10 Best Movie Performances of 2024

Many truly wonderful films have been released in 2024, and in turn, we have been treated to many memorable performances this year as well. Film fans have been fed well as we inch closer and closer toward the end of the year and awards season draws nearer. It’s the time of year when moviegoers start thinking about their favorite films and begin making their “best of the year” lists if they haven’t already. With critical and commercial hits such as Dune: Part Two, Challengers, Furiosa, and Strange Darling, there is plenty to choose from.

The best performances of the year don’t necessarily come from the best movies of the year, but 2024 has been a remarkable year for cinema. Most of the standout performances this year have been from generally well-received films that critics and audiences agreed were excellent. Although there are still a few anticipated movies coming out within the next month and a half, like Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu, we have already seen numerous talented performances. As the year draws to a close, here are ten standout performances from some of the year’s best movies.

10 Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle

‘The Substance’

Revenge director Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance is an unconventional body horror drama that serves as commentary on the harsh standards women are held to that do not apply to men. The film is not at all subtle in its view of the unrealistic and unfair standards that women are held to regarding beauty, aging, and talent.

The story centers around a former Hollywood actress named Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) who is fired from her popular aerobics show on the morning of her 50th birthday by her unsympathetic producer (Dennis Quaid). When she is given the chance to take a mysterious substance that promises to make a better version of herself, she jumps at the chance to be young and beautiful again.

A Career-Best Performance

Demi Moore has given many incredible performances in her decades-long career, but her performance here is something we have never seen from her before. She gives the role of Elisabeth everything she has, bringing Elisabeth to life and making women everywhere see a bit of themselves in her struggles. From an emotional standpoint, the role was quite demanding.

Moore embodies a slowly deteriorating state of mind as Elisabeth loses herself to Sue (Margaret Qualley) and the reality of knowing she’s not wanted because she’s no longer young and attractive according to society’s standards. The physicality of this role was just as demanding as it required heavy prosthetics and SFX makeup for many scenes. It’s Demi Moore like she’s never been seen before, and she should be a serious contender for an Oscar.

Stream The Substance on Mubi

9 Zendaya as Tashi Donaldson

‘Challengers’

Luca Guadagnino’s stylish, sexy tennis drama Challengers is undoubtedly one of the best films of 2024. From the pulsating score to the innovative camerawork to the gorgeous visuals, the film is incredibly engaging. It follows former player turned tennis coach Tashi Donaldson (Zendaya) who has transformed her husband Art (Mike Faist) into a renowned Grand Slam champion. To snap him out of his recent losing streak, she signs him up for a Challengers event, which is close to the lowest level of pro tournament. Art finds himself facing off against his former best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend, Patrick (Josh O’Connor).

A Career-Defining Performance

Zendaya has come a long way from her Disney Channel days. From starring in The Greatest Showman alongside Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman to playing MJ in the MCU Spider-Man movies opposite Tom Holland, and then leading HBO’s Euphoria, she has built an impressive filmography. Between Dune: Part Two and Challengers this year, she has been on a roll.

Her performance as Tashi in Challengers once again showcases her diverse range as an actress, displaying fierce competitiveness, subtle manipulation, and intense passion. She commands every scene she’s in and displays effortless chemistry with co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. Zendaya certainly exhibits her range as an actress on Euphoria, but here she shows that she continues to evolve her craft and channel the energy of her character into a show-stealing performance.

Stream Challengers on Prime Video

8 Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreidas

‘Dune: Part Two’

Denis Villeneuve’s movie adaptations of Frank Herbert’s Dune novel have been a global success and feature some of the most prominent actors working today. Led by an utterly unrecognizable Timothee Chalamet, Dune: Part Two covers the second half of Herbet’s novel. This installment sees Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) as they unite with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a revenge journey against the conspirators who destroyed their family. Faced with choosing the love of his life and the fate of the universe, Paul journeys to prevent a future only he can see.

A Show-Stopping Performance

Timothee Chalamet has truly never given a bad performance in his decade-long career. His naturally slender physique is never a deterrence, as he is an actor who can command the presence of every scene he is in.

