The movie star Steven Spielberg called “the best actor in the world”
Letting one’s mind wander over the biggest movie directors of all time for just a moment, it’s not long before they drum up the name Steven Spielberg. Quite simply, Spielberg has delivered box-office smash after box-office smash with the likes of E.T., Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan, to name but a few.
Of course, throughout delivering those acclaimed blockbusters, Spielberg has been afforded the chance to work with some of the most prominent actors in the business, including Tom Hanks, Harrison Ford, Mark Rylance, Richard Dreyfuss, and a selection of the most notorious behind-the-camera talents such as frequent score composer John Williams.
However, one particular actor seemingly topped the pile when it came to the performers Spielberg truly admired. That person is none other than English-acting legend Pete Postlethwaite, who starred in Spielberg’s 1997 science fiction action movie The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Spielberg had once called Postlethwaite “the best actor in the world”.
Fellow actor Julie Walters had enjoyed a five-year relationship with Postlethwaite in the 1970s and referenced Spielberg’s comments, offering a peek behind the curtain of their relationship. “He was quite simply the most exciting, exhilarating actor of his generation. He invented ‘edgy’,” she said. “Spielberg was right when he said he was the best actor in the world”.
Why Pete Postlethwaite left such a lasting impression on Steven Spielberg
Postlethwaite had trained as an actor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the 1970s and enjoyed a stint at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Throughout his career in film, the Warrington-born actor performed for Ridley Scott in The Duellists, Franco Zeffirelli in Hamlet, David Fincher in Alien 3, Michael Mann in The Last of the Mohicans and Baz Luhrmann in Romeo + Juliet.
Several other stars went on record to state their admiration for the iconic actor, including his co-star in The Name of The Father, Daniel Day-Lewis, who many consider one of the greatest performers of all time. “Pos was the one,” he said. “As students, it was him we went to see on stage time and time again.”
“He shouldn’t have gone. I wish so much he hadn’t,” Day-Lewis had said shortly after Postlethwaite’s passing. “There’s a tendency to make lists at this time of the year. When we get to the Best of British, if Pete isn’t at the top of that list, he shouldn’t be far from it.” High praise indeed from a true talent of the acting world. Postlethwaite simply drew admiration everywhere he walked.
Highly celebrated by those in the industry for his versatile acting style and intense performances, Postlethwaite was known for his ability to fully immerse himself in his characters, bringing depth, authenticity, and emotional resonance to his roles.
While the actor has always been praised for his wonderfully naturalistic approach to his craft, often displaying his gift for conveying complex emotions with just a glance or a gesture, many would argue that it was Postlethwaite’s devotion to excellence that set him apart. Intense and authentic as he was, Postlethwaite was never once distracted from the importance of cinema, spending long hours researching his characters and their backgrounds in order to give himself the edge. It goes without saying that it was this level of commitment to preparation that allowed him to bring a level of authenticity to his performances that resonated with audiences.
I mean, let’s be honest, Postlethwaite wasn’t the sort of chap to steal a scene with bravado. His performances hummed with an intensity that drew your eyes, whether he was front and centre or lurking in the background.
When Spielberg called him “the best actor in the world”, it wasn’t hyperbole; it was a filmmaker recognising a kindred spirit. Postlethwaite brought grit to the polished, weight to the glossy, and something bruised and beautiful to every frame he occupied. Even now, years after his passing, there’s a sense that he’s still there, not in statues or star-studded tributes, but in the quiet corners of great films that needed someone real.
