All 20 Of This Year's Oscar-Nominated Performances, Ranked
Lucy, the Oscars are here! The Academy Award nominations have been announced, and while some things have certainly changed this year (eight categories are being cut from the telecast and we've got three hosts — which is three more than we had last year), the Oscars are mostly business as usual with a new crop of 20 freshly minted acting nominees duking it out for the four Oscar statuettes.
In the fray this year, we have two husband/wife pairings, two openly queer women, a deaf man, four cast members of The Power of the Dog, four Spider-man franchise actors, seven previous winners, 11 previous nominees, eight actors playing real people, six actors doing accents, and of course, one actor who bathed with Bronco Henry's old handkerchief.
The supporting and lead performances are all mixed in here, so I'm not necessarily looking for who had the most air time, but rather who did the most with the time they were given. A few great scenes can outweigh three hours of mediocrity.
So, quick, before the Academy cuts these categories from the telecast as well, let's rank the Oscar Acting Class of 2022.
20.J.K. Simmons (Best Supporting Actor) — Being the Ricardos
One of this year's most surprising nominations went to the veteran character actor, who plays William Frawley (aka Fred Mertz in I Love Lucy) in the Aaron Sorkin drama. While Simmons is a consummate professional and solid in everything he does (his well deserved Oscar win for Whiplash an obvious example), he isn't tasked with doing much here aside from being crotchety. I'd go so far as to say he gives the fifth best performance in the film (behind Kidman, Bardem, Nina Arianda, and Alia Shawkat), and the fact that he wasn't nominated for the BAFTAs, Golden Globes, or SAGs is also telling that his performance was a bit under the radar. He's unlikely to win, and appears to have been nominated on the back of the actor's branch's obsession with Being the Ricardos. There are no downright bad performances nominated this year, but this is certainly the biggest head scratcher.
Watch it on Prime Video.
19.Javier Bardem (Best Actor) — Being the Ricardos
Another semi-surprising nomination went to Bardem for his performance as Lucille Ball's husband Desi Arnaz (aka Ricky Ricardo in I Love Lucy). Bardem is an Academy favorite with four nominations (and one win for No Country for Old Men) since 2001, so it's not entirely shocking that he nabbed the fifth spot over Leonardo DiCaprio or Peter Dinklage. But as with Simmons, Bardem isn't tasked with doing too much here aside from being a mouthpiece for Aaron Sorkin's verbose dialogue. In addition, while Kidman goes to great lengths to transform herself into Ball (for better or for worse), Bardem is giving us mostly Bardem rather than Arnaz.
Watch it on Prime Video.
18.Judi Dench (Best Supporting Actress) — Belfast
You can't begrudge Dame Judi Dench an Oscar nomination, especially when it comes in her delightful presentation of Granny in this Irish period piece. This is Dench's eighth (!) nomination, and her handful of scenes in this ensemble drama are sweet and poignant (especially when acting opposite Ciarán Hinds). Pre-nominations, however, most pundits predicted the nomination to go to her costar Caitríona Balfe instead (as it raked in most of the precursor awards). Dench nabbing the slot at the Oscars over Balfe (who has more screentime and is more central to the story) seems to be the Academy's bias toward name-recognition and legacy. This is certainly not a performance to scoff at by any means, but she's overshadowed by her own cast mates, and doesn't quite have enough runway to perform.
Rent it on Prime Video.
17.Jesse Plemons (Best Supporting Actor) — The Power of the Dog
The first nomination for Plemons is a satisfying surprise. Anyone who has been following the actor over the last decade knows his powers as a shapeshifter and scene stealer (and don't even get me started on how great he is in Fargo). His performance as the kind, quiet brother opposite Cumberbatch's menace in The Power of the Dog is dialed to exactly the right pitch needed, but it is a quiet pitch nonetheless. His is the least showy of the film's four leads, and he's faded to the background for most of awards season while his three co-stars wrangle for the top spots in their categories. Plemons is unlikely to win, but given that he beat out Jared Leto for this spot, I'm happy to see him here and think it's well deserved.
Watch it on Netflix.
