Now we’re getting meaty.
And there’s no ham like an actor.
And that’s why we love them.
Here are all of my favorite thespian achievements of 2019 in film, save for the Academy Awards’ Big Four official categories, which are reserved for The (forthcoming) Stevens.
DEBUT
On the big screen. Ranked not only in terms of the listed performances; I also factor in how much future success I believe their turns indicate (the same applies for the Breakthrough category below).
- Honor Swinton Byrne, The Souvenir
- Jimmie Fails, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Tom Mercier, Synonyms
- Erika Karata, Asako I & II
- Shuzhen Zhao, The Farewell
- Julia Stockler & Carol Duarte, Invisible Life
- Keith Williams Richards, Uncut Gems
- Djibril Zonga, Les Misérables
- Eliza Scanlen, Little Women
- Melvin Gregg, High Flying Bird
- Julia Fox, Uncut Gems
- Byron Bowers, Honey Boy
- Cardi B, Hustlers
- Amber Chardae Robinson, Stuber
- Dogu Demirkol, The Wild Pear Tree
- Himesh Patel, Yesterday / The Aeronauts
- Lily Banda, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
- Sanya Malhotr, Photograph
- Noa Fisher, Uncut Gems
BREAKTHROUGH
Personal breakthroughs for me individually, not globally, nor even necessarily nationally. They either entered my (TV-abstinent) radar, or elevated my impression of them.
- Franz Rogowski, Transit / In the Aisles
- Became one of my favorite actors over
nightyear
- Became one of my favorite actors over
- Camila Morrone, Mickey and the Bear
- Jonathan Majors, The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Margaret Qualley, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood / Adam / Donnybrook / Strange But True
- Tom Burke, The Souvenir
- Valerie Pachner, A Hidden Life / The Ground Beneath My Feet
- Carloto Cotta, Diamantino
- Taylor Russell, Waves / Escape Room
- Aisling Franciosi, The Nightingale
- Marcello Fonte, Dogman
- Liron Ben-Shlush, Working Woman
- Gabriela Cartol, The Chambermaid
- Ana de Armas, Knives Out
- Calvin Demba, Mickey and the Bear / Yardie / Last Christmas
- Jonas Dassler, The Golden Glove
- Maya Erskine, Plus One
- Juli Jakab, Sunset
- Juan Barberini, End of the Century
- Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dolemite Is My Name
- Ioana Iacob, I Do Not Care If We Go Down in History as Barbarians
- Félix Maritaud, Sauvage
- Diana Lin, The Farewell
- Jack Lowden, Fighting with My Family
- Dev Patel, The Wedding Guest
- Awkwafina, The Farewell
- Emelie Jonsson, Aniara
- Octavio Pizano, Ms. Purple
- Alia Bhatt, Gully Boy
- Joel Fry, Yesterday
- Ranveer Singh, Gully Boy
- Angus Imrie, The Kid Who Would Be King
- Kulvinder Ghir, Blinded by the Light
- Babou Ceesay, The Best of Enemies
- Siddhant Chaturvedi, Gully Boy
YOUNG PERFORMANCE
By “young,” I mean adolescent. As in, not Florence Pugh young.
- Nguyen Phuong Tra My, The Third Wife
- Samantha Mugatsia, Rafiki
- Asier Flores, Pain and Glory
- Marguerite Bouchard / Romane Denis / Rose Adam, Slut in a Good Way
- Julia Butters, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- Azhy Robertson, Marriage Story
- Bobbi Salvör Menuez, Adam
- Paola Lara, Tigers Are Not Afraid
- Maxwell Simba, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
- Emma Nelson, Where’d You Go, Bernadette
- Sheila Munyiva, Rafiki
- Niamh Wilson, Giant Little Ones
- Noah Jupe, Honey Boy / Ford v Ferrari
- Jonathan Aranbayev & Jacob Dylan Igielski, Uncut Gems
- Viveik Kalra, Blinded by the Light
- Finn Little, Storm Boy
- Gedion Oduor Wekesa, Styx
- Taylor Hickson, Giant Little Ones
CAMEO
Singular thespians in singular singular scenes.
The category’s dominated by celebrities because cameos often feed off our familiarity with their fame, specifically the audience’s awareness of the actor’s reputation, and how the cameo plays around with these expectations (often for comedic, meta, self-referential, self-aware effect). Ultimately, we’re watching the actor — and we’re aware of the actor — more than their character.
