Dominic West

Many actors play drunk in a really ridiculous over the top manner. They look like they're either falling asleep, pulling silly faces, moving clumsily, prat falling, acting crazy or all of these combined.

I've just been watching The Wire and goddamn, I swear Dominic West (as Jimmy McNulty) looks genuinely tanked up in numerous scenes...and different stages of drunk.

Like we have him thanking a colleague Greggs at her door late at night, out of the blue. Her girlfriend says there's a 'confused looking white boy at the door'. And when we see him, he looks like he's just been out all night and entered the sombre thankful stage of inebriation after the night's escapades - and even has a sheepish grin creeping on his reddened face while he's thanking her.

The scenes with his best pal Bunk where they're just drinking at the bar and chatting shit feel so real and genuine.

There's one scene where McNulty is made to knock back 14 shots, and West is gipping (dry heaving) after various swallows - in a very subtle way, like he's trying to hide it. Afterwards, you can see the discomfort in his face - there's a real pained expression there.

Understandably, the next scene shows him nursing a hangover, he's lolled about on bed and struggling to keep his eyes open while his fuck buddy Rhonda is nagging him to make their relationship official.

Great acting. Best drunk performance as it seems so realistic and not overdone. On top of this, the American accent is very good and never slips.

Edit: Shout out to David Threlfall as Frank on Shameless. Another great drunk performance. We've all met a Frank.