16.Nicole Kidman (Best Actress) — Being the Ricardos
If only Miss Kidman's nomination had been for the AMC pre-movie clip rather than Being the Ricardos, she'd be at the top of this list. The way she tromps through a puddle. The wonder in her eyes as she watches Jurassic World. Her delivery of "Heartbreak feels good in a place like this." Exquisite. But instead her fifth nomination is for playing Lucille Ball. The performance is not necessarily bad, especially compared to how ready everyone was with knives after seeing the trailer, but it feels a bit uneven to me. Kidman is taking BIG swings here (some of the biggest in this field), but for every one that connects, there is one that skims the ball into the foul zone. Her accent pokes through, her facial expressions wobble on garish, and it ends up being more campy than authentic. Kidman, who won the Golden Globe but lost the SAG, is certainly on the hunt for the Oscar, but I'd argue her four competitors are outacting her.
Watch it on Prime Video.
15.Benedict Cumberbatch (Best Actor) — The Power of the Dog
This is perhaps my most controversial placement on this list as Cumberbatch has been Will Smith's chief competition all season long, landing nearly every nomination available to him and being the lead in the Best Picture frontrunner. Cumberbatch (who was previously nominated for The Imitation Game) is yet again playing a neurotic queer man. Yes, his performance here is slightly more masculine, American, and outdoorsy than he typically traffics in, but for the most part, we are getting the same repressed, idiosyncratic Cumberbatch that we've seen time and time again. He's obviously good in this role as he returns to this type repeatedly, but I guess I just wasn't blown away by this fairly cold, stoic performance in the way many others were. Certainly nomination worthy, but I want more from him.
Watch it on Netflix.
14.Ciarán Hinds (Best Supporting Actor) — Belfast
Despite having delivered consistently great film performances for over four decades (and stage performances for even longer), this is the Irish actor's first Oscar nomination. Now, as the kindly grandfather, his several meaty scenes across from Judi Dench and Jamie Dornan have propelled him to the big leagues. He also landed Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG nominations, and while he's unlikely to win, it's lovely to see such an icon finally be paid his respect. While Hinds is less flashy and plot-pivotal than his main competition of Kotsur and Smit-McPhee, I would be more than happy to see Mance Rayder/Aberforth Dumbledore perform some magic and take home the win.
Rent it on Prime Video.
13.Penélope Cruz (Best Actress) — Parallel Mothers
The most pleasant surprise on nomination morning was this nomination for Cruz, who plays one of a pair of mothers in Pedro Almodóvar's latest film, tangled in a dramatic situation shall we say? (This movie has got a few twists, so I don't want to reveal more). When Spain opted to submit The Good Boss instead of Parallel Mothers as their country's entry, many believed the film a lost cause at the Oscars, a thought bolstered by few precursor noms. With the ever-expanding international pool of Oscar voters, however, Cruz's great work here was acknowledged (and could honestly win as more and more people discover the film). The four-time nominee (and winner for Vicky Cristina Barcelona) carries the film on her back, and really from this point forward, I'm splitting hairs to create a ranking.
Rent it on Prime Video.
12.Kodi Smit-McPhee (Best Supporting Actor) — The Power of the Dog
Not since Brooks and Meredith Marks has there been such a memorable, low-energy mother-son duo (with a boozy protective mother and artistic bestie son). Trapped under the thumb of Benedict Cumberbatch's Phil, the pair squirm before finally banding together in a stealth attack. Smit-McPhee is breaking out this season as the lynchpin in this Best Picture frontrunner. His performance is not loud, but it is forceful. Prior to Troy Kotsur's win at the SAGs, Smit-McPhee was the frontrunner for Supporting Actor, and he could still very easily win. I think his understated role, while effective, makes it difficult for me to rank him higher on this list, but Bronco Henry, his cattle, and a pound of anthrax couldn't keep this Smit-McPhee out of awards conversation this year.
Watch it on Netflix.
11.Jessie Buckley (Best Supporting Actress) — The Lost Daughter
It's a testament to what a strong acting year we have that Jessie Buckley isn't able to crack the top 10 for this performance as the younger bad mom version of Olivia Colman's Leda in the Elena Ferrante adaptation. In her few scenes, Buckley (who has been racking up a strong IMDb page in the last few years) gives plenty of depth to the character, which in turn elevates the Colman performance. But being trapped in flashbacks away from the rest of the cast does sequester her abilities a bit. This was another nomination morning surprise, but clearly the Academy loved the film as both Ledas took home nominations over the pair from Passing. Hopefully, Buckley's strong work here will land her a larger, juicier part in the future. Or perhaps we'll get that with Men.
