The 1980s were the decade of big hair, bigger shoulder pads, and even bigger movies. Following the New Hollywood era of the 1960s and ’70s, the ’80s saw a return to studio-driven productions. The modern blockbuster shaped during these 10 years, thanks to films like E.T. the Extra-terrestrial and the last two entries in the original Star Wars trilogy.
As expected, many actors rose to prominence during this time and are thus closely associated with the decade. These performers defined the ’80s, starring in some of the period’s most successful and iconic pictures and earning their place among Hollywood’s brightest stars.
Denzel Washington
This year, Denzel Washington might earn his ninth Oscar nomination for The Tragedy of Macbeth, cementing him as one of the greatest actors in Hollywood history. The revered performer rose to prominence in the 1980s with his role in the acclaimed medical drama St. Elsewhere.
Washington then transitioned to the big screen with roles in movies like A Soldier’s Story and For Queen and Country. For his performance in Richard Attenborough’s Cry Freedom, Washington earned his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He’d win the award two years later for his role in 1989’s Glory.
Tom Hanks
Few actors are as beloved or respected as Tom Hanks. The actor is pretty much America’s male sweetheart, an unbelievably charismatic and consistent performer who never disappoints. Although Hanks’ true success would solidify in the 1990s, the actor rose to prominence in the ’80s thanks to two films that are now considered classics.
In 1984, Hanks starred opposite Darryl Hannah in Ron Howard’s Splash, a massive box office hit that turned him into a star. Four years later, he played one of his most iconic roles, Josh Baskin, in Penny Marshall’s fantasy comedy Big. Both films contributed to Hanks’ star-persona, which would turn him into one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the ’90s.
Robin Williams
Arguably the best comedian of the ’80s and ’90s, Robin Williams was also a remarkably versatile actor. He had a unique gift for voices and faces and a truly spectacular ability for improvisation. Following his big-screen debut in 1980’s Popeye, Williams starred in several movies which had middling box office results.
Things changed in 1987 with the release of Good Morning, Vietnam, a massive critical and commercial success that earned him his first Oscar nomination. Further acclaim followed in 1989 with Dead Poets Society, for which he received a second Oscar nod. Williams would continue his success into the ’90s and the new millennium and remained a beloved figure in entertainment until his tragic passing in 2014.
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro began the 1980s by winning his second Oscar for his now-iconic work in the Martin Scorsese-directed Raging Bull. De Niro was already an Oscar winner thanks to his supporting role in 1974’s The Godfather Part II and had already starred in some of his most iconic films, including Taxi Driver and The Deer Hunter.
De Niro’s career kept thriving in the 1980s, cementing his legacy as one of the decade’s most critically acclaimed actors thanks to films like The King of Comedy and Once Upon a Time in America. The actor also carved a place for himself as a box office draw with hits like The Untouchables and Midnight Run.
Kurt Russell
Although he began as a Disney child actor in the ’60s and ’70s, Kurt Russell became an A-list superstar in the ’80s. Russell established himself as an action hero with 1981’s Escape from New York, beginning a long-term collaboration with writer-director John Carpenter. Russell would later star in what is arguably Carpenter’s best ’80s movie, The Thing, followed by another action-adventure, 1986’s Big Trouble in Little China.
Russell also lent his voice to the Disney animated classic The Fox and the Hound and received critical praise for his supporting turn in 1983’s Silkwood. He would end the decade with another commercial success, the buddy cop comedy Tango & Cash, opposite Sylvester Stallone.
Jack Nicholson
Like De Niro, Jack Nicholson was already an Oscar winner by the ’80s. He won the Oscar for his performance in 1975’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and starred in some of the decade’s most iconic films, including Chinatown.
Still, the ’80s only enhanced the legend of Jack Nicholson. In 1980, he starred in the Stephen King classic The Shining, followed by supporting roles in Reds and Terms of Endearment, both of which earned him Oscar nominations. He won for the latter. Further critical acclaim came with Prizzi’s Honor and Ironweed, while commercial success arrived with The Witches of Eastwick. Nicholson ended the decade by starring in one of his most iconic roles, Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989’s Batman, a massive critical and commercial success.
Michael Douglas
The son of legendary actor Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas has talent running through his veins. He gathered critical praise during the ’70s and even won an Oscar for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. However, he rose to stardom in the ’80s, thanks to the two-punch of Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, which cemented him as a leading man.
In 1987, Douglas starred in two films that have come to represent the 1980s as a whole, Fatal Attraction and Wall Street, one of the greatest films about money. For his role as Gordon Gekko in the latter, Douglas won the Oscar for Best Actor. The actor ended the decade reteaming with Kathleen Turner for Danny DeVito’s The War of the Roses, another box office smash.
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson might be the subject of huge controversy nowadays, but there’s no denying he was one of the biggest icons in the ’80s. He began the decade with a sequel to The Road Warrior, Mad Max 2, and gathered critical acclaim for his turn in The Year of Living Dangerously opposite Sigourney Weaver.
However, his true success came in the second half of the decade, starting with 1985’s Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. After a two-year absence, Gibson returned with Lethal Weapon, a massive box office success that spawned three sequels and cemented Gibson as one of Hollywood’s ultimate action stars.
Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise’s rise to stardom was meteoric. The actor rose to prominence in 1983 thanks to two movies, Risky Business and The Outsiders. However, in 1986, he rose to the A-list, achieving superstardom with Top Gun and garnering critical acclaim with The Color of Money.
1988 would give Cruise another hit, Rain Man, the highest-grossing movie of the year. The actor would close the decade with a win at the Golden Globes and his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of war veteran Ron Kovic in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July. Nowadays, Cruise is a bonafide icon and arguably the greatest action star in the world, but it all began during the colorful ’80s.
Harrison Ford
No male star did the ’80s better than Harrison Ford. Following his breakthrough in 1977’s Star Wars, Ford began the decade reprising the role of Han Solo in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, followed by 1983’s Return of the Jedi. Ford also had another major franchise at the time, playing the now-iconic role of Indiana Jones, starting with 1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. The actor would play Indy twice again during the ’80s.
Ford also starred in several classics, including Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, Peter Wier’s The Mosquito Coast, and Mike Nichols’ Working Girl. Not many people remember that Ford even received an Oscar nomination in the ’80s for his role in Witness. The actor would continue his successful career into the ’90s and the new millennium, but he was the undisputed king of the ’80s.