There were some standout emeble casts in films this year, from One Battle After Another to Sinners, 28 Years Later and The Long Walk; amongst others, sensational character pieces from other films, and really interesting and dark turns for actors like those seen in Bring Her Back, plus potential career-defining moments like The Smashing Machine.

Here are our picks for the 30 Best Movie Performances, the actors who stood out the most in film in 2025.

30.) Miles Caton — Sinners

Playing the film’s most emotional core, newcomer Miles Caton brings vulnerability and intensity to Sinners. His presence reinforces the film’s themes of faith, fear, and moral reckoning, as he plays aspiring blues musician Sammie. An incredible talent who makes an immediate impact with his musical performances.

– Ashley

29.) David Corenswet — Superman

Hope and sincerity drive this portrayal, grounding the superhuman character in human decency. In Superman, David Corenswet delivers a performance built on empathy and the desire to help others, capturing what has made Superman a long-running comic book character in this new DCU.

– Ashley

28.) John Lithgow — Conclave

A sense of institutional weight hangs over every scene, with John Lithgow bringing calm authority and quiet menace to the film’s power struggles. In Conclave, his presence transforms what on paper would appear to be a restrained conversation into a tense, carefully measured confrontation.

– Ashley

27.) Elle Fanning — Predator: Badlands

Elle Fanning is brilliant as Thia, a damaged Weyland-Yutani Corporation synthetic who partners with the Yautja warrior Dek to survive the many dangers of the planet Genna. Fanning plays her with a wonderful excitement about the adventure she is undertaking that is infectious, while proving to these Predators that she is much more than just a tool, as she displays humanity in this very alien world.

– Ashley

26.) Tom Hiddleston — The Life of Chuck

The Life of Chuck is a hard movie to pitch to anyone, and trying to explain where Hiddleston’s character fits into the story is just as hard. He is Chuck in the film, and he’s heavily featured in the film’s second act. Here we meet someone who is somewhat lost in his life, but in the film’s most memorable moment, he grabs onto a beautiful, small moment and makes it unforgettable for everyone watching and in the film.

– Dylan

25.) Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein

In Frankenstein, Guillermo del Toro offers a new vision of the classic story, and with Jacob Elordi playing the monster, he needed someone able to bring the heart and tenderness to the role, which Elordi beautifully does on screen.

– Dylan

24.) Florence Pugh — Thunderbolts

Emotional turmoil and internal conflict power this performance, with Yelena’s desire to find purpose in her life again at the core of the film. In Thunderbolts*, Florence Pugh injects real emotional weight, anchoring the film in something raw and relatable despite being a superhero film.

– Ashley

23.) Cate Blanchett — Black Bag

Cate Blanchett always delivers; I can’t think of a bad performance from the actress. And in Black Bag, she does a tantalizing job of playing the mysterious partner of Michael Fassbender’s character. The two are hiding their secrets in a ‘black bag,’ and as good as Fassbender is in the film, it’s Blanchett whom your eyes will gravitate to every time you see her on screen with such an enchanting presence.

– Dylan

22.) Dwayne Johnson — The Smashing Machine

In his most demanding performance yet, Dwayne Johnson uses his physicality to play the real-life fighter Mark Kerr, dropping all of the comedy/action tropes and Hollywood bravado he’s become known for over the years. It’s by far his best role yet, and a testament to the talent that Johnson has and should focus on in his upcoming roles, as he’s clearly shown he’s able to perform with the emotional vulnerability needed for these sorts of roles.

– Dylan

21.) Nicholas Hoult — Superman

Nicholas Hoult gives us the most comic book-accurate depiction of Lex Luthor to date, clearly getting across the character’s smugness and superiority complex. But what really shone through was his jealousy of Superman, with his explanation of why he wants to kill the Man of Steel, a highlight of the film.

– Ashley

20.) Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another

The screen presence that Teyana Taylor brings to the first act of One Battle After Another is everything that’ll light the first within you for the remainder of the movie. Taylor delivers in this almost prelude segment of the film, which is part of a full character arc, and she eats up every second she gets to be on screen.

– Dylan

19.) Sally Hawkins — Bring Her Back

Sally Hawkins is the emotional backbone of Bring Her Back. A film drenched in the depressive hole someone is caught in with the loss of a loved one, and Hawkins is able to balance the nuanced act of playing someone that’s both OK for those around her, while secretly holding onto the thinnest bit of magical hope within to get her through. It’s an emotionally devastating performance, but one from a powerhouse performer.

– Dylan

18.) David Jonsson — The Long Walk

David Jonsson is great as Pete, one of the 50 kids who have agreed to compete in the titular  Long Walk. His presence injects compassion into a narrative designed to strip it away, make the events that play out all the more cruel.

– Ashley

17.) Cooper Hoffman — The Long Walk

Cooper Hoffman makes the struggle in The Long Walk feel exhausting and real, showing how the challenge wears his character down over time. His performance keeps things grounded, focusing on survival and determination while still displaying humanity and care for his fellow competitors, while keeping his dark motivations close to his chest.

– Ashley

16.) Geoffrey Rush — The Rule of Jenny Penn

One of the year’s most unsettling performances is the look of discomfort and growing pain seen on Geoffrey Rush’s face throughout most of The Rule of Jenny Penn. Here he plays a judge, a man who had power, now left constrained to a home, and relying on the need and help of others on a daily basis, all while another man in the home uses his power to punish and tease others.

