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Best Actress Performances of 2023

As was the case last year, 2023 was also the year of actresses as actors had another clunky year. Because so many of these women delivered such amazing work, bringing the list to just five spots and five honorable mentions was tough, but I tried to include both supporting and lead roles as well as both indies and major releases, so here we go.

5. Lily Gladstone – Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon featured strong performances across the board, but it was Lily Gladstone, who was the standout. She sold all of the scenes where the character experienced suffering and anguish, and unlike what many would say, you can deliver a stellar performance even in a passive role like hers. This is a supporting instead of a lead role, but nonetheless Gladstone was the rare ray of sunshine in an otherwise very bleak film.

4. Juliette Binoche – The Taste of Things

The most underrated performance on this list by far, Juliette Binoche killed it once again in The Taste of Things, which is one of the greatest movies of the year. Watching this film, you feel inspired and deeply touched, and this is in no small part thanks to Binoche’s superb work in the main female role. Eugenie is such a wonderful soul and the actress imbued her with so much warmth, kindness and optimism.

3. Carey Mulligan – Maestro

Maestro was made to bring Cooper the Oscar, but for all the talk about his performance, it was surprising to see that Mulligan was the real star of the picture. In a true scene-stealing turn, she channeled all of the frustrations and pain but also bravery of this admirable woman. Mulligan was particularly superb in the third act where her character suffered through cancer. That part of the movie was quite difficult to watch and absolutely heartbreaking, even more so because she was so amazingly believable.

2. Emma Stone – Poor Things

A lot has been said about Emma Stone’s work here and I have to agree that she is absolutely phenomenal. This is one of her most comedic roles to date and she effortlessly sold her character’s brazenly honest personality. It wasn’t easy to basically play a child and then this young woman full of life and vigor, but she was magnetic and believable throughout, eventually delivering what is probably her career-best performance.

1. Sandra Huller – Anatomy of a Hall, The Zone of Interest

There were a couple of superb performances from actresses this year, but it wouldn’t be fair not to put Sandra Huller at number one. She delivered what is possibly the greatest female performance of this year in Anatomy of a Fall. Huller’s performance is so impeccable that she elevated what was already a layered, intriguing role. She sold those intense and emotional scenes effortlessly with particularly potent face acting. She is the star of that superb courtroom drama, but she was also a supporting player in The Zone of Interest, where she excelled playing a cold, competent wife of a Nazi. Huller clearly had the best year of any actor or actress in 2023.

Honorable Mentions:

Greta Lee – Past Lives – Past Lives is such a beautiful, touching romance and Greta Lee delivered such underappreciated work in the moving main role.

Penelope Cruz – Ferrari – While Ferrari wasn’t anything to write home about, Penelope Cruz stole the movie from Adam Driver, being so memorable in such an intriguing role.

Rachel McAdams – Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. – Another underappreciated work on this list, Rachel McAdams was wonderful and so likable as the protagonist’s mother in this underrated coming-of-age flick.

Merve Dizdar – About Dry Grasses – Merve Dizdar was the acting highlight of this Turkish drama in such a terrific, layered and moving performance that rightfully brought her an award at Cannes.

Vanessa Kirby – Napoleon – Napoleon is a needlessly maligned movie that deserved more attention for everything that it did right, especially the character of Josephine. Kirby was so magnetic in the role, easily stealing the movie from Joaquin Phoenix himself.