Let's role: Cinema's 20 most adaptable actors

Some actors are almost impossible to dislike, and Jeff Bridges should be considered in this group. This is the man, after all, who played the Dude in The Big Lebowski. He has also appeared in a truly staggering variety of roles. He can deliver a knockout performance in almost any genre, from a western like True Grit to a science fiction adventure like King Kong. As if all of this weren’t enough, he has also shown remarkable skills as a singer and vocalist, proving that there isn’t anything that he can’t do. 

No matter what role he appears in, one can always count on Ben Kingsley to bring a bit of class and sophistication with him. This isn’t to say that he’s not a remarkably versatile performer, because he is, and he’s been known to appear in both Oscar-worthy films like Gandhi and Schindler’s List and in lighter fare such as the MCU. Of course, he’s also no stranger to either television or the stage, and he is one of those actors who is both immediately recognizable and impossible to ignore.

Harrison Ford is the definition of a Hollywood institution. This is the man, after all, who played a key role in the success of two major entertainment franchises (Indiana Jones and Star Wars). However, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his acting prowess. Ford is the type of actor who can shine in almost any role, even when he’s playing someone who’s villainous or at least morally gray. Moreover, he’s just as good in a courtroom drama like Presumed Innocent as he is in a twisty thriller like The Fugitive. There’s truly no one like him. 

Given his extensive career on the stage, it’s not entirely surprising that Ian McKellen is remarkably versatile in terms of the roles he takes on. He has managed to be a part of two major franchises (X-Men and The Lord of the Rings) while appearing in smaller, more intimate dramas such as Gods and Monsters. Moreover, he has also appeared on television, and no one who has seen him perform in a series like Vicious can ever doubt that he is one of his generation’s truly great talents. 

Throughout his career, Matthew McConaughey has largely been known for his good old boy persona and surfer-boy good looks. This shouldn’t obscure his genuine talent as an actor, however, and though he was once best known for his romantic comedies, he’s now been recognized as one of the most versatile actors of his generation. He’s been in everything from Southern Gothic mystery series like True Detective to legal thrillers like The Lincoln Lawyer and everything in between, and he is never not a pleasure to watch.

Henry Fonda was one of the most respected actors of his generation. He brought a particular intensity to all of his roles, but there was also something simple about his acting style that endeared him to generations of audiences. He was one of those classic Hollywood actors who could succeed in any number of genres, and it’s not everyone who could manage to be a compelling leading man in both screwball comedies and westerns. He was also one of those actors who maintained his magnetic screen presence right up to the end of his life, and On Golden Pond remains one of his most memorable roles.

James Stewart was one of the giants of classic Hollywood. He brought a certain dignity to all of his roles, even when appearing in a romantic comedy like You Can’t Take It With You. He was also known and beloved for starring in a number of westerns and thrillers, several of the latter directed by the great director Alfred Hitchcock. What’s so striking about Stewart is how natural he made it all seem, and though he had loads of leading man charm, he never seemed to let it go to his head.

Fred MacMurray is probably best known to contemporary audiences thanks to his appearance in a number of Disney films from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as his starring role in the TV series My Three Sons. However, he was more than capable of playing far darker and more sinister characters, as anyone who has seen the film noir Double Indemnity can attest. He was one of those actors who could play in almost any role in almost any genre without batting an eye, and he never lost his likability, even when he was playing a dastardly villain.

Almost everyone is at least passingly familiar with Kevin Bacon, and it’s easy to see why. Throughout his decades in Hollywood, he’s been in any number of genres and types of roles (not for nothing is he the subject of the parlor game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon"). He’s as entertaining in a horror comedy like Tremors as he is in a haunting and disturbing crime drama like The Following. To prove just how versatile is, he has also done some directing and even started a band with his brother.

Idris Elba has had a remarkably varied career. This man has been in everything from the live-action Jungle Book to The Suicıde Squad and everything in between. No matter what role he plays, however, he manages to exude a certain kind of gravitas and presence which is unmistakably his own. What’s more, he’s also one of those actors who is as comfortable on TV as he is in the movies, and he has won quite a lot of well-deserved acclaim for his starring role in the series Luther. 

