All the Oscar Nominated Performances, Ranked (2010-2016)

Per reader request!

ALL 140 OF OSCAR NOMINATED PERFORMANCES THIS DECADE RANKED (THUS FAR)
by Nathaniel R
Asterisks indicate Oscar winners

1. Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine *
2. Cate Blanchett, Carol
3. Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
4. Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night
5. Christopher Plummer, Beginners *
6. Isabelle Huppert, Elle
   
   
7. Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom
8. Viola Davis, The Help
   🔺 for the ages...  
9. Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln *
10. Edward Norton, Birdman
11. Emmanuelle Riva, Amour
12. Michael Keaton, Birdman
13. Christian Bale, The Fighter *
14. Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
15. Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
16. Rooney Mara, Carol
17. Viola Davis, Fences
    
    
18. Melissa Leo, The Fighter *
19. Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables *
20. Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
21. Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
22. Denzel Washington, Fences
23. Brad Pitt, Moneyball
24. Jean DuJardin, The Artist *
25. Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic
26. Natalie Portman, Jackie
27. Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave *
    🔺the awesomeness...
    
    
    ...just love em 🔻
28. Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
29. Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
30. Patricia Arquette, Boyhood *
31. Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
32. Amy Adams, The Fighter
33. Nicole Kidman, Lion
34. Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
35. Brie Larson, Room *
36. Emma Stone, La La Land
    
    
37. Sally Field, Lincoln
38. Reese Witherspoon, Wild
39. Bruce Dern, Nebraska
40. Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine
41. Jessica Chastain, The Help
    ...with deep appreciation  🔻 
42. Naomie Harris, Moonlight
43. Helen Hunt, The Sessions
44. Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
45. Natalie Portman, Black Swan 
46. Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea
47. Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
48. Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
49. John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
50. Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
51. Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
52. Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
53. Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
    
    
    
    worthy fine choices. They brought it
54. Matt Damon, The Martian
55. Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
56. Julianne Moore, Still Alice *
57. Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
58. Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
59. Ryan Gosling, La La Land
60. Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
61. James Franco, 127 Hours
62. Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
63. Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyer's Club *
64. Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
65. Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
66. Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
67. Sylvester Stallone, Creed
68. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
69. Denzel Washington, Flight
70. Demian Bichir, A Better Life
71. Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
    
    
72. Ruth Negga, Loving
73. Amy Adams, American Hustle
74. Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything *
75. Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies *
76. Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl *
77. Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
78. Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
79. Judi Dench, Philomena
80. Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech
81. Jeremy Renner, The Town
    
    
    
    i get it even if I wouldn't necessarily have gone there... 
82. Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
83. Lucas Hedges, Manchester by the Sea
84. Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
85. Naomi Watts, The Impossible
86. Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
87. Rooney Mara, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
88. Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild
89. Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
90. Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
91. Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
92. Michael Shannon, Nocturnal Animals
93. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant * 
94. Colin Firth, The King's Speech *
95. Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
96. Octavia Spencer, The Help *
97. Dev Patel, Lion
98. Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady *
99. Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
100. Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
     
     
101. Jeff Bridges, True Grit
102. Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
103. JK Simmons, Whiplash *
104. Javier Bardem, Biutiful
105. Sandra Bullock, Gravity
106. June Squibb, Nebraska
107. Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
108. Jared Leto, Dallas Buyer's Club *
     
     
     
     things that make you go "hmmmm..."
109. Julia Roberts, August Osage County
110. Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
111. Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
112. Tom Hardy, The Revenant
113. Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
114. Christian Bale, The Big Short
115. Laura Dern, Wild
116. Emma Stone, Birdman
117. Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
118. Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook *
119. Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
120. Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
121. Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
122. Nick Nolte, Warrior
     
     
     
     Was this really necessary??? 
123. Jonah Hall, Moneyball
124. Jacki Weaver, Silver Linings Playbook
125. Amy Adams, The Master
126. Berenice Bejo, The Artist
127. Alan Arkin, Argo
128. Christian Bale, American Hustle
129. Jonah Hill, Wolf of Wall Street
130. George Clooney, The Descendants
131. Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit 
132. Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
133. Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
134. Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained *
135. Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge
136. Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
137. Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
138. Robert Duvall, The Judge
139. Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
140. Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Most Nominated This Decade (7 Years in...)
Four nominations: Jennifer Lawrence & Meryl Streep (nominated for 57% of this decade's Oscar nights)
Three nominations: Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Mark Ruffalo and Michelle Williams (nominated for 43% of this decade's Oscar nights)
Two nominations: Cate Blanchett, Jeff Bridges, Jessica Chastain, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Eddie Redmayne, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Denzel Washington, and Jacki Weaver (nominated for 28% of this decade's Oscar nights)

Comments

[Sarah]

Nice list! I would have a difficult time ranking so many. Also, Fassbender is also a two-time nominee you forgot to include at the end.

