4. Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman began his career as one of the finest character actors in Hollywood, giving him a wide variety of roles as well as one of the most impressive filmographies of any actor. Later in the 2000's, Hoffman began playing lead roles more and more often and his partnership with director Paul Thomas Anderson has led to their mutual benefit. A brief glance at Hoffman's filmography shows an almost endless number of impressive roles and movies. His first notable role was a supporting turn in Scent of A Women in 1992 but he didn't really get going until later in the 90's with roles in Boogie Nights and the Big Lebowski. From there on he became a regular in Paul Thomas Anderson films as well putting in acclaimed turns in other films such as the Talented Mr. Ripley, Almost Famous, and 25th Hour. In 2005, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of author Truman Capote, which made him one of the more prominent actors in Hollywood. He has played a variety of roles since then, including both the villain in Mission Impossible III, a maverick CIA agent in Charlie Wilson's War, a struggling artist in Synecdoche, New York, a priest in Doubt and then in 2012 he turned in arguably his best role in the Master. In the Master, Hoffman played Lancaster Dodd, the leader of a religious movement known as the Cause. Hoffman turned in a dazzling performance that showcased his abilities as an actor. His versatility and impressive filmography make him one of the best actors out there.