2021 was a year filled with dramatic roles that carried more or as much weight as those in the leading roles.

From the neighbour who turns out to be more than you could have ever predicted to the Detective trying their best and a deviant on a mission to be their own person, here are our picks for the Best Supporting Performances in a Drama Series from 2021.

5.) Evan Peters (Mare of Easttown)

Evan Peters is an actor who appears in a lot but is often underappreciated. However, he got his due winning a supporting Emmy for his role as Colin Zanel in Mare of Eastown. He’s intelligent, strong, complicated and ultimately a loveable Detective. You may question his morals at first, but his resolve is always there, and it’s there because of Peters performance.

– Dylan Blight

4.) Kelli Berglund (Heels)

In a testosterone-filled show with a bunch of characters with big egos, Kelli Berglund’s Crystal Tyler gives it the heart to balance everything out as a young woman who desperately wants to showcase her abilities in the ring. While there can feel like there is a bit of overcompensation for her Disney child actor past at times, Berglund proves to be the true ‘face’ of Heels.

– Ashley Hobley

3.) Sophia Di Martino (Loki)

Sophia Di Martino makes her career-defining role as Sylvie. She shares the screen with some big MCU names and always feels like she’s bigger and more important than the lot of them. Martino makes a role that relies on the audience loving Sylvie by the end a huge success, and I’m on her side as the credits roll, not Loki’s, but now we wait for season two.

– Dylan Blight

2.) Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision)

The near show-stealing performance by Kathryn Hahn in WandaVision has turned her into a household name overnight. If you didn’t fall in love with her from Bad Moms, well here you go: introducing Kathryn Hahn. And she does steal nearly every scene she is in as the snoopy, always there at just the right moment neighbour of Wanda Maximoff. She is also in one of 2021’s most memorable and memed TV moments.

– Dylan Blight

1.) Julianna Nicholson (Mare of Easttown)

For the majority of Julianna Nicholson’s career, she has played supporting characters. As we watch several episodes, it seems that may be the case again as she mainly fills the role of being Mare’s best friend and confidence. But as the show’s mystery begins to unravel, she begins to play a big role, leading to a heartbreakingly raw and emotional performance in the show’s finale, which has earned her much critical acclaim and can only see her career trajectory skyrocket.

– Ashley Hobley

Dylan Blight and Ashley Hobley compiled this Top 5 list. The TV shows nominated must have finished airing their selected season within November 15th 2020 – November 15th 2021 and have been released in Australia via network TV, VOD or a streaming platform.