Halfway Mark 2021 - Fav Performances & Characters
Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at 12:00PM by Nathaniel R
As we mentioned yesterday when we tackled our favourite movies of 2021 (THUS FAR) we like to jot down lists of favourites all year long so that when it comes time for the annual prizes we aren't just drawing from thing released in the last two months of the year the way Oscar voters tend to; cinema is a year-long love affair for us. So let's talk about the performances that sparkled the most thus far into 2021...
LEAD ACTRESS
- Andra Day as "Billie Holiday" in United States vs Billie Holiday
- Riley Keough as "Stefani" in Zola
- Taylour Paige as "Zola" in Zola
- Rosamund Pike as "Marla Grayson" in I Care a Lot
- Zendaya as "Marie" in Malcolm & Marie
LEAD ACTOR
- Idris Elba as "Harp" in Concrete Cowboy
- Adarsh Gourav as "Balram" in The White Tiger
- Daniel Kaluuya as "Fred" in Judas and the Black Messiah
- Anthony Ramos as "Usnavi" in In the Heights
- Alec Utgoff as "Zenia" in Never Gonna Snow Again
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Mabel Cadena as "Amada" in Dance of the 41
- Polly Draper as "Debbie" in Shiva Baby
- Dominique Fishback as "Deborah Johnson" in Judas and the Black Messiah
- Maja Ostaszewska as "Maria" in Never Gonna Snow Again
- Dianne Wiest as "Jennifer Peterson" in I Care a Lot
SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Colman Domingo as "X" in Zola
- David Harbour as "Red Guardian" in Black Widow
- Corey Hawkins as "Benny" in In the Heights
- Fred Melamed as "Joel" in Shiva Baby
- Emiliano Zurita as "Evaristo Rivas" in Dance of the 41
ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
JUVENILE PERFORMANCE (UNDER 18)
- Ever Anderson as "Young Natasha" in Black Widow
- Gregory Diaz as "Sonny" in In the Heights
- Reyn Doi as "Yoyo" in Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
- Finn Little as "Connor" in Those Who Wish Me Dead
- Millicent Simmonds as "Regan" in A Quiet Place Part II
LIMITED OR CAMEO OR VOICE PERFORMANCE, ACTRESS
- Vanessa Bayer as "Debbie" in Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
- Olivia Colman as "Pal" in Mitchells vs the Machines
- Sophie Hall as "Baybe" in Zola
- Ts Madison as "Hollywood" in Zola
- Phyllis Smith as "Delores" in Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
LIMITED OR CAMEO OR VOICE PERFORMANCE, ACTOR
- Jacob Dylan Grazer as "Alberto" in Luca
- Michael Hitchcock as "Gary the Concierge" in Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
- Chris Messina as "Dean Ericson" in I Care a Lot
- Mike Rianda as "Aaron/Furbies/Talking Dog" in Mitchells vs the Machines
- Jacob Tremblay as "Luca" in Luca
HERO
- Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya) Judas and the Black Messiah
- Katie Michell (Abbi Jacobson) Mitchells vs the Machines
- Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) Black Widow
- Regan (Millicent Simmonds) A Quiet Place Part II
- Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) In the Heights
VILLAIN
- The Occultist (Eugenie Bondurant) The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
- Pal (Olivia Colman) Mitchells vs the Machines
- Sharon Gordon Fisherman (Kristen Wiig) Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
- Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) Mortal Kombat
- Task Master (?) Black Widow
DIVA
- Baroness (Emma Thompson) in Cruella
- Cruella (Emma Stone) in Cruella
- Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega) in In the Heights
- Billie Holliday (Andra Day) in United States vs Billie Holiday
- Malcolm (John David Washington) in Malcolm & Marie
SEXPOT
- Edgar Paget (Jamie Dornan) in Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar
- Ignacio (Alfonso Herrera) in Dance of the 41
- Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) in In the Heights
- Zenia (Alec Utgoff) in Never Gonna Snow Again
- Zola (Taylour Paige) in Zola
Finis.
Still unseen for various reasons: Breaking News in Yuba County, Chaos Walking, Dream Horse, Killing of Two Lovers, False Positive, Map of Tiny Perfect Things, The Mauritanian, Moffie, Oxygen, Port Authority, Queen Bees, Stowaway, Undine, Without Remorse, World to Come.
Reader Comments (21)
YES on citing Olivia Colman for Mitchells vs. the Machine. That voice work absolutely delighted me. Whoever thought to cast her for that role deserve recognition.
This post also reminds me I need to see DANCE OF THE 41.
Great list. But shocked -- shocked! -- there isn't an entry for Dear Glenn in "Four Good G/Days!" 😂
Oh man, I hope we're all bracing ourselves for A24 to run Riley Keough in Supporting Actress...
You must see The Man with the Answers (2021)
Aw, no love for Dev Patel in THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD? He was a delight.
Phyllis Smith is in Barb and Star? Oooo. Guess I should see it. Love what she can do with little parts (like in Bad Teacher). And if through these lists you're trying to get us to want to see Never Gonna Snow Again - mission accomplished.
Polly Draper, BABY!
Am I the only one who consider the role of Mabel Cadena more lead than supporting? The story feels focus in the relationship between Ignacio and Amada.
Shouldn't the LIMITED OR CAMEO OR VOICE PERFORMANCE, ACTOR categories each one run separately? 😉
I will always love your awards and rankings, but I'm a bit shocked by the choice of Emiliano Zurita.. my biggest issue with that movie (which I mostly liked otherwise) was that it made no sense that Alfonso Herrera's character would risk losing everything for that relationship. I mean he's handsome and all, but their relationship is so underdeveloped and Emiliano's character is beyond bland. Anyway a lot of great choices here in all the categories.
You really included last year's Oscar nominees and winners. F you Academy with your extended calendar of eligibility.
Well... A Quiet Place Part II was supposed to come out when Millicent Simmonds was 17, and I'm guessing she was 16 during filming, so I think you could bend your rule a little there.
Richter -- yes, you're right. it was supposed to come out a whole year ago. so that makes sense.
I pick Jamie Dornan! I never knew he had that in him.
I don't understand the absence of Olga Merediz.
I’m baffled by all the love thrown at “I Care a Lot.” It is a pretty terrible movie. Some of acting was fun, sure. But not stellar, and certainly not with that material and directing.
RV -- i agree with you that the movie isn't very good. But we're only halfway through the year and i did think the acting was terrific.
Chris Messina... still hot after all these years.
I Care a Lot is a lot of fun. Everything works.
Clayne Crawford in The Killing of Two Lovers - what a performance!!
I just watched "Dance of the 41." What a gut punch of a movie. All three leads are phenomenal, with Herrera a revelation after his adorable performance in the sublime "Sense8." That last scene is a killer, on par with Timmy's final scene in "Call Me By Your Name."