Greatest Film Performances of the 1990s (US/UK)

Movie images collage
Criteria: Film Performances of the 1990s are ranked based on initial and lasting acclaim, popular and cultural recognition, plus influence. In order to qualify for this list the performance has to come from a predominately English-language film produced or co-produced by American or British production companies.

List Begun: 2019-10-21
 More:   2010s  |   2000s  |   1990s  |   1980s  |   1970s  |   1960s  |   1950s  |   1940s  |   1930s
  Actor - Film Title (Year of Release)
  1. Tom Hanks - Forrest Gump (1994)
  2. Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
  3. Denzel Washington - Malcolm X (1992)
  4. Kevin Spacey - American Beauty (1999)
  5. Emily Watson - Breaking the Waves (1996)
  6. Daniel Day-Lewis - In the Name of the Father (1993)
  7. Geoffrey Rush - Shine (1996)
  8. Tom Hanks - Philadelphia (1993)
  9. Holly Hunter - The Piano (1993)
10. Nicolas Cage - Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
11. Frances McDormand - Fargo (1996)
12. Johnny Depp - Ed Wood (1994)
13. Hilary Swank - Boys Don't Cry (1999)
14. Jeremy Irons - Reversal of Fortune (1990)
15. Morgan Freeman - The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
16. Ian McKellen - Gods and Monsters (1998)
17. Kathy Bates - Misery (1990)
18. Edward Norton - American History X (1998)
19. Jodie Foster - The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
20. Jack Nicholson - As Good as It Gets (1997)
21. Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth (1998)
22. Gene Hackman - The Unforgiven (1992)
23. Samuel L. Jackson - Pulp Fiction (1994)
24. Anjelica Huston - The Grifters (1990)
25. Jeff Bridges - The Big Lebowski (1998)
26. Joe Pesci - Goodfellas (1990)
27. Robert Downey Jr. - Chaplin (1992)
28. Emma Thompson - Howard's End (1992)
29. Robert De Niro - Goodfellas (1990)
30. Al Pacino - Scent of a Woman (1992)
31. Tom Hanks - Saving Private Ryan (1998)
32. Brad Pitt - Fight Club (1999)
33. Robert Duvall - The Apostle (1997)
34. Sean Penn - Dead Man Walking (1995)
35. Susan Sarandon - Dead Man Walking (1995)
36. Russell Crowe - The Insider (1999)
37. Robin Williams - Good Will Hunting (1997)
38. Jessica Lange - Blue Sky (1994)
39. Clint Eastwood - The Unforgiven (1992)
40. Nick Nolte - The Prince of Tides (1991)
41. Anthony Hopkins - The Remains of the Day (1993)
42. Geena Davis - Thelma & Louise (1991)
43. Robin Williams - The Fisher King (1991)
44. Robert De Niro - Cape Fear (1991)
45. Kevin Spacey - The Usual Suspects (1995)
46. Ralph Fiennes - The English Patient (1996)
47. Annette Bening - American Beauty (1999)
48. Jim Carrey - Man on the Moon (1999)
49. Edward Norton - Fight Club (1999)
50. Tom Cruise - Magnolia (1999)
51. Angela Bassett - What's Love Got to Do with It (1993)
52. Tim Robbins - The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
53. Edward Norton - Primal Fear (1996)
54. Julianne Moore - Boogie Nights (1997)
55. Ian McKellen - Richard III (1995)
56. John Travolta - Pulp Fiction (1994)
57. Ralph Fiennes - Schindler's List (1993)
58. Bill Murray - Groundhog Day (1993)
59. Susan Sarandon - Thelma & Louise (1991)
60. Emma Thompson - Sense and Sensibility (1995)
61. Meryl Streep - The Bridges of Madison Country (1995)
62. Morgan Freeman - Seven (1995)
63. Julia Roberts - Pretty Woman (1990)
64. River Phoenix - My Own Private Idaho (1991)
65. Julliette Binoche - The English Patient (1996)
66. Anthony Hopkins - Amistad (1997)
67. Matt Damon - The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
68. Burt Reynolds - Boogie Nights (1997)
69. Robert De Niro - Awakenings (1990)
70. Emma Thompson - The Remains of the Day (1993)
71. Denzel Washington - Philadelphia (1993)
72. Judy Davis - Husbands and Wives (1992)
73. Michelle Pfeiffer - Love Field (1992)
74. Jack Lemmon - Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
75. Al Pacino - Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
76. Tommy Lee Jones - The Fugitive (1993)
77. Mira Sorvino - Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
78. Brenda Blythyn - Secrets and Lies (1996)
79. Kenneth Branagh - Hamlet (1996)
80. Billy Bob Thornton - Sling Blade (1996)
81. Jodie Foster - Nell (1994)
82. Tom Cruise - Jerry Maguire (1996)
83. Elizabeth Shue - Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
84. Warren Beatty - Bugsy (1991)
85. Al Pacino - Dick Tracy (1990)
86. Johnny Depp - Edward Scissorhands (1990)
87. Sharon Stone - Casino (1995)
88. Gwyneth Paltrow - Shakespeare in Love (1998)
89. Emily Watson - Hilary and Jackie (1998)
90. Peter Fonda - Ulee's Gold (1997)
91. Samuel L. Jackson - Jackie Brown (1997)
92. Robin Williams - Awakenings (1990)
93. Martin Landau - Ed Wood (1994)
94. Dianne Wiest - Bullets over Broadway (1994)
95. Woody Harrelson - The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
96. Ray Liotta - Goodfellas (1990)
97. Cuba Gooding Jr. - Jerry Maguire (1996)
98. Anthony Hopkins - Nixon (1995)
99. Julianne Moore - Safe (1995)
100. Jane Horrocks - Little Voice (1998)

