ArtistDirect News
US Audiences Rank 50 Male Actors in 2024 YouGov Survey: From Morgan Freeman to Leonardo DiCaprio
In a fresh ranking released by Stacker, American viewers named the 50 most popular male actors based on YouGov survey data collected in June 2024. The list, which mixes long‑time Hollywood icons with contemporary stars, places Morgan Freeman at the pinnacle and Leonardo DiCaprio at the bottom. The methodology involved tallying respondents’ likes, dislikes, and neutral opinions; the percentage of people who liked each actor served as the ranking metric.
The YouGov survey classifies actors by binary sex and gender. Stacker’s analysis weighted the data to generate a national popularity index. Freeman, for example, earned an 85 % approval rating, while DiCaprio was liked by 68 %. The report also records the proportion of respondents who disliked or held neutral views, offering a fuller picture of public sentiment.
The top five names are household‑recognizable figures who have remained active into the 2020s. Freeman, with an 85 % approval rating, continues to lend his voice and presence to new projects, most notably the 2025 sequel Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and the 2025 television series Special Ops: Lioness. Samuel L. Jackson, liked by 81 % of respondents, keeps appearing in high‑profile work, including the 2023 Marvel film Avengers: Doomsday. Robin Williams, who passed away in 2014, retains an 80 % approval rating, a testament to his lasting influence through films such as Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting. Denzel Washington, also at 80 %, remains active in both film and television, starring in the 2025 drama The Iceman and the 2025 television series The Family Stallone. Harrison Ford, with a 78 % approval rating, headlines major releases, most recently the 2025 Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World and the 2025 television series 1923.
Mid‑tier actors—those ranked 10th to 30th—illustrate the breadth of the American film landscape. Keanu Reeves, liked by 77 % of respondents, leads the 2025 John Wick spin‑off Ballerina and the 2025 action‑thriller Good Fortune. Robert Downey Jr., also at 77 %, returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 2023 film Avengers: Doomsday and is slated to reprise his role as Victor von Doom in the 2026 Avengers: Doomsday. Ryan Gosling, with a 70 % approval rating, appears in the 2026 sci‑fi adventure Project Hail Mary and the 2023 blockbuster Barbie.
The lower half of the list—actors such as John Goodman (68 %), Ryan Reynolds (68 %), and Tom Selleck (68 %)—highlights performers who have sustained long‑term careers across multiple media. Goodman, known for his role as Dan Conner on Roseanne and The Conners, voiced Papa Smurf in the 2025 Smurfs reboot. Reynolds, a leading figure in comedy and superhero films, reprised his role as Deadpool in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine. Selleck, famed for Magnum, P.I., continues to appear in television dramas such as Blue Bloods.
The list also includes actors whose recent work has been notable for its cultural or industry impact. Leonardo DiCaprio, liked by 68 % of respondents, starred in the 2025 film One Battle After Another, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in March 2026, and remains active as a producer and environmental activist. The inclusion of actors from different eras—such as Robin Williams, who died in 2014, and contemporary stars like Keanu Reeves—demonstrates the survey’s breadth and the enduring influence of these performers.
Overall, the 2024 YouGov‑based ranking underscores the sustained popularity of a diverse group of male actors in the United States. The list reflects both the longevity of established stars and the continued relevance of newer performers, offering a snapshot of American cinematic taste at the end of the decade.
The YouGov survey classifies actors by binary sex and gender. Stacker’s analysis weighted the data to generate a national popularity index. Freeman, for example, earned an 85 % approval rating, while DiCaprio was liked by 68 %. The report also records the proportion of respondents who disliked or held neutral views, offering a fuller picture of public sentiment.
The top five names are household‑recognizable figures who have remained active into the 2020s. Freeman, with an 85 % approval rating, continues to lend his voice and presence to new projects, most notably the 2025 sequel Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and the 2025 television series Special Ops: Lioness. Samuel L. Jackson, liked by 81 % of respondents, keeps appearing in high‑profile work, including the 2023 Marvel film Avengers: Doomsday. Robin Williams, who passed away in 2014, retains an 80 % approval rating, a testament to his lasting influence through films such as Dead Poets Society and Good Will Hunting. Denzel Washington, also at 80 %, remains active in both film and television, starring in the 2025 drama The Iceman and the 2025 television series The Family Stallone. Harrison Ford, with a 78 % approval rating, headlines major releases, most recently the 2025 Marvel film Captain America: Brave New World and the 2025 television series 1923.
Mid‑tier actors—those ranked 10th to 30th—illustrate the breadth of the American film landscape. Keanu Reeves, liked by 77 % of respondents, leads the 2025 John Wick spin‑off Ballerina and the 2025 action‑thriller Good Fortune. Robert Downey Jr., also at 77 %, returned to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the 2023 film Avengers: Doomsday and is slated to reprise his role as Victor von Doom in the 2026 Avengers: Doomsday. Ryan Gosling, with a 70 % approval rating, appears in the 2026 sci‑fi adventure Project Hail Mary and the 2023 blockbuster Barbie.
The lower half of the list—actors such as John Goodman (68 %), Ryan Reynolds (68 %), and Tom Selleck (68 %)—highlights performers who have sustained long‑term careers across multiple media. Goodman, known for his role as Dan Conner on Roseanne and The Conners, voiced Papa Smurf in the 2025 Smurfs reboot. Reynolds, a leading figure in comedy and superhero films, reprised his role as Deadpool in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine. Selleck, famed for Magnum, P.I., continues to appear in television dramas such as Blue Bloods.
The list also includes actors whose recent work has been notable for its cultural or industry impact. Leonardo DiCaprio, liked by 68 % of respondents, starred in the 2025 film One Battle After Another, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in March 2026, and remains active as a producer and environmental activist. The inclusion of actors from different eras—such as Robin Williams, who died in 2014, and contemporary stars like Keanu Reeves—demonstrates the survey’s breadth and the enduring influence of these performers.
Overall, the 2024 YouGov‑based ranking underscores the sustained popularity of a diverse group of male actors in the United States. The list reflects both the longevity of established stars and the continued relevance of newer performers, offering a snapshot of American cinematic taste at the end of the decade.