Top Performances of 2023

In anticipation of tomorrow’s Oscar nominations announcement, we here at CinemaBabel have compiled our top picks for 2023’s best in film performances both in front of and behind the camera. See how our picks stack up against the Academy’s and yours.

Best Actress

Emma Stone (Poor Things)

2. Greta Lee (Past Lives)

3. Margot Robbie (Barbie)

4. Carey Mulligan (Maestro)

5. Fantasia Barrino (The Color Purple)

Best Actor

Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

2. Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)

3. Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

4. Colman Domingo (Rustin)

5. Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

Best Supporting Actor

Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

2. Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction)

3. Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer)

4. Dominic Sessa (The Holdovers)

5. Jason Clarke (Oppenheimer)

Best Supporting Actress

Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)

2. Mia Goth (Infinity Pool)

3. Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

4. Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)

5. Julianne Moore (May December)

Best Director

Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

2. Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest)

3. Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

4. Greta Gerwig (Barbie)

5. Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things)

Best Original Screenplay

Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach (Barbie)

2. Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario)

3. Celine Song (Past Lives)

4. Chloe Domont (Fair Play)

5. David Hemingson (The Holdovers)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Cord Jefferson (American Fiction)

2. Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

3. Eric Roth, Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon)

4. Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest)

5. Tony McNamara (Poor Things)

Best Cinematography

Poor Things (Robbie Ryan)

2. Maestro (Matthew Libatique)

3. The Zone of Interest (Lukasz Zal)

4. The Color Purple (Dan Laustsen)

5. Oppenheimer (Hoyte van Hoytema)