I have major love for Colin Farrell and I am not ashamed to admit it. When he’s working with a good script and a good director he is fabulous. And I’m really glad to see he’s moving away from blockbuster type films and picking quality films to work on again. I love him in Terrence Malick’s The New World, but his turn in 2008’s In Bruges is definitely his best – and earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy. I just hope he continues to make quality films in the future.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt first showed up on Hollywood’s radar co-starring with John Lithgow in the television 90s series 3rd Rock From The Sun. He also earned himself a spot in the 90s teen comedy hall of fame with 10 Things I Hate About You. However, he really came into his own as an actor with 2005’s neo-noir Brick. He also gave a phenomenal performance last year in the indie hit (500) Days of Summer, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Independent Spirit Award.

Elias Koteas is also always wonderful. He’s been active in Hollywood for nearly 30 years, but has for the most part remained very under the radar. Regardless, he has given a lot of wonderful performances in a lot of wonderful films. His performance in The Thin Red Line is my favorite in a film chock full of strong performances. He’s also given great performances in 2007’s Zodiac and this year’s Shutter Island.

James McAvoy’s first major Hollywood turn was as Mr. Tumnus in 2005’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The With and the Wardrobe, but it was his performance opposite Forest Whitaker in 2006’s The Last King of Scotland that got him on critic’s radar. He followed that up with a star-making turn in 2007’s Atonement, which was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Although McAvoy’s performance failed to get an Oscar nomination, he was nominated for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and was nominated for several other awards.

Ewan McGregor’s major debut was in 1996’s Trainspotting and the actor became a household name when he stepped into the role of Obi Wan Kenobi in the  new Star Wars prequels, but it was his turn as the star-crossed lover Christian in Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical Moulin Rouge! that really made him a star. Although the film was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Nicole Kidman, McGregor did not receive a nomination. His performance did however earn him a Golden Globe nomination, as well as several other nomination and wins. His career post-Moulin Rouge has been very hit-or-miss, but I think this is mostly due to McGregor’s decisions to take risks with the roles he chooses.

Bill Nighy’s been active in the film industry for over 35 years, but has only been a major player for the last decade or so. However, in this last decade he has given countless great performances. My favorite, and arguably his most recognizable role, is that of aging rock star as Billy Mack in 2003’s Love, Actually. This performance will forever go down in my book as one of the great Oscar snubs.

Gary Oldman has never been nominated for an Oscar. Say that again. Slowly. Has the shock set in yet? GARY OLDMAN HAS NEVER BEEN NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR? I can’t even believe it. He has given so many wonderful performances since his marvelous turn as Sid Vicious in 1986’s Sid and Nancy. He’s also never been nominated for a Golden Globe and has only been nominated for one SAG award, for 2000’s The Contender. This is just so unbelievable. The thing that’s so wonderful about Oldman is that he is a chameleon. He has never played the same kind of role twice, well aside from reprising his role as Sirius Black in a few Harry Potter movies. My favorite Oldman role is as Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg in 1997’s The 5th Element. He’s wonderful as bad guys and Zorg is just such a great bad guy.

Guy Pearce was fabulous as a drag queen in 1994’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and 1997’s L.A. Confidential. His turn in 2000’s Memento awed critics and audiences alike. Since then he’s been in a slew of films few have seen, but his performances have mostly been praised by critics. What he needs is another critical and box office success like Memento.

Alan Rickman started out in British television in 1980 and eight years later he had is big break as Hans Gruber in Die Hard. Rickman’s performance is arguably one of the most memorable villains in cinema history. Rickman was also wonderful in 1995’s Sense and Sensibility, which was nominated for 7 Oscars including Best Picture. Although Rickman wasn’t up for an Oscar, his performance earned him a BAFTA nomination. Rickman has also starred in every Harry Potter film as Prof. Snape.

Sam Rockwell’s first big break was in 1999 with roles in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Galaxy Quest and the multi-Oscar nominated The Green Mile (which I will admit I still have yet to see), but he first came on my radar in 2003’s Matchstick Men opposite Nicolas Cage. Since then he’s given several critically acclaimed performances. My favorite being in last year’s vastly underrated Moon. This, too, goes on my list of the great Oscar snubs of all time.

Although he made his film debut in 1992, Mark Ruffalo’s first major role was in 2000’s You Can Count On Me. His performance in the film garnered much critical attention and Oscar buzz, but he failed to receive a nomination. In the last decade Ruffalo has done a handful of romantic comedies as well as acclaimed performances in more serious dramas. My favorite of his roles is as Inspector Dave Toschi in David Fincher’s 2007 Zodiac. I think that film is Fincher’s masterpiece, yet it wasn’t nominated for a single Oscar. Ruffalo was seen earlier this year opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island.

Peter Sarsgaard’s first major role was in 1999’s Boys Don’t Cry. Since then he has been in a series of hits and misses, film wise. Regardless, Sarsgaard goes on my list of people who are always good despite the film’s quality. My favorite of his performances in 2005’s Jarhead. His performance was critically well received and he earned early Oscar buzz, but failed to receive a nomination.

Liev Schreiber made his first impact on Hollywood as Cotton Weary in the wildly successful Scream franchise. In 1999 in co-starred with Diane Lane and Viggo Mortensen in A Walk On The Moon and Denzel Washington in The Hurricane. My favorite performance of his is as Laertes in the 2000 version of Hamlet. Schreiber goes on my list of actors who are  always wonderful whether the film they’re in is or not.

M. Emmet Walsh has been in almost 200 films since he began acting in 1969. He often play supporting roles, often cited as the best thing in many a film. Roger Ebert has even named a rule, The Walsh-Stanton Rule, after him and Harry Dean Stanton, stating that no film can be altogether bad if it features either of the two actors. I highly agree with this rule. My favorite of Walsh’s roles is in The Coen Brother’s 1984 debut film Blood Simple.

Bruce Willis is one of my favorite actors. Yes, he mostly does action pictures. But he’s also done some really great work in his 30 year career. The 90s was filled with great Willis performances, starting with his wildly comedic turn in 1992’s Death Becomes Her to his cameo in Pulp Fiction to his manic turn in 1995’s 12 Monkeys. In 1999 he starred in The Sixth Sense, which earned 6 Oscar nominations, but nothing for Willis. My favorite Willis performance, however, is in 2005’s Sin City. It’s a subtle, humble and ultimately heartbreaking performance.

Steve Zahn’s first big role was in 1994’s Reality Bites. Since then he’s mostly played comedic supporting roles. But it is for these roles that I include him in this list. I think he is one of the great comedic actors working today. Even if the movie he’s in is total crap, I bet you he is funny in it. There’s this vulnerability he brings to his comedy that I just love. I think Zahn will continue to make films for decades to come and then, hopefully, will get his Oscar nomination for playing a comedic old man or something. I for one, will keep hoping he does.