There were some super-strong ensemble casts in TV series seen in 2025, ones that weren’t carried by just one actor but by many delivering sensational character work. And this makes up the majority of the top end of our lists. Littered amongst the lower ends of our list here are pieces of acting that made series stand out, with both new actors we haven’t seen on TV much, or for a long time, as well as newcomers we’ll be hearing a lot from in the coming years.

Here are our picks for the Top 30 Actors & Actresses in TV series from 2025.

30.) Paddy Considine — MobLand

There’s a wild mix of different types of performances in MobLand, but Paddy Considine is the one standout who feels like someone who is bubbling up all season long. His family is on the brink of war, his romance in turmoil, and his son a huge disappointment, and you see it on his face all season long. Finally, he gets to see him break in the penultimate episode; here’s a man who’s been carrying something for years, and ready to grab what is his.

– Dylan

29.) Chloe Pirrie — Dept. Q

Chloe Pirrie is performing her character Merritt Lingard in two different stages across the Dept. Q, as both we get to see her as both a ruthless prosecutor who has put away more than a few criminals who would want to see her dead, and a woman kidnapped and trapped for over a year in a tank that our main cast of Detectives are attempting to find. And Pirrie brings the emotional trauma and depth needed for someone trapped, searching her brain and looking for answers about who would have done this to her, as her captors tease her to figure it out herself.

– Dylan

28.) Taylor Dearden — The Pitt

If there is a character that fans feel needs to be protected at all costs on The Pitt, it’s Dr Melissa “Mel” King, played by Taylor Deardon. Her performances as a neurodivergent second-year resident breaks the usual stereotypes and prove to be incredibly endearing to fans watching her get through her first shift at The Pitt.

– Ashley

27.) Aimee Lou Wood — The White Lotus

The most lovable character introduced in The White Lotus: Season 3 was Aimee Lou Wood as Chelsea, a young girl so deeply in love with Walton Goggins’s character that, at first, the audience wondered if there was an alternative motive or something else. But what makes her performance and this character so good is that Chelsea is simply a good egg who’s chasing nothing more than beautiful evenings and sunsets with the one she loves. Wood also brings some of the series’ funniest straight delivery of absurd lines and moments, especially with another co-star, Patrick Schwarzenegger.

– Dylan

26.) Samuel Blenkin — Alien: Earth

Unease simmers beneath every interaction in Alien: Earth, thanks in part to Samuel Blenkin. His performance as the ambitious CEO of Prodigy and the world’s youngest trillionaire Boy Kavalier adds unpredictability, reinforcing the idea in the show that safety is always an illusion.

– Ashley

25.) Alexander Skarsgård — Murderbot

Alexander Skarsgård gives a masterclass in deadpan delivery in Murderbot, a show in which he plays a securitybot trying to hide its newly acquired autonomy. He brilliantly captures the humour and unease of a character desperate to be left alone, yet incapable of fully disconnecting due to a sense of duty or what could be considered humanity.

– Ashley

24.) Vincent D’Onofrio — Daredevil: Born Again

Quiet menace defines Wilson Fisk’s return, with Vincent D’Onofrio delivering a performance built on restraint rather than over-the-top moments. In Daredevil: Born Again, every pause feels as threatening as an outburst, as we know that the switch could be flicked at any moment, despite him trying to appear otherwise in his new role as mayor of New York City.

– Ashley

23.) Gary Oldman — Slow Horses

Few characters are as gleefully unpleasant, or as compelling, as Jackson Lamb, and Gary Oldman continues to revel in the role on Slow Horses. His mix of menace, intelligence, and filth remains the show’s chaotic centre in a season that reveals a few more layers of this onion of a character.

– Ashley

22.) Sydney Chandler — Alien: Earth

Sydney Changelr is brilliant in Alien: Earth as Wendy, one of the world’s first hybrids, an artificial body that has been implanted with the consciousness of a terminally ill child. Chandler captures the childlike whimsy you expect of the character, but also kicks ass when required.

