3. Tom Beck - Deep Impact
Deep Impact among other films (and TV's 24) called the first black President long before Barack Obama finally came to power, and for years, the notion of a black President seemed like a fantasy that only the movies could come up with, until the American people did themselves a grand service by electing Obama (who also happened to be the best man for the job, and not just a token victor...). Morgan Freeman's Tom Beck is a clear example of a President demonstrating courage and integrity under fire, what with a gigantic, 7-mile-long asteroid heading towards Earth. He had already begun having underground shelters built in the event that their initial plan - to blow the asteroid up - didn't work, and though these shelters obviously could not accommodate everyone, he did the best he could under an absurd, impossible situation. What's more, who could resist voting for a man with a voice that velvety and calming? It's borderline hypnotic.
Shaun Munro
Contributor
Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.
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Shaun