PubTalkForum's Greatest Actor! - ROUND ONE: Meryl Streep (1) vs. Paul Newman (8)

[Everlong]

PubTalkForum's Greatest Actor Tournament!
ROUND ONE: Meryl Streep (1) vs. Paul Newman (8)



The most decorated actress in history, Meryl Streep has been an A-Lister across five decades and has been able to beat the apparent Hollywood rule that women over 50 have no place in good film roles.

FAMOUS ROLES
* = Earned Academy Award for Best Actor/Actress
~ = Earned Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor/Actress
^ = Earned Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor/Actress
# = Earned Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor/Actress

^Joanna Kramer in KRAMER VS KRAMER
#Linda in THE DEER HUNTER
*Sophie in SOPHIE’S CHOICE
~Karen in OUT OF AFRICA
~Francesca Johnson in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY
#Susan Orlean in ADAPTATION
~Miranda Priestly in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
~Sister Aloysius in DOUBT
*Margaret Thatcher in THE IRON LADY

Streep was also nominated for Oscars her work in THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN, SILKWOOD, IRONWEED, EVIL ANGELS, POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, ONE TRUE THING, MUSIC OF THE HEART, JULIA & JULIA and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY.

IMDB Page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000658/





For a couple decades, Paul Newman was the epitome of “cool.” He was a handsome leading man with an edge and piercing blue eyes, and a guy who had an outstanding career that spanned generations of film.

FAMOUS ROLES
* = Earned Academy Award for Best Actor/Actress
~ = Earned Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor/Actress
^ = Earned Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor/Actress
# = Earned Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor/Actress

~Brick Pollit in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
~Eddie Felson in THE HUSTLER
~Luke in COOL HAND LUKE
Butch Cassidy in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID
Henry Gondorff in THE STING
*Fast Eddie Felson in THE COLOR OF MONEY

Newman also was nominated for Oscars for his work in HUD, ABSENCE OF MALICE, THE VERDICT, NOBODY’S FOOL and ROAD TO PERDITION, and was nominated as director for Best Picture for RACHEL, RACHEL. He also received an Honorary Oscar for his many memorable performances, and another Honorary Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his work with his Hole in the Wall Gang charity.

IMDB Page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000056/?ref_=nv_sr_1



VOTE NOW!
 

[Everlong]

This is a tough vote for me. I'm not particularly the biggest fan of Meryl Streep -- she's had a lot of great performances, don't get me wrong, but there's always been something about her that's rubbed me the wrong way and I've just never been big on her. I can certainly recognize her talent, though. Just a personal preference thing.

Paul Newman is one of my favorites, not only because I was a big fan of a couple of his most well-known movies as a kid (The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) but because he was a fraternity brother of mine and I've done philanthropy work with his charity, the Hole in the Wall Gang, which is my fraternity's national philanthropy. He was an amazing dude. I was actually supposed to meet him in the Summer of 2008 when I went to my fraternity's national convention, but that was when he fell ill and eventually passed away.

In the end though, I have to give this one to Meryl Streep, despite my heart clearly lying with Newman. Her diversity and range of performances and her standing as one of the two or three greatest actresses of all time is what seals the deal.

[VaderBomb]

Fuck. This one is hard.



Meryl Streep.

[SortaCreative]

I had to go with Steep.

Mainly because her career as she's gotten older has remained quite consistent. Tough.

[Viazon]

I voted for Paul Newman.

If my mother ever found out I voted for Paul Newman over anyone, she would disown me.

Seriously though, Meryl is a great actress but there is just something about her that pisses me off.

[Kirbi]

These are both great performers, and ones whose careers had serious legs. They're both deserving of the praise they get, but I do think Streep is better. She gets my vote.

Favourite performance by Paul Newman - The Hustler.

Favourite performance by Meryl Streep - Kramer vs Kramer.

[Kyle]

I'll go with Streep but it really is tough.

[PorkChop]

Streep is a legendary actress. A lot of her films aren't to my taste, i.e, a Margaret Thatcher biopic, but she's consistently great. She sets the bar for today's young actresses like Blanchett, Hathaway and Lawrence. She's had an incredible career.

Cool Hand Luke and The Sting are fucking awesome films, and this vote wasn't as easy as I've perhaps made it sound - but Meryl takes this.