Top 50 Actresses
30. Vera Farmiga
Farmiga burst onto the scene in 2006's The Departed, as she courted both Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio. Last year she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Up in the Air. Everyone in that film was sensational.
-Up in the Air
-The Departed
-Orphan
29. Halle Berry
Most people first noticed Halle in X-Men or Swordfish. Although she is a very beautiful woman, she's not afraid to play worn-out and beaten down characters. Her performance in Monster's Ball is one of the best performances ever.
-Monster's Ball
-X-Men
-Gothika
28. Kate Hudson
Kate came out of nowhere to star as Penny Lane in Cameron Crowe's beautiful film Almost Famous. She's always a blast when on screen. She has so much life and spunk. Amazingly, she's only 31 years old. I have a feeling she will be around just as long as her mother (Goldie Hawn) was.
-Almost Famous
-The Skeleton Key
-The Killer Inside Me
27. Rose Byrne
Rose is a terrific Australian-born actress with an already fantastic résumé. She's been around for over a decade, but I first noticed Byrne in 2007's 28 Weeks Later. Since then, she has been popping up all over.
-Sunshine
-28 Weeks Later
-Adam
26. Marisa Tomei
Marisa has been nominated an amazing three times for an Oscar. Her performance in 1992's My Cousin Vinny is one of the all-time greats. The FX television series Rescue Me is one of favorite shows ever, and she guest-starred in a great four-episode stretch.
-My Cousin Vinny
-The Wrestler
-Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
25. Mila Kunis
For years Mila worked on That '70s Show and Family Guy. She was finally given a chance by director Nicolas Stoller, writer Jason Segel, producer Judd Apatow and casting director Jeanne McCarthy. The film was 2008's best comedy, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and boy did she deliver.
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall
-The Book of Eli
-Extract
24. Kristen Stewart
Best known for her work in the dreadful Twilight franchise, Kristen (20) has actually been around for a while. As a youngster she appeared in such films as Panic Room, Cold Creek Manor and Zathura: A Space Adventure. Her role, opposite Jesse Eisenberg, in 2009's Adventureland is easily her best.
-Adventureland
-The Runaways
-Into the Wild
23. Julia Roberts
Julia is one of the best actresses of all-time. A lot of her best performances have gone unnoticed. Especially the three films listed below. She owned the '90s, and she still has a lot of great years ahead of her.
-Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
-Duplicity
-Conspiracy Theory
22. Keira Knightley
Keira is still only 25 years old, which surprised me. She really turned heads in the first Pirates film and hasn't looked back. She's absolutely terrific in 2007's Atonement. If you're looking for a hidden gem, give 2005's The Jacket a look.
-Atonement
-The Jacket
-Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
21. Claire Danes
Claire got her big break opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet. She's always fun and interesting, especially in Igby Goes Down and Me and Orson Welles. But her best performance came this year in Temple Grandin (an HBO film that won seven Primetime Emmys), an emotional biopic of an autistic woman.
-Temple Grandin
-Brokedown Palace
-Igby Goes Down
20. Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer won an Oscar for her supporting role in A Beautiful Mind, and she's one of the most coveted actresses in Hollywood. Connelly is such a ferocious actress, and she never backs down from controversial roles.
-House of Sand and Fog
-Requiem for a Dream
-Blood Diamond
19. Sigourney Weaver
We all know Weaver from the Alien franchise. Two of her best roles came in James Cameron films (Aliens, Avatar). She has aged well and continues to dominate her roles. Here are a couple films that she's great in, but didn't get a lot of praise: The TV Set, The Village and Holes.
-Aliens
-Alien
-Avatar
18. Frances McDormand
If there's one thing we've learned, it's that you should marry an award-winning director. Frances was cast in Blood Simple. (the Coen brother's first film) and she and Joel Coen obviously hit it off, because they were married later that year. Since then, she has been cast in seven of their movies and has been nominated four times for an Oscar.
-Fargo
-Burn After Reading
-Almost Famous
17. Meryl Streep
Meryl is one of the best ever, undoubtedly. She demands every scene she's in. If you've ever seen the recent film Doubt (if not, go out and rent it, please), you know what she's capable of. I may be in the minority here, but I think she's in the prime of her career (2006-present).
-Adaptation.
