Oscar Actress Hierarchy 2024 Edition

by Nathaniel R 

Emma & Annette rising

The last time we did this list three years ago, Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) and Frances McDormand (Nomadland) had just risen on the list with new nominations adding to their overall tally. After the nominations that year Glenn lost again and Frances won again. With Emma Stone (Poor Things) taking her second Oscar on Sunday night and Annette Bening &  Jodie Foster (both in Nyad) in the shortlists this season once again, it's time for a refresher. They aren't the only stars to have moved up or entered the hallowed ranks in the past few years. 

What follows is a List of Oscar's 40 All Time Favorite Actresses... 

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Which acting nominee will be back again quickly?

by Nathaniel R

It's become something of a tradition here at TFE to guess which just-celebrated actor will be back soonest for another Oscar season. Last year at this time you (collectively) guessed that Cate Blanchett (29%), Michelle Williams (15%), Paul Mescal (15%) and Barry Keoghan (9%) would be the quickest to return. Nobody returned immediately but of those four only Barry Keoghan (Saltburn) seemed like a real possibility this time around.  But his film and even his performance were divisive so that happens. 

Time to vote again, which of the 20 stars recently celebrated will be back shortly? Make your case in the comments section.

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Nathaniel's Ballot - Best Actress and Best Actor

by Nathaniel R

Natalie Portman in "May December" © Netflix

Time is up. Argh! We previously talked supporting actors, supporting actresses, and limited roles. Herewith the MOVIE STAR categories in the Film Bitch Awards. We saw surprisingly eye to eye with Oscar voters this year on the men if not quite the women. The 24 actors in this post are not, of course, the only praise-worthy performances this year. People will be angry that two of the actual Oscar nominees don't make my top dozen but I have to answer to my own opinion, else why have personal awards? What follows is a list of twelve performances each for Best Actress and Best Actor that resonated most with yours truly. Though, as per usual, Best Actress was far more competitive and five plus strong female performances were left on the cutting room floor.

After the jump the semi-finalists, finalists, and nominees in both categories...

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Hello, Gorgeous: Best Actress of 2023

A new series by Juan Carlos Ojano

Hello, dear readers! It’s been a while since the last time I posted an entry to this series. I was busy completing my theater class, resulting in a final showcase open to the public. Let me start with that because our current nominees for Best Actress have all done theater in different points of their respective careers, something we do not always get to say about most groups of acting nominees in a category. Truth is that’s the only connective tissue I could find with these nominees because their character introductions are vastly different from each other.

Are you ready? The year is 2023...

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Almost There: Margot Robbie in "Barbie"

by Cláudio Alves

Everybody complains about comedic performances not getting their due on awards season. But of course, the instant such work becomes a serious contender, the knives come out. These achievements are generally dismissed, as if straight drama was inherently superior to broad comedy. I'm not accusing anyone in particular, but it is a phenomenon that can be felt across cinephilia, especially when it involves a movie like Barbie, which tapped into the zeitgeist and somehow became one of the year's defining movies. I thought about writing on the reaction to Ferrera's Best Supporting Actress nomination or how the tides have turned on Gosling as the season unfolded. Yet, Robbie was perfect for the Almost There Series, so here we are. 

With the 96th Academy Awards mere days away, the dust should have settled after the collective psychosis that followed the movie's "snubs" in Best Director and Best Actress. At least, I hope cool heads prevail as I dive into Margot Robbie's portrayal of Stereotypical Barbie…

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