The Top Movie Stars of the 2010s

Some were born into the business, while others had the kind of childhood that would leave anyone disoriented. Nevertheless, their passion for acting propelled them, and they became household names. In this article, you discover the top movie stars of the 2010s. We obtained information from IMDB and other sources, including biographical accounts, to compile this list.

Learn a little about where each of these actors came from and their early childhood and college experiences. Then, get ready for some nostalgia as we remind you what movies they starred in during this decade. Some of the roles these actors portrayed are the kind that remain fresh in your mind.

But you may have forgotten some of the more obscure roles in the movies they starred in. After these reminders, you will want to make some popcorn and turn tonight into a movie night! (Here are the movies that launched the careers of Hollywood’s biggest stars.)

1. Joaquin Phoenix

Not one to shy away from dark characters, Joaquin Phoenix has time and time again demonstrated his acting prowess. He took on the role of a Naval veteran in “The Master” (2012) before starring in “The Immigrant” (2013) and “Her” (2013). He starred in three films in 2018 and impacted audiences with his resounding performance as “Joker” (2019). Phoenix was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and traveled with his family for a few years before they settled in the Los Angeles area in 1981. His parents found an agent to represent him and his other siblings, and they went off to try out work in television. Phoenix’s first acting role came in 1982. After tragically losing his brother, Phoenix became reluctant about acting roles and would only consider certain characters. True recognition for his talents arrived when he filmed “Gladiator” (2000), and since then, he’s won multiple awards.

2. Emma Stone

Academy Award-winning actress Emma Stone starred in “Easy A” (2010) and later “Friends With Benefits” (2011) alongside Justin Timberlake and Mina Kunis. Aiming to make that same year prolific, she also starred in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” (2011) opposite Ryan Gosling and “The Help” (2011), a film about the hardships African American maids faced during the time of Jim Crow segregation. Stone went on to play Gwen Stacy in “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012), Mia in “La La Land” (2016), and Wichita in “Zombieland: Double Tap” (2019). Born in Scottsdale, AZ, Stone started her acting career as a child. She appeared in several productions, and by the time she turned 15, she had decided to pursue acting full-time. She pitched the idea of moving to Los Angeles to her mom. It was successful, and the rest is history.

3. Robert Downey Jr.

Born in Manhattan, New York City, NY, in 1965, Robert Downey Jr. was already a part of the business. His mother was an actress, and his father was a writer, director, and filmographer. Downey Jr. started early, studying at the Stage Door Manor Performing Arts Training Center in NY. Later, his parents divorced, and he continued pursuing his acting career after moving to CA. The 2010s were busy for Downey Jr. He starred in “Iron Man 2” (2010), “Love & Distrust” (2010), and “Due Date” (2010). The next year, he played Sherlock Holmes in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” (2011). The following year, he was in “The Avengers” (2012), and later, he starred in “Iron Man 3” (2013). He kept busy throughout the decade, continuously starring as Tony Stark in various films.

4. Ryan Gosling

A Hollywood heartthrob, Ryan Gosling didn’t just have an interest in drama and fine arts; he excelled. He caught Disney’s attention early on, landing in the Mickey Mouse Club. Without formal acting training, Gosling could still continue his acting career, landing several roles in the late 90s and early 2000s, one of which was the ever-popular film, “The Notebook” (2004). But he had only just begun. He started off the next decade with “Blue Valentine” (2010) and “All Good Things” (2010). He kept busy, starring in “Drive” (2011), “Crazy, Stupid, Love” (2011), and “The Ides of March” (2011). Later, he played Jared Vennett in “The Big Short” (2015) and Sebastian in “La La Land” (2016). Just before the decade ended, he played Neil Armstrong in “First Man” (2018).

5. Jake Gyllenhaal

Born in Los Angeles, CA, in 1980, Jake Gyllenhaal was right where he needed to be. His father was a director, and his mother was a producer and screenwriter. He was only 11 years old when he made his movie debut, and his career only grew from there. There’s a rather long list of films he starred in before the 2010s, but once that decade rolled around, he proudly portrayed the role of Dastan in “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (2010). That same year, he starred as Jamie Randall in “Love & Other Drugs” (2010). Three years later, he played Detective Loki in “Prisoners” (2013). He played several more roles in 2017, and just before the decade ended, he took on the role of Mysterio in “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019).

6. Samuel L. Jackson

For Samuel L Jackson, critical acclaim started in the 1990s. He’s appeared in over 100 films since his artistic debut, several of which were in the 2010s. He was born in 1948 in Washington, D.C. Aside from being an actor, he is also an American producer. He starred as Nick Fury in “Iron Man 2” (2010) to start the decade. The following year, he again starred as Nick Fury in “Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). Only a year later, he starred as Foley in “The Samaritan” (2012). He was in “The Avengers” (2012), “Django Unchained” (2012), “Reasonable Doubt” (2014), “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014), and he finished out the decade with “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019).

