4. The Hulk/Montgomery Clift
One of the most tragic actors of Hollywood's golden period, Montgomery Clift became famous for his portrayal of quiet, brooding heroes but after only a few films he was involved in a car crash that left him disfigured both physically and emotionally. Subsequently addicted to painkillers, he became increasingly erratic and his performances began to suffer. Ten years after the accident, at only 45 years old, he died in what some consider a suicide but more likely an unintentional result of multiple health problems and drug use. Even before his accident, Clift played darker and more disturbed characters than many of his contemporaries and was very similar in acting temperament and personality to other actors who have played The Hulk such as Eric Bana, Edward Norton, and Mark Ruffalo. His entire screen persona makes him ideally suited for the loneliness and anxiety typically found in interpretations of the character but he also has the requisite charisma and sense of intelligence needed to play Bruce Banner to perfection.