– Ashley

21.) Jeremy Allen White — The Bear

Season 4 of The Bear is one of growth and redemption, and the character who epitomises that the most is Carmy, played brilliantly again by Jeremy Allen White. Finally willing to try to make amends with those he’s wronged and those he has wronged, this season sees him start to compromise and accept that he doesn’t need to be the very best chef to find fulfilment.

– Ashley

20.) Matthew Goode — Dept. Q

There is nothing like a great brooding cop role, and Matthew Goode makes his performance as Carl Morock one of the most effective ones in recent memory. Underneath all the anger and angst we see strung outwards towards other characters is an even more internalised struggle, and you see that in Goode in this performance, making Carl more than just a one-note angry cop.

– Dylan

19.) Noah Wyle — The Pitt

Returning to the medical drama genre, Noah Wyle is brilliant as Dr Robby, as he brings weary authority and emotional intelligence to his role that makes him feel like someone who has dealt with the medical system for many years. He captures the toll of responsibility without resorting to melodrama, making every ethical decision feel heavy while also dealing with his own personal demons of past trauma and loss.

– Ashley

18.) Katherine LaNasa — The Pitt

The backbone of The Pitt, Katherine LaNasa’s Charge Nurse Dana Evans, is a character who has seen and dealt with everything. Often a source of guidance or a shoulder to cry on, Dana is an important figure in the ER, and LaNasa’s performance makes her one of the most beloved characters on the show.

– Ashley

17.) Catherine O’Hara — The Studio

Catherine O’Hara shows why she is one of the best in her field as she turns every line into a masterclass in timing and tone. Utterly hilarious as the former head of Continental Studios, Patty Leigh, she also provides Matt with many moments of advice as she plays the role of mentor and soundingboard.

– Ashley

16.) Chase Sui Wonders — The Studio

Young, ambitious and not willing to wait anymore, Quinn Hackett is desperate to make her mark in the industry, something that Chase Sui Wonders captures perfectly. Often the youngest one in the room, she is still able to go toe-to-toe with everyone as she tries to achieve her own goals and get ahead.

– Ashley

15.) Bella Ramsey — The Last of Us

Ellie’s emotional evolution continues to be the beating heart of The Last of Us, thanks to Bella Ramsey’s fearless performance. They navigate grief, rage, and vulnerability as Ellie embarks on a mission for revenge, but makes every choice feel shaped by trauma rather than plot necessity.

– Ashley

14.) Isabela Merced — The Last of Us

Isabela Merced brings the wrath needed for an even darker season of The Last of Us. When Ellie needs someone to laugh and cry with, it’s Dinah, and Merced was the perfect casting for this role as she has fantastic chemistry with every single actor she’s on-screen with.

– Dylan

13.) Parker Posey — The White Lotus

The delivery of every single line from Parker Posey in The White Lotus: Season 3 should be studied for how she effectively injects comedy into each scene without ever changing the tone. Her character is tragic simply because she embodies the dreams of so much of society. Money is the dream, the goal, and the rich lifestyle; without it, what’s the point?

– Dylan

12.) Carrie Coon — The White Lotus

Carrie Coon might not have the most memorable scenes or dialogue from the ensemble cast of The White Lotus: Season 3, but she is, however, one of the few characters you’re consistently rooting for and as the season wrapped, stood out as the backbone for this series.

– Dylan

11.) Jason Isaacs — The White Lotus

There’s a version of Jason Isaacs’s rich, morally corrupt character in The White Lotus: Season 3 that could be written and played more in line with typical stereotypes, but instead, Isaacs brings a man deep in shame, spiralling into the depths of his own soul. A man who had it all, watching his world crumble as he is on holiday in one of the world’s most beautiful locations.

– Dylan

10.) Ike Barinholtz — The Studio

More known for zany or over-the-top characters, Ike Barinholtz shows he is equally equipped to play the straight man as he is called upon to many times in his character’s relationship with Matt Remick. He thrives in the show’s ensemble chaos, delivering some of its biggest laughs. Thank you, Sal Saperstein!

