3. Daniel Day-Lewis - Gangs Of New York
Daniel Day-Lewis' galvanizing portrayal of Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting is the best thing in Scorsese's Gangs Of New York, hands down. Day-Lewis creates a character so rich in complexities, as a man set in controlling all five points in 19th Century New York, while pitted in a battle of wits with a young idealist named Amsterdam (Leonardo Dicaprio) who wishes for his blood. Bill The Butcher is a proud patriotic American, and he believes the country is a place for opportunity and growth, yet his passion is muddled by his dangerous bigotry and disdain for human life. Day-Lewis is able to play Bill in both lights with such commitment and veracity, a narrow minded idealist with the wrong deck of cards to be playing such a dangerous game. Each moment he is on screen we are mesmerized by his performance, and he is commanding in each scene of the film's nearly 3 hour run time. Day-Lewis, always known for his intense preparation for a role, gives it everything he has here, breathing life into the archetypal gang lord character and giving him a voice so memorable and equally terrifying. Day-Lewis received a well deserved Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his work in Gangs Of New York. Currently, Daniel Day-Lewis is getting a lot of buzz for his performance in Lincoln, which could net him a record breaking 3rd Best Actor Oscar.