Best Actress Performances of the Decade (with clips!)
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years A Slave
It is rare for someone to burst onto the screen in as incandescent a fashion as Lupita Nyong’o did in 2012’s 12 Years A Slave. The refinement and majesty she brought to the role of Patsey in her feature film debut made her a respected actress from Day 1. There is just something so dignified about this portrayal. Patsey never feels low even in the most threatening circumstances. This was a sliver of the range we later learned she is capable of, but she did so much with that sliver that it is hard to ignore.
Toni Collette, Hereditary
This performance is nuts. Somewhere between the sounds of grief and the effects of demonic possession, Toni Collette transcends the genre. We have seen her play the ‘mom in horror movie’ before with The Sixth Sense, but she is asked to do so much more here. Thankfully, she was up to the challenge and creates an epically horrifying portrait. She makes faces that will be forever etched into my movie brain.
Lady Gaga, A Star Is Born
There is a moment in the film, though it is unclear exactly when, where Gaga’s Ally sheds her self-doubt in favor of a steely resolve to chase her dreams through it all. I say unclear, because this transition is so gradual that you could argue that transformation happens at any number of different moments. The most unsung (no pun intended) element of her performance is that she ably navigates this shift in character in a way that belies the fact that this was her feature film debut. That she manages that while literally keeping the movie on key is tremendous feat.
Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road
Long drive across a barren landscape, moment of reflection, long drive back. That is essentially the plot of Mad Max: Fury Road, but in the more than capable hands of Theron we get just about all you can ask for from every frame. The story was always going to be intriguing, but her steely Sarah Connor-ish vibes imbue the story with stakes and weight that would have been difficult for another actress to pull off.
Tiffany Haddish, Girls Trip
Tiffany Haddish is a star. Before this movie, however, no one knew that. But scene after scene, she nails every joke, dunks on every punchline and made one of [2016’s] biggest hits what it was. It is a supporting performance, but you would struggle to name a favorite scene that she didn’t dominate. By the end of the movie, everyone knew she was a star.
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
The last frame of 45 Years is about as memorable as any I have ever seen. Rampling’s character is at the party for her 45th wedding anniversary, dancing with her husband, when her expression changes to one of exasperation. The weight of the movie’s events has built up scene by scene and she has finally reached her breaking point. That steady flow of angst, regret and shame is doled out in perfect amounts by Rampling in one of the most restrained, but consistently excellent performances you will ever see.
Mya Taylor, Tangerine
It can be hard to play the straight character opposite the performance aimed at the rafters. Performers are routinely swallowed up by their co-stars. But Mya Taylor manages to remain the heart and soul of this film even as Kiki Rodriguez’s Sin-Dee is crushing the film’s comedic beats. She embodies the pain of her character with an uncommon grace that extends the film’s visceral realism. Every choice she makes deepens Sean Baker’s ultimate vision and our understanding of a character with more going on than meets the eye.
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
This movie would belong on The Hallmark Channel without her. Giving a rare performance with something akin to her natural accent, she makes you care about these stakes that otherwise don’t seem all that compelling. Where will she live? Who will she choose? Ronan’s craft makes these choices feel both existential and deeply personal. It is the kind of performance that makes me overjoyed that she is still only 25 years old and has decades of high-caliber work in front of her.
Brooklynn Prince, The Florida Project
Pint sized performances are a dime a dozen. Generally, kids are just asked to be cute and color our impressions of the adults around them. In “The Florida Project,” however, Prince is asked to put the movie on her back—or rather, put the audience in her shoes. And that would be one thing if this were juvenile material. But it is entirely different for a six year old to be expected to carry scenes involving themes some adults can’t grasp. She is not merely a witness; her character is informed by the very adult happenings around her. That she does this, and that the movie is nearly perfect as a result, is a modern movie miracle.
Viola Davis, Fences
Viola Davis is a powerhouse. When she gets a full head of steam, she can deliver unparalleled gravity to a monologue. Fences gave her the opportunity to do just that. In a role that she previously won a Tony for, she gets the chance to chew all of the scenery opposite Denzel Washington and she seizes the moment. Her Best Supporting Actress Oscar was arguably category fraud, but there would have been no denying her regardless of what category she was in. She was all-encompassing.
Sally Field, Hello My Name Is Doris
Sally Field is every bit the legend of anyone on this list, so you always know you will get at least respectable work when she’s on screen. But what she does with this otherwise throw-away project is genuinely special. She plays a hoarder, struggling to adjust to the fact that time has passed her by, but she brings so much more to the quirky role. Trust me when I say you eventually get the emotional heft only a performer of her stature could generate.
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Cate Blanchett is someone who is literally always great. Even when the film around her isn’t very good (Where did you go, Bernadette?), she is generally awe-inspiring. She is the kind of actress you imagine other actresses watching and just thinking “I can’t do that.” This is especially true in this, the best performance of her career, where she is asked to portray mental illness and a certain unraveling at the seams. Her take on this character we have seen versions of several times is nothing short of staggering. The scene linked above is just a taste of the other-worldly chops she brings to the table.
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