Who's the greatest African-American actor of all time?

billhill999 · Jun 6, 2010

Sidney Portier:

The man who broke the acting racial barrier by being the first African-American to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lillies of the Field. This achievement paved the way for every African-American to become famous. He is considered one of the greatest male stars of all time, according to the American Film Institute.

steaktartar · Jun 6, 2010

the guy that played huggy bear

Mr_Mark · Jun 6, 2010

denzel

TomGshotput · Jun 6, 2010

If Eddie Murphy died after Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours and Trading Places, he would be seen in the same light as Hendrix and James Dean

Doing nothing good after the 1980s doesn't change how great he was during that time

billhill999 · Jun 6, 2010

steak tartar said:
the guy that played huggy bear

Antonio Fargas or Snoop Bow Wow

kermit16 · Jun 6, 2010

Morgan Freeman gets my vote. He just keeps on going !

Gritsn'Gravy · Jun 6, 2010

The cheeseburger dude from Menace to Society.

shdw01 · Jun 6, 2010

gotta give love to Denzel, Freeman, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, and Eddie Murphy (bad movie choices, but great acting)

celticGreen+ · Jun 6, 2010

Don Cheadle

Will Smith (surprisingly believable considering the huge roles he plays - like the black Bruce Willis)

Denzel Washington

Morgan Freeman

Andre Braugher

shdw01 · Jun 6, 2010

I guess I should also recognize Will Smith and Cuba Gooding Jr.

they will both have impressive resumes when all is said and done

8ate · Jun 6, 2010

Bill Cosby..>>I spy

RobFunk · Jun 6, 2010

Don Cheadle

Morgan Freeman

Eddie Murphy

Cuban Gooding pretty good as well

Never been a big Denzel fan

louisvillekid · Jun 6, 2010

TomGshotput said:
If Eddie Murphy died after Beverly Hills Cop, 48 Hours and Trading Places, he would be seen in the same light as Hendrix and James Dean

Doing nothing good after the 1980s doesn't change how great he was during that time

he still can act just some stuff never had commercial success, i still think he got robbed of the oscar for dreamgirls, he was great. but yeah if you base his work on just most of his 80's movies he is tops in my book.

celticGreen+ · Jun 6, 2010

don't forget Eddie also wrote, directed and starred in Harlem Nights (which was hilarious). He's also great in Life (directed by the late/great ted demme).

louisvillekid · Jun 6, 2010

don't understand the love for denzel, except for a few movies he generally plays the same type of character or at least plays them close to the same way. now i'm not saying he can't act, but that wouldn't matter anyway cause his name alone draws people to the seats and that is the major thing for the studios.

WorldNumberOne · Jun 6, 2010

gary coleman

celticGreen+ · Jun 6, 2010

i think the movies that make Denzel stand out are Malcolm X, Glory, Hurricane, and Training Day - and then there are a TON of very good, but probably not great ones (Man on Fire, Devil in a Blue Dress, He Got Game, Inside Man, American Gangster).

HacheMan · Jun 6, 2010

Tough call between.......

Denzel Washington
Morgan Freeman
Samuel L Jackson
Will Smith

I also like Laurence Fishburne but he's a tier below the guys above......