Top Six: Australian Actors

Chris and I were having a discussion recently - actually, I think that we've had this discussion quite a few times recently, but that's beside the point - and we realised how many of the biggest Hollywood actors are not actually American. Quite a few are of course English - make us proud - but an overwhelming number are actually Australian.
It's something that neither of us had thought about before, and it is intriguing to notice how many there are who are doing incredibly well for their country. And well, we couldn't ignore that fact, so we wanted to celebrate all that is Australian with our Top Six: Australian Actors....g'day mate!
The initial problem with this list is that it is so easy to just fire off a long list of Australian actors, and I am not looking forwarding to chopping that list down....

Six. Mel Gibson

There is a part of me that really does not want to put Gibson into this list, mainly because he appears to have gone downhill over the past few years and he can come across as a prized prat at time. But, personal opinion aside, he has done a lot in Hollywood from acting to directing, so I honestly couldn't leave him out.
He's had a long career that's for sure, and whilst I might not be a fan of many of his films, it's hard to ignore the impact his films have had on the industry.
Best Films: It's difficult to say which are his best films, because he's done so many, but a few of my favourites are: Braveheart, Mad Max, Pocahontas (hey, don't judge!!), Lethal Weapon.
Not-so-Best Films: Signs, What Women Want (more like What we you thinking??)

Five. Toni Collette

I can imagine a few people getting up in arms first of all because Toni Collette is in this list, and secondly because she's higher than Mel Gibson, but I quite like her. She's such a "subtle" actress, if that makes sense, who doesn't need to do much or even to have a lead role to make her presence known. She's an actress who fits perfectly into a supporting role but still manages to put in an epic performance.
Best Films: The Sixth Sense, Muriel's Wedding, About a Boy
Not-so-Best Films: A Long Way Down - okay, so I know I shouldn't judge this film before it has even come out, especially since I am looking forward to seeing it, but I still think that Collette is far too young for her role!!

Four. Nicole Kidman

My first memory of seeing Nicole Kidman in a film, she was very young, had a bloody awful perm, spoke with an Australian accent and hung out with some bike riding boys (and I'm not talking about Tom Cruise here either!).
It's actually kind of surreal to think that that young girl would grow up into the amazingly successful starlet that she is today, but she's done a fantastic job of it and has played some pretty amazing roles throughout her career.
Best Films: BMX Bandits, The Others, The Hours, Moulin Rouge.
Not-so-Best Films: The Golden Compass. I have never really understand Kidman's casting in this film. Personally, I never felt that it was the right role for her, and like Daniel Craig, I always felt like she didn't really take the role very seriously, which was a huge shame for a film that could have been so much more.

Three. Heath Ledger

You know that it is not possible for me to write this list and not have Heath Ledger in there somewhere. I thought about including him as a special mention, but I honestly believe that he deserves to be in this list no matter what, because I always felt that he was a great actor, even before he died.
Even before he took the role as The joker, I always thought that he was destined for big things, and knowing that he was only a fraction of the way there is of course incredibly sad. Even in his "girlie" roles, I loved him.
Best Films: The Dark Knight, Brokeback Mountain, A Knight's Tale, 10 Things I Hate About You.
Not-so-Best Films: Ned Kelly - I'm just not a fan of this film.

Two. Chris Hemsworth

Even weirder than imagining a young Kidman growing up into the actress she is today, is the memory of the first time that I ever saw Chris Hemsworth in Home and Away. I remember when he first came into it and I was like "seriously, who names their boy child Kim?" It seemed so cruel, but if the character hadn't had such a noticeable name, I probably would never have recognised him when he cropped up in the Star Trek film!!
I can imagine that life is pretty crazy in the Hemsworth household. One day he landed a great role in one of Australia's biggest soaps, and eight years later he has played a demigod - son of a Anthony Hopkins, no less - and chased Kristen Stewart around some woods - although, the less said about that film is probably for the best!!
Needless to say, Hemsworth appears to have become an incredibly sought after actor, and it's no surprise because he's not only good looking (albeit not really my type), but he is also an amazing actor. I really doubt that little brother Liam - currently starring in The Hunger Games films - will ever surpass him. But the crazy thing about Hemsworth's success and popularity is really the fact that he still hasn't done that much in comparison to all of the other actors on this list. For that reason, I'm not going to do a best and not-so-best section for him, because there isn't much else to be said.

One. Hugh Jackman

I cannot lie. I'm not necessarily a big fan of Hugh Jackman. Nevertheless, I can still appreciate everything that he has done in film, and he is a talented guy, even if there is a certain role that I really wish he would stop reprising!! Please, I beg of you, stop with Wolverine already!
The funny thing about Jackman is that he's popular with both men and women for a variety of different reasons. From his role as Wolverine, it's easy to want to brand him as a muscle-headed idiot actor, alongside some other actors that are easy to guess, but I won't mention! But, he's actually a great deal more than that, as his upcoming role in Les Miserables will no doubt prove.
Best Films: X-Mens (some of them, because I'm starting to get a bit bored of them now), Les Miserables
Not-so-Best Films: Australia (as unfortunate as this sounds, I thought that the film was boring and not my cup-of-tea at all), Real Steel (had a great deal of potential, but struggled with it's unsubtle predictability)
Other Australian actors who most definitely deserve a nod, even if they didn't make my Top Six are:

• Russell Crowe
• Naomi Watts
• Geoffrey Rush
• Cate Blanchett
• Eric Bana
• Hugo Weaving
• Mia Wasikowska
• Isla Fisher
• Sam Worthington
• Guy Pearce
• Rose Byrne
• Abbie Cornish