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Published on 2/25/26
Written by: Braylon Mitchell
My ranking of all twenty performances nominated at the 98th Academy Awards in the acting categories of Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.
I would like to note that I feel positively about all twenty of these performances- and I'm not just saying this for the sake of it, but I think this is by far the best class of acting nominees of the decade so far.
#20
Elle Fanning- Sentimental Value
I don't like that I'm ranking her last because I do really like much of her performance and I'm a big of her both as an actress and person- hell, I even cheered when her name was the first read on nomination announcement morning. Still, out of these twenty acting nominees I love her performance in "Sentimental Value" less than almost every other nominee nor would she make my personal Best Supporting Actress lineup. Even if I wasn't head over heels for her performance, I'm happy to call Elle Fanning an Oscar nominated actress and I believe she'll return to awards season again in the future for hopefully a performance I'm personally a little higher on.
#19
Kate Hudson- Song Sung Blue
This is the other performance on this film that I'd say I love less than every other nominee above it, but then again I'm a fan of her performance and fairly happy for her nomination. I didn't love "Song Sung Blue" that much, but it was a good enough film and she's easily one of the best elements of it. It's both an emotionally heavy and energetic performance, and I know many would agree with me in saying that it's her best performance in years if not decades.
#18
Wagner Moura- The Secret Agent
I hate having to rank this performance low, but what can I say the Oscars nominated a cluster of great performances this year and some go lower than others for me. Beloved Brazilian actor Wagner Moura gives such a layered performance, and certainly one of the more subtler nominated this year. He plays the role quite understated and is wholly commanding in doing so- leaving an impact on the viewer, especially with that final scene in the hospital.
#17
Wunmi Mosaku- Sinners
I'm so glad that this Oscar nomination for Mosaku ended up materalizing and being a near constant throughout the precursors. Earlier on in the awards season I didn't think that any supporting actress out of "Sinners" would translate over into nominations due to how much of an ensemble piece that film is, but I'm happy to be wrong- as soon after she won the Gotham award in November most of the awards season caught onto how great she is in this film. Some may argue that her character Annie is the heart of "Sinners", and a major reason for that is because of how well she plays that character- delivering a performance with so much personality, emotional depth, and memorability. I'm in the firm belief that every cast member of "Sinners" gave a fantastic performance, but she's certainly one of the standouts out of that superb ensemble.
#16
Emma Stone- Bugonia
Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone as an actor/director relationship is truly a match made in heaven. I'd be fine if she goes the rest of her career only making films with Lanthimos, because her on screen persona & skills as an actress perfectly fit with the weirdness of Lanthimos. Alongside her co-star Jesse Plemons (although I'm very happy with all five Best Actor nominees, would've loved if he had gotten nominated too) Stone gives a fantastic performance. Cold, calculated, humorous, and ultimaley ambiguous as her character calls for. Throughout the film we don't know whether or not she's an alien, and she plays that ambiguity so well. In particular, each time I've seen the film I'm wowed by her acting in the scene where she delivers a monologue as Plemons is coming down the stairs into the basement after a moment with his mother. The total shift in character she carries out in that moment, whether we believe what she's saying or not, is brilliant.
#15
Jacob Elordi- Frankenstein
Jacob Elordi is an actor that I wasn't a fan of until 2023, where he impressed me with great performances in "Priscilla" and "Saltburn". Since then, I've caught up with the show "Euphoria" where I loved his performance as well. Now that I am a fan of his, I was excited to see his performance as Frankenstein's creature- but like many, my expectations were exceeded. Most impressively, his unreal ability to use his physicality and facial expressions to come across as basically a six foot baby for the first half of the crature's story in the castle. Out of all the performances nominated this year, it's one of those that I've personally heard the most buzz and discussion about in my own life from both industry, actors, and friends/family. Del Tor and Elordi have created brand new defining version one of the most iconic fictional characters ever. That is impressive to me.
#14
Amy Madigan- Weapons
On the topic of performances that almost instantly entered the status of "iconic" we have Amy Madigan as Aunt Gladys, a veteran actress nominated for playing a villian in a horror movie- not only does this nomination further prove that the current academy is more open to the horror genre than ever, it proves that in the case of this performance awards season was fully in touch with how much both auidences & critics responded to Madigan's work. Both hilariously unexpected in her gawty red wig/makeup and deeply menacing in the scenes at home with her nephew, Madigan gives a performance no one will be forgetting any time soon. Years from now I hope people will look back and think, "it's so cool that she was actually nominated".