This is especially true in his second outing as Duke Paul Atreides. He fully gives himself over to the conflicting feelings Paul goes through and turns it into an unbelievably convincing performance. He not only makes the Fremen in the movie believe that he is the Maud’Dib and the Lisan al Gaib, but he makes the audience believe he is too. Chalamet channels the anger, despair, and conflict that Paul feels and transforms into the Messiah figure the Fremen and Bene Gesserit want him to be. It’s a performance unlike anything else audiences have seen from him.

Stream Dune: Part Two on Max

7 Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed

‘Heretic’

Religious horror is not by any means a new horror subgenre, but directors Scott Beck and Brayn Woods’ take a different approach to the religious themes than most in their new A24 film Heretic. The film follows two young missionaries named Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) as they go door-to-door trying to recruit new members to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. When the Mormon girls knock on Mr. Reed’s (Hugh Grant) door, their request for religious conversation becomes much more than they bargained for.

In His Villain Era

A beloved British actor, Hugh Grant is probably one of the most well-known and well-liked actors of his generation. Though he has branched out a bit over the years, Grant has made his career playing mostly likable leading men in rom-coms and dramas. Though, in this later stage of his career, he has been keen to play rather villainous roles, such as Jonathan Fraser in HBO’s The Undoing. He has fully committed to his villain era in Heretic, crafting his character Mr. Reed to be an unnerving, menacing sociopath who could easily have been a theology professor.

The film raises a lot of questions about religion versus belief and the repetitive nature of organized religion. Grant takes these theological philosophies and runs with them in his many lengthy monologs about religious sects and comparisons to capitalism. His ability to be completely deranged and simultaneously put together is unsettling yet impressive. He pulls no punches and lets Mr. Reed take over as if Hugh Grant is just a vessel for Reed’s detailed ideologies.

Watch Heretic in theaters

6 Nell Tiger Free as Margaret

‘The First Omen’

A standout prequel to the original 1976 supernatural horror film The Omen, Arkasha Stevenson’s The First Omen follows Damien’s mother Margaret (Nell Tiger Free) as she arrives from America to the convent in Italy. Upon arriving, Margaret begins to experience a darkness that causes her to question the nature of her faith and uncover a terrifying conspiracy the Church is trying to hide. She discovers that the Church may be trying to bring evil incarnate into the world, and she may be part of their plan.

An Actress to Keep on Your Radar

Game of Thrones fans may recognize Nell Tiger Free as Myrcella Baratheon in seasons five and six of the show, when she replaced Aimme Richardson. To most audiences, however, she is likely a new face. She is certainly an actress to keep tabs on after her mesmerizing performance in this film.

Free churns out an incredibly convincing performance that is both grounded and hallucinatory. Her ability to go from a naive Catholic girl to a determined woman desperate to free herself from the Church’s grasp is seamless. There are scenes in which Margaret enters an almost dreamlike state due to the meddling of the nuns, which is reminiscent of Isabelle Adjani’s iconic horror performance in Possession.

Stream The First Omen on Hulu

5 Mikey Madison as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva

‘Anora’

Sean Baker’s romantic dramedy Anora took the festival circuit by storm this year, winning the coveted Palme d’Or prize at Cannes. The moving comedy follows a young sex worker from Brooklyn named Anora (Mikey Madison) who gets her chance at a fairytale story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch. Once the news reaches his family, her fairytale ending is threatened as the parents head to New York to have the marriage annulled.

An Emotionally Driven Comedic Performance

Mikey Madison has had memorable supporting roles in films such as Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Scream 5, but this is her first real outing leading a film where she can showcase her acting talents. Most of her film roles have been physically demanding in some fashion, and Anora required a physical comedy that harkens back to the days of screwball comedies. She gives Anora, or Ani as she likes to be called, a witty sense of humor and a snarky attitude that we rarely see in movies anymore. Madison gives Ani heart, humor, wit, and agency, which allows her to be a fully fleshed-out character.

Watch Anora in theaters

4 Margaret Qualley as Sue

‘The Substance’

The Substance has already cemented itself as one of 2024’s best films, and a humongous reason for that is the outstanding performances of its two leads. Margaret Qualley has made a name for herself by playing quirky or bizarre characters, but in this film, she fully displays her range as an actress.