– Ashley

9.) Walton Goggins — The White Lotus

Every scene with Walton Goggins as Rick, the grumpiest man ever to be a holiday, you’re asking yourself what’s behind his eyes. What’s the deeper story to this man, and what’s his plan? That mystery, the built-up rage sensed within him and his constant dottering eyes looking for something are what drive your intrigue for his character in the third season of The White Lotus. And when you get the answers eventually, Goggins delivers some of the most intense dialogue of anything seen on TV in 2025.

– Dylan

8.) Kyle Soller — Andor

The story of Syril Karn is one of ambition turning into obsession, making his arc this season both unsettling and tragic. Kyle Soller has been brilliant at playing this slightly pathetic empire loyalist, but seeing his slow realisation of the empire’s true reason for being on Ghorman or the role he has played in it was some of his best work, as were his final moments, which perfectly sum up the character.

– Ashley

7.) Elizabeth Dulau — Andor

Overlooked for much of the first season as just Luthen’s assistant, Kleya proves to be just as important a figure in the rebellion in season 2. Elizabeth Dulau takes full advantage of the increased role as she has to make heartbreaking decisions and deals with the sacrifices that must be made for the good of the rebellion, almost stealing the show in its final act with her outstanding performance.

– Ashley

6.) Seth Rogen — The Studio

Comedy and panic collide in Seth Rogen’s performance as Matt Remick, the new head of Continental Studios, which captures the insecurity beneath industry bravado. He balances ego and desperation effortlessly, making the satire feel uncomfortably close to reality even in the craziest of situations, like fighting with Ron Howard or trying to rescue a film reel from Oliva Wilde. Absolutely hilarious as he tries to find the balance between wanting to be liked but also making the hard choices.

– Ashley

5.) Owen Cooper — Adolescence

A breakout performance that you don’t often get to see anymore from such a young actor. Owen Cooper brings the nuance to Jamie that makes you feel sorry for him, even though he has committed such a heinous crime. You know Jamie’s heart is filled with such rage and hatred, but you’re left wondering how and why and how Owen Cooper plays the role. You never get all the answers, because that’s unrealistic. It’s an astonishing performance, asking a lot from an actor of adult years, let alone someone his age.

– Dylan

4.) Genevieve O’Reilly — Andor

Political calculation and personal sacrifice define Mon Mothma’s arc, and Genevieve O’Reilly plays it perfectly. Falling deeper in the world of distrust and hard choices, Mon Mothma’s moral fortitude is put to the test before delivering an iconic speech in the Senate that resonates beyond just Star Wars and into the world at large.

– Ashley

3.) Diego Luna — Andor

Diego Luna continues to deliver a restrained, deeply human performance that sells the cost of rebellion. His quiet exhaustion and moral uncertainty give the series its emotional backbone as he brings this character’s story to an end. The performance Luna gives makes you believe anything is possible despite knowing that his fate has already been written.

– Ashley

2.) Denise Gough — Andor

Easily one of the most upsetting performances in Star Wars history, Denise Gough as Dedra is the perfect employee of the Empire, ready to do anything to appease and squash the Rebels. Each line she delivers with such a nasty, razor-sharp tongue and brutality that she becomes easy to hate. And yet, as you see her story come to a close in the second season of Andor, she makes those final scenes sad, not because you feel sorry for Dedra, but because she’s simply, at the end of it all, a sad and hateful person.

– Dylan

1.) Rhea Seehorn — Pluribus

You need a fantastic actor to carry the high-concept narrative and world brought to life in Pluribus; Rhea Seehorn is that actress. Carol brings the restrained emotional trauma of being one of the only proper humans left alive on Earth to life with such nuance. A woman scared by the loss of not only human connection, but most importantly, the loss of the one she loved the most. Each episode, no matter how high sci-fi the show can feel, it’s Seehorn’s performance that brings you back to the ground and reminds the audience that this series is about us humans at the end of the day and how we connect with one another.

– 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.