#13
Micheal B. Jordan- Sinners
This is the third performance in a row on my ranking that I'd consider freshly iconic. In dual roles of portraying twins Smoke and Stack, Jordan gives the best performance of his career so far- playing both characters with difficult-to-pull-off distinction and concentrated flare. What makes this nomination for Jordan all the more deserving is that it's his first. Especially in his past collaborations with Ryan Coogler, Jordan has been worthy of his first Oscar nomination for several years now- and isn't it satisfying that nomination came for his greatest acting achivement yet under the direction of Coogler?
#12
Stellan Skarsgard- Sentimental Value
It just feels right to finally call Stellan Skarsgard an Academy Award nominated actor. Between this performance in "Sentimental Value", his performance on the show "Andor", and performance on the limited series "Chernobyl" back in 2019- I've felt like there's been a refurbished cultural appreciation for him and his body of work as an actor. For all of that goodwill for Skarsgard amongst fans old and new we've been treated to an excellent, nuanced performance from him in this film.
#11
Teyana Taylor- One Battle After Another
I loved her performance the first time I saw this film, but it's absolutely one that grew richer in my mind the more I reflected on her work and subseqeuntly rewatched the film several more times. Owning the intial thirty or so minutes of the film, Taylor's performance as Perfida Beverly Hills begins as a fierce ball of energy and personality- then, taking the surprising (and hard to pull off) turn of moving into much more subdued and quiet territory. Yes, she disappears after that but you'd be a fool to say her influence doesn't linger over the rest of the entire film even if she isn't ever on screen again. Beverly Hills is one of the most complexly written characters in the film, and her performance matches that complexity very well. She's the current frontrunner to win the Oscar, and I think that her likely win will be quite deserved.
#10
Leonardo DiCaprio- One Battle After Another
DiCaprio has been on a hot streak of fantastic performances for several years now, and his performance in this film certainly doesn't break that streak. Leo's performance as Bob Ferguson (aka Ghetto Pat aka Rocketman Pat) might be his most culturally celebrated in over a decade, and for two good reasons- he's amazing in it working with brilliant material and he's absolutely hilarious in it. For those of us that are huge fans of DiCaprio, we've known for a long time how good of a comedic actor he is- but with this film, he's made it a well known fact that when he wants to he can make a performance truly funny as well as emotionally strong. He hasn't been in a "winning postion" this awards season nor do I see that changing, but when folks years from now revisit "One Battle After Another" I bet they'll wonder why he wasn't more competitive for the win. I'd rank it up there as one of my favorite performances of his.
#9
Benicio Del Toro- One Battle After Another
Who would've expected the love that would surround this performance and this character before "One Battle After Another" released? Walking out of this film the first time I saw it, I was taken aback at how well Del Toro takes this "small supporting" role and steals the show without every doing anything showy or flashy- and the world agreed with me as he quickly became the "fan favorite" performance out of the cast that cinephiles will continue to quote for years to come. Amdist the chaos unfolding throuhout the film, the other intense performances in the cast, and the stress inducing score- Del Toro's Sensi Sergio is different tonally. He's in a zone of quiet calmness and subtly, coming across as both carefully calculated and carefree- on top of that, being absolutely hilarious. Some may say there's nothing to his performance, but many more would rather say that there's more to what he does with this performance than any other "small supporting" performance of the past decade.
#8
Delroy Lindo- Sinners
Am I just a bit biased ranking this performance so high because Lindo was the major shocker nomination of this year and Lindo is a great veteran actor that's been far overdue for his first nomination? Yes. Isn't that the point of ranking things? Biases? Maybe. Anyway, I adore this performance- to me he was and remains my favorite standout of that stacked "Sinners" ensemble. He's loveable as this drunken blues player with a whole lot of life and experience that makes him who he is- the sharing of his past passions and pain helping to shape the character of Sammy in particular, something Lindo captures so well in the unlikely sage position. In particular, his monologue in the car after driving past the chain gang is a masterful moment of acting. Perhaps the best written and acted monologue of the year.
#7
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas- Sentimental Value
There's a famous phrase that goes, "acting is reacting" and if that's the case it's no wonder Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas' performance is so mesmerizing. Especially in the film's third act she has a handful of very impactful, showcase moments- but even when she's completely silent in a scene, with her facial expressions and the emotion in her eyes alone she communicates so many layers of thought & emotion. I haven't been this moved by an actor's eyes in a long time. If I were an Oscar voter, she'd be my personal pick for Best Supporting Actress.
#6
Renate Reinsve- Sentimental Value
"Sentimental Value" is one of the best acted films of the year and is centered around a handful of truly humanist performances, and after a lot of reflection I think Renate Reinsve's performance is my favorite out of the film. She's an actress simply born for the screen- displaying effortless beauty, grit, and a deep understanding of her characters. She only has a few credits to her filmography as she only made her film debut five years ago in Joachim Trier's "The Worst Person in the World" and somehow she's already tapped into feeling like movie magic. Her performance in this film is stellar, and one of the very best of the year.
