There's usually one - maybe two - actors who seem to have been on fire in a particular year. For 2005, there were five actors who could do almost no wrong (let's just forget Heath Ledger was even in "Lords of Dogtown").
These actors didn't take the easy road, selecting juicy, diverse roles that were edgy and risky - or just plain unexpected. 2005 was a disappointing year for movies overall, but you've got to applaud the work of these actors who absolutely lit up the screen.
1. Jake Gyllenhaal ("Jarhead," "Brokeback Mountain," "Proof")
Jake Gyllenhaal tackles roles other actors his age would never consider. If there's anything you can count on from Gyllenhaal, it's that he always turns in a memorable performance - no matter what the genre of the film or subject matter. As a gay cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," a Marine serving in Desert Shield/Desert Storm in "Jarhead," and a math student who falls hard for a brilliant but disturbed mathematician in "Proof," Gyllenhaal demanded attention and commanded the screen in 2005.
2. Heath Ledger ("Brokeback Mountain," "Casanova," "The Brothers Grimm")
After a couple of years in which Heath Ledger made some pretty awful choices ("Four Feathers," "The Order," "Ned Kelly"), the Aussie actor who recently became a first-time dad had an amazing 2005. Ledger was charming as the legendary lover Casanova, took a huge chance playing one of the stars of Terry Gilliam's "The Brothers Grimm" and wound up being the best thing about the film, and was absolutely phenomenal as a very private, conflicted cowboy in love in "Brokeback Mountain."
3. Terrence Howard ("Hustle & Flow," "Crash," "Four Brothers")
When I interviewed Terrence Howard in support of his role in "Hustle & Flow" I told him that 2005 was going to be his year (my actual quote: "This is The Year of Terrence Howard").An underrated actor who is methodically building up an impressive resume, Howard delivered stunning performances in "Hustle & Flow" and "Crash," and turned in a superb supporting performance in director John Singleton's "Four Brothers."