101. Jim Carrey - The Truman Show (1998)
102. Reese Witherspoon - Election (1999)
103. Steve Buscemi - Reservoir Dogs (1992)
104. Leonardo DiCaprio - What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
105. Liam Neeson - Schindler's List (1993)
106. Stephen Rea - The Crying Game (1992)
107. Brad Pitt - 12 Monkeys (1995)
108. William H. Macy - Fargo (1996)
109. Ewan McGregor - Trainspotting (1996)
110. Julianne Moore - The End of the Affair (1999)
111. John Malkovich - Being John Malkovich (1999)
112. Lorraine Bracco - Goodfellas (1990)
113. Kevin Costner - Dances with Wolves (1990)
114. Helena Bonham Carter - The Wings of the Dove (1997)
115. Helen Hunt - As Good as It Gets (1997)
116. Mercedes Ruehl - The Fisher King (1991)
117. Nigel Hawthorne - The Madness of King George (1994)
118. Gary Sinise - Forrest Gump (1994)
119. Steve Buscemi - Fargo (1996)
120. Dustin Hoffman - Wag the Dog (1997)
121. John Turturro - Quiz Show (1994)
122. David Thewlis - Naked (1993)
123. Marisa Tomei - My Cousin Vinny (1992)
124. Pam Greer - Jackie Brown (1997)
125. Jack Nicholson - A Few Good Men (1992)
126. Hugh Grant - Four Wedding and a Funeral (1994)
127. Harvey Keitel - Bad Lieutenant (1992)
128. Al Pacino - Carlito's Way (1993)
129. John Goodman - The Big Lebowski (1998)
130. Richard Farnsworth - The Straight Story (1999)
131. Val Kilmer - Tombstone (1993)
132. Al Pacino - Donnie Brasco (1997)
133. Angelina Jolie - Girl, Interrupted (1999)
134. Richard Dreyfuss - Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)
135. Nicole Kidman - To Die For (1995)
136. Harrison Ford - The Fugitive (1993)
137. Al Pacino - The Godfather Part III (1990)
138. Sharon Stone - Basic Instinct (1992)
139. Joan Allen - Nixon (1995)
140. Dylan Baker - Happiness (1998)
141. Kate Winslet - Sense and Sensibility (1995)
142. Judi Dench - Mrs Brown (1997)
143. Jim Broadbent - Topsy-Turvy (1999)
144. Chris Cooper - American Beauty (1999)
145. Russell Crowe - L.A. Confidential (1997)
146. Philip Seymour Hoffman - Happiness (1998)
147. Kim Basinger - L.A. Confidential (1997)
148. Laura Dern - Citizen Ruth (1996)
149. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Secrets and Lied (1996)
150. Laura Dern - Rambling Rose (1991)
151. Bette Midler - For the Boys (1991)
152. Harvey Keitel - Bugsy (1991)
153. Jack Palance - City Slickers (1991)
154. John Turturro - Barton Fink (1991)
155. Val Kilmer - The Doors (1991)
156. Kate Winslet - Heavenly Creatures (1994)
157. Winona Ryder - The Age of Innocence (1993)
158. Robert De Niro - Casino (1995)
159. Al Pacino - Heat (1995)
160. Joseph Fiennes - Shakespeare in Love (1998)
161. Denzel Washington - Hurricane (1999)
162. Meryl Streep - Postcards from the Edge (1990)
163. Whoopi Goldberg - Ghost (1990)
164. Laurence Fishburne - Boyz n the Hood (1991)
165. Haley Joel Osment - The Sixth Sense (1999)
166. Kathy Bates - Primary Colors (1998)
167. Melanie Lynskey - Heavenly Creatures (1994)
168. Mia Farrow - Alice (1990)
169. Tommy Lee Jones - JFK (1991)
170. Michelle Pfeiffer - The Age of Innocence (1993)
171. Gary Oldman - JFK (1991)
172. Joanne Woodward - Mr.and Mrs. Bridge (1990)
173. Paul Scofield - Quiz Show (1994)
174. Greg Kinnear - As Good as It Gets (1997)
175. Paul Newman - Nobody's Foul (1994)
176. Miranda Richardson - Enchanted April (1992)
177. Minnie Driver - Good Will Hunting (1997)
178. Matt Damon - Good Will Hunting (1997)
179. Ed Harris - The Truman Show (1998)
180. Michael Caine - Cider House Rules (1999)
181. Michael Clarke Duncan - Green Mile (1999)
182. Courtney Love - The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
183. Kate Winslet - Hamlet (1996)
184. Elias Coteas - The Thin Red Line (1998)
185. Billy Bob Thornton - A Simple Plan (1998)
186. Michael Caine - Little Voice (1998)
187. Tim Robbins - The Player (1992)
188. Alan Rickman - Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
189. Robert Carlyle - Trainspotting (1996)
190. Aaron Eckhart - In the Company of Men (1997)
191. Stockard Channing - Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
192. Robin Williams - Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
193. Richard Harris - The Field (1990)
194. Susan Sarandon - Lorenzo's Oil (1992)
195. Christina Ricci - Buffalo '66 (1998)
196. Bill Murray - Rushmore (1998)
197. Tom Cruise - A Few Good Men (1992)
198. Helen Mirren - The Madness of King George (1994)
199. Ralph Fiennes - Quiz Show (1994)
200. Christopher Plummer - The Insider (1999)

Greatest Film Performances of the 1990s






scene from Forrest Gump with Tom Hanks

scene from The Silence of the Lambs with Anthony Hopkins

scene from Malcolm X with Denzel Washington

scene from American Beauty with Kevin Spacey

scene from Breaking the Waves with Emily Watson

scene from In the Name of the Father











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