6. Anthony Perkins - Psycho
"We all go a little mad sometimes", the unforgettable, iconic line spouted by Anthony Perkins aka Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's suspense masterpiece Psycho, a film that has unquestionably grown in cultural estimation since its release. Initially viewed as a lurid horror film, that probably accounts for the film missing out on a Best Picture nomination (though Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director), yet given Janet Leigh's Best Supporting Actress nomination, there's not really any excuse to snub Anthony Perkins' superbly devious portrayal of a man scarcely keeping together underneath the surface. It's a performance of duality; Perkins is a good-looking young man who imbues Bates with a sure charm in the early portions of the film, helping distract us from the ultimate twist that, of course, Bates is himself the psychotic killer. Decades before the serial killer became a boring trope, Perkins delivered a highly inventive, perfectly pitched performance that effortlessly bounced between the poles of manner and madness like no other. Shame on the Academy for not recognising that.