It could be the standout performances from women in genre roles this year, or it could just be the feeling of a great year for character-driven films, especially for women. It felt like a great year for actors in film, with plenty of interesting characters taking to cinemas and streaming services across our picks in this year’s best actor category.

Here are our picks for the Best Movie Performances in 2024.

25.) Channing Tatum (Blink Twice)

Playing against type, Channing Tatum thrives as the manipulative billionaire tech mogul Slater King. When the penny finally drops and he gets to show his true colours, it rocks you to your core.

— Ashley Hobley

24.) Wagner Moura (Civil War)

Wagner Moura certainly caught my attention with his performance as the experienced journalist Joel in Civil War. He proved a good sounding board for Kirsten Dunst‘s Lee and has the memorable final moment of the film.

— Ashley Hobley

23.) Jesse Eisenberg (A Real Pain)

While his co-star has gotten a lot of attention, Jesse Eisenberg also deserves plaudits for his role in A Real Pain. Being pragmatic, reserved and shy doesn’t always get the praise it deserves, but there is one stand-out scene where David lays out his true feelings about Benji that was truly enthralling.

— Ashley Hobley

22.) Naomi Scott (Smile 2)

Smile 2 is Naomi Scott’s start-making role as pop star Skye Riley. From the intense dance-chase sequence to the physiological sequences that wear her down, Scott delivers a deep performance that elevates the film to the next level.

— Dylan Blight

21.) Dev Patel (Monkey Man)

Directing himself, with a script co-written by himself, and needing to prove himself as not only a director but also an action star, Patel delivers and proves any naysayers wrong in an intense physical performance from Patel, who hopefully gets to do much more in this genre in the future.

— Dylan Blight

20.) Kristen Stewart (Loves Lies Bleeding)

Bringing her trademark reclusive nature to the loner gym manager, Lou, Kristen Stewart is the eyes and heartbeat for the audience to fall in love with Katy O’Brian’s Jackie. However, her strong relationship and need to protect her sister and stay away from her father drive parts of the film’s plot and are integral to the two leads.

— Dylan Blight

19.) Zendaya (Dune: Part 2)

After being a figure in Paul Atreides’s dreams for most of the first film, Zendaya‘s Chani has way more to do in this film, helping Paul become one of the Fremen and falling in love with him. Watching her witness Paul’s transformation is what helped you to feel conflicted about the path he is going down.

— Ashley Hobley

18.) Nicolas Cage (Longlegs)

There was a big secret about seeing Nicolas Cage in Longlegs as the film’s serial killer, and for good reason. Seeing Cage every time he’s on screen is something unique for the actor, and that is probably why he also said he wouldn’t do a role like this again. Through the use of makeup and a fully-committed Cage, this performance became easily one of the most memorable and creepy performances of 2024 and one of the best.

— Dylan Blight

17.) Josh O’Connor (Challengers)

As ‘the other guy,’ Josh O’Conner gets to play his smarmiest and sexiest performance yet as he winks and nods at Zendaya‘s Tashi Duncan and figuratively gives a middle thing to Mike Faist’s Art Donaldson for a lot of the film. He’s utterly loveable, though, even when he’s being a jerk, and that’s just not something you can teach in acting school.

— Dylan Blight

16.) Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain)

Kieran Culkin seems to have found the perfect role for himself as the impulsive, free-spirited and outspoken class Benji who wears his emotions on his sleeve. Charismatic in one moment, abrasive in the next, you never know what he’ll say or do next which is captivating to watch.

— Ashley Hobley

15.) Cailee Spaeny (Civil War)

Cailee Spaeny became a star on my radar with her performance in Civil War. Watching this hopeful aspiring photojournalist be traumatised by the things she sees and the events she endures to become the version of her we see at the end was one reason the film worked for me.

— Ashley Hobley

14.) Timothée Chalamet (Dune Part 2)

The best male actor under 30 again showed why he is one of the only men his age to be a consistent leading man in his return as Paul Atreides. Watching his struggle with whether he should embrace his destiny or not was fascinating to watch and I look forward to where he takes the character next

— Ashley Hobley

13.) Kirsten Dunst (Civil War)

Kirsten Dunst’s performance in Civil War is one in which you can look into the soul of a woman who has gone begone weeping for her country and instead has become so normalised to the nature of war around her that it’s like a bag floating in the wind. It is a subtle yet superb performance from Dunst.

