Science Confirms Who the Greatest Actor in History Really Is

Cinema has always been about feelings that numbers can’t capture. We carry performances with us for reasons that don’t show up on ticket sales or awards. Some of the most unforgettable roles are the ones that barely made a splash when they first came out.

Trying to put that into a spreadsheet is almost impossible, but a recent study attempted to do just that. Daniel Parris, who conducted the study, wanted to determine the greatest actor of all time.

To do this, he combined a wide range of data, including box office sales, online ratings, and Academy Award recognition. “Quantifying anything artistic is tricky,” Parris said. He explained that the study tried to measure multiple angles, from IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes ratings to Oscars and box office performance.

The results named three actors at the top. Leonardo DiCaprio was the first. Known for massive hits like Titanic, Inception, and The Wolf of Wall Street, DiCaprio scores high across online ratings. Even though he has only won one Oscar for Best Actor, his films have earned countless nominations and awards.

Paul Newman was the second actor recognized. He starred in classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and The Verdict. Newman also lent his voice to the Cars franchise, keeping his iconic character Doc Hudson alive for a new generation.

The third actor on the list is Al Pacino, who brought to life some of the most iconic characters in film history, including in The Godfather, Scarface, and Heat. Like DiCaprio, Pacino has only won one Academy Award, for Scent of a Woman in 1993, but his overall body of work is legendary.

These actors remain very active today. Leonardo DiCaprio recently starred in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2025 epic One Battle After Another, a major contender during awards season. He is also set to film Heat 2 this September, reprising his role in a prequel and sequel to the 1995 classic, alongside Christian Bale.

Al Pacino, now 85, just finished production on Lear Rex, a modern take on Shakespeare’s King Lear directed by Bernard Rose. The film also stars Jessica Chastain, Rachel Brosnahan, and Peter Dinklage, and is scheduled for release later this year.

Paul Newman’s legacy continues through Disney and Pixar, with the upcoming series Cars: Lightning Racers set for 2027. Fans will see his iconic Doc Hudson character brought to life for a new generation.

According to the study by Daniel Parris, these three actors — DiCaprio, Newman, and Pacino — combine critical acclaim, box office success, and enduring fan admiration, making them the greatest actors of all time.

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