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The 2025 Movie Star Rankings: 35 Over 35. Plus: Nicolas Cage!

The Big Picture

May 6, 2025 · 2:15:15 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

Hosts: Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · With Nicolas Cage

Chapters

Intro▶ 0:00
Trump's proposed 100% film tariff▶ 3:13
News: 'Highest 2 Lowest' and 'Another Simple Favor'▶ 9:10
The 2025 Movie Star Rankings: 35 Over 35▶ 18:20
Interview: Nicolas Cage▶ 1:54:17

Lists in this episode

The 2025 Movie Star Rankings: 35 Over 35

Ranked list · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · ▶ 47:57

  1. 35Julia Roberts · Amanda Dobbins▶ 47:57
  2. 34Mahershala Ali · Sean Fennessey▶ 49:14
  3. 33Anne Hathaway · Sean Fennessey▶ 50:56
  4. 32Bradley Cooper · Sean Fennessey▶ 52:47
  5. 31Lupita Nyong'o · Sean Fennessey▶ 55:14
  6. 30Glen Powell · Sean Fennessey▶ 55:52
  7. ·Michelle Yeoh · Amanda Dobbins▶ 57:08
  8. 28Jason Momoa · Sean Fennessey▶ 57:51
  9. 27Channing Tatum · Sean Fennessey▶ 59:54
  10. 26Viola Davis · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:02:16
  11. 25Adam Sandler · Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:04:07
  12. 24Jennifer Lawrence · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:05:52
  13. 23Emily Blunt · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:07:57
  14. 22Tom Hanks · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:10:36
  15. ·Cate Blanchett · Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:12:29
  16. 20Robert Downey Jr. · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:14:05
  17. 19Keanu Reeves · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:15:38
  18. 18Charlize Theron · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:18:16
  19. 17Chris Pratt · Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:19:34
  20. 16Robert Pattinson · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:20:59
  21. 15Margot Robbie · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:23:42
  22. 14Joaquin Phoenix · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:24:59
  23. 13Jack Black · Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:27:33
  24. 12Ryan Reynolds · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:29:19
  25. 11Ryan Gosling · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:32:36
  26. 10Matt Damon · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:34:56
  27. 9Dwayne Johnson · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:36:23
  28. 8Zoe Saldana · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:38:20
  29. 7Michael B. Jordan · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:40:38
  30. 6Brad Pitt · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:42:09
  31. 5Scarlett Johansson · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:43:15
  32. 4Emma Stone · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:44:52
  33. 3Denzel Washington · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:46:30
  34. 2Tom Cruise · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:49:53
  35. 1Leonardo DiCaprio · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:50:26

Toughest cuts

Unranked list · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · ▶ 35:52

  1. ·Christian Bale · Sean Fennessey▶ 35:52
  2. ·Chris Hemsworth · Sean Fennessey▶ 35:56
  3. ·Cynthia Erivo · Sean Fennessey▶ 39:37
  4. ·Michael Fassbender · Sean Fennessey▶ 39:39
  5. ·Ana de Armas · Sean Fennessey▶ 39:40
  6. ·Jesse Plemons · Amanda Dobbins▶ 39:48
  7. ·Jessie Buckley · Amanda Dobbins▶ 39:48
  8. ·Vanessa Kirby · Sean Fennessey▶ 39:54
  9. ·Daniel Craig · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:00
  10. ·Kristen Stewart · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:22
  11. ·Natalie Portman · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:23
  12. ·Paul Rudd · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:25
  13. ·Jessica Chastain · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:25
  14. ·Ben Affleck · Amanda Dobbins▶ 40:29
  15. ·Jennifer Lopez · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:52
  16. ·Jason Statham · Sean Fennessey▶ 40:53
  17. ·Dev Patel · Amanda Dobbins▶ 41:11
  18. ·Hugh Jackman · Sean Fennessey▶ 41:14
  19. ·Steven Yeun · Amanda Dobbins▶ 42:25
  20. ·Adam Driver · Amanda Dobbins▶ 42:29
  21. ·Vin Diesel · Amanda Dobbins▶ 42:29
  22. ·Sebastian Stan · Sean Fennessey▶ 42:33
  23. ·Jake Gyllenhaal · Sean Fennessey▶ 42:39
  24. ·Kirsten Dunst · Amanda Dobbins▶ 42:55
  25. ·Brie Larson · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:00
  26. ·Edward Norton · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:02
  27. ·Kate Winslet · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:04
  28. ·Ralph Fiennes · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:00
  29. ·Carey Mulligan · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:00
  30. ·Miles Teller · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:08
  31. ·Tom Hardy · Sean Fennessey▶ 43:11
  32. ·Michelle Williams · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:14
  33. ·Gal Gadot · Sean Fennessey▶ 43:19
  34. ·John David Washington · Sean Fennessey▶ 43:21
  35. ·Danielle Deadwyler · Sean Fennessey▶ 43:19
  36. ·Elizabeth Olsen · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:23
  37. ·Zoe Kravitz · Amanda Dobbins▶ 43:25

