In June 2012, imdb.com posted its list of 25 Best Actresses of the 21st Century. Any glaring omissions? Anyone on it who shouldn’t be? Anyone need to move up or down? What makes an actress either worthy of your list or unworthy of this list? For your favorites, please describe their best performances. For your least favorites, please explain their shortcomings. If you want to deal only with the top ten or pick and choose, that’s fine too. Extra love for anyone who can explain, sanely, why Tilda Swinton’s not on this list – for her Broken Flowers performance alone (c’mon, you didn’t know she was in the film ’til the credits, right?) – gets an e-high five.
1. Helena Bonham Carter 2. Natalie Portman 3. Meryl Streep 4. Renée Zellweger 5. Sandra Bullock 6. Nicole Kidman 7. Hilary Swank 8. Emma Stone 9. Cate Blanchett 10. Jennifer Lawrence 11. Gwyneth Paltrow 12. Scarlett Johansson 13. Kate Hudson 14. Mila Kunis 15. Anne Hathaway 16. Amanda Seyfried 17. Keira Knightley 18. Kristen Stewart 19. Julia Roberts 20. Milla Jovovich 21. Noomi Rapace 22. Octavia Spencer 23. Rachel McAdams 24. Dakota Fanning 25. Drew Barrymore
I feel like Viola Davis should've been included. She always brings such dignity and emotional weight to her roles. – Emily Deibler8 years ago
I have never thought of Anne Hathaway as one of the best actresses of any century. I think her acting is one of an intermingling between trying too hard and arrogance. – sydneelarson8 years ago
One test of an actor is how she looks when playing opposite a great actor. For Hathaway the obvious challenge was The Devil Wears Prada with the incomparable Meryl Streep, one of my favorites, and I think Hathaway was fine. Who knows, maybe working with Streep is playing basketball with Bill Russell, who made his teammates better. A case in point, regarding Streep, might be Kevin Kline's fine performance with Streep in Sophie's Choice. – Tigey8 years ago
I also agree that Viola Davis should have been included in this list, definitely since Emma Stone (nothing against Emma because I love her and she has had some great performances) has made top 10. – NyeMaxwell8 years ago
I feel that Mila Kunis isn't deserving of this list. She isn't a terrible actress, but I don't see her as one of the best. – Jai Modo8 years ago