— Dylan Blight

12.) Mike Faist (Challengers)

As Art Donaldson, Mike Faist gets to play ‘the guy who gets the girl’ but is left still fighting for everything when he thinks he can retire and enjoy what he’s built for himself. Will his legacy live on if he loses to Patrick? Will his wife leave him? All the questions drive Mike Faist in a performance that is both driven by the character’s desire to keep Zendaya’s Tashi Duncan and by his desire for success.

— Dylan Blight

11.) Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa)

Filling the massive shoes left by Charlize Theron after Mad Max: Fury Road, Anya Taylor-Joy proves herself worthy of the role with an incredibly physical yet stoic portrayal of Furiosa. She doesn’t say much but her actions speak volumes and she appeared to be at ease with all the action demands required by the role. May we see her in more action roles soon!

— Ashley Hobley

10.) Katy O’Brian (Loves Lies Bleeding)

Katy O’Brian as Jackie in Love Lies Bleeding is one of the biggest performances of the year, and I mean that in the very literal sense. O’Brian bulked the-hell-up for this role and gives herself to the character of a bodybuilder obsessed with success and willing to do anything to achieve it.

— Dylan Blight

9.) Zendaya (Challengers)

In Challengers, Tashi Duncan is one of the most ruthless original sports characters we’ve seen in cinema. Zendaya brings the character to life with the nuances necessary to show a woman driven to want success in her life and her one true love, tennis. The story Zendaya is able to convey just by the looks on her face in key scenes, which makes the film work as well.

— Dylan Blight

8.) Glen Powell (Hit Man)

In one of the most fun performances of 2024, Glen Powell gets to play multiple different characters as he dons costumes and more to play a pretend hitman. The film Hit Man becomes such a strong showcase for Powell, who has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood in the past year, and this film shows he can do everything from rom-com to straight-up silly comedy.

— Dylan Blight

7.) Brigette Lundy-Paine (I Saw The TV Glow)

Brigette Lundy-Paine plays Maddy in I Saw The TV Glow, who is integral in the film’s events, although not the lead character. Maddy is the one to show The Pink Opaque to Owen and the one to lead Owen through his journey in the last act of the film. And at all times, Brigette Lundy-Paine is the film’s centrepiece whenever they are on screen.

— Dylan Blight

6.) Chris Hemsworth (Furiosa)

“Do you have it in you to make it epic?” Yes, Chris Hemsworth does. As the villainous Dementus, Hemsworth plays him as a charismatic leader who can’t lead but who is desperate for more and more power. Playing very much against type, Hemsworth is captivating to witness, even with that nose.

— Ashley Hobley

5.) Aaron Pierre (Rebel Ridge)

It’s all in the eyes and how Aaron Pierre moves and carefully picks his positions and words in Rebel Ridge. These key acting choices make his character, a special type of marine, feel alive and like someone with the proper training, and not just acting trying to play the part.

— Dylan Blight

4.) Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice)

Jeremy Strong is great as the contentious lawyer Roy Cohn who was a mentor and key figure in helping Donald Trump build his empire. While a despicable figure and the architect of so much of our current pain, Strong finds a way to have us sympathize for him in the end. At least a little bit.

— Ashley Hobley

3.) Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice)

Sebastian Stan is simply superb as Donald Trump in The Apprentice. He does a great job showing the transformation of the man under Roy Cohn’s mentorship and how his man tendencies and obsessions came to be. A brave performance in a contentious role that deserves any and all love it gets.

— Ashley Hobley

2.) Demi Moore (The Substance)

A brave performance and late-career choice for Demi Moore, but this body-horror film was the perfect casting for her. She delivers an intense, sad, and the type of performance you can’t look away from. Easily one of the best performances of the year, but also the type of performance and choice Moore can look back on and be proud of.

— Dylan Blight

1.) Mikey Madison (Anora)

A true star-making performance. Fully committed and incredibly brave, Mikey Madison holds the film together as Ani, a sex worker who is caught up in a whirlwind romance all for it to come crumbling down. A seductress at times, an outspoken firebrand at others, Ani is a fascinating character to watch through this experience and has made me a Mikey Madison fan.

— Ashley Hobley

Check out the rest of our Best of 2024 coverage over here now!