It's a very different style of performance for one thing. That is not to say Theron wasn't a tour de force - she was. But, so as to understand my decision a bit better, here are a few factors: (1) I take into account the quality of the film. If the movie isn't on par, then rarely do I give the performance its due (unless it's Meryl Streep in Sophie's Choice, for instance). But Sophie's Choice is a solid film, whereas Monster borders on mediocre. It is solely carried by Theron's performance, and that does not work well with me. (2) I do not care for weight loss/gain for any role, it impresses me, but I do not think more highly of a performance because of it. (3) I have a healthy aversion to biopics. Even if the biopic is an artistically rich achievement on its own, it will not really matter to me whether the actor did a good job at evoking the person. I will focus mainly on the way the actor interacts with the lense and the script, not so much on their likeness to the historical figure in question. All that being said, Theron loses some points that helped elevate the performance in the eyes of many, the Academy included. Regardless, she still delivers an incredible performance, one of the best of 2003, and is still a valid choice for anyone to take. It's just that I have a different preference (which has probably changed, the video will be updated soon).

It is evident that I disagree. Though Streisand is a pretty respectable actress

Torn between Emma Stone for Poor Things and Natalie Portman for May December. Lily Gladstone won't make the cut though.

@@georg_couch I'm the same actually. But I did love Gladstone's performance

I've thought occasionally about those two. At the end of the day, I think Olivia de Havilland was the superior actor. Comparing isn't much help, but I do believe that her wide, expressive eyes and her tendency to play darker, more morally gray characters set her apart; the final cut in the Heiress is spine-chilling. Joan Fontaine, however, played in overall better films. She is great as well, just more limited in what she can or cannot do. She had the luck to work with Hitchcock and Opüls. De Havilland has Gone with the Wind as a feather in her cap, but her most memorable performances are in unfortunately less memorable films (often the case with Meryl Streep, one of the best actresses of all time). *That being said, I rewatched the Hours recently and there is a case to be made of Streep's performance in the film being much too underrated.

I've been promising the Best Actor video for two years now and I still haven't gotten around to it. So, I intend to have it finished at some point, but I haven't made it a priority for a long time now, so I wouldn't wait for it adamantly if I were you. However, I will be releasing an update of the Best Actress video soon, years 1927-2023, with a few changes as well (I've changed through this time, and so have some of my choices - or music). As far as 2023 goes, I haven't watched much if I'm perfectly honest. I did watch Barbie, though I am not a big admirer of that film (Margot Robbie however may deliver her finest performance to date in it). Poor Things looks very promising. I adore the book by Alasdair Gray, and I do love Lanthimos so I have high expectations here.

Ellen Burstyn delivers her finest performance in Requiem for a Dream (and in her case, that is quite something). I was very frustrated with the realisation that she wasn't ever my choice - that being said, Maggie Cheung in In the Mood for Love is a timeless take, I couldn't resist it. As far as Penélope Cruz goes, I thought she was mesmerising. Her role in the film is somewhat of a femme fatale with a reality check. Having said that, I'm no longer certain I would still choose her. It's been some time since I worked on this project, and in hindsight I think I prefer her in Volver - she was simply magical in that. My 2009 choice would probably change if I were to update this video. I'm generally an admirer of Cruz's work, though I do think her Spanish-language career is far more prolific and multilayered than her work in English. That isn't her fault. I think there are very very few fully fledged and three-dimensional roles for Latinas in Hollywood (even her Oscar win was a bit on the nose, though she was great in that film).

I agree on JLC, though I did love Frances McDormand in Nomadland. As far as Carey Mulligan goes, I consider her one of the best actresses of her generation and I seriously considered a lot of her performances; I regard her performance in Promising Young Woman highly, though I was a tiny bit disappointed by the film itself. She may be placing #2 ion that year. I think she is my choice for supporting in 2011, for both Shame (phenomenal performance) and Drive (though Jessica Chastain in Tree of Life offers some competition). An Education was a glowing break-out, star turn from her, but 2009 had some other performances I would prioritise (e.g. Charlotte Gainsbourg in Antichrist). I haven't watched She Said, so I don't really know where I would rank that performance. I generally intend to update that video when I manage to begin working on these projects again, so I will rewatch some of her films to make sure.