[San FranCinema]

I'm in general agreement with the shape of this list with a few exceptions:

Nicole in LION - definitely a was-this-necessary pick for me
PS Hoffman in THE MASTER - belongs near the very top
DiCaprio in WOLF - I'd put him even higher, and certainly above McConaughey, whose bait-y performance isn't going to age well
J-Law in SILVER LININGS - waaayyy higher, for the sheer joy and power of that performance
Damon in THE MARTIAN - waaayyy lower, just a snarky mess
Bale in AM HUSTLE - higher higher higher

Fun stuff.

[Jono]

Why is Anne Hathaway #19 and Meryl Streep #119 for musical performances? I realize its subjective and your choices, but that oddly sticks out. And is Nicole Kidman in Lion really one of the top 50 best performances of the decade? Brad Pitt in Moneyball? Okay.

I know it may not be popular, but my least favorite ("overrated") performance in hindsight is Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln. Robotic.

Yes, to Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine. Great performance.

[brandz]

I understand we all have different tastes, and you have the platform, of course. However, I couldn't disagree more with your rankings.

7 of top ten are women. 15 of top twenty are women. I cannot take your list seriously.

[Hayden]

First of all, this is an admirable and overwhelming task.

Second, I need a wellness check. Nick Nolte was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2011, for a movie called Warrior?

Um.

I do not remember this film, performance, campaign etc. whatsoever. This feels like the first time I've heard of it. This is impossible. I thought that was a typo! How did this happen. Yikes. I've been doing this too long.

[smh]

doesn't Michelle Williams have 3 on this list?

[Hustler]

@brandz Look all the way up at the top of the page, right under the name of the site. It says ACTRESSES. Have you somehow not gotten that memo?

[Heiko]

Cate Blanchett's sublime performance in Carol deserves the top spot. Blue Jasmine should be second.

Nat, I challenge you to name 140 performances that should have been nominated. :)

[Anonymous]

Jono - Eh it's all subjective. We shouldn't try to judge other people.

[Huh]

Let's play a game- best and worst two in each category.

For the ages:
Best in show: Blanchett and Cotillard
Worst in show: If I HAD to choose Worst in show goes to Plummer and Huppert.

Awesomeness:
Best in show: Mara and Keaton
Worst in show: Lewis and Riva

Just love em:
Best in show: Einsenberg &a Adams
Worst in show: Chastain and Sally Field

Deep appreciation:
Best in show- Hunt and Portman
Worst in show: Lee Jones and, oh I don't know, Kiera

Worthy fine:
Best in show: Chastain and DiCaprio
Worst in show: Hawkins and Rush

I get it:
Best in show- Mara and Oldman
Worst in show- Watts and Bullock

Hmmm:
Best in show- Lawrence and Abdi
Worst in show- Nolte and Streep

What the:
Best in show- Waltz and Weaver
Worst in show- Redmayne and Steinfeld

[Roger]

Am I the only who was never onboard the Lupita train during the 2013 awards season? I rewatched 12YAS and I don't understand how she was the one to win an Oscar from that film and not Chiwetel. She's not given a whole lot on a character level to do except be tortured in the most cruel ways and react to that torture. Her eyes are haunting and she is heartbreaking to watch but like I said, her role wasn't well developed enough at all.

[Ryan T.]

Great list! I don't think I could even begin to do one for myself.

That said a few comments:
-COMPLETELY AGREE on Waltz, Lawrence, and Leto being the lowest ranked winners.
-I think Steinfeld was just great in TRUE GRIT.
-Brad Pitt #23? For MONEYBALL? Huh... ok.

[Ric]

You forgot Viola, Nicole, Rooney, and Fassy among the two-nom people. :)

[brandz]

@hustler
LOL. I read Oscar nominated performances of the past decade. While it took some effort to compile the rankings, I still can't take the list seriously. Stallone ranking higher than PSH???

[Max]

@brzndz. Could not agree with you more

@hustler. Then the list should ALL be actresses

This list is made of someone who has nothing else to do!! I cannot imagine the time some of you bloggers have to look up trivia and/or watch so many movies! I am jealous!!

