1. Matthew McConaughey
Born: November 4, 1969 in Uvalde, Texas, USA
Most remarkable performances in 2013: Mud | Dallas Buyers Club | The Wolf of Wall Street
Not considered the most talented actor of these days, but McConaughey is building a solid "a serious actor" reputation, far from his rom-com leading man previous status. Things started changing with The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), things got serious with 2012's Magic Mike and Bernie and things got real this year thanks to his trio of critical acclaimed turns in Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street and Dallas Buyers Club, getting serious Oscar buzz for the late. Today, I don't see him as the guy from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but I see him as one of the most versatile recent actors. While Mud and Dallas would be enough for having McConaughey at the top of this list thanks to the high-caliber acting he delivers in every scene he's in, Wolf only adds something extra thanks to the Best Picture buzz and the fact of having him shinning alongside the Oscar nominees DiCaprio and Jonah Hill (besides of being a project in which he works with the always great Martin Scorsese). With the highly-antecipated Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, McConaughey seems to be living what might be the best years of his career.
2. Joaquin Phoenix
Born: October 28, 1974 in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Most remarkable performance in 2013: Her
Her challenged audiences, made critics fall in love and brought something fresh to this awards season, but Her's major surprise factor (besides Scarlett's surprisingly moving voice performance) was the ability of Phoenix of being extremely empathetic by showing a sweet and vulnerable side we had never seen in his previous roles (and it really helps to build a more kind idea about him). Phoenix wins the second place for delivering his ultimate proof of versatility, when his last year's turn in The Master stills fresh in our minds and his performances in Gladiator, Walk the Line and Two Lovers are some of the major highlights of his career. After seeing him playing Theodore, I can see him doing something outside of the heavy dramatic field, something like a light comedy (something I wouldn't dare to think before). After his provisory retirement, Phoenix managed to be back in great fashion and decided to estabilish himself as one of the best actors working in Hollywood.
3. Leonardo DiCaprio
Born: November 11, 1974 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Most remarkable performances in 2013: The Great Gatsby | The Wolf of Wall Street
A big year for DiCaprio in the popularity field: The Great Gatsby brought him some of the classy estrogen-crazy fanbase (the closest to Titanic since, well, Titanic) and the ectasy-like-acting-turn in The Wolf of Wall Street brought him huge raves from critics and gave him his fourth Oscar nod (for which he was really overdue!) and his first Best Picture nomination (since he was one of the movie's producers). After teaming with Scorsese in 2002's Gangs of New York, 2004's The Aviator, 2006's The Departed and 2010's Shutter Island, DiCaprio can be named 21st century Scorsese's "muse": a title previously holded by the great Robert De Niro in the 70's-90's period (but it can be considered a "small" collaboration since both "only" worked 8 times in 3 decades, while Leo and Martin teamed 5 times in 11 years). More than an actor, DiCaprio proves he stills a big star and a face people pay to see in theatres, considering Gatsby got $144.8M at domestic box-office, while Wolf banked $103.9M (and it stills running). Audiences still love him a lot!
4. Tom Hanks
Most remarkable performances in 2013: Captain Phillips | Saving Mr. Banks
The year of Hanks' resurgence. This man is one of the world's most talented actors and it had been a long time since his last "big hit", but 2013 was big for Mr. Hanks. Captain Phillips was a critical and box-office success, featuring what I would call one of the best performances ever from Hanks (those last 25 minutes were simply remarkable, so thrilling, so real, so-breath-taking), giving him huge raves and some heavy award recognition and Oscar buzz. In Saving Mr. Banks he does nothing special, but he worked as a vehicle to remind us how charismatic he can be in a more soft/comic tone without making his characters losing their soul. Playing Walt Disney was a risky challenge, but he did really good! Hanks needed an year like 2013 in order to remember us how talented he is... Big (1988), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Philadelphia (1993), Forrest Gump (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Saving Private Ryan (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000) and Road To Perdition (2002)... Captain Phillips will certainly be one of the most distinguished movies in Hanks body of work and a symbol of his comeback! I really missed this Tom Hanks, one of the best leading men in Hollywood!
5. Michael Fassbender
Most remarkable performance in 2013: 12 Years a Slave
In his third collaboration with Steve McQueen, Fassbender impresses once again as the devil-in-human-form Master Epps (so full of life, so full of evil, so full of sin!), the owner of a plantation full of slaves, but what really puts Fassbender in this list beyond the "3rd collaboration with McQueen, 3rd amazing performance" is all the Best Picture around 12 Years a Slave. He estabilished himself as one of the most promising faces in Hollywood and the fact is this man hasn't disappointed yet. The Counselor did nothing for him besides waisting his talent, but Slave gave him his first Academy Award nomination. With impressive previous movies and performances, 2013 will be an higher point in Fassbender's career for sure.
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