#5
Sean Penn- One Battle After Another
I don't think it's a stretch at all to call several performances nominated this year "newly iconic"- but none compare to the instant iconic status that Sean Penn's performance as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw cemented as soon as "One Battle After Another" released. This is the type of wholly original, water cooler discussion-starting performance that people won't shut up about. "One Battle After Another" is a film that is so deeply silly and satirical that its relevance to the current real world is scary- and no performance out of the film better represents that better than Penn's turn as Lockjaw. Finding the perfect balance of cartoonishly wacky and menacing, I couldn't help being mesmerized by his performance- most of the time, either with my jaw left hanging open in confused awe or dying of laughter. I could list out some of my favorite acted scenes of his in the film, but then I'd just end up listing out almost every moment of screentime he has. I will say, the turn that his performance/character takes in his final scene was the moment on each rewatch that I fully realize how impressed I am. No matter your opinion on Sean Penn as a person or even as an actor, there's no denying what he pulled off in this film is unique. In my eyes, this is the best performance of he's ever given.
#4
Rose Byrne- If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
Byrne gives quite possibly the most intense, most fearless performance nominated out of this year's class of nominees. While not lacking of some dramatic roles to her name, Byrne was mostly known as a comedic actress that in particular blasted into popularity durning the 2010s- but I'd argue that not even her biggest fans would've realized that she had this loaded of a performance in her. In "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" she doesn't just steal the show, she is the show- director Mary Bronstein builds the film around her ability to play this woman with such authentic frustration, and as an actress Byrne delivers nothing but masterfully acted uncomfortableness and humanist resonance through the intensity of the role.
#3
Timothee Chalamet- Marty Supreme
Many of the great actors of our time had roles early on their filmography that for the rest of their careers and lives helped define them as an actor. Robert DeNiro had "Taxi Driver" & "Raging Bull", Al Pacino had "The Godfather I & II", Leonardo DiCaprio had "Titanic", Denzel Washington had "Malcom X", and now Timothee Chalamet has "Marty Supreme". It honestly didn't take me that long to warm up to the sentiment of Chalamet being this generation's "DiCaprio" because on top of being a young, hot celebrity that people go crazy over- he's already established himself as smart in choosing what films to make up his filmography and has the performances to prove he's an incredibly talented actor. His performance in this film is a marvel- a prime modern example of an actor perfectly cast in a role and playing it perfectly. It's thrilling that Chalamet is still so early on his career and has decades worth of performances he's yet to give- but I have a strong feeling that he's going to be best remembered for his amazing work as Marty Mauser. He's currently the frontrunner to win the Oscar, and will be a very deserving winner.
#2
Jessie Buckley- Hamnet
In my opinion, and I'm sure the opinion of many others, this is THE performance of 2025. Jessie Buckley delivers a true powerhouse performance in every way. She captures an emtional rawness that is so authentic, so gut wrenchingly painful that at several moments throughout the film I couldn't help but feeling in awe of what I was watching her accomplish. I've been a fan of Buckley for many years now, and it's very satisying to finally see her getting her awards due and universal acclaim. From the day this film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, it was known that she'd win the Oscar and since then surely enough she's swept the season- primed, ready, and overwhelmingly predicted to win her first Academy Award on March 15th. To me, she'll be the most deserving winner of the night.
#1
Ethan Hawke- Blue Moon
In "Blue Moon" Hawke is on screen for almost every second of the films's hundred minute screentime. He's apart of every single scene in the film, he's tackling page long monologue after page long monologue after page long monologue, and he's portraying a real life figure from American musical theater history- some may say he's giving a performance that's basically a cheat code for getting an Oscar nomination, and they'd be right, but sometimes when an actor is "doing the absolute most" it can genuinely translate to doing the absolute best. From the second he walks into the bar quoting "Casablanca" to Bobby Cannavale's bartender character- I was instantly smitten. I'm a big fan of Hawke, I could listen to him talk about things he's passionate about or the art of acting/filmmaking for hours (and I have, as I saw him at a Q&A at my hometown theater in Lexington, Kentucky) as well as him being one of my favorite actors working- so imagine the joy I felt watching this film and seeing the man that I greatly admire give the very best performance of his career. A performance that is flamboyant, funny, and ultimately heartbreaking as a fading artist in denial and annoying to most people around him. His scene with Maragret Qualley in the coat closet moved me so much, as he portrays heartbreak in that moment so well.
There may be two or three other performances nominated this year that I'd be fine saying are technically better, but personally what Hawke accomplished in this film resonated with me most and impressed me more than any other performance out of these twenty acting nominees or of any other performance I saw from a 2025 film.
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