For example, I feel that Tom Hanks is the Jimmy Stewart of our day. A solid actor with leanings towards sentimental roles, usually the slightly bumbling good guy or the accidental hero. Not that I came up with the comparison that way - it was purely intuitive with a tagged-on explanation; I just find that although Hanks and Stewart appear to be thoroughly nice guys, I don't really enjoy their movies...

Harrison Ford has turned out to be our John Wayne, the gung-ho hero fighting to protect what is right (and you can take that in its political sense, too!). Or should I equate him with Charlton Heston. Again, I avoid both!

On the positive side, there's George Clooney - he's a better actor than Cary Grant, of course, and in order to make this equation work you have to ignore his serious films, but in his comedies there's a Grantish lightness, charm and irresistability. I think.

Your turn.
Noticed how all my examples are male?
Not sure why that is... but I'm quite positive that there is no Marilyn today.

Gary Oldman has kinda a Robert Mitchum vibe for playing scary.

Sandra Bullock as the spunky/comedic/dramatic Jean Arthur?

Or maybe a modern equivalent to Sidney Greenstreet?

I remember they tried to do modern remake of The Big Sleep with Robert Mitchum but somehow I couldn't see him as a Bogart analogue.

Marx Brothers = Wayan Brothers?! Maybe? (I'm sure some people will want to shoot me for even daring to make the comparison!)

Aha! How about Laurence Olivier = Kenneth Branagh?

By the way, is it Morgan Freeman = Sidney Poitier or is it Denzel Washington = Sidney Poitier?

For several years now the film industry has compared Tom Hanks to Jimmy Stewart. He seems to simply be "the actor of our time."

Sorry, I don't see Nicole as a Katherine Hepburn - Kate was smart, sassy and witty, a woman not afraid to wear the pants and tell a man who was wearing them. Rather, I liken Nicole Kidman to Grace Kelly. She is like the cool, graceful, polished princess.

I have heard George Clooney compared to Cary Grant, especially around the Oscars all the critics were calling him that, and I can see that, he certainly has the charm and looks just as good in a tuxedo. But *I* actually liken him to Warren Beatty (the OLD - or should I say YOUNG Warren Beatty.) Think about it, he is totally following in Beatty's footsteps...the handsome, quintessential bachelor all the women have either been with or want to be with, takes unusual roles, an actor who now is an award-winning director. Remember how everyone said Warren Beatty will NEVER get married?

I liken Lindsay Lohan to Ann-Margaret. Not only does she physically remind me of her, but like Ann, she has been thru the teen thing, and has embodied that young, blossoming, sex-kitten quality. There are lots of young stars in Hollywood today but not many of them have that. It will be interesting to see how she transfers into adult screen roles.

Sorry, I haven't seen anyone yet who even closely reminds me of Marilyn Monroe. Definitely NOT Angelina, no one. Marilyn was effervescent, she could laugh at herself, she could "play dumb" and still come off like underneath she was smart as a whip and she was endearing enough to make everyone fall in love with her. No one today has that quality!

Ok, I'll buy Audrey Tautou as Audrey. She certainly looks like her. I don't know about her style and charm, tho.

I'm not sure Audrey Tautou should really be compared to A. Hepburn just yet though.

How about Mae West and Bette Midler? Anyone have anyone for Catherine Zeta Jones? I think she is so beautiful and movie star like.

I'm having a hard time coming up with many comparisons. Here's some older award nominated actor names. Thought they may help with this game. Anyone got any ideas for any of these?

Irene Dunn
Ginger Rogers
Barbara Stanwyck
Olivia de Haviland
Ingrid Bergman
Angela Lansbury
Jennifer Jones
Rosaling Russel
Elizabeth Taylor
Sophia Loren
Doris Day
Bing Crosby
Charlton Heston
Frank Sinatra
James Dean
Mickey Rooney
Humphrey Bogart

I'd put Kevin Spacey up against any of our golden era movie heroes. Tobey McGuire = Mickey Rooney?

Morgan Freeman stands alone. Poitier doesn't come close.

Emma Thompson as our Katherine Hepburn?

Gary Cooper and Timothy Dalton - again style of acting

Orson Welles and Vincent D'Onofrio (looks and brooding quality)
Meryl Streep and Glenn Close are comparable to the actresses of long ago. Like Bette Davis - not afraid of looking bad in a movie if the part calls for it. IMHO

Moongirl, your expansion on why and how there is no Marilyn now is spot-on. I don't think there ever will be anyone like her, either. - Angelina Jolie is more in the league of the 'lesser smoulderers', perhaps Jean Harlow or so.

