1. Wendell 'Bud' White - L.A. Confidential
Curtis Hanson's 1997 film noir classic - which somehow lost Best Picture to Titanic at the Oscars - was, for many, their first taste of Russell Crowe, earning his first major acting credit as Wendell 'Bud' White, a no-nonsense, violent police officer who has no qualms about turning to excessive force if a case appears to require it, or even just if it offends him. Given the absolutely stunning cast that Hanson has assembled of better-known actors - including Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey, Kim Basinger, James Cromwell and Danny DeVito - it would have been easy for Crowe to fall by the wayside, but with this explosive performance, Crowe manages to force his way to the forefront, giving what is easily the best turn in the entire movie. Though for the most part impulsively violent and erratic, we also get to see his more human side once he makes acquaintance with Basinger's femme fatale, and though the film didn't earn Crowe a Best Actor nod, its overwhelming success and acclaim (including a Best Picture nomination), ensured that Crowe would become a reliable Hollywood mainstay.