Actors with the Best Track Record on Rotten Tomatoes

A great performance can save a middling movie, but some performers almost never need rescuing—because they keep picking winners. Looking across modern filmographies, a handful of actors stand out for remarkably consistent runs of Fresh and Certified Fresh releases, mixing prestige dramas, crowd-pleasers, and savvy supporting turns that lift everything around them.

These are the stars whose names quietly function like a quality seal. From awards magnets to genre shapeshifters, they’ve stacked careers with smart choices, trusted directors, and roles that age well. Here are actors whose track records speak for themselves.

Frances McDormand

Frances McDormand’s career is a masterclass in consistency. Whether anchoring a film or dropping in for a bracing supporting turn, she gravitates to material with bite and craft, and the result is a filmography with remarkably few stumbles.

Her collaborations with the Coen brothers alone—‘Fargo’, ‘Blood Simple’, ‘Burn After Reading’—show an instinct for distinctive storytelling. Add in later triumphs like ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’ and ‘Nomadland’, and you get a run that blends critical acclaim with cultural staying power.

Daniel Kaluuya

Daniel Kaluuya’s film choices have been laser-focused since his breakout, with tense thrillers, socially charged dramas, and muscular genre pieces that rarely miss. He’s selective, and it shows in the hit rate.

From the paradigm-shifting ‘Get Out’ to the layered power of ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’, he brings precision and presence. Even in ensemble or supporting roles—‘Sicario’, ‘Widows’, ‘Nope’—he tends to show up where the movies are strong.

Saoirse Ronan

Saoirse Ronan has grown from prodigy to perennial awards contender without losing her knack for good material. Her projects frequently pair literary or theatrical roots with fresh, contemporary direction.

Highlights include the crystalline coming-of-age of ‘Lady Bird’, the aching romance of ‘Brooklyn’, and the classic-made-new energy of ‘Little Women’. Even when she experiments—‘Hanna’, ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’—her films usually land squarely on the positive side.

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett’s range is vast, but the through line is taste. She moves from austere character studies to glossy blockbusters without dragging down the average, often elevating ambitious, director-driven work.

Consider the bruising brilliance of ‘Blue Jasmine’ and ‘TÁR’, then her precision in large canvases like ‘The Aviator’, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, and the ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. She consistently chooses projects with vision—and it pays off.

Mahershala Ali

Mahershala Ali’s screen time is often economical, but his filmography is densely packed with winners. He has a knack for finding resonant scripts and ensembles where his presence lands with authority.

From the quiet shattering power of ‘Moonlight’ to the crowd-pleasing uplift of ‘Green Book’, and on to ensembles like ‘Hidden Figures’ and ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’, his choices tend to align with films that connect critically and commercially.

Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington brings bankable gravitas, and his projects typically meet that standard. He alternates prestige dramas with muscular thrillers, and even the potboilers are executed at a high level.

He’s headlined powerhouse dramas like ‘Malcolm X’, ‘Fences’, and ‘Philadelphia’ while keeping genre in top form with ‘Training Day’ and ‘Flight’. His director’s chair picks and recent collaborations—‘The Equalizer’ series among them—show a steady hand on quality control.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks has one of the most reliable names in modern movies. His choices often marry classical storytelling with mainstream appeal, leading to a filmography crowded with warmly received titles.

From ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘Apollo 13’ to ‘Captain Phillips’ and ‘Bridge of Spies’, he thrives in films with sturdy craftsmanship. Add the ‘Toy Story’ series and gentle crowd-pleasers like ‘A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood’, and you get a career that rarely dips far below Fresh.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o’s résumé is shorter than some on this list, but incredibly concentrated. She’s strategic with roles, showing up in projects with strong creative centers and cultural impact.

Her breakout in ‘12 Years a Slave’ set the tone, followed by genre highs like ‘Us’ and franchise standouts ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’. Even smaller projects like ‘Queen of Katwe’ and ‘Little Monsters’ maintain the streak.

Toni Collette

Toni Collette is a secret weapon for quality. Whether she’s leading or stealing scenes, her projects tend to be tightly made, character-first stories that land with critics.

From the chilling slow burn of ‘Hereditary’ to the bittersweet ensemble of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’, and the twisty pleasures of ‘Knives Out’, she gravitates to filmmakers with a point of view. Earlier turns like ‘Muriel’s Wedding’ and ‘The Sixth Sense’ further cement the track record.

Adam Driver

Adam Driver’s post-breakout run has been remarkably strong, balancing auteurs and event cinema while keeping critical momentum. He’s adventurous but discerning.

The emotionally incisive ‘Marriage Story’, the incisive comedy-thriller ‘BlacKkKlansman’, and the meditative ‘Paterson’ all showcase his taste. Even in tentpoles like ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ and rigorous epics like ‘Silence’, he tends to pick filmmakers whose work lands well.

Tilda Swinton

Tilda Swinton’s filmography is a gallery of bold, often critically adored projects. She gravitates to visionary directors and ideas that travel.

Touchstones include the razor-sharp ‘Michael Clayton’, the haunting ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’, and the cool, melancholic ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’. Add inventive ensembles like ‘Snowpiercer’, ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, and ‘Doctor Strange’, and you see a pattern of smart bets.

Viola Davis

Viola Davis chooses stories with stakes and substance, and the results are consistently well received. She brings heft to prestige pieces and steel to genre fare.

Her towering work in ‘Fences’ and ‘Doubt’ anchors her awards pedigree, while ‘Widows’ and ‘The Woman King’ show action-drama range without sacrificing quality. Even in franchise corners, she tends to land in projects that clear the Fresh bar.

Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke has built a career on adventurous, director-forward choices, and his batting average is impressive. He oscillates between intimate experiments and widely praised milestones.

The ‘Before’ trilogy and ‘Boyhood’ are modern benchmarks, while ‘First Reformed’ underscores his taste for rigorous, challenging material. Genre entries like ‘Sinister’ and ‘The Black Phone’ prove he can keep audiences—and critics—engaged across styles.

Daniel Day-Lewis

Daniel Day-Lewis’s output is selective, but the consistency is formidable. His projects are major events, and most land squarely with critics thanks to careful curation and heavyweight collaborators.

From the volcanic ‘There Will Be Blood’ to the stately ‘Lincoln’ and the precision of ‘Phantom Thread’, he’s aligned with directors whose films rarely stumble. Even earlier highlights like ‘My Left Foot’ and ‘Gangs of New York’ sustain the average.

Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep’s sheer volume could invite variance, yet her filmography remains remarkably strong. She balances prestige drama, literary adaptations, and sharp comedies with seasoned instinct.

Standouts include ‘Sophie’s Choice’, ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’, and ‘The Post’, alongside contemporary favorites like ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘Julie & Julia’. She often pops into ensembles—‘Adaptation’, ‘Little Women’—that are already well-built, keeping the overall track record high.

Share your own picks for actors with rock-solid Rotten Tomatoes track records in the comments—who belongs on this list, and who did we miss?