Stream it on Netflix.
10.Will Smith (Best Actor) — King Richard
Really my gauge for this list has been: "Is this performance better than that of Mr. Willard Carroll Smith Jr.?" He is the line of demarcation. After nearly grabbing statues for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, Smith is back in the hunt for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the father of tennis prodigies Venus and Serena Williams. Watching any interview of Richard will quickly show you how eccentric the man was, and that allows Smith plenty of room to create a larger-than-life persona (that DOES match his real-life counterpart). Despite a series of interview faux pas so disastrous a petition has been started asking for Will Smith to stop doing press, his performance is magnetic and should continue to pick up steam as the awards (like his SAG) pile up. Smith is doing the "most acting" of anyone on this list, and it is a towering performance. I wished for a few more moments of calm in this maelstrom, but it sounds like with Richard Williams there wasn't much calm either.
Rent it on Prime Video.
9.Aunjanue Ellis (Best Supporting Actress) — King Richard
While Will Smith's performance certainly has more screentime, it's that of his onscreen wife that steals the film out from under him. Ellis has been in the business for over three decades but has only recently started gathering mainstream success with roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, When They See Us, and Lovecraft Country. Now she's playing Venus and Serena's empowering but exasperated mother, exhausted by her husband's antics but sticking around for her daughters' success. And if you are looking for the year's best Oscar clip scene, then Ellis has it. Her reaming out Smith in their kitchen is the stuff of Academy Award legends. She's unlikely to win, but hopefully, this is the first of many nominations for Ellis.
Rent it on Prime Video.
8.Denzel Washington (Best Actor) — The Tragedy of Macbeth
Back in 2018, I had the great fortune of seeing Denzel Washington perform in The Iceman Cometh on Broadway — 3.5 hours into the 4-hour play, at a point where I should have been itching for the curtain call or dozing off, Washington pulled a chair to center stage and delivered a 15-minute monologue. It was the most captivating piece of acting I've ever witnessed. I was therefore thrilled to see him take on more heavy soliloquies as the ambitious Scotsman in Joel Coen's Shakespeare adaptation. Washington does not disappoint. He makes the Elizabethan language seem modern, and he makes you feel for him even as he murders men, women, and children. It's hard to calibrate the difficulty of Shakespearean dialogue and the distance it creates between the actors and the audience, so while this might be the most challenging of this year's noms, it's not the most accessible. Washington, who has been nominated nine times for acting awards and won twice, is unlikely to win this year, but this is another notch on the way toward his inevitable third career Oscar.
Watch it on AppleTV+.
7.Ariana DeBose (Best Supporting Actress) — West Side Story
I would argue that West Side Story is an inherently flawed story that is incapable of being saved or tweaked for the modern era. It's racially problematic. The finger-snapping tone doesn't match up with the incredibly dark messages at its core. We're expected to believe Maria would sleep with the man who murdered her brother the same evening of his death after meeting him once. But all that pushed aside, the single bright, shining gem at the center of this film (like the original) is Anita. Not only is DeBose given the role with the most range, but she gets the best song, the best dance number, and all the funny quips in the film's first half. Whatever your thoughts on the musical itself, her performances is infectious and undeniable. Throw in the fact that she won the Golden Globe and the SAG, and you've got yourself the Best Supporting Actress frontrunner. But alas, I think the win should go to....
Watch it on Disney+.
6.Kirsten Dunst (Best Supporting Actress) — The Power of the Dog
All hail queen Kirsten! My choice for Best Supporting Actress! Ever since she whispered "Peter" and kissed him upside down, I've been a fan. Over the years, people have been woefully slow to come around on Dunst, who has consistently delivered good performances since the age of 12. But oh, how the times have changed! Dunst is finally scooping up nominations left and right for her portrayal of a lovely wife and mother driven to drink by her obnoxious, sexist, anti-gay brother-in-law while trapped in the middle of nowhere Montana. It's a performance that capitalizes on her effervescent sweetness but allows her to also use her oft-overlooked gritty strength. While DeBose's performance is a bit more showy, I think it lacks some of the nuance and groundedness that Dunst provides here.
