Greatest Film Performances by Year (US/UK) (Revision Version)

[Tim]

2010-2019
2000-2009
1990-1999
1980-1989
1970-1979
1960-1969
1950-1959
1940-1949
1928-1939

2024
1. Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
2. Mikey Madison - Anora
3. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths
4. Demi Moore - The Substance
5. Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
6. Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
7. Daniel Craig - Queer
8. Ariana Grande - Wicked
9. Yura Borisov - Anora
10. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked

11. Margaret Qualley - The Substance
12. Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
13. Nicole Kidman - Babygirl
14. Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
15. Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
16. Danielle Deadwyler - The Piano Lesson
17. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor - Nickel Boys
18. Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
19. Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
20. Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice

2023
1. Emma Stone - Poor Things
2. Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer
3. Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon
4. Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers
5. Da’Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers
6. Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer
7. Ryan Gosling - Barbie
8. Leonardo DiCaprio - Killers of the Flower Moon
9. Charles Melton - May December
10. Greta Lee - Past Lives

11. Carey Mulligan - Maestro
12. Bradley Cooper - Maestro
13. Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
14. Andrew Scott - All of Us Strangers
15. Mark Ruffalo - Poor Things
16. Margot Robbie - Barbie
17. Jeffrey Wright - American Fiction
18. Robert De Niro - Killers of the Flower Moon
19. Natalie Portman - May December
20. Julianne Moore - May December

2022
1. Cate Blanchett - Tár
2. Brendan Fraser - The Whale
3. Michelle Yeoh - Everything Everywhere All at Once
4. Colin Farrell - The Banshees of Inisherin
5. Ke Huy Quan - Everything Everywhere All at Once
6. Brendan Gleeson - The Banshees of Inisherin
7. Kerry Condon - The Banshees of Inisherin
8. Paul Mescal - Aftersun
9. Danielle Deadwyler - Till
10. Austin Butler - Elvis

11. Barry Keoghan - The Banshees of Inisherin
12. Michelle Williams - The Fabelmans
13. Margot Robbie - Babylon
14. Bill Nighy - Living
15. Stephanie Hsu - Everything Everywhere All at Once
16. Viola Davis - The Woman King
17. Angela Bassett - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
18. Hong Chau - The Whale
19. Dolly de Leon - Triangle of Sadness
20. Brian Tyree Henry - Causeway

2021
1. Kristen Stewart - Spencer
2. Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog
3. Daniel Kaluuya - Judas and the Black Messiah
4. Denzel Washington - The Tragedy of Macbeth
5. Andrew Garfield - tick, tick... BOOM!
6. Will Smith - King Richard
7. Olivia Colman - The Lost Daughter
8. Nicholas Cage - Pig
9. Jessica Chastain - The Eyes of Tammy Faye
10. Kodi Smit McPhee - The Power of the Dog

11. Troy Kotsur - CODA
12. Ariana DeBose - West Side Story
13. Andre Day - The United States Vs. Billie Holiday
14. Kirsten Dunst - The Power of the Dog
15. Ann Dowd - Mass
16. Simon Rex - Red Rocket
17. Alana Haim - Licorice Pizza
18. Jesse Buckley - The Lost Daughter
19. Lakeith Stanfield - Judas and the Black Messiah
20. Peter Dinklage - Cyrano

2020
1. Anthony Hopkins - The Father
2. Frances McDormand - Nomadland
3. Chadwick Boseman - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
4. Carey Mulligan - Promising Young Woman
5. Viola Davis - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
6. Vanessa Kirby - Pieces of a Woman
7. Youn Yuh-jung - Minari
8. Gary Oldman - Mank
9. Steven Yeun - Minari
10. Leslie Odom Jr. - One Night in Miami…

11. Delroy Lindo - Da 5 Bloods
12. Maria Bakalova - Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
13. Olivia Colman - The Father
14. Amanda Seyfried - Mank
15. Ellen Burstyn - Pieces of a Woman
16. Sidney Flanigan - Never Rarely Sometimes Always
17. Elisabeth Moss - The Invisible Man
18. Sacha Baron Cohen - The Trial of the Chicago 7
19. Andy Samberg - Palm Springs
20. Jessie Buckley - I’m Thinking of Ending Things

