Promising male actors who died in their twenties.

Who's the best actor out of these guys?


  • Total voters
    87
Honestly, I'd probably pick Dean. He had 3 roles, but they were all good performances, and he only seemed to be getting progressively better. Ledger had more range based off what we saw.

I've only seen 1 Phoenix movie, and only a couple from Renfro though.
 
We were God damn robbed of a great, young talent in the form of Brandon Lee.

Showed real charisma and star appeal in Rapid fire, and, of course, The Crow.

He would have been fighting for roles with Keanu for years.

Would have been just as good in The Matrix.
 
We were God damn robbed of a great, young talent in the form of Brandon Lee.

Showed real charisma and star appeal in Rapid fire, and, of course, The Crow.

He would have been fighting for roles with Keanu for years.

Would have been just as good in The Matrix.

Apparently he was the first choice to be Neo, unfortunately he died. Although I think he probably be too good in the martial arts scenes.
 
Apparently he was the first choice to be Neo, unfortunately he died. Although I think he probably be too good in the martial arts scenes.

He was good at the MA aspect of action films.

Maybe had a father that was into kung fu growing up or something.
 
Apparently he was the first choice to be Neo, unfortunately he died. Although I think he probably be too good in the martial arts scenes.

Really? I always thought it was Will Smith or Brad Pitt, both who famously turned down the role.
 
He was good at the MA aspect of action films.

Maybe had a father that was into kung fu growing up or something.

Yeah I heard he had some sort of badass father. I can't remember who it was. His name slips my mind.
 
Ledger’s joker is one of the best performances by any actor ever imo.
 
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Based on body of work this is easy. Ledger.

Phoenix and Dean did show some serious potential. Dean however only played in like 3 movies when he died though, that would have been like Ledger dying after 10 Things, Monsters Ball, Knights Tale. Waaay too early to tell. As someone once said, James Dean died at the right time to make him a legend, if he had lived he likely wouldn't have lived up to it.

Dean was nominated for awards in all those 3 films (interestingly for RWOAC he was only nominated for BAFTA and not the Oscar).

Ledger was the same he died after his most iconic performance, prior for the film people were mad that the guy from 10 things was playing the Joker (even if he had been in broke back mountain).

I think its close but I give the edge for Dean, RWOAC its just more important for pop culture that Heath Joker.
 
anton yelchin was already getting big paychecks and was going to be an even bigger star. I think river phoenix would have been even more famous.
 
What are you serious? Where do you rank Daniel Day-Lewis?

Btw great point about River Phoenix acting as a young version of Harrison Ford playing a younger version of the character. That so true. Brilliant acting by River Phoenix.
Yep, serious. No doubt he's a talented guy, but he overdoes it, both onscreen and off. All that 'Call me Mr. President' bullshit is a needless distraction that drags other people down. Frankly, it's a pain in the ass.

I understand my opinion of DDL puts me in the minority, even among actual industry people and not just random people on a forum who like movies. I admit, tho, he was good in Obama.

 
Not quite 20s, but close enough.


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Such a talent, what a loss.

Impacted the whole world, & he was just getting started.
 
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