Qualley plays Sue, the “better version” of Elisabeth that The Substance creates. Sue is younger, more athletic, and most importantly, more confident than Elisabeth ever is when she’s herself. Sue promptly takes over Elisabeth’s workout show and practically overnight becomes a nationwide sensation. She books talk show appearances, makes industry friends, and even lands the coveted New Year’s Eve hosting gig at her network.

Effortless Character Transitions

Like her costar, Qualley gave this role her all. She fully transforms into Sue, taking all of Elisabeth’s weaknesses and turning them into Sue’s strengths. She oozes confidence and security in the way Sue talks, walks, and dresses. Every movement Qualley makes as Sue adds to the notion that both Sue and Elisabeth believe she is the better version of the two. When their charade starts to fall to pieces, Qualley effortlessly switches gears into insecurity and desperation as Sue tries to cling to the hopes and promises of The Substance.

3 Gabriel LaBelle as Moose

‘Snack Shack’

Quite possibly one of 2024’s most underseen and underappreciated films is Adam Rehmeier’s coming-of-age tale Snack Shack. The hilarious yet emotional film follows two inseparable teenage boys, AJ (Connor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle) as they decide to run the town pool’s snack shack after their plan to sell home-brewed beer is foiled by their parents. Their summer takes a turn when they meet Brooke (Mika Abdalla), an engaging lifeguard who puts their big plans and friendship to the ultimate test.

A Star-Making Performance

Sherry, LaBelle, and Abdalla all give stellar comedic and emotional performances, but LaBelle is the obvious standout here. His comedic timing is superb, his facial expressions are spot on, and he conveys the kind of faux effortless cool guy persona that most teenage boys think they have. LaBelle easily channels the energy and charisma of characters from ’80s teen movies, such as Joel Goodson in Risky Business. At just 22 years old, LaBelle is undoubtedly a star on the rise.

Stream Snack Shack on Prime Video

2 Nicolas Cage as Dale Kobble, aka “Longlegs”

‘Longlegs’

Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs, a blend of supernatural horror and gritty crime thriller, was one of the most anticipated movies of the year for many film fans. The incredibly detailed marketing campaign for the film gave it the title of “scariest movie of the year” and convinced even seasoned horror watchers that they were going to be cowering in their theater seats. The film follows a young FBI agent named Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) as she pursues a deranged serial killer and uncovers a series of occult clues that seemingly only she can solve to end his horrifying killing spree.

A Chillingly Unhinged Performance

Longlegs himself is played chillingly by the one and only Nicolas Cage. No one does bizarre, weird, and unhinged quite like Cage, and he proves that once again in this film. Outfitted in heavy makeup and prosthetics, Cage becomes Longlegs instantly, even in early scenes where his face is never shown. It has been said by the filmmakers that Longlegs was supposed to be a former glam rocker who had numerous plastic surgeries to keep himself looking good for the Devil.

Cage’s performance captures that insatiable need to appease and impress Satan. After years of worshiping the Devil and engaging in occult activities, his ability to interact normally with other people is gone. Cage’s performance conveys that expertly.

Rent Longlegs on Prime Video or Apple TV

1 Selena Gomez as Jessi Del Monte

‘Emilia Perez’

French director Jaques Audiard’s drama Emilia Perez somehow blends genres to create a magnetic musical thriller that is drenched in neon colors. The story follows Rita (Zoe Saldana), an underrated lawyer working for a large law firm that is more interested in getting criminals out of jail rather than bringing them to justice. She is then hired by the leader of a criminal organization.

A Contender for the Best Actress Oscar

The performances in Emilia Perez are what make this film a standout. The performances are so incredible that all four lead actresses collectively won Best Actress at Cannes earlier this year. All four women are at the top of their games in the film, but Selena Gomez in particular shines. She absolutely nails her musical numbers and leaves the viewer wanting more. Many actors and actresses delivered performances outside their normal range this year, but this is Gomez truly like we’ve never seen her before. The musical numbers are electric.

Stream Emilia Perez on Netflix