[Anonymous]

Why are you guys being so rude? Damn.

[Mike in Canada]

It makes me happy to see Leogend, Anne Hathaway, Saoirse Ronan and Mark Ruffalo side by side by side and way the high up - four of my absolute faves.

[Jans]

The list only shows how much love (sometimes undeservingly) this site has for Viola and Nicole as I've mentioned before. Blanchett certainly is worthy of the top 2 spots and a big yeah to Christopher Plummer in Beginners!

[Morganb]

(Is this giving away your gold medalists for this years actor and actress? :P)

[Huh]

I don't think ppl are being rude. It's a good list (esp the upper portion of it!). It's just fun to pick apart lists ;). It's all subjective at the end of the day.

[Arkaan]

Heh, Blanchett has the top two spots but Nathaniel accidentally omitted her from the "most nominated" round-up.

[Troy H.]

Lists like this remind me of how poorly some of these nominations tend to age, not that I didn't know that they were questionable to begin with. There are so many more "was this really necessary" picks for me that only become more apparent with the benefit of time -- some of them winners (Leto, Streep, Waltz).

In my mind Sally Field > Daniel Day Lewis in Lincoln, and I will not be persuaded otherwise.

[Juan Ramirez]

Michelle Williams has three nominations on this list, not two ;)

[Said no one]

Nicole Kidman in "Lion" is one of the greatest performances ever committed to film.

[Becausewhynot]

Nathaniel - would it be too much to ask if you combine 2000s and 2010s' rankings or at least the best 20 and worst 20 nominated performances of this century? 😊

[Tom]

@Huh- i will play the game with you!

Ages-
best- Cate Blanchett in Carol/ worst- Davis

Awesomes
best- Davis in Fences/ worst- Leo

Love
best- Adams/ worst- Larson

Deep appreciation
best- Portman/ worst- Hawke

Worthy
best- Pike/ worst- McConaughey

I get it
best- Hoffman/ worst- Leto

HMM
best- Lawrence/ worst- Nolte

What?
best- Bejo/ worst- Garfield

[Max]

@Said no one. That's a joke, right????

[JamDenTel]

Definitely agree with you about Ruffalo in Spotlight (and Garfield in Hacksaw Ridge). I'm more than okay with Leigh getting in for Hateful Eight (but I loved that film and I know a lot of people didn't). And I strongly disagree regarding Emma Stone in Birdman, a performance I consider much superior to her work in La La Land.

Both the men from The Master belong in the top 10. And Amy Adams would have, had she been given more to do.

[Ez]

I am here for the Cate lovin'! Praise be to Cate the Great. Long may she reign.

[Craver]

Y'all know too damn well that ROSAMUND PIKE IN GONE GIRL is one of THE BEST acting performances of the decade. So her placement in 58 is ATROCIOUS!!
I know J-Law isn't loved here, but she was amazing in SLP!
Glenn Close has suffered enough..
STOP with the nonsense that Stallone in Creed is at 67 LMAO
Cranston in Trumbo is the worst.

My top 10:
1. Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine
2. Joaquin Phoenix in The Master
3. Natalie Portman in Black Swan
4. Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl
5. Charlotte Rampling in 45 Years
6. Isabelle Huppert in Elle
7. Cate Blanchett in Carol
8. Michael Keaton in Birdman
9. Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole
10. Phillip Seymour Hoffman in The Master
Honorary mentions: Amy Adams in The Fighter and Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies

[Philip H.]

You're missing Natalie Portman on the list of two nominations. Unless I'm dumb.

[Roger]

Oh my god! There's another Roger!

Well, this Roger loved Lupita. (Though Not my winner). I agree Chiwetel was better.

[MMnis]

Is this a joke? Emma Stone in La La Land ranked higher than many esteemed performers like Judi Dench, Kate Winslet & Julianne Moore? LOL

[JB]

Well done Nathaniel, and thank you. This is awesome. Can't argue with that Top 8.

@Huh.... my list:

Ages-
best- Cate Blanchett in Carol/ worst- there isn't one

Awesomes
best- Ronan/ worst- Viggo

Love
best- Chiwetel/ worst- Kidman

Deep appreciation
best- Ali/ worst- Harris

Worthy
best- Dench/ worst- McConaughey

I get it
best- Wallis/ worst- Leto

HMM
best- Lawrence/ worst- McAdams

What?
best- Bejo/ worst- Redmayne

[Sergio]

Doesn't Nicole Kidman has two in the list?