Watch it on Netflix.
5.Olivia Colman (Best Actress) — The Lost Daughter
No one in Hollywood is firing on all cylinders the way Colman is. After a long career of solid performances, she burst into A-list stardom with her Oscar-winning performance in The Favourite, and she hasn't slowed down. Fleabag, The Crown, The Father, and now this terrifying performance in Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut adapted from an Elena Ferrante novel. (That's three nominations in four years.) Colman plays an unravelling professor on holiday alone whose fraught relationship with her own daughters starts to manifest itself with her fellow vacationers. The Best Actress field is easily the strongest (and most competitive) this year, so it seems unlikely that Colman, who just won, would win again so soon, but I would not be mad about another victory for this modern legend.
Watch it on Netflix.
4.Jessica Chastain (Best Actress) — The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Well, oh me oh my, if it isn't Jessica Chastain playing Tammy Faye Bakker, and you know what? I think that's just super! The two-time Oscar nominee is back on the hunt this year for a spot-on, full-body transformation into the Midwestern Evangelical televangelist. In her turn as the blissfully naive, makeup-loving, Diet Coke-guzzling Christian singer and talk show host, Chastain disappears into the role completely, embodying Bakker so thoroughly that the similarities between the real and the fictional are uncanny. Her performance hits an especially high note during an emotional real-life interview between Bakker and an AIDS patient that serves as a pivotal break in the film between Bakker's kindhearted faith and the dogmatic, homophobic conservatism of Jerry Falwell. The perfect Oscar clip? I'd say, oh yeah. While Chastain's campy performance in a largely ignored film seemed to be losing steam, her recent win at the SAGs and incredible speech certainly puts her back within striking distance.
Watch it on HBO Max.
3.Troy Kotsur (Best Supporting Actor) — CODA
My winner for Best Supporting Actor would be Troy Kotsur! Landing a role as a deaf actor is no easy feat, so when Kotsur was cast as the deaf father of a hearing daughter in CODA, he capitalized on the performance. Paired with Oscar-winner Marlee Matlin, Kotsur is one half of a dynamic (and very horny) couple who run a fishing boat in Massachusetts. The pair rely heavily on their hearing daughter and struggle to face the obstacles that could arise for them should she leave for college to become a musician. Kotsur, an unknown prior to this year, has an Indie Spirit and SAG win, as well as a Critics Choice and Golden Globe nomination under his belt, which means he is headed into the Oscars as the frontrunner. We'll see if he can manage to stay upright if he wins.
Watch it on Apple TV+.
2.Andrew Garfield (Best Actor) — Tick, Tick... Boom!
Casting a non-singer in a musical role just because they're famous is often a recipe for disaster. *cough* Russell Crowe *cough* Pierce Brosnan *cough* Alec Baldwin. So training the former Spider-Man to play the lead in a Jonathan Larson musical directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda seemed like a tall order. But not only can Garfield sing, but he's also got the acting pedigree to stitch the songs together. Picking up a Golden Globes win, a SAG nomination, and his second Oscar nomination proves the point. While Smith is taking big swings and Cumberbatch is repressing everything, Garfield gives a beautifully nuanced, sweet, human performance that is impossible to deny. I'd give him the win, and here's him singing another song, just because this soundtrack is so damn catchy.
Watch it on Netflix.
1.Kristen Stewart (Best Actress) — Spencer
The best performance of the year in the best film of the year. Poo-poo K Stew's portrayal as Bella Swan in the Twilight films all you'd like, but the woman took her massive payday and has been spending the last decade circling the indie film world, quietly amassing a bank of stellar performances. Now, she's finally an Oscar nominee on the hunt for Best Actress. Somehow, Stewart manages to combine her own ticks and expressions with those of the British royal, serving up a haunting portrayal of Diana that is lively, tragic, and mesmerizing. Watching her fret in immaculate Jacqueline Durran costumes and sprint across open fields is a treat. And of course, she reminds us that gorgeous gorgeous girls do in fact eat soup. Her SAG snub and a very unpredictable category full of strong performances really means this could go any way, but I will be praying to father, son, and the ghost of Lady Gaga's House of Gucci nomination every night until March 27 that I'll be able to call Kristen Stewart an Oscar winner.
Watch it on Hulu.
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