My favorite actors (present-day, no particular order)

Discovered him through Mr Selfridge (2013) and have since also watched him in Engrenages (2005-2012). Handsome and an excellent actor.

This man has it all. From actor to producer ... a true talent. Add to that lots of charm. Can do both comedy and drama. Liked him in perhaps lesser known films such as Leatherheads (2008) and The Descendants (2011).

Matt Damon's break-through came with Good Will Hunting (1997), co-starring Robin Williams, et. al., which is one of my favorite movies to date. Also excellent as agent Bourne and in the Ocean-movies.

Say what you will about his love-life, on screen he almost never disappoints. Very good in Inception (2010) and Blood Diamond (2006). Incredible as Howard Hughes in The Aviator (2004). Titanic (1997) is by now a classic.

Leaving his private life alone, you have to acknowledge his performances on-screen. From Top Gun (1986) to Mission Impossible (1996-) he has delivered on an rather consistent level. Valkyria (2008), as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, and Collateral (2004) are personal favorites that stand out.

Discovered him through Downton Abbey (2010 - 2015), but have also watched him as Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility (2008). Lovely personality; humble, down to earth and shines on screen. Wonderful charisma.

Well what can I say? This man has intensity and such presence that you can feel that he puts his entire soul into his performance. Excellent in The Constant Gardener (2005) opposite the lovely Rachel Weisz. Also loved him in Sunshine (1999) and Schindler's List (1993).

Colin Firth is ... well, Colin Firth. Quiet English charm. Unforgettable, of course, as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (1995) opposite Jennifer Ehle. The King's Speech (2010) and Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) are other high points.

First opened my eyes to him in Match Point (2005). He maybe isn't your conventional actor (?) but always manages to maintain interest. Last saw him in Death Comes to Pemberley (2013) and Dancing on the Edge (2013), in which he delivered rather good acting. I liked it!

No diva, that's for sure. His humble personality is one of the things that make you like him even more. Henry has grown consistently better since he first appeared in I Capture the Castle (2003) and The Count of Monte Cristo (2002). Tristan and Isolde (2006) and The Tudors (2007-2010) were good, but his greatest role to date must be in Man of Steel (2013). Edit: Really enjoyed The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015).

Maybe also one of the quiet ones. Has the capability of showing much through small gestures, especially with his eyes. Captivating to watch. Loved his acting in Daniel Deronda (2002) with, among others, Romola Garai. Also good in Madame Bovary (2000). Always worth watching.

Scotland's finest. Subtle, finely nuanced performances. Never boring, always present in the moment. Really liked him in The Ghost Writer (2010) with Pierce Brosnan. Also very good in Moulin Rouge! (2001).

He was funny and charming in Remington Steele (1982-1987), contriving and conniving in The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) and dead serious as James Bond. Maybe at his best in dramas with just the right touch of comedy.

This man has an ability to completely transform himself. From The Forsyte Saga (2002-2003) to The White Queen (2013) as a young man to old, he is never the same. What I've seen from him has been very impressive. Edit: Plays a real pig in Garrow's Law (2009), but admittedly does so rather well.

I actually discovered David McCallum thanks to Henry Cavill. When I saw that a remake of the 1960's hit show The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was in the works, I decided to look up the original. And I'm glad I did! McCallum is an excellent actor, he never ever puts out a bad performance. (And he has done a lot!) Three Bites of the Apple (1967) was really amusing and I loved him in the series Kidnapped (1978). Famous also for The Invisible Man (1975-1976) and Sapphire and Steel (1979-1982). Now starring in CBS's hit show NCIS (2003-).

Okay, so maybe I've only seen him in Il commisario Montalbano (1999-), but I like him so much I must add him to this list. (Watching more is a little difficult; I don't understand much Italian and availability is limited.) He is an extremely engaged and seriously committed actor, with lots of screen presence. Him being in a scene alone makes it worth watching it. Superb!

Liked him very well in almost everything I've seen. Possession (2002) was especially good. Charming in Gosford Park (2001) and very striking in The Winslow Boy (1999). Wonderful performance in Emma (1996) with Gwyneth Paltrow. Glorious 39 (2009) was so-so, as I don't like him creepy. Strong screen presence.

Jonny Lee Miller ... The reason I put him on this list is based solely on his acting in the TV-series based upon Jane Austen's novels. I really, really liked him both in Emma (2009) with Romola Garai (another favorite of mine) and Mansfield Park (1999) with Frances O'Connor. Both these are my favorite adaptations of the two novels.

Edit: Have now also watched him in Elementary (2012-), which only makes me like him even more! :)

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)! See it!!

Mattias ticks all the boxes for what I look for in an actor. Gently and quietly expresses a great range of emotions. I really enjoyed him in Far From the Madding Crowd (2015) with Carey Mulligan and also in Suite Française (2014). Check him out. :)

Lee Williams caught my eye in The Forsythe Saga (2003). He also appears in Miss Marie LLoyd (2007) alongside Richard Armitage. Hope to see more of him in other, hopefully leading, roles.

I first spotted Aneurin in The White Queen (2013), where he plays Richard III. He got my attention from the first because of that indefinable quality he has of drawing you in while you watch. I can't quite put my finger on it; but he certainly has a special magnetism about him. Have since also watched him in, among others, Cilla (2014), We'll Take Manhattan (2012) and of course, the latest TV series, War & Peace (2016).