[Glenn Dunks]

I have to laugh when I see people complaining about Nathaniel's rankings only to then make known their preferences/favourites/thoughts as if somehow their thoughts are NOT subjective.

[Michael]

Am I blind? Can't see Monique for Precious.

[NATHANIEL R]

Michael -- that's 2009, so not this decade.Time flies! That list was here and it won't take you long to see Mo'nique's name :)

[Michael]

You are right! Not blind just bad with dates! Thanks Nat.

[Emma]

Totally agree with the low rank of Jlaw in SLP.
I would have ranked both of Jonah Hill's performances much, much higher. Especially his performance in WoWS.

[BlueMoon02]

I agree with Jono. I love Nicole Kidman but I don't think her role shld be ranked so high up. And why is Amy Adams' performance in American Hustle ranked so Low when it's one of the best in the past few years ??(#73??)

[Juan]

I was happy to see you placed Chastain way over Spencer in The Help. I am very fond of the film, but invariably come off with the sense that the Academy rewarded the role rather than the performance. I am not a huge Chastain fan, but her performance, on the other hand, is bright, sparkly and completely inhabited.

As for the "was this really necessary?" portion, three observations: Bejo was essential to The Artist's charm, in a film that was essentially about charm (aided by extraordinary technique, of course); Clooney is great in The Descendants, but he's essentially playing Clooney, so touché; Carrell was marvellous in Foxcatcher, deserves a better ranking (at least in the "I get it.." category).

[Joe]

Thanks to Nathaniel for compiling this interesting list.

One response I had while reading is that there are a good chunk of performances here l have not seen. I love movies, but if something holds no interest to me, I typically won't see the film whether it was nominated for acting nods or not. The Best Actress and Supporting Actress categories are the ones where I've seen the most. And there are some films I haven't seen that I've meant to but have just never gotten around to.

I have not seen:

Lincoln (!)
Captain Fantastic
Jackie (I've been foiled three times trying to see this!)
The Imitation Game
The Martian
A Better Life (I don't have ANY memory of this film's existence)
Albert Nobbs
Flight
Wolf of Wall Street
Florence Foster Jenkins
Zero Dark Thirty
Hell or High Water
Bridge of Spies
Philomena
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Joy
Nocturnal Animals
Biutiful
Nebraska
The Big Short
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Captain Phillips
The Warrior (I have no member of this film's existence, either)
Argo
The Hateful Eight
Django Unchained
Hacksaw Ridge
Trumbo
The Judge

[BD]

Have you done this for Best Picture nominees?

[Percy]

Love this list. Brad Pitt in Top 25 is righteous. I would dispute very few entries: Anne Hathaway and Bruce Dern should be lower. Cate Blanchett in Carol should be number 1, though Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine still belongs in the Top 10. Rachel McAdams and Barkhad Abdi should be higher.

[Suzanne]

Oh I'll play...

for the ages...
Best - Blanchett in Blue Jasmine/Worst - Cotillard is the least memorable to me, but they're all excellent

the awesomeness...
Best - Portman/Worst - Mortensen (I don't get what people see in this performance at all)

just love em...
Best - Arquette/Worst - Kidman

...with deep appreciation
Best - Hawke (Hawke and Arquette in Boyhood are two of my favorite performances of the decade)/Worst - Knightley

worthy fine choices
Best - Chastain/Worst - Renner, who is always a big charisma deficit

i get it....
Best - Both Lawrence performances/Worst - Felicity Jones

things that make you go hmmmm...
Best - Lawrence/Worst - Emma Stone

was this really necessary?
Best - Clooney/Worst - Either Duvall or Redmayne

[Michael R]

Thank you for ranking Ruffalo's performance last. What an overactive mess!

[Someone]

Well, to be honest: this list sucks. :)
Gosling should be on 140th position.

[Jules]

Christ almighty...so very fucking pretentious. Lol!.

C'mon...Jennifer Lawrence deserves to be much higher for all four nominated and winning performances and you know it.

Also? Viola Davis performance in The Help is very good but for the ages???...and Lupita N'yongo was serviceable in 12 YAS. It's as if you felt you had to check all the SJW boxes, pretentious asshole boxes as well as it pisses me off that Jennifer Lawrence/Emma Stone for that matter are young, talented and successful, celebrated, etc.,...get over it.

[Michael R]

*over acted