I'm so sorry I failed to understand that the best actresses out there are all American.

Sissy Spacek is a wonderful actress. The only year she comes close to getting it, in my mind, is 1976. You could either pick her for Carrie, or Faye Dunaway for Network (as I did). She is also my 3rd choice for 1977, for her performance in Robert Altman's 3 Women (only surpassed by Diane Keaton for Annie Hall, and her co-star, Shelley Duvall). Her actual Oscar win, however, pales in comparison to her work with the American New Wave auteurs of the 70's. I even like her better in In the Bedroom.

Interesting thought. I found her breathtaking, especially so early on in her career. Natalie Portman however was transcendent. I think Portman's work would rank quite high if I were to make a list of best performances on film, all time. What was it that you considered so wonderful jn Lawrence's performance, yet lacking in Portman's?

@@georg_couch a mix of quiet sternness and adolescent vulnerability. That was actually quite a good year. We have Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine, then from overseas, Juliette Binoche in Certified Copy and that great Korean actress in Lee Chang-dong's Poetry. All of these performances boast great subduedness and showsmanship all at once. If J Law is my pick, it's simply because of the inner resilence displayed. It's like a novelty among those expert performances that I just listed.

@@thejohnnth it was indeed a great, great year. To be honest, if I didn't go for Natalie Portman I'd be flip flopping Michelle Williams and Juliette Binoche (they are #2 and #3, depending on the day). Jennifer Lawrence would be my 4th choice, probably. The actress from Poetry was also mesmerising. These are five wonderful displays of acting (even Nicole Kidman who wouldn't make my cut was equally great). As far as 2010 goes, I could sort of agree with any of those choices. My personal favourite is actually Juliette Binoche, but that is also because I am a great admirer of Certified Copy, and consider it to be one of the most unique, genius, disarming works of 21st century postmodernist cinema.

@@georg_couch yes, 2010 was a fantastic year for female performances. The other year that I could think of that was so replete with great female roles was perhaps 2002. Diane Lane would be my pick for that year. But then, that would do Moore some injustice, so I would give Moore the award in 1995 instead. But then, I love Nicole Kidman as well, so she would be my 1996 winner. Or I could give them a tie in 1999. Everything can go wild in your mind when you want to imagine this stuff. You want to spread the wealth, deflate some overrated performances and glorify some oddball choices in your alternate universe.

@@thejohnnth haha that's true, the math of it and your creative freedom, it's quite addictive. Diane Lane was mesmerising, but I thought Unfaithful as a film had some weaknesses. I think, overall the best years for female performances are far and away: 1962 (Moreau, Monica Vitti, Anna Karina, Anna Magnani, the actress from Varda's Cléo, Bette Davis, Anne Bancroft) 1991 (Gong Li, Juliette Binoche, Irène Jacob, Jodie Foster, Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis) 2001 (Isabelle Huppert, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Audrey Tautou, Halle Berry, Sissy Spacek)

I've pretty much disagreed with 90% of the Academy's choices, and yet I picked Vivien Leigh for both of her Oscar winning performances. That says something in and of itself - her work aged like a fine wine, much better than most of her peers'. The characters she played, they align with a very postmodern idea of feminity and womanhood, one that defies morality, purity and pathos as the core elements of the female experience (if I'm allowed to use that term). She played flawed, unlikeable, controversial characters and ingrained such life in them. Her heroines are conflicting, evasive, vulnerable, real. Dare I say even more so than the quintessential Bette Davis bad bitch (and I love Bette Davis). I think in Streetcar she is superior to Marlon Brando (even if his performance is more significant historically speaking). Should you think of it, she has cemented her place in cinematic history with, in fact, no more than two performances. I can't bring myself to choose, but one of those masterclasses deserves a place in the top ten of all time.

