Best leading male actor (still young)

Actually, I've always thought of Matt Damon as you described Christian B. above (yes, we're on good terms).

I was very surprised by Matty D. (we're good buds too) in The Bourne Identity and The Talented Mr. Ripley

not sure if he'll be typecast here on out, but Javier Bardem was freakin' kick ass in No Country.

also not young but fairly new (at least new to me since LotR), Viggo Mortensen. he was awesome in History of Violence and Eastern Promises is on my list.

-Jeff

i dont have an answer but i think matt damon is an awesome actor.

Plus, unlike american actors trying to fake british accents, his american accent is so good most people don't know he's from the uk. He's a great actor.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Ryan Gosling
Paul Dano

few others
... same answer I always give in the numerous threads that have asked this.

+1 on Ryan Gosling. He was incredible in Fracture

With my avatar and all I probably should agree with that....hes ok...but di caprio is also pretty cool I think, maybe my next avatar:

I'm definitely on the Bale train. Other favorites of mine include: Emile Hirsch- Has done some really good work post-"Girl Next Door" Ben Foster- Anyone catch "3:10 to Yuma"? He was the "Damn, who is this guy? He's good" actor in it.

Emile Hirsch definitely has potential. He shone even in a crap movie like Alpha Dog.

Javier Bardem isn't exactly "young," but he rocks. The Spanish Brando.

For comedies, I think Jonah Hill and Michael Cera have a lot of potential.

Not really a big fan of Damon, i liked him in Good Will Hunting though. DiCaprio is a decent actor but I don't think he quite has that focused, implosive intensity some of the actors he models himself after have (ie. old school De Niro). Was very good in 'Catch Me If You Can' though.

Wondering if we'll ever have another young Pacino, Nicholson, De Niro, or even Depp....doesn't seem too likely.

oh yeah also add Josh Brolin to my favorite actors, he murdered the game in 2007.

I would like to see Edward Furlong in more roles.

that's an interesting point. i have a feeling if he had picked his career back up at this stage he could've been an actor in the vein of dicaprio, hirsch...

Christian Bale as OP mentioned is great.

My old classmate's last name was Furlong. Being listed in the LA phonebook, he used to get phone calls at all hours of the day when T2 came out.

Bingo. And Ben Foster, who played opposite, did a fantastic job, too. That film was really about what either would do in the following scene.

Joseph Gordon Levitt

I lament the dearth of decadent pervert actors--the type of actors who were louche, ambiguously sexual and dripping with psychological issues.