2. Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling was a fairly inconspicuous actor back in the 2000's, known for such films as The Notebook (2004), and Half Nelson (2006) among other minor roles. Since his 3 year hiatus, and his return in 2010 with the powerfully emotive Blue Valentine, Ryan Gosling has been on a direct rise to stardom, and leading man status. Many have compared his charisma, and his ability to play the bittersweet loner to such actors as George Clooney, Humphrey Bogart, and Marlon Brando. I certainly think Ryan Gosling is an actor to watch, especially after his gripping performance as motorcycle bandit Luke Glanton in Derek Cianfrance's generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) earlier this year. Gosling plays Julian, the central character. Much like Drive, Gosling is very unspoken, brooding, and enigmatic in his portrayal of Julian. His character is that of a somewhat damaged man. His mother constantly belittles him, comparing him negatively to his brother, who she praises. He seeks the services of Mai the prostitute to ease out his sexual frustration, yet he never has sex with her. The whole film revolves around this inner battle inside of Julian, to simply stoop to his mother's level in an attempt to get revenge, or to take the moral path. A lot of what he does, seems to be a masochistic kind of penance he pays for his inner guilt. The character is complex and mysterious, but Gosling still manages to bring life to the character. As for Gosling, his recently reinvigorated career is certainly a reason to tune into his most recent role, as he continues to deliver in a line of must-see independent powerhouse performances.