You're right to an extent. I thought about it, but eventually I didn't opt for it because I thought it would take away from the video's aesthetic value. I'm sorry if you felt lost somehow.

@@georg_couch I don’t feel lost, just shortchanged on some of them. You are the author, and the beneficiary of ad revenue, so I bow to you.

@@DiogenesLantern it should be noted, I cannot benefit financially from ad revenue, due to the related laws over here. I'm afraid KZfaq is the only one gaining from ads in my video.

Yes! I thought that too

I stress it in the title (it spells DESERVERS, in all caps) and in the description that this is merely my personal opinion on who should have won.

Yes, that was my intention. I mean, if I didn't like them I wouldn't pick them. Is there a 'type' of performance you think I left out?

That's an interesting question. I didn't like Sandra Bullock at all. Reese Witherspoon wasn't a valid enough choice (she was really good though, performance wise). I didn't like Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady AT ALL. It was a very mediocre film, and not Streep's best performance. I didn't like Renée Zellweger. Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovitch was horrible. I don't think Jennifer Lawrence was a good choice, but I don't hate her performance as much as most people - I think she was really good, just not Oscar worthy. Those are pretty much the most underwhelming ones I can recall. Would you like me to go even further back down the line? How about you?

I’ve watched 16 Bedt Actress winners so far and my least favorite are: -Jessica Lange (she is a fantastic actress but her performance in this film was forgettable for me. Blue Sky was also my least favorite film out of those 16) -Nicole Kidman (her performance was ok but she didn’t have a chance to fully shine with very limited screen time) -Helen Hunt (not an Oscar-worthy performance imo) -Frances McDormand (it was a supporting role for me. Fargo deserved the award for screenplay but Frances’ acting wasn’t the most memorable thing in this film) From the films that you mentioned I watched Erin Brockovich and I think that it was a very solid performance by Julia Roberts. Ellen Burstyn could have been slightly more deserving but that win was far from the worst imo. If you would like to go further I will be very happy to know your opinion. Ps. I’ll probably watch The Blind Side in a few days so I can give you an update on that one

@@piotrserwicki531 you will hate the Blind Side, as most people. Well, truth be told, I loved Frances McDormand in Fargo - it was a tone perfect, pitch black comedic performance. Her timing was impeccable and there were moments of crisis and palpable sensitivity that gave the film more texture. Nicole Kidman was mesmerising as Virginia Wolf, but there was stronger competition that same year (or even perhaps in that same film). I really liked both Helen Hunt and Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets, though neither of those performances were Oscar worthy by any account. Jessica Lange in Blue Sky was horrendous, the only reason she won was because 1994 was one of the weakest years in Academy history as far as Best Leading Actress goes, and most notable performances were not nominated (Three Colours: Red, Chungking Express, The Queen Margot, Heavenly Creatures).

I haven’t watched The Blind Side yet, but I’ve recently seen “Judy”. The film was nothing special- typical biopic. However, Zellweger’s performance was the best thing about it imo- she seemed to really commit to that role and I found it believable. I liked it better than e.g. Emma Stone in La La Land

While making this video I really got to consider some of these performances. They're all note worthy, wonderful works. Thank you for your input.

Not yet. 2021 is a tricky year. I have some thoughts. I will come to it when I update this (I would have done so sooner, but I try to discipline myself into completing the Best Actor project, which is a challenge). What are your thoughts?

@@georg_couch Honestly, same as what you said before - either Kristen Stewart or Tilda Swinton. I also really liked the actress in Shiva Baby

@@danlippershey380 OH YES. You're the one I had discussed that with. I'm also interested in checking out the performance of the leading actress in the Underground Railroad.

I don't think it's her best to be honest. It is, however, pitch perfect in its tone, timing and delicious twists. I'd definitely rank it within her top five best performances. What I find funny is how this "turn-of-the-screw" portrayal of the plastic blonde archetype actually precedes its predominance in popular culture and media during the early 2000's (Clueless, Legally Blonde etc). It's as if the deconstruction of the trope came before the trope's wider spread (however, I'll admit Legally Blonde et al are deconstructive in their own way - not genre wise though).