-Doubt
-Rendition
16. Catherine Keener
I could've put her much higher, because she is one of those rare actresses who is always (and I do mean always) on top of her game. As you look at her body of work you become overwhelmed with all her fantastic films. She's been nominated for two Oscars thus far (Being John Malkovich, Capote).
-Being John Malkovich
-Into the Wild
-Please Give
15. Tilda Swinton
Oscar-winning (Michael Clayton) actress Tilda Swinton is so vicious and powerful when she's on screen. Born in the UK, she got her start in British films and television. I first noticed her in Danny Boyle's bizarre visionary film The Beach.
-Michael Clayton
-Burn After Reading
-Vanilla Sky
14. Zoe Saldana
Two-time MTV Awards Best Kiss nominee (laugh out loud....Tropic Thunder anyone?) Zoe Saldana has become one of my favorite actresses. She's terrific in Star Trek and Avatar (yes, that was actually Saldana). Look for her to continue her recent success.
-Avatar
-Star Trek
-Death at a Funeral
13. Julianne Moore
Julianne turns 50 in December. I can see her going another 25 years. She's been nominated four times for an Oscar (two in the same year). Two of my favorite Moore roles have been in Paul Thomas Anderson films (Boogie Nights, Magnolia). She had a tremendous 2009 with A Single Man and Chloe. "This business transaction, which is what this was, is over!" Hah, love that scene.
-Boogie Nights
-Magnolia
-A Single Man
12. Anna Kendrick
Oh God, I love Anna Kendrick with a passion. Her performance in Up in the Air is one of the best in recent memory (an Oscar-nominated performance). She's only 25; there will be so much to look forward to.
-Up in the Air
-Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
-Twilight
11. Chloe Moretz
Yeah, that's right, a 13-year-old is on the list. She sure doesn't act like a 13-year-old when on screen. Seriously, how bad-ass was she in Kick-Ass? She's been cast in Martin Scorsese's new film (Hugo Cabret) set for a December, 2011 release. Not to mention a Kick-Ass sequel, set to be released sometime in 2012.
-Kick-Ass
-Let Me In
-(500) Days of Summer
Farmiga burst onto the scene in 2006's The Departed, as she courted both Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio. Last year she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Up in the Air. Everyone in that film was sensational.
-Up in the Air
-The Departed
-Orphan
29. Halle Berry
Most people first noticed Halle in X-Men or Swordfish. Although she is a very beautiful woman, she's not afraid to play worn-out and beaten down characters. Her performance in Monster's Ball is one of the best performances ever.
-Monster's Ball
-X-Men
-Gothika
28. Kate Hudson
Kate came out of nowhere to star as Penny Lane in Cameron Crowe's beautiful film Almost Famous. She's always a blast when on screen. She has so much life and spunk. Amazingly, she's only 31 years old. I have a feeling she will be around just as long as her mother (Goldie Hawn) was.
-Almost Famous
-The Skeleton Key
-The Killer Inside Me
27. Rose Byrne
Rose is a terrific Australian-born actress with an already fantastic résumé. She's been around for over a decade, but I first noticed Byrne in 2007's 28 Weeks Later. Since then, she has been popping up all over.
-Sunshine
-28 Weeks Later
-Adam
26. Marisa Tomei
Marisa has been nominated an amazing three times for an Oscar. Her performance in 1992's My Cousin Vinny is one of the all-time greats. The FX television series Rescue Me is one of favorite shows ever, and she guest-starred in a great four-episode stretch.
-My Cousin Vinny
-The Wrestler
-Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
25. Mila Kunis
For years Mila worked on That '70s Show and Family Guy. She was finally given a chance by director Nicolas Stoller, writer Jason Segel, producer Judd Apatow and casting director Jeanne McCarthy. The film was 2008's best comedy, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and boy did she deliver.
-Forgetting Sarah Marshall
-The Book of Eli
-Extract
24. Kristen Stewart
Best known for her work in the dreadful Twilight franchise, Kristen (20) has actually been around for a while. As a youngster she appeared in such films as Panic Room, Cold Creek Manor and Zathura: A Space Adventure. Her role, opposite Jesse Eisenberg, in 2009's Adventureland is easily her best.
