The Leading Man in Hollywood the Year You Had been Born

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1970: Robert Redford

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Exiguous one premiered in 1969, so by 1970 Robert Redford was as soon as a family title. His newfound popularity led to an enviable career for the duration of the ’70s.

1971: Clint Eastwood

“Dirty” Harry Callahan is quiet one in every of Clint Eastwood’s most wisely-identified roles to this point. The movie, which premiered in 1971, was as soon as so profitable it was as soon as grew to develop into right into a franchise series and the role mercurial earned Eastwood recognition as one in every of Hollywood’s greats.

1972: Billy Dee Williams

Billy Dee Williams costarred in the hit movie Woman Sings the Blues with Diana Ross in 1972 and remained an on-mask fixed for the duration of the ’70s, with appearances in movies savor Brian’s Tune and Mahogany.

1974: Sidney Poitier

By the mid-’70s, Sidney Poitier had already made history because the first Black man to consume an Academy Award. In 1974, the actor made up our minds to work on the quite loads of facet of the lens and made a title for himself as a director when directed and starred in Uptown Saturday Evening.

1975: James Caan

Who else may well replace the charming Omar Sharif in the Silly Woman sequel, Silly Woman? Are trying James Caan. The actor swept in because the romantic lead and won over the hearts of audiences, moreover to that of Fanny Brice.

1976: Robert De Niro

Quickly after his first starring movie role in Mean Streets, Robert De Niro took on the unheard of role of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. The manner actor even got his taxi driver’s license to put collectively for the role, which paid off seeing as he was as soon as nominated for the Academy Awards for Handiest Actor for his work in the movie.

1977: Roger Moore

Roger Moore took over Sean Connery’s role as James Bond in the franchise in 1973 and his third movie, The Search for Who Cherished Me, made 1977 a mountainous yr for him. Moore went on to superstar in four more James Bond movies.

1978: Ryan O’Neal

Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw stole the hearts of American in the 1970 movie Love Story. O’Neal portrayed Oliver Barrett IV all over all all over again in the sequel, Oliver’s Story, in 1978.

1979: Martin Sheen

After rising to popularity in 1968 attributable to of The Area Change into as soon as Roses, the 1979 war movie Apocalypse Now earned Sheen recognition as an A-lister. No topic an spectacular solid (Robert Duvall, Dennis Hopper, Marlon Brando, and Laurence Fishburne), Sheen stood out in the leading role.

1980: Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson earned his breakout role in the counterculture traditional Easy Rider in 1969. It wasn’t long forward of he was as soon as landing fundamental roles and raking in Oscar nominations. Alternatively, it was as soon as his backbone-chilling efficiency as Jack Torrance in The Incandescent that solidified his web site in the industry.

1981: Burt Reynolds

The yr is 1981. Burt Reynolds—and his mustache—is now not any stranger to the Hollywood movie world. But his role in the hit movie The Cannonball Creep made him the undisputed leading man of the yr.

1982: Richard Gere

Richard Gere swept audiences, and Debra Winger, off their feet in the 1982 romantic drama An Officer and a Gentleman. Gere’s role firmly positioned him atop the list of Hollywood’s leading males—and this was as soon as all pre-Cindy Crawford.

1983: The Brat Pack

While the length of time wasn’t formally coined till a 1985 New York Magazine article about The Breakfast Club, we must present recognition to the wonderful starting up of the “Brat Pack,” a.good ample.a. the 1983 movie The Outsiders. Many credit rating the movie with launching the careers of actors savor Emilio Estevez, Catch Lowe, and more.

1984: Ralph Macchio

Ralph Macchio seemed in the 1984 cinema traditional The Karate Exiguous one and, one may well argue, is accountable for a entire generation of kids attempting to create their shaded belt. Clearly, Pat Morita performed a mountainous segment in that as wisely.

1985: Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox seemingly plot up his entire future when he landed the starring role in Attend to the Future. The movie was as soon as one in every of the decade’s most profitable and launched Fox’s career from sitcom superstar (Family Ties) to superstar.

1986: Tom Cruise

Are you a Goose or a Maverick? Tom Cruise’s frigid-man persona as a Navy fighter pilot in High Gun has for sure made you will want you contain been a Maverick—despite the incontrovertible fact that most of us must now not.

1987: Michael Douglas

The identical yr Fatal Enchantment was as soon as released, Michael Douglas scooped up an Oscar for Handiest Actor in a Leading Aim for his efficiency in Wall Avenue. A.good ample.a. the person had an out of this world plod circa 1987.

1988: Harrison Ford

We first observed Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Extensive title Wars, then he portrayed a rugged explorer in Indiana Jones. By the leisurely ’80s, Ford proved he also can play a romantic lead, when he seemed in the 1988 movie Working Woman.

1989: Michael Keaton

Michael Keaton answered to Hollywood’s bat fee and place on the cape in the ’80s to painting the iconic superhero. He starred in Batman in 1989 and was as soon as also coincidentally dating a pre-wisely-known Courteney Cox on the time.

1990: Patrick Swayze

By 1990, Patrick Swayze had already captured The United States’s hearts and proved himself as one in every of Hollywood’s top leading males. Alternatively, his role in Ghost handiest additional solidified Swayze’s web site as field location of job gold.

1991: Laurence Fishburne

Laurence Fishburne established himself as one in every of the head actors for the duration of the leisurely ’80s, however he no doubt grew to turn right into a number one man after his role in the 1991 movie Boyz n the Hood.

1992: Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner bought of us’s consideration along with his Academy Award-a hit movie Dances with Wolves, which he directed and starred in. Two years later, he seemed in The Bodyguard, a romantic drama costarring Whitney Houston, proving he may well very wisely be a romantic lead too.

1993: Robin Williams

Robin Williams’ role in Mrs. Doubtfire made us snigger, sing, and grew to develop into an instantaneous traditional. For that, we proudly title the leisurely Robin Williams 1993’s leading man.

1994: Morgan Freeman

From Riding Miss Daisy to Glory, we already knew Morgan Freeman may well ship a expose efficiency. But his role in Shawshank Redemption in 1994 is considered 1 in all his simplest performances of all time.

1995: Pierce Brosnan

The yr 1995 is identified to many (no, correct us?) because the yr Pierce Brosnan took over the role of James Bond. The actor made his debut in the franchise in the movie GoldenEye.

1996: Will Smith

After his ’90s sitcom success in The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith tested his expertise on the mountainous mask. It was as soon as his leading role in 1996’s Independence Day that grew to develop into him into one in every of Hollywood’s most wanted leading males.

1997: Matt Damon

Pre-Bourne trilogy, Matt Damon entered Hollywood as a heavy-hitting newcomer when he wrote and starred in True Will Searching. The movie was as soon as a smash hit, and the following yr Damon was as soon as a double nominee on the Academy Awards in consequence.

1998: Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks rose to popularity in the early ’80s and has since develop into one in every of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, pivoting from comedies savor Splash to dramas savor Forrest Gump. In 1998, Hanks no longer handiest bought his handprint on the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, however he starred in Saving Non-public Ryan.

1999: Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves rose to popularity in 1989 in Invoice and Ted’s Gorgeous Stride, however by 1999 he switched gears from comedy to heading up slightly franchise known as The Matrix. No mountainous deal.