The Flash: All 5 Barry Allen actors ranked from worst to best

1. Grant Gustin

It shouldn't come as a surprise to see Grant Gustin at the top of this list. With almost 200 episodes of television to his name, nobody knows Barry Allen better than he does, and that makes him unbeatable when it comes to the best versions of the character.

We first met Gustin's Barry all the way back in an episode of Arrow and we all instantly fell in love with him. The prospect of seeing him play the character on his own show was just too exciting, but when The Flash came along, he took it to a whole new level.

There is so much to say about Gustin's portrayal of Barry Allen and not nearly enough space in this article to say it. His mannerisms in those early episodes are nothing short of perfection, as he captures the nerdy, awkward, and yet lovable personality of the character in an instant. He also builds upon that throughout The Flash, showing us how Barry grows without ever really losing sight of who he is.

There is also such a warmth in the way that he plays Barry; he's so naturally endearing that he just makes you root for him. And you do, every single time he is on-screen.

Grant Gustin's charming performance as Barry Allen made us fall in love with him before he put the suit on. When he finally did, there was no turning back; this is the definitive portrayal of The Flash (with or without his mask on).