- Simon Chinn, The Amazing Johnathan Documentary
- Martin Lawrence, The Beach Bum
- Keanu Reeves, Always Be My Maybe
- Robert Pattinson, The King
- Sharon Stone, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
- Al Pacino, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- Matt Damon, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
- The contemporary Cameo King?
- Cardi B, Hustlers
- Bill Murray, Zombieland: Double Tap
- The Rock, Fighting with My Family
- Nick Jonas, Midway
- His version of Frank Sinatra in From Here to Eternity, sans Oscar.
- Little Steven Van Zandt, The Irishman
- Kyle Mooney, The Unicorn
- Patti LuPone, Last Christmas
- Matthew Maher, Captain Marvel
- Mel Brooks, Toy Story 4
- Richard Kind, Bombshell
CAMEOS
This time, the singular singular scenes go plural; the movies built upon litanies of cameos:
- Uncut Gems
- Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
- Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
- Midway
- A movie that’s basically a feature-length series of cameos.
- Dolemite Is My Name
- Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
CAMEOERS
My favorites cameoers who came to cameo a couple of times, with each of their respective turns listed in order of personal preference.
- Sharon Stone, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese / The Laundromat
- Bruce Dern, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood / The Peanut Butter Falcon
- Snoop Dogg, The Beach Bum / Dolemite Is My Name / The Addams Family
- Scott Mescudi (AKA Kid Cudi), Drunk Parents / Jexi
- Thomas Haden Church, The Peanut Butter Falcon, Hellboy
DEBUT ENSEMBLE
- Give Me Liberty
BREAKTHROUGH ENSEMBLE
- Brittany Runs a Marathon
YOUNG ENSEMBLE
- Adam
- Under the Silver Lake
- This Is Not Berlin
- Tigers Are Not Afraid
ENSEMBLE
With a preference for movies that rely on deep casts, and each member relatively equally. As always, both size matters, AND how it’s used.
- Parasite
- The Laundromat
- Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- The Dead Don’t Die
- Uncut Gems
- Pain and Glory
- Diane
- Chained for Life
- Gloria Bell
- Climax
- The Souvenir
- The Irishman
- The Beach Bum
- Marriage Story
- The Last Black Man in San Francisco
- Non-Fiction
- The Farewell
- Perfect Strangers
- Little Women
- Knives Out
- Midsommar
- At War
- Mickey and the Bear
- John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
- Toy Story 4
- In the Aisles
- Les Misérables
- Dolemite Is My Name
- Official Secrets
- Grass
- The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
- Midway
YEAR OF THE YEAR
Ranked in order of the totality of their combined 2019 work. And, after the actor’s name, their movies are listed in order of the relative strength of their performances in each.
- Brad Pitt, Ad Astra / Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- Willem Dafoe, The Lighthouse / Pasolini
- …let’s ignore Motherless Brooklyn
- Adam Driver, Marriage Story / The Dead Don’t Die / The Man Who Killed Don Quixote / The Report / Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
- Tilda Swinton, The Souvenir / The Dead Don’t Die
- Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory / The Laundromat
- Franz Rogowski, Transit / In the Aisles / A Hidden Life
- Matthew McConaughey, The Beach Bum / Serenity
- Juliette Binoche, High Life / Non-Fiction
- Robert Pattinson, The Lighthouse / High Life / The King
- Shia LaBeouf, Honey Boy / The Peanut Butter Falcon
- Florence Pugh, Midsommar / Fighting with My Family / Little Women
- Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum / Always Be My Maybe / Toy Story 4 / Replicas
- Al Pacino, The Irishman / Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- James Badge Dale, Mickey and the Bear / The Standoff at Sparrow Creek / Little Woods / Donnybrook / The Kitchen
- Margaret Qualley, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood / Adam / Donnybrook / Strange But True
- Elisabeth Moss, Her Smell / Us / The Kitchen
- Jess Weixler, Chained for Life / The Death of Dick Long
- Lupita Nyong’o, Us / Little Monsters / Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
- Bruce Dern, The Mustang / Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood / The Peanut Butter Falcon / Freaks
- Dennis Quaid, The Intruder / A Dog’s Journey / Midway
- LaKeith Stanfield, Uncut Gems / Knives Out
- Regina Hall, Little / Shaft
- Ian McKellen, The Good Liar / All Is True / Cats
- Valerie Pachner, A Hidden Life / The Ground Beneath My Feet
- Sharon Stone, Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese / The Laundromat
- Laura Dern, Marriage Story / Little Women / Trial by Fire / JT LeRoy / Cold Pursuit
- Matthias Schoenaerts, The Mustang / The Laundromat / A Hidden Life
- Margot Robbie, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood / Bombshell / Slaughterhouse Rulez
- Alexander Skarsgård, The Hummingbird Project / Long Shot / The Aftermath / The Kill Team
- Kelvin Harrison Jr., Waves / Luce / JT LeRoy / Bolden
- Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes / The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
- Danny Glover, The Last Black Man in San Francisco / The Dead Don’t Die / Always in Season / Jumanji: The Next Level
- Jacki Weaver, Poms / Out of Blue / Zeroville
- Aldis Hodge, Clemency / Brian Banks / What Men Want
- Bill Skarsgård, It Chapter Two / Villains
- Jekyll and Hyde in appearance and acting, Hyde and Hyde in the morality of the characters.