Movies Referenced (160)

Sinners (2025)

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 49:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Godzilla (2014)

6 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:39:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Oppenheimer (2023)

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 1:08:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Amsterdam (2022)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 36:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blade (1998)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 49:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Deadpool (2016)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 23:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roofman (2025)

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 59:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)

5 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey▶ 55:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Avatar (2009)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 57:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Barbie (2023)

4 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:24:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fantastic Four (2005)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins▶ 45:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aquaman (2018)

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 58:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (35)

Spike Lee

6 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey · Known for Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It▶ 9:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 40:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Yorgos Lanthimos

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Dogtooth▶ 1:45:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Clooney

3 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Ides of March, Good Night, and Good Luck., Michael Clayton▶ 1:05:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Justin Baldoni

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for It Ends with Us, Five Feet Apart▶ 17:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Martin Scorsese

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 1:08:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

3 mentions · Nicolas Cage, Sean Fennessey · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise▶ 2:11:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Wilder

2 mentions · Nicolas Cage · Known for The Apartment, Some Like It Hot▶ 2:03:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Nicolas Cage · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 31:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jim Jarmusch

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins · Known for Only Lovers Left Alive, Broken Flowers▶ 1:12:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Julian Schnabel

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Nicolas Cage · Known for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly▶ 58:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Reeves

2 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Batman, Let Me In, War for the Planet of the Apes▶ 1:21:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (140)

Blake Lively

18 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Town▶ 14:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bradley Cooper

10 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for A Star Is Born, Silver Linings Playbook, American Sniper▶ 52:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Hemsworth

10 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Avengers, Thor: Ragnarok, Snow White and the Huntsman▶ 35:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anna Kendrick

9 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Up in the Air, Pitch Perfect, Woman of the Hour▶ 13:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Adam Sandler

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Big Daddy, Little Nicky▶ 1:04:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nicolas Cage

7 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Face/Off, Leaving Las Vegas▶ 2:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Denzel Washington

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Fences, The Book of Eli▶ 9:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ryan Reynolds

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Deadpool 2, Deadpool, Deadpool & Wolverine▶ 20:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Anne Hathaway

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Dark Knight Rises, Rachel Getting Married▶ 25:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cate Blanchett

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Carol, Blue Jasmine, Elizabeth▶ 1:12:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christian Bale

5 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight Rises▶ 35:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Donald Trump

5 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey · Known for Home Alone 2: Lost in New York▶ 3:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (11)

Malcolm X

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Malcolm X, V for Vendetta▶ 1:36:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

James Gunn

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Amanda Dobbins · Known for Guardians of the Galaxy, Superman, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2▶ 1:21:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Colleen Hoover

2 mentions · Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey · Known for It Ends with Us, Regretting You, Verity▶ 13:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Cheever

2 mentions · Nicolas Cage · Known for The Swimmer▶ 1:59:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Akira Kurosawa

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Ran, Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior, The Hidden Fortress▶ 9:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Darren Swimmer

1 mentions · Nicolas Cage▶ 1:59:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Ayer

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for End of Watch, Suicide Squad▶ 1:42:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Edgar Allan Poe

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 36:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

J.J. Abrams

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Star Trek, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens▶ 56:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jonathan Tropper

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for The Wrecking Crew, The Adam Project▶ 59:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Showalter

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Wet Hot American Summer, The Big Sick▶ 51:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