Morgan Freeman is an American institution. He’s been in everything from comedies to dramas to science fiction, and his voice remains one of the most recognizable in the movies. What’s particularly striking about Freeman is the extent to which he gives his all to a performance, even when the film itself doesn’t seem especially worthy of his talents. It’s this commitment to his craft and to the work of acting that elevates him to one of the greats of his generation of actors.

Denzel Washington has repeatedly shown remarkable versatility as an actor and a powerful on-screen charisma. Whenever he appears in a movie, one knows that one is looking at a true Hollywood leading man. Just as importantly, he has also turned his talents to numerous genres, from war films like Glory to neo-noirs like Devil in a Blue Dress and even Shakespearean adaptations like The Tragedy of Macbeth. As his forthcoming appearance in the film Gladiator II makes clear, he’s also quite willing to dip his toes into the epic genre.

Tom Hanks has earned a well-deserved reputation as America’s dad, but this shouldn’t obscure his versatility as an actor. His filmography as they come, and he’s been in almost every genre, including raunchy comedies (Bachelor Party), gripping war films (Saving Private Ryan), and romantic comedies (Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail). In some ways, he’s the very epitome of a movie star, and there’s no role he can’t make his own. Ultimately, there’s something deeply human about his performances, which helps explain his enduring appeal.

Oscar Isaac has slowly but surely built up an impressive resume in Hollywood. He excels in indie dramas and big-budget spectacles on the big and small screens. He has that elusive characteristic known as charisma, and he puts it to excellent use in such roles as Poe Dameron in Star Wars and Jonathan in Scenes from a Marriage. Isaac completely inhabits his characters, revealing them in their complexity and emotional richness. 

There’s no question that Cary Grant was and is one of the most beloved male stars of classic Hollywood. He was, in many ways, the epitome of charming, and he put this to good use in all of his roles, whether he was playing in a screwball comedy like Bringing up Baby or in a thriller like North by Northwest. His true brilliance stemmed from his ability to perform in comedies while also maintaining a sense of class, and it’s this balancing act that helps to explain his enduring status in the Hollywood firmament. 

There is truly almost nothing that actor Gary Oldman cannot do. Whether it’s transforming into Dracula for Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Winston Churchill for Darkest Hour, he’s one of those actors with a truly miraculous ability to inhibit any role he decides to play. Not only that, but he has also proven remarkably versatile in medium, and he’s as capable of being in a TV series like Slow Horses as he is on the big screen or the stage. It’s no wonder he’s regarded as one of his generation’s finest actors.

Daniel Day-Lewis has long been known for his willingness to go all-in for his roles, and his work ethic and commitment are the stuff of legends. It’s clearly paid off since he has accrued several remarkable roles during his time in the movies, playing characters as varied as the brooding and avaricious Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood and an aging, weary, yet scrupulously moral Abraham Lincoln in the biopic Lincoln. It’s thus no wonder that he has received so many accolades, including no fewer than three Academy Awards.

It’s easy to see why Ewan McGregor is widely seen as one of the most beloved actors of his generation. This man, after all, brought the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi to new audiences thanks to his performance in the Star Wars prequels, as well as a lovesick romantic lead in Moulin Rouge! McGregor is one of those actors who is as comfortable in a big-budget spectacle as he is in a disturbing psychological drama like Trainspotting.  And, like many other actors, he’s also proven adept at television, notably starring in the Ryan Murphy series Halston.

Hugh Jackman might be best known for playing the character of Wolverine for the past two decades’ worth of X-Men films, but he’s also shown remarkable range as a performer. Among other things, he’s shown himself to be a true genius when it comes to the musical, whether on the stage or the screen. Not everyone could go from playing P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman to playing Logan/Wolverine in the film Logan in the same year. He’s the type of actor one can’t help but love, no matter what role he decides to play.

It would be easy to mistake Ryan Gosling as nothing more than a pretty face, but anyone who has seen him in one of his many film roles knows that he’s a remarkably nuanced and versatile performer. He can appear in anything from a sci-fi film like Blade Runner 2049 to a fantasy comedy like Barbie to an action comedy like The Fall Guy and still cast his unique spell. And then, of course, there are numerous films in which he appears as a romantic lead, and through it all, he manages to capture just the right balance of joy and sorrow that remains key to his appeal.