– Dylan

15.) Kyle Marvin — Splitsville

Thanks to his willingness to let the awkwardness play out and deliver lines with sincerity rather than seeking the laughs they get anyway, Kyle Marvin in Splitsville is able to play Carey, a confused, almost love-obsessed man, with clarity. One of the year’s funniest performances, at times sad, yet ultimately very relatable for a lot of us.

– Dylan

14.) Jodie Comer — 28 Years Later

Strength forged by survival drives Jodie Comer’s turn in 28 Years Later. Her character’s resolve and desire to keep her child safe cut through the bleak world, offering clarity and purpose amid the relentless decay of both the world and her own body.

– Ashley

13.) Monica Barbaro — A Complete Unknown

Monica Barbaro adds warmth and emotional balance to A Complete Unknown in her depiction of Joan Baez. She proves to be an equal to Chalamet and his performances as Bob Dylan, with the film depicting their complicated relationship over the years. Barbaro impresses with her singing performances, so much so it’s hard to believe she was untrained before this film.

– Ashley

12.) Sean Penn — One Battle After Another

Sean Penn is the type of actor who becomes someone when he’s playing them, able to bring detail that the directors and writers couldn’t have seen until he brings the character to life. And that’s what he does with Lockjaw in One Battle After Another, from his walk to the subtle and more pronounced facial movements and twitches. You know this is an actor who sees more of this character and Lockjaw’s story than we’ll ever know, but it’s what he brings to life to make one of the most memorable movie villains in recent memory.

– Dylan

11.) Emma Stone — Bugonia

Emma Stone is the actress for bold and weird roles in Hollywood right now, and she’s on a run for it. Bugonia continues that with a film in which she plays a tech-company head who is kidnapped by two guys who accuse her of being an alien. Stone is able to play into this absurdity with the necessary level of vulnerability needed; while the sense of fear from her performance is subtle, she’s a woman of power, and you barely feel her lose that.

– Dylan

10.) Jesse Plemons — Bugonia

If you want to play a guy who fully believes that there are humans hiding as aliens on Earth, you need an actor who can bring the awkwardness and believability of that concept to life, and Jesse Plemons is your guy for that role.

– Dylan

9.) Jack O’Connell — Sinners

Jack O’Connell brings a lot of energy and unpredictability to Sinners as the Irish vampire Remmick. You never quite know what his character will do next, getting great joy in tormenting those not of his newfound flock. Charming but sinister, it’s a hell of a combination.

– Ashley

8.) Michael B. Jordan — Sinners

2025 was the year of dual roles, with actors like Robert De Niro, Robert Pattinson, and Theo James playing multiple roles in a film, but no one did it like Michael B. Jordan. The clear difference between Stack and Smoke made it clear who was who early on in the film, so that you soon forgot that what you were watching was movie magic. That you are able to feel a real connection between the two brothers is a testament to Jordan’s performance.

– Ashley

7.) Alfie Williams — 28 Years Later

Viewed through youthful eyes, the world of 28 Years Later is all the more terrifying and more intimate. Alfie Williams is stunning as Spike, as his childish innocence is stripped away as he ventures off his island home, hoping to get help for his ill mother and is forced to grow up faster than a child should.

– Ashley

6.) Timothée Chalamet — A Complete Unknown

Restlessness and curiosity shape Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of a young Bob Dylan still discovering his voice. His portrayal of the beloved musician in A Complete Unknown, in which he impressed with his capturing of Dylan’s mannerisms and his vocal performances, continued his hot streak of great performances and has only added to his legacy of being the best of his generation.
– Ashley

5.) Benicio Del Toro — One Battle After Another

Actors like Benicio Del Toro have such an amazing screen presence that they own every scene that they’re in, and for the few scenes that Benicio Del Toro is seen in One Battle After Another, he brings to life a character that feels so deeply rich, without the audience ever finding out much about him.

– Dylan

4.) Ralph Fiennes — Conclave

Ralph Fiennes turns whispered dialogue into something charged and dangerous in Conclave. His measured presence defines the film’s moral chess match, making authority feel fragile rather than absolute, as he leads the Conclave of cardinals in electing a new Pope.

– Ashley

3.) Chase Infiniti — One Battle After Another

A standout performance from Chase Infiniti in her first feature film will put her on the map for many years to come. Showing just as much performance gravitas as the bigger names in the production, and having to carry a lot of her scenes alongside people like DiCaprio and Penn is a big ask, but Infiniti not only shows up to match her scene partners, but also gets to show several times over how good she is.

– Dylan

2.) Amy Madigan — Weapons

When Amy Madigan shows up in Weapons, she is unrecognisable. And she steals the film. It’s also impressive that a character and a performance could be excluded from the pre-release material, completely ruling the post-release discussions.

– Dylan

1.) Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another

Whether it’s his greatest performance is going to be debated amongst many, but it’s undoubtedly one of Leo’s best, and it’s thanks to his willingness to play a role which he really hasn’t before, both as an older man, one who is a bit of a loser, but also a father. And it’s the mix of both comedy and the unbridled love and unrelenting nature to not give up and keep going for that next battle that makes it one of Leo’s most memorable.

– Dylan

Find all of Explosion Network’s Best of 2025 coverage right here, and be sure to let us know your thoughts on any of our lists in the comments section.