-Adventureland
-The Runaways
-Into the Wild
23. Julia Roberts
Julia is one of the best actresses of all-time. A lot of her best performances have gone unnoticed. Especially the three films listed below. She owned the '90s, and she still has a lot of great years ahead of her.
-Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
-Duplicity
-Conspiracy Theory
22. Keira Knightley
Keira is still only 25 years old, which surprised me. She really turned heads in the first Pirates film and hasn't looked back. She's absolutely terrific in 2007's Atonement. If you're looking for a hidden gem, give 2005's The Jacket a look.
-Atonement
-The Jacket
-Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
21. Claire Danes
Claire got her big break opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Romeo + Juliet. She's always fun and interesting, especially in Igby Goes Down and Me and Orson Welles. But her best performance came this year in Temple Grandin (an HBO film that won seven Primetime Emmys), an emotional biopic of an autistic woman.
-Temple Grandin
-Brokedown Palace
-Igby Goes Down
20. Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer won an Oscar for her supporting role in A Beautiful Mind, and she's one of the most coveted actresses in Hollywood. Connelly is such a ferocious actress, and she never backs down from controversial roles.
-House of Sand and Fog
-Requiem for a Dream
-Blood Diamond
19. Sigourney Weaver
We all know Weaver from the Alien franchise. Two of her best roles came in James Cameron films (Aliens, Avatar). She has aged well and continues to dominate her roles. Here are a couple films that she's great in, but didn't get a lot of praise: The TV Set, The Village and Holes.
-Aliens
-Alien
-Avatar
18. Frances McDormand
If there's one thing we've learned, it's that you should marry an award-winning director. Frances was cast in Blood Simple. (the Coen brother's first film) and she and Joel Coen obviously hit it off, because they were married later that year. Since then, she has been cast in seven of their movies and has been nominated four times for an Oscar.
-Fargo
-Burn After Reading
-Almost Famous
17. Meryl Streep
Meryl is one of the best ever, undoubtedly. She demands every scene she's in. If you've ever seen the recent film Doubt (if not, go out and rent it, please), you know what she's capable of. I may be in the minority here, but I think she's in the prime of her career (2006-present).
-Adaptation.
-Doubt
-Rendition
16. Catherine Keener
I could've put her much higher, because she is one of those rare actresses who is always (and I do mean always) on top of her game. As you look at her body of work you become overwhelmed with all her fantastic films. She's been nominated for two Oscars thus far (Being John Malkovich, Capote).
-Being John Malkovich
-Into the Wild
-Please Give
15. Tilda Swinton
Oscar-winning (Michael Clayton) actress Tilda Swinton is so vicious and powerful when she's on screen. Born in the UK, she got her start in British films and television. I first noticed her in Danny Boyle's bizarre visionary film The Beach.
-Michael Clayton
-Burn After Reading
-Vanilla Sky
14. Zoe Saldana
Two-time MTV Awards Best Kiss nominee (laugh out loud....Tropic Thunder anyone?) Zoe Saldana has become one of my favorite actresses. She's terrific in Star Trek and Avatar (yes, that was actually Saldana). Look for her to continue her recent success.
-Avatar
-Star Trek
-Death at a Funeral
13. Julianne Moore
Julianne turns 50 in December. I can see her going another 25 years. She's been nominated four times for an Oscar (two in the same year). Two of my favorite Moore roles have been in Paul Thomas Anderson films (Boogie Nights, Magnolia). She had a tremendous 2009 with A Single Man and Chloe. "This business transaction, which is what this was, is over!" Hah, love that scene.
-Boogie Nights
-Magnolia
-A Single Man
12. Anna Kendrick
Oh God, I love Anna Kendrick with a passion. Her performance in Up in the Air is one of the best in recent memory (an Oscar-nominated performance). She's only 25; there will be so much to look forward to.
-Up in the Air
-Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
-Twilight
11. Chloe Moretz
Yeah, that's right, a 13-year-old is on the list. She sure doesn't act like a 13-year-old when on screen. Seriously, how bad-ass was she in Kick-Ass? She's been cast in Martin Scorsese's new film (Hugo Cabret) set for a December, 2011 release. Not to mention a Kick-Ass sequel, set to be released sometime in 2012.
-Kick-Ass
-Let Me In
-(500) Days of Summer
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