2011 (update)
1. Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
2. Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
3. Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
4. Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn
5. Michael Fassbender - Shame
6. George Clooney - The Descendants
7. Albert Brooks - Drive
8. Jean Dujardin - The Artist
9. Ryan Gosling - Drive
10. Viola Davis - The Help

11. Michael Shannon - Take Shelter
12. Elizabeth Olsen - Martha Marcy May Marlene
13. Kirsten Dunst - Melancholia
14. Octavia Spencer - The Help
15. Brendan Gleeson - The Guard
16. Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin
17. Demián Bichir - A Better Life
18. Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaids
19. Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
20. Nick Nolte - Warrior

2010 (update)
1. Natalie Portman - Black Swan
2. Christian Bale - The Fighter
3. Colin Firth - The King's Speech
4. Melissa Leo - The Fighter
5. Jesse Eisenberg - The Social Network
6. Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone
7. James Franco - 127 Hours
8. Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine
9. Robert Duvall - Get Low
10. Annette Bening - The Kids Are All Right

11. Geoffrey Rush - The King's Speech
12. Christopher Plummer - Beginners
13. Carey Mulligan - Never Let Me Go
14. Ryan Gosling - Blue Valentine
15. Leonardo DiCaprio - Shutter Island
16. Hailee Steinfeld - True Grit
17. Mark Ruffalo - The Kids Are All Right
18. Mila Kunis - Black Swan
19. Jeff Bridges - True Grit
20. Julianne Moore - The Kids Are All Right

1940 (update)
1. Charlie Chaplin - The Great Dictator
2. Henry Fonda - The Grapes of Wrath
3. Katharine Hepburn - The Philadelphia Story
4. James Stewart - The Philadelphia Story
5. Laurence Olivier - Rebecca
6. Joan Fontaine - Rebecca
7. Bette Davis - The Letter
8. Cary Grant - His Girl Friday
9. Rosalind Russell - His Girl Friday
10. Ginger Rogers - Kitty Foyle

11. Cary Grant - The Philadelphia Story
12. Martha Scott - Our Town
13. James Stewart - The Shop Around the Corner
14. Raymond Massey - Abe Lincoln in Illinois
15. Margaret Sullavan - The Shop Around the Corner
16. John Carradine - The Grapes of Wrath
17. Walter Brennan - The Westerner
18. W.C. Fields - The Bank Dick
19. Jane Darwell - The Grapes of Wrath
20. James Stephenson - The Letter

[Dubrow555]

Great! Thanks Tim.

[Tim]

I remember us agreeing a while ago that Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story got a little overrated and arguably does not belong over Charlie Chaplin and Henry Fonda on the 1940 list.

[Tim]

A top 10 draft plus some other candidates for 2024:

1. Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
2. Mikey Madison - Anora
3. Nicole Kidman - Babygirl
4. Demi Moore - The Substance
5. Yura Borisov - Anora
6. Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
7. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths
8. Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
9. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
10. Daniel Craig - Queer

Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
Danielle Deadwyler - The Piano Lesson
Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
Stanley Tucci - Conclave
Jesse Plemons - Kinds of Kindness
Gabriel LaBelle - Saturday Night
Denzel Washington - Gladiator II
Angelina Jolie - Maria
Pamela Anderson - The Last Showgirl
Ariana Grande - Wicked
Jonathan Bailey - Wicked
Hugh Grant - Heretic
Margaret Qualley - The Substance
Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice

[Dubrow555]

I remember us agreeing a while ago that Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story got a little overrated and arguably does not belong over Charlie Chaplin and Henry Fonda on the 1940 list.

I remember this as well, and would also support the change.

[Dubrow555]

Tim...you beat me to the punch!! Here is my draft:

1. Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
2. Mikey Madison - Anora
3. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths
4. Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
5. Demi Moore - The Substance
6. Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
7. Daniel Craig - Queer
8. Ariana Grande - Wicked
9. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
10. Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown

11. Margaret Qualley - The Substance
12. Yura Borisov - Anora
13. Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
14. Danielle Deadwyler - The Piano Lesson
15. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor - Nickel Boys
16. Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
17. Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
18. Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
19. Hugh Grant - Heretic
20. Denzel Washington - Gladiator II

[Tim]

Not saying she should be necessary as high as I had her but given her wins at Venice Film Festival and National Board of Reviews Awards I'd say Kidman is a top 20 lock at least, top 10 I'd say.

