Cfp3157's Five Favorites of Film: Actors Known for Supporting Roles

They may not be the biggest name on the poster, but these actors are far from second rate. Though some shudder at the thought of not being the film's star, these men shine their best when they get to perform with others. While they can easily stand on their own, these guys are the best at what they do; support. Join me as I name some of the best actors in supporting roles of films I've seen. 
==Number 5: Morgan Freeman ==
With a voice that could make nuclear physics seem like addition and could calm you into death, this actor remains one of Hollywood's beloved stars and possibly the single most iconic voice of all time. Though Invictuc has shown us that he can easily be his own man, we'll all remember him as the wise old friend to a struggling protagonist. Need examples? Take his films like The Shawshank Redemption, Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven, Se7en, or Driving Miss Daisy as Freeman's ability as a supporting actor to become a leading man.
==Number 4: Edward Norton ==
Here comes the most controversial choice of my list. While American History X, The Hulk, and Fight Club shows he can easily stay in the spotlight, he truly shines when he's sharing it with legends. Primal Fear got him his first Oscar nomination, his performances alongside Brad Pitt in Fight Club and Matt Damon in Rounders got him to cult classic icon, and he proved he still had his acting chops from twenty years ago with Grand Budapest Hotel and Birdman. Versatile, experienced, and skilled, Norton is the definition of the modern actor.
==Number 3: Sir Ian McKellan ==
When you can play one of cinema's wisest wizards or most powerful mutant terrorists, you automatically get thrown into the canon of film history. Alongside the veteran actor Patrick Stewart and the iconic mutant hero Hugh Jackman, McKellan easily stole the show as the philosophical Magneto. With Viggo Mortenson and Elijah Wood, McKellan decided he could pass as Tolkien's Gandalf and got himself a nominatino for Best Supporting Actor back in 2001. He can play both sides of the moral compass, and he's one of the most defining actors of the 2000's because of his stellar performances.
==Number 2: Samuel L. Jackson ==
That's right, it's Samuel Motherfucking Jackson. From the wise Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequels, to the stone-cold commander of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Marvel's The Avengers, Jackson has played a variety of roles unmatched in his long career of brilliant acting. However, his most notable works are when he and Quentin Tarantino get together for a movie. From Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction to Steven in Django's Unchained, when these two get together, the Oscar may not be guranteed but approval from both critics and crowds is. 
==Honorbale Mentions ==
*Robin Williams: Good Will Hunting, Aladdin, Night of the Mueseum, The Butler
*Orlando Bloom: Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings, Troy, Ned Kelly
*Jonah Hill: 21 Jump Street, The Wolf of Wall Street, Moneyball, Megamind
==Number 1: Christoph Waltz ==
When this authentically German actor and Quentin Tarantino get together, almost every reward is guranteed. With eleven awards, including two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, while working with Tarantino, Waltz is a leading man in Inglorious Bastards and Django Unchained. Doesn't matter what drama, Waltz will always be stealing every scene from the main character. Want some laughs? Try The Green Hornet or Horrible Bosses 2, where he plays a deliciously hilarious villain. Drama? He'll stun you with Water for Elephants and, for a few fleeting moments, Carnage. Or he'll play a sadistc mastermind smarter than everyone, such as Hans Landa in Inglorious Bastards or the upcoming Bond film, SPECTRE. He's a defining actor of the coming decade, simply put.