- Dev Patel, The Wedding Guest / Hotel Mumbai
- Tracy Letts, Little Women / Ford v Ferrari
- Jesse Eisenberg, The Art of Self-Defense / The Hummingbird Project / Zombieland: Double Tap
- Sam Claflin, The Nightingale / Charlie’s Angels
- Rosalind Chao, The Laundromat / Plus One
- Emile Hirsch, Never Grow Old / Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood / Freaks
- Taylor Russell, Waves / Escape Room
- Sam Rockwell, Richard Jewell / Jojo Rabbit
- Must we mention The Best of Enemies?
- Lucas Hedges, Honey Boy / Waves
- Judy Greer, Where’d You Go, Bernadette / Driven / Playing with Fire
- Guillaume Canet, Non-Fiction / My Son
- John Lithgow, Bombshell / The Tomorrow Man / Pet Sematary / Late Night
- Dan Stevens, Her Smell / Lucy in the Sky
- Diane Keaton, Poms / Hampstead
- Chris Cooper, Little Women / A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood / “Henrietta Bulkowski”
- Mike Epps, The Last Black Man in San Francisco / Dolemite Is My Name
- Topher Grace, Under the Silver Lake / Breakthrough
CROSS-MEDIUM YEAR OF THE YEAR
The actors who shined both under a spotlight and in front of the camera, on stage and screen:
- Adam Driver
- Stage: Burn This
- Screen: Marriage Story / The Dead Don’t Die / The Man Who Killed Don Quixote / The Report / Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker
- Deirdre O’Connell
- Stage: Dana H. / Before the Meeting
- Screen: Diane
- Ian McKellen
- Stage: Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others … and You
- Screen: The Good Liar / All Is True / Cats
- Jonathan Pryce
- Stage: The Height of the Storm
- Screen: The Two Popes / The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
- John Lithgow
- Stage: Hillary and Clinton
- Screen: Bombshell / The Tomorrow Man / Pet Sematary / Late Night
- Note: John Lithgow may always be our beloved John Lithgow, deftly bringing characters to animated life in his immediately-endearing fashion, but he still finds distinct nuances true to each character within his generally-recognizable, consistent persona.
- Cillian Murphy
- Stage: Grief is the Thing With Feathers
- Screen: Anna
- Emily Davis
- Stage: Is This A Room
- Screen: The Plagiarists
- Utkarsh Ambudkar
- Stage: Freestyle Love Supreme
- Screen: Brittany Runs a Marathon
ANIMAL
In the immortal words of Mel Brooks:
“Leo: Actors aren’t animals! They’re human beings.
Max: Have you ever eaten with one?”
- DOGS!!!, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
- Dogs, Los Reyes
- Bulls, Our Time
- Gulls — The Lighthouse
- Dachshund, The Art of Self-Defense
- Ellen, The Farewell
- Brandy, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood
- Sphynx Cat, Gloria Bell
- Dogs, Dogman
- Mr. Percival the Pelican, Storm Boy
- Marcus the Mustang, The Mustang
- Dogs, Parasite
- Purse Dog, Hustlers
- Bella the Dog, A Dog’s Way Home
- Enzo, The Art of Racing in the Rain
- Goat, Loro
- Dogs, A Dog’s Journey
- Tragic Dog, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
- Rodeo, Rojo
- Goose the Cat, Captain Marvel
- Kittens, Jawline
- Chicken on Head (Don’t Mention It), Missing Link
- Under the Silver Lake
- Thematically essential, beguilingly so…