[Dubrow555]

I know what...I think you are right. I currently have her + Jolie just outside the top 20. My initial perception was that Kidman (and Jolie as well) is one of the biggest stars in the world and has a natural advantage. I didn't really see this performance as some of the best of her career (also her missing a SAG nomination was a bit suspicious), but I could see her in the top 20.

[Dubrow555]

Here's also my list of contenders/honorable mentions (no particular order):

-Angelina Jolie - Maria
-Nicole Kidman - Babygirl
-Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
-Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice
-Sebastian Stan - A Different Man
-Amy Adams - Nightbitch
-Lily-Rose Depp - Nosferatu
-Pamela Anderson - The Last Showgirl
-Zendaya - Challengers
-Natasha Lyonne - His Three Daughters
-Jesse Plemmons - Kinds of Kindness
-Anya Taylor-Joy - Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
-Timothée Chalamet - Dune: Part Two
-Stanley Tucci - Conclave
-Mark Eydelshteyn - Anora
-Dev Patel - Monkey Man
-Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown


*Ineligible: all performances from “Emilia Pérez” + “I’m Still Here”

Performances from 2023: “Sing Sing” + “Hit Man”

[Dubrow555]

Also, also - how would you feel about this update for 2023?:

2023
1. Emma Stone - Poor Things
2. Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer
3. Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon
4. Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers
5. Da’Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers
6. Robert Downey Jr. - Oppenheimer
7. Ryan Gosling - Barbie
8. Leonardo DiCaprio - Killers of the Flower Moon
9. Charles Melton - May December
10. Greta Lee - Past Lives

11. Carey Mulligan - Maestro
12. Bradley Cooper - Maestro
13. Colman Domingo - Sing Sing
14. Andrew Scott - All of Us Strangers
15. Mark Ruffalo - Poor Things
16. Margot Robbie - Barbie
17. Jeffrey Wright - American Fiction
18. Robert De Niro - Killers of the Flower Moon
19. Natalie Portman - May December
20. Julianne Moore - May December

In other words: Colman Domingo has been replaced by............................Colman Domingo

[Tim]

Another case of notable performances which are ineligible is Tilda Swinton & Julianne Moore in The Room Next Door as it's an English-language Spanish film.

[Tim]

I am good with your 2023 update, Dubrow.

[Dubrow555]

TY - Tim

[Tim]

Discuss:

1. Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
2. Mikey Madison - Anora
3. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths
4. Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
5. Demi Moore - The Substance
6. Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
7. Yura Borisov - Anora
8. Ariana Grande - Wicked
9. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
10. Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown

11. Daniel Craig - Queer
12. Nicole Kidman - Babygirl
13. Margaret Qualley - The Substance
14. Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
15. Danielle Deadwyler - The Piano Lesson
16. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor - Nickel Boys
17. Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice
18. Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice
19. Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
20. Felicity Jones - The Brutalist

[Dubrow555]

So this was my most recent update, which is pretty similar to your list:

1. Adrien Brody - The Brutalist
2. Mikey Madison - Anora
3. Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hard Truths
4. Demi Moore - The Substance
5. Ralph Fiennes - Conclave
6. Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain
7. Daniel Craig - Queer
8. Ariana Grande - Wicked
9. Cynthia Erivo - Wicked
10. Yura Borisov - Anora

11. Margaret Qualley - The Substance
12. Nicole Kidman - Babygirl
13. Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown
14. Guy Pearce - The Brutalist
15. Isabella Rossellini - Conclave
16. Felicity Jones - The Brutalist
17. Danielle Deadwyler - The Piano Lesson
18. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor - Nickel Boys
19. Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown
20. Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice

21. Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice
22. Hugh Grant - Heretic
23. Angelina Jolie - Maria
24. Denzel Washington - Gladiator II
25. Sebastian Stan - A Different Man
26. Pamela Anderson - The Last Showgirl
27. Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown
28. Mark Eydelshteyn - Anora
29. Amy Adams - Nightbitch
30. Zendaya - Challengers

[Tim]

Anyone besides myself and Dubrow plans submitting a list?