AHAHA please do explain yourself. Ok so I disagree with some of these, particularly I would like some sort of explanation with regards to Michelle Pfeiffer (iconic, of course, but I'm not sure if that's enough) and the one you promised. My instinct was to ask more about the Jennifer Aniston pick HOWEVER I haven't seen that film, so you may as well be right. Besides these minor disagreements, I love your choice of Franke Potente in Run Lola Run, I seriously considered her as well. I'm a big admirer of Dogville and Kidman's work in it, and of course Tung Wei in Lust, Caution, PLEASE that film is mesmerising, I adore it. And the duelling performances are absolutely hypnotic.

@@georg_couch In regards to Pfeifer, I think it's an incredible balancing act of character and tone shifts. She goes through drastic changes throughout her arc, and manages to walk the fine line between camp and pathos. As for Ridley, my appreciation for her work stems from how much she adds to what little she was given. I love charismatic "star" performances, and for me she was able to bring a lot in terms of pure screen presence. (A shame Abrams screwed her over for a good arc-closer because he was scared of fanboys.) Okay, admittedly I haven't seen Aniston in over a decade, but I remember being shocked at a what a lived-in, nuanced performance it was from an actress I usually don't think either of those things about. I admit, I like to boost a lot of performances that aren't considered "Oscar-y" for one reason or another, like comedic roles or start-turns, genre movies, or something wildly against type. Hell, I have a few voice performances I've given wins and nominations to (Ride or die on Eartha Kitt as Yzma for 2000 Supporting Actress). I'm also super adverse to most biopic performances. (Portman in Jackie was baffling for to experience, I usually don't like her that much and thought she sounded like Eric Cartman in the trailers. Granted, I could switch to Arrival!Adams or Bening that year) As for disagreements: Believe me, I raised an eyebrow or two at some of yours, but I love how many foreign language performances you have. Obviously mine is lacking there, and I'm trying to remedy it. I just love reading people's lists and tastes. Yours is great because of how much thought was put into it beyond stan-mentality and "Well, let's just pick one of the nominees". If you want weirder, just ask me about my Best Actor picks. I have at least 5 "WTF are you thinking?" choices there.

@@koook160 ok I get that. Pfeiffer was really great indeed, and I am rather surprised that I didn't notice the tone shifts before. And she did her own stunts, which is a plus. I think I get what you're saying. This is precisely the appeal of Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge! It's an excellent performance thanks to balancing out musicality and technique, dancing, romance, heavy dramatic moments and some screwball comedy. It's very similar to what Pfeiffer does. I love Michelle Pfeiffer as an actor, mainly for her esoteric qualities. And despite all that, I didn't even consider her as a runner up for 1992. My mind just never went there. So thank you for opening my eyes to this new perspective, I really appreciate it. Eartha Kitt is a great case study and there is an interesting video essay on her career. I adore her as Yzma, I think she's up there with Robin Williams, Jeremy Irons and the rest of all the great voice work in animated films. I've watched that Starwars film when it came out and then never went back to it. I agree, Ridley has a star quality that quite beguiling and particularly modern. But I don't remember the film or the performance very well - imagine, I haven't watched any of the Star Wars films apart from this one, and I don't even hang out with the guy I watched it with anymore. So it's been some time. I'm seriously considering Lust, Caution, especially because I intend to update this video. But before that, I will need to finish the Best Actor video I have been working on over the past year, so that will take a while. So, please feel free to share your Best Actor picks, because I am actively hunting for suggestions. Research is a very big part of my work with these videos, this is why I picked a lot of foreign performances. So I would love your Best Actor input. Besides that, if you're into niche performances, I can't recommend Julie Walters in Personal Services highly enough. That being said, I await your response.

