Arnav Srivastav
It is often purported that a wine gets better as it ages. Well, it is no different with these actors! Age is a bourgeois construct. People often delve in numbers and blatantly ignore what those numbers represent. Years of experience in a vast array of roles, and more importantly, their vacillating tryst with success and failure. As the great thespians of art, age only seems to push them further into perfection. The roles keep becoming unorthodox and the performances keep getting better. Even though the physical capacity to express emotions recedes, they conjure up distinctive abilities to lend tangibility to their words. These veterans of the industry, bathed in all their reverence and glory, are even today setting new benchmarks. These treasures of motion pictures and arts are adored and idolized by one and all. Here’s the list of top old male actors working in Hollywood, who don’t seem to age.
10. Michael Douglas
A two time Academy Award winner, Douglas is one of the screen’s unheralded stalwarts. In a career spanning almost five decades now, Douglas has been a successful producer, actor, director and screenwriter. Son of the great Kirk Douglas, he is an apotheosis of hard-work and perseverance. Defeating the flag of nepotism, he has established himself as one of the most esteemed actors among the credulous stars of the industry. Seemingly unstoppable, Douglas has three films lined up for 2017! Those include the highly anticipated ‘Unlocked’, and two other movies which he has turned producer for. At 72, he shows no signs of stopping!
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9. Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall made his debut in a cameo role as Boo Radley, in the courtroom drama ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. The role warranted just 8 minutes on screen and comprised of two lines of dialogue. Despite this, people even today have wanted a film with him starring in the role. He has seven Academy and Golden Globe nominations, winning one and four respectively. His vast line of work includes films of almost all genres, predominantly starring as the more subtler and taciturn of characters. In a career spanning six decades, Duvall has touched heights of stardom and the status of an icon like no other. In 2015, he became the oldest actor to be nominated for an Oscar, for his performance as the ailing father in ‘The Judge’. Just last year, Duvall starred in the James Franco feature ‘In Dubious Battle’. Even at 86, he is a true star!
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8. Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is often recognized as the first superstar of Hollywood. His cocky style and changing looks have seen him become a fashion icon. He holds the title of the highest grossing actor in the industry, with his films making over $6 billion worldwide, thanks to his association with massive franchises. He is the face of franchises like ‘Star Wars’, ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Blade Runner’. He has a whole litany of movies lined up for the next two years, with ‘Blade Runner 2049’ coming out this year, which has been touted as the most awaited sci-fi film of the year. The ‘Indiana Jones’ franchise sees a revival with Ford returning to play the charismatic archaeologist in 2019 with ‘Indiana Jones 5’.
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7. Anthony Hopkins
Hisss! Most fondly (sigh) remembered for his role as Dr Hannibal Lector in ‘Silence of the Lambs’, Hopkins is a meticulous method actor. Renowned for his ability to remember lines, Hopkins keeps his memory supple by learning things by heart such as poetry, and Shakespeare. In Steven Spielberg’s ‘Amistad’, Hopkins astounded the crew with his memorization of a seven-page courtroom speech, delivering it in one go. He is slated to be a part of the two biggest production houses and loved franchises in 2017. He’ll be seen in ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ and ‘Thor: Ragnorak’. His wide blue eyes and laid back hair speak volumes without him even opening his mouth. This great thespian is truly timeless!
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6. Robert Redford
Robert Redford is like the godfather of the industry. The quintessential good-looker and chocolate boy, his body of work is like an endless ocean. Even at the age of 80, he heeds no attention to age and is vigorously involved in film-making. The virtuoso founder of the Sundance Film Festival signed off 2016 with ‘Pete’s Dragon’, and is set to take the box office by storm with his upcoming films in 2017, ‘The Discovery’ and ‘Our Souls at Night’. He’ll even produce ‘The Old Man and the Gun’, slated to release in 2018. His undying enthusiasm and ardent love for creating beautiful films makes him a true icon. May he live a hundred years more!
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5. Clint Eastwood
Even today people in their hubris request Eastwood to call them a “punk”! The quintessential angry man of the industry, his style and splendor has absorbed audiences since over fifty years. The smoldering jawline, the focused and unblemished eyes and a deep, harsh voice are the characteristics that define him. Eastwood is not only an invested and virtuoso actor, but has long played the role of the man behind the camera with similar ease. His acting career has thus receded in recent years, not featuring in a movie since 2012. Having become the driving force behind the camera, he has delivered some of the most evocative and provocative films in recent times. His latest feature, ‘Sully’, inspired by true events received overwhelming critical acclaim and torrential influx of love from the audience. 86 never seemed younger!
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4. Amitabh Bachchan
The greatest actor India has ever produced, the “angry young man” features in the list among other stalwarts of art. There was absolutely no way this list would have ever been complete without his inclusion! He is without doubt biggest superstar in the country. Not only can he act, but can sing, dance and even do his own action sequences at this age. His magnanimity and distinctive baritone have been the center of his personality on screen. With over a 100 films to his name, in a career spanning over fifty years, Bachchan is truly a virtuoso and pioneer of Indian film-making. His most exciting upcoming project is ‘Thugs of Hindustan’, which will also star my favorite Bollywood actor Aamir Khan. His zeal, enthusiasm and infant like energy make him the heartthrob and pride of our nation.
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3. Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is the man with the golden voice. Since his debut in 1964 hitherto, his distinctive baritone has been admired and envied by one and all. The ease with which he infuses words with tangible and authentic emotions, that often evoke the truest senses in the audiences has made him a superstar. His wheel of success doesn’t seem to be stopping soon either, with two films set for theatrical release this year. Freeman has often been cited with being the forefather of narrative cinema in the industries. There have been many occasions in the past when he has lend his voice to films and they have elevated to unfathomable highs. Even at 79 years old, his demeanor seems to be getting younger and his voice sounder!
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2. Jack Nicholson
If you want to learn to be angry, got straight to this man. There is no actor in the industry who can come close to his portrayals dark anti-hero and psychopathic roles. And that is meant is a compliment! He holds the title of the most nominated actor in the history of the Academy Awards, winning three times, which is a another distinctive feat. Nicholson is one of only two actors to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in every decade from the 1960s to the 2000s. Even though he hasn’t appeared in a feature since 2010, the prodigal son has fixed a return with a remake of the German film ‘Toni Erdmann’. The enigmatic personality and the charming demeanor, often make his performances thoroughly eccentric. There will never be one quite like this guy!
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1. Robert De Niro
Indubitably, the best. Bob De Niro has been ruling Hollywood since more than half a century. His jaw-dropping body of work includes films of all genres, played with exhilarating conviction and utmost sincerity. His range of emotions, and transition from one to the other make his performances irresistible. People are gradually running out of adjectives to describe his acting skills. Age has just seen him get better and better. While he signed off 2016 with ‘The Comedian’, he’ll light up 2017 with the comedy-drama ‘The War with Grandpa’. His big project, and the one we are most excited for, is his re-union with Martin Scorcese in ‘The Irishman’, slated for a 2019 release. Just one word. Legend.
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