On this day in 1943, Robert de Niro, one of the greatest actors of all time, was born in New York City. I've called De Niro my favorite actor ever since I saw him in the 1995 crime thriller Heat, which I consider my all-time favorite movie. After seeing him play mobster Paul Vitti opposite Billy Crystal in 1999's Analyze This  and the uptight ex-CIA operative Jack Byrnes in the 2000 comedy Meet the Parents, I realized just how versatile and talented De Niro really is. Not every actor can deftly switch from gun-shooting assassin to funnyman like he can. You know an actor is great when he's likable even as a villain. Other memorable roles include the boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull,  for which De Niro won the Oscar for Best Actor; the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II , for which he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor; and creepy loner Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver, where his signature line was "You talking to me?" And that's just ...

How do you know an actor or actress is phenomenal? That's easy. His or her performances should elicit intense emotions in you. You know the person has put in a sensational performance when you find yourself rooting for him or her all throughout. And, if they're playing the role of villain, you know they've done a brilliant job when you hate their living guts and can't wait for the character to pay for what they've done. However, a couple of actors and actresses take this a step further. Some play the role of villain so well that you still admire the character despite his or her evil deeds. Here are two examples: Robert De Niro : There's a reason I call this guy my favorite actor of all time. His uncanny ability to play a mobster or thief in serious action thrillers (e.g. Goodfellas, Casino, The Score, Heat) and play a mobster, cop or agent in comedic flicks (e.g. Analyze This, Meet the Fockers, Showtime) shows how remarkably versatile he is. He is suc...