7. Jennifer Lawrence

Born in 1990 in Louisville, KY, Jennifer Lawrence didn’t know that in the next 25 years, she would become the highest-paid actress (2015 – 2016). However, by the time she was 14, she knew what she wanted to do, and she made her way over to Manhattan. By 2010, she already had a few films under her belt. Then, she starred in “Like Crazy” (2011), “X-Men: First Class” (2011), and “The Hunger Games” (2012). That same year, she starred in “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) and “The House at the End of the Street” (2012). She continued as Mystique in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014) and as Katniss in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part One” (2014). She finished out the decade as Mystique in “Dark Phoenix” (2019).

8. Adam Driver

Born in San Diego, CA, in 1983, Adam Driver first started acting in plays during his years of high school. He spent a little over two years in the Marines before suffering an injury. Without being able to deploy, he went to college for a year and then made his way over to New York City, where he studied at the Juilliard School. In the earlier part of the decade, he worked in both television and films. He starred as Glen Stetson in “You Don’t Know Jack” (2010) and then as Walter Lyle in “J. Edgar” (2011). Later, he portrayed the role of Samuel Beckwith in “Lincoln” (2012) and Al Cody in “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013). In the later part of the decade, he was in “Marriage Story” (2019) and “Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019).

9. Anne Hathaway

She rose to fame in the early 2000s, taking lead roles in several popular films, including “Ella Enchanted” (2004). Anne Hathaway was born in Brooklyn, NY in 1982. Before starring in films, she took a role in a television series. Many of her early films were family-friendly, but as she developed her career, she took on more adult-oriented films. When the decade began, she starred in “Valentine’s Day” (2010), “Alice in Wonderland (2010), and “Love & Other Drugs” (2010). Two years later, she was in “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012) and “Les Miserables” (2012). Later that decade, she was in “Oceans Eight” (2018), and she took part in a TV series called “Modern Love” (2019).

10. Benedict Cumberbatch

Staying busy during the early part of the decade, Benedict Cumberbatch took on roles in several films, including “Four Lyons” (2010), “Painted with Words” (2010), “Third Star” (2010), and “The Whistleblower” (2010). The following year, he was just as busy, and moving into 2012, he starred in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” (2012) and “How to Behave” (2012). During the following years, Cumberbatch did not stop the momentum. He played Dr. Stephen Strange in “Doctor Strange” (2016), and toward the end of the decade, he starred as Doctor Strange again in “Avengers: Endgame” (2018). Cumberbatch was born in Hammersmith, London, England in 1976. He studied the arts, including oil painting and acting. He worked in radio, theater, television, and film and became well-known in the early 2000s.

11. Charlize Theron

Born in 1975 in South Africa, Charlize Theron grew up on a farm. Without much acting work available, she traveled to Europe and then the US, where she had access to more opportunities. She worked in modeling and performed as a dancer, but when she arrived in Los Angeles, CA, she had a chance encounter with an agent. She shifted her focus to learning American English. By the time this decade rolled around, she had already starred in major films. Later, she took the lead role in “Young Adult” (2011), followed by “Prometheus” (2012) and “Snow White and the Huntsman” (2012). Two years later, she starred in “A Million Ways to Die in the West” (2014). Taking on a crime drama, she starred in “Dark Places” (2015) and later in an action/adventure film, “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015).

12. Tom Hardy

“Inception” (2010) was the film that put him on the map at the start of the decade. But Tom Hardy had already starred in a long list of other films. Hardy was born in 1977 in Hammersmith, London, England. He has demonstrated his versatility as an actor since his debut, having inherited his creative skills from his parents. His mother was both an artist and painter, and his father was a writer. After embodying the role of Eames, he starred in several other films, including “Warrior” (2011), “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012), “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015), and “The Revenant” (2015).

13. Hugh Jackman

Born in Sydney, Australia, in 1968, Hugh Jackman studied journalism at the University of Technology Sydney. Once he graduated, he went off to the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where he focused on drama. Jackman went on to perform in several films, showing off his talent as a singer. When the decade began, Jackman had already starred in a range of top-selling films. Already familiar with the role, he played Logan in” X-Men: First Class” (2011). A year later, he was in “Rise of the Guardians” (2012) and “Les Miserables” (2012). The following year, he again starred as Logan in “The Wolverine” (2013). That same year, he played the role of Keller Dover in “Prisoners” (2013). He kept busy through the end of the decade, starring in a few more Marvel films.