performers. Deniro is more influential but only because replicating Gene Hackman is basically impossible. Deniro has been in better movies and worse movies, but at his best I still think Hackman is better.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Hackman is a really unique talent. Deniro is the best of a generation of similar performers. Deniro is more influential but only because replicating Gene Hackman is basically impossible. Deniro has been in better movies and worse movies, but at his best I still think Hackman is better.

Interesting perspective. I agree Hackman very unique in the history of acting. There is no one like him at all.

 

[Big Dawg]

They should have a Grudge Match to find out.....

 

[BisexualMMA]

Hackman is a really unique talent. Deniro is the best of a generation of similar performers. Deniro is more influential but only because replicating Gene Hackman is basically impossible. Deniro has been in better movies and worse movies, but at his best I still think Hackman is better.

Interesting perspective. I agree Hackman very unique in the history of acting. There is no one like him at all.

Interesting...

Just for discussion's sake, what about, say... James Caan or Rod Steiger?

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Hackman is the GSP of the acting world

DeNiro is the Chuck Liddell of the acting world

I preferred watching Chuck during his prime but GSP was so damned good.

 

[drstrangelov]

Interesting...

Just for discussion's sake, what about, say... James Caan or Rod Steiger?

I think Hackman has a little goofiness mixed in with the hard edge, heavy roles he can play. There’s a bit of John C Reilly crossed with James Caan in a few of his more famous performances.

 

[BisexualMMA]

I think Hackman has a little goofiness mixed in with the hard edge, heavy roles he can play. There’s a bit of John C Reilly crossed with James Caan in a few of his more famous performances.

I would say Rod Steiger had that goofiness. His role in In the Heat of the Night was very Gene Hackman style in my opinion.

I would also say Ronny Cox has some of the same qualities as Hackman, with more sensitive roles when he was younger and more of a hardass when he got older. He just usually didn't have nearly as much screen time to develop a character.

 

[Ezekiel 25:17]

Deniro in GF2, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull > Hackman in any role. I love Hackman, but early Deniro is damn near untouchable. More range over those 3 roles than Hackman has shown throughout his entire career btw for all the range hounds. Method acting at its absolute finest.

 

[I Am Legion]

No Wrong answer here but people saying Bobby D is one dimensional are just not watching enough of his movies. Sure he does a ton of Gangsters, but he also has a huge range of other characters:
Cape Fear-Psycho Southerner
Men of Honor-Racist Military Man
Raging Bull-Abusive Boxer
Taxi Driver-Nutty Psycho
Nutty Grandpas, Mentally ill people, Killers, Hospital Patients, Comedic character, so many

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Interesting...

Just for discussion's sake, what about, say... James Caan or Rod Steiger?

Those are good comparisons. Both fabulous actors indeed. Do you think Steiger influenced Hackman as an actor?