@@georg_couch I wish KZfaq hadn’t nixed DM’s, I’d have an easier time explaining myself. To summarize my Actor picks, I tend to go with more co-leads than I do with Actress. With Actress my choices are usually front in center in their own movies, whereas with Actor I somehow tend to choose performances that share the limelight and might even be secondary leads instead of primary (Carl Anderson in Jesus Christ Superstar and Brendan Gleeson in In Bruges for example). I have bizarre hangups on the Lead/Supporting debate, and a good chunk of my wins were actually nominated or campaigned in Supporting (Timothy Hutton in 1980, Samuel L. Jackson in 1994, William H. Macey in 1996, Casey Affleck in 2007, Michael Keaton in 2015). As for bizarre, outside-the-box picks, here’s one example: 1983, Keith Gordon in Christine. Sort of because how accidentally well the character aged (eerily predictive of incel behaviors), but I was shocked at what a showcase it was for him. His transformation is less dramatic than I had been led to believe, with the implication from both how plays it and John Carpenter’s framing of him being that his sudden obsession with the car just unlocked something toxic that was always there. I’ve championed this performance with straight face ever since seeing it. I’d give you a more thorough explanation of my tastes and more examples, but I’ll just leave you with the last few years what my choices were: 2010: Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network 2011: Michael Shannon in Take Shelter 2012: Joaquin Phoenix in The Master 2013: Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis 2014: Oscar Isaac in A Most Violent Year 2015: Michael Keaton in Spotlight 2016: Andrew Garfield in Silence 2017: Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out 2018: John C. Reilly in The Sisters Brothers 2019: Antonio Banderas in Pain and Glory 2020: Anthony Hopkins in The Father (by a HAIR over Delroy Lindo) 2021: Hidetoshi Nishijima in Drive My Car 2022: Paul Mescal in Aftersun

@@koook160 I have a very similar take on the Supporting/Leading distinction. Usually, what I tend to go with is "if the performance feels like that of a lead/supporting, then it is." The prime example being Anthony Hopkins of course, but surely some of my picks are a bit short on screen time as well. I'll check out the recommendation. I have a knack for performances that play on the thin line separating comedy from drama. Thank you for sharing your picks with me. I definitely agree with Oscar Isaac, especially as Llewyn Davis, and with Hidetoshi Nishijima for Drive My Car, which was one of last year's best films - it's dripping Wim Wenders influence, and I'm always supportive of that.

THANK YOU so much for your recognition! I'm very happy you felt that this selection highlighted some underseen performances and films - that was precisely its purpose. Faye Dunaway was mesmerising in Chinatown, she's my #2 choice for that year, of course.

Thank you so much. Joan Fontaine was much better than most people give her credit for. I do however believe Olivia de Havilland to have been the superior actor, though Fontaine starred in far better films. Deborah Kerr is just brilliant, she is spectacular. Kerr is by and large my favourite actress of that era (I mean all I can really say is Black Narcissus, From Here to Eternity and The Innocents, I rest my case). Jeanne Moreau is one of my favourite actresses, full stop. Film history wouldn't be the same without her - she literally turnt walking into art.

YES. Judi Dench was outstanding in that. I believe it to be her best performance. Cate Blanchett is wonderful in this as well (you can really sense her character's lack of centre and balance, her mutual nature, a weakness Dench's character cleverly takes advantage of). The only drawback is that they both outshine the overall film.

To be honest, I wasn't head over hills for neither of those performances. In their own way, they were both wonderful pieces of acting. I think Cate Blanchett was heavily promoted for Tar, and from a distance.. I think she was more deserving for Carol. I'm seriously thinking of picking her for 2015 when I update this video. If I'm perfectly honest, I preferred Michelle Yeoh, even though I didn't adore Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, the same way many movie goers did. I wasn't particularly rooting for any film this year, if anything I loved Aftersun. For now, and unless there comes a performance I get really smitten with, my choice would be (for once) the same as the Academy's - Michelle Yeoh.

​@@georg_couch I see. I think the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actor were deserved but the Supporting Actress win feels so off to me. My favourite supporting actress of the year was Carey Mulligan in 'She Said', but she didn't even get nominated.

@@danlippershey380 I do believe Jaimee Lee Curtis was good, but not that good. I don't get why she won. If anything, they should have given it to the actress who played Michelle Yeoh's daughter.