This is a difficult thing to do which is why I had to add the ‘right now’ qualifier. This is not an all-time list, that’s a whole other thing that’s gonna take a little more reflection and rumination. This list is the people whose acting prowess has my attention currently and that I make a point to check out their work. It’s subject to change at a moment’s notice and it doesn’t include actors that are no longer with us. I also think gendering actors is silly and passé so this list includes all actors regardless of gender.
10- FLORENCE PUGH
This is the first of many actors on this list that I was gooped and gagged to find out wasn’t American after seeing them in an interview. I saw her first in Midsommar and like most people I was totally blown away by her raw vulnerability and genuine presence. And her American accent. I recently saw her again in Don’t Worry Darling where she gives another great performance in a so so film but again with a spot on American dialect. I nearly fell off my couch when I saw her interviewed on this year’s Oscars red (sorry, champagne) carpet and she replied in the poshest, loveliest British lilt. And as you’ll see it’s been happening to me a lot lately.
9 – DOMINIQUE FISHBACK
Swarm is lit. And Dominique Fishback is a big reason why. It’s a big, juicy, all-in performance and it’s absolutely riveting every step of the way. She makes huge choices and she backs them up with intention and emotional honesty. You root for her even when she goes full throttle homicidal maniac mode. She also played a large role in Judas and the Black Messiah, a film I saw but didn’t know who I was watching at the time. I think I’ll go back and watch it again now that I’m a stan of both Fishback and star Daniel Kaluuya who also appears on my list.
8 – HONG CHAU
This lady had quite a 2022 completely demolishing two juicy, completely opposite roles. In The Menu she’s a cold as ice, sadistic minion of Chef Slowick, menacing her way through every stealthy, blade sharp interaction. I was intrigued by that performance but balancing it with her warm, nurturing, deeply human performance in The Whale I was knocked out by her versatility and pure skill. Hopefully her recent successes will lead to her becoming a more familiar presence in Hollywood.
7 – EVAN PETERS
I’ve had my eye on Evan Peters since season 1 of American Horror Story and not just because he’s wonderful to look at. His frenetic energy is infinitely interesting and his choices are unexpected and inventive. As an actor of any credibility you get to a point where the obvious line reading comes to you naturally. Finding surprising and different ways to read a line that is still specific and character driven is next level skill. Evan Peters is solidly on that next level and it exciting to watch. He received some flack last year for humanizing Jeffrey Dahmer with his hypnotic performance but I think this speaks volumes to his abilities as an artist.
6 – COLIN FARRELL
Until this year Colin Farrell was not on my radar, even though he’s been a marquee actor for decades now. But with the one two punch of The Banshees of Inisherin and The Batman in 2022 he’s become one of my faves. You can’t blame me for overlooking the star known for sorry remakes of Miami Vice, Fright Night and Total Recall and as fakeout Grindlewald in the sorry Fantastic Beasts franchise. But I caught In Bruges after being truly astonished by his remarkable work last year and now I am convinced of his greatness. Or potential greatness because I have a feeling his best work is ahead of us.
5 – MELANIE LYNSKEY
Melanie Lynskey is another actor that I had no idea wasn’t from the United States. She’s a kiwi and New Zealand is no doubt proud of her exemplary work in both film and television. I was first introduced to Melanie in Ever After as the cheeky, chunky stepsister to Drew Barrymore’s Cinderella, whose British accent isn’t fooling anyone. She stood out in small roles in But I’m a Cheerleader and Sweet Home Alabama and until recently was one of those constantly working Hollywood players whose face is way more recognizable than her name. But not anymore! It’s so much fun to see her finally getting her due with critically acclaimed, outstanding work in both The Last of Us and Yellowjackets.
4 – DANIEL KALUUYA
Another Brit that I would have sworn to you was as American as apple pie, Daniel Kaluuya is a whole vibe. He’s effortlessly authentic and oh so cool and aloof. His work in Get Out is his best so far, honest and sympathetic and very funny all at once. He was incredibly intense and super hot in 2021’s Judas and the Black Messiah, blended in in the best way with the excellent ensemble of last year’s Nope and stood out in the excellent ensemble of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. He’s only just getting started and it’s exciting to watch his trajectory to superstardom.
3 – ANYA TAYLOR-JOY
Talk about magnetism. Anya Taylor-Joy has an otherworldly weirdness that makes it difficult to look away. And I don’t know why you’d want to. Her debut in The Witch was one of the most talked about horror performances of many years. She created an iconic television character in The Queen’s Gambit giving us a glimpse of the madness and the narcissism that often accompany genius. And in 2022 this girl was on fire showing versatility and range with three very different performers first austere and dreamy in Last Night in Soho, saucy (pun intended) and savvy as a cynical outsider in The Menu and stunning and stylish in Amsterdam. Like the other ladies that fill out my top three if she’s in it, I’m watching it. Period.
2 – ELIZABETH MOSS
Elizabeth Moss is the most skilled actor on this list and quite possibly working in Hollywood today. Her ability to convey massive volumes of emotion and pathos in a simple look is uncanny and oftentimes blood chilling. In The Handmaid’s Tale she maintains a palpable intensity in every single frame, her character psychotically committed to protecting her family and enacting revenge on her oppressors. I have a visceral response to her work unlike anything I’ve felt before. I believe every word, every expression and that is rare indeed. The Handmaid’s Tale unfortunately can’t last forever and I will be front row for whatever project she’s onto next.
1 – MARGOT ROBBIE
I admire Margot Robbie for her adventurous spirit, her willingness to bravely take on challenging and varied roles, seeming to value both substance and style in her eclectic assortment of projects. And she’s Australian. Who knew? Not me. She’s always dazzling, overflowing with charisma and effervescence in every role. In 2022 she was mesmerizing as a ballsy, brassy starlet in Babylon and showed equal girlboss energy in the offbeat Amsterdam. She’s a powerful presence, dominant and tragic in I, Tonya, the movie that kicked off my love affair with her. She’s nearly steals Once Upon a Time in Hollywood from Brad Pitt and Leo DiCaprio, two of the biggest stars ever, with her stunning supporting turn as Sharon Tate. She proves a worthy and capable acting partner to the likes of Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman in her heartbreaking turn in Bombshell. And she’s playful and completely unhinged as Harley Quinn in the so so Suicide Squad franchise. There seems to be nothing this woman can’t do and certainly nothing she won’t try. I look forward to her upcoming star turn as Barbie as well as any and everything that comes next.
Cliff’s Notes: Rotted & Relatable Reviews 