The problem with the Clooney/Beatty comparison is the absence of humour in Beatty. Clooney is a great comedian, as shown in his Coen Brothers roles, as well as a great charmer.

For Peter Lorre - how about Tim Roth?

For some reason, Carole Lombard springs in connection with Catherine Zeta Jones.

Doris Day = Reese Witherspoon ??
Elizabeth Taylor = Nicole Kidman ?!

Who can we compare to Johnny Depp ??
Leonardo DiCaprio to ~ ? (Clark Gable?)
Brad Pitt = Steve McQueen ?

P.S. in my last post it should be 'CL springs to mind in connection with CZJ'!

Sorry, still see Nicole as the cool ice-princess type. Not Liz Taylor. Liz was hard on her men (on screen and off!)

I think Keifer = Cagney is dead-on. Funny though how the roles they're both known for are on opposite ends of the law!

I recently read an article about the lead guy from the show Prison Break (his name is Wentworth Miller and he portrayed a young Anthony Hopkins in film The Human Stain) and it said that the guy who produced/cast the show saw a "Steve McQueen quality in him." I can see that, he physically reminds me of him, but he hasn't done enough acting yet for us to see his range. That being said, I'll go with Brad Pitt for lack of a better choice. Altho I don't know if I see that 100%.

I'll buy Reese as Doris. I'll also agree with Vincent and Orson. I can also see Carole Lombard as Catherine Zeta-Jones. And yes, Emma Thompson might be the closest thing so far to our Katherine Hepburn.

I might also see Scarlett Johansen as Lauren Bacall. Many of her roles involve her using her young, smoldering, feminine wiles to appeal to men. Not in a manipulative way, just well, subtly seductive.

I liken Meryl Streep to Olivia de Haviland more than Bette Davis. Bette always seduced the men and then threw them away, whereas Olivia never played the temptress, but she could always mold herself to play really interesting characters.

I don't think Johnny Depp can be compared to anyone. He is certainly a new kind of actor. Maybe Erroll Flynn - but only when he is playing a swashbuckling pirate!

Thanks for joining in everyone - lots of great ideas here! Minnie, are you aware that Vincent d'Onofrio played Orson Welles in Tim Burton's 'Ed Wood'?
No, I'm one of the few that didn't see that movie.

So we can't think of any other comparisons? Where is everybody?

Just some thoughts.
Great Post, gets ya thinking!

Have changed my mind about Harrison Ford - he's not our John Wayne, but our Gary Cooper. John Wayne was succeeded by Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course.

I don't really see a comparison between Penelope Cruz and Sophia Loren, but maybe I just haven't seen enough movies with Cruz in them. Just physically, Loren was voluptuous (or marketed that way) and Cruz is such a stick.

I like the comparison of Clooney to Warren Beatty. I do see that.

I had been trying to find a match for Kevin Costner (whom I don't like) but couldn't think of one. Then came across an article about Glenn Ford (whom I had completely forgotten). Perfect match, in my opinion. Both do minimal amounts of acting, both very masculine bordering on blokish/rough, both have something dour and stodgy about them. Nevertheless, quite popular and successful.

How about Kim Basinger = Veronica Lake (sorry, it's the hair)

She's getting up there, but even over the past few decades, I feel like Diane Keaton has been our Katherine Hepburn.

Jessica Simpson is such a pin-up girl...hmmm I might liken her to Brigitte Bardot? (can't say much for Jess' acting abilities tho)

And I can't say much for her acting, but looks-wise, I see such a resemblance between Mischa Barton and Julie Christie? Is it just me?

Moongirl, I'm a huge fan of The Red Shoes (I own it)and of ballet in general. Why don't I know who Debra Messing is? And is she a ballet dancer?

Who would be the latter day Anton Walbrook?

If you lot absolutely refuse to let me have George Clooney as Cary Grant, then may I please have Brad Pitt?

I realised the other day that there are of course completely different approaches to this game, depending if you work on physical similarity, similar roles, whether you start with the modern actor or the old one.

Or, you can start with a specific performance: I was rewatching a Cary Grant classic the other day, and tried to imagine it being remade today - e.g. 'Bringing up Baby' or 'Arsenic and Old Lace' - and could only imagine Clooney or Pitt doing a similarly good job of being handsome and funny.

For Jack... hard to see anyone in his shoes.
John Wayne too...

I have to confess that my analogies are also based on personal likes and dislikes - I can't stand Wayne or Schwarzenegger, but I kinda like Willis...

I have no opinion at all on Finch, though.