And the Oscar goes to... Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most impactful actors from 2015 up to and including 2024.
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00:00You think the rules don't apply to the golden boy?"
00:03"'Brilliance' makes up for a lot."
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most impactful actors
00:09from 2015 up to and including 2024.
00:12"'What we do, we do for the benefit of all.'"
00:14"'Well, I'd very much like to be equal to you.'"
00:1815.
00:19Kee Hui Kwan
00:20"'When I said I wanted to play a hero, I mean, I just wanted to be someone who goes
00:26on a journey.'"
00:27When it comes to comeback stories, the past decade has unforgettably included Brendan
00:31Fraser and Kee Hui Kwan.
00:33While Fraser's Oscar win for The Whale brought us to tears, Kwan's re-emergence is the one
00:37that wins out here.
00:38"'I'm here to tell you, every rejection, every disappointment has led you here, to this moment.
00:47Don't let anything distract you from it.'"
00:50After decades away from acting, he came back with award-winning vengeance in his role as
00:54Wayman Dois, in Everything, Everywhere, All at Once.
00:57He's since appeared in Loki, provided voice work in Kung Fu Panda 4, and will give life
01:01to an intriguing reptilian villain in Disney's upcoming Zootopia 2.
01:05"'All right, how should we do this?
01:07Quick and painless, or slow and painful?'
01:10"'Slow and painful!'
01:11"'Slow and painful!''
01:12"'Slow and painful!''
01:13"'Slow and painful!''
01:14Kwan has come a long way from his days as Short Round, and we're ecstatic to see what
01:17he'll do next.
01:1814.
01:19Michelle Williams
01:20Thanks to her nuanced performances, Michelle Williams has become one of the most celebrated
01:23actresses of her generation.
01:25"'Looking inside me, what do I see?''
01:34The 2010s and 2020s were especially kind to her, giving her more chances to wow audiences
01:39after her transformative work in films like Blue Valentine.
01:42This includes roles as a compelling, grieving mother in Manchester by the Sea, and a version
01:47of Steven Spielberg's mom in The Fablements.
01:49"'Because, because, because you're my kid.'
01:54"'Mom, I forgive you.'
01:55"'And, and, and my kid's mean more to me than anything else on the earth.'
01:59Through it all, the actress has found a way to infuse her characters with a three-dimensional
02:03quality.
02:04She's also had success in major hits such as The Greatest Showman and the Venom franchise.
02:08"'Oh, I'm coming with you.'
02:09"'No, it's going to get ugly.'
02:11"'She can fight ugly, trust me!'
02:12"'Yeah, I can fight ugly.'"
02:1413.
02:15Robert Pattinson
02:16"'Can't find a post I can take a real shine to, so I keep moving along.
02:20I ain't the kind to look back at what's behind him, see?''
02:23After catapulting to fame as a heartthrob vampire in The Twilight Saga, Robert Pattinson
02:27decided to change course, diving into indie roles.
02:30This meant working with directors such as the Safdie brothers, Claire Denis, and Robert
02:34Eggers.
02:35He seized the opportunity to diversify his roles and reshape his career.
02:38His role in Good Time is just one example of a big risk that paid off.
02:41"'You're incredible, do you understand?'
02:43"'Yeah.'
02:44"'I'm serious.
02:45You think I could have done that without you standing next to me, being strong?'
02:48"'No.'
02:49"'Are you feeling this?
02:50Are you feeling the curse I'm feeling right now?''
02:52Pattinson's ability to push himself outside of his comfort zone allowed him to explore
02:56parts in everything from The Lighthouse to Tenet.
02:58With The Batman, the star provided a new take on Bruce Wayne in a captivating reboot.
03:02"'But when that light hits the sky, it's not just a call, it's a warning.'"
03:1012.
03:11Kate Winslet
03:12Always up for a new challenge, Kate Winslet has been one of the foremost actresses of
03:15the century.
03:16"'It is time to show America and the world precisely what we are worth.'"
03:22She collaborated with Aaron Sorkin for the film Steve Jobs, earning her yet another Oscar
03:27nomination.
03:28The star also made a splash on TV in Mayor of Easttown, showing once again that she could
03:32work in multiple mediums.
03:33"'I always imagined I'd be a cop, so life around me I didn't expect to fall apart so
03:39spectacularly.'"
03:40Back on the silver screen, she starred in a range of movies, from the divergent franchise
03:43to the romance disaster film The Mountain Between Us, opposite Idris Elba.
03:47Winslet has continued showing her range in a number of genres, even joining the Avatar
03:51franchise.
03:52With smaller movies such as Ammonite and Lee, the actress also lent her star power to enthralling
03:56period dramas.
03:57"'Oh my God, your skin and bones, you're freezing.'"
04:0311.
04:04Anya Taylor-Joy
04:05"'I'm sure that you're quite brilliant, but all of this is not meant for me.'"
04:12It's no surprise that Anya Taylor-Joy has quickly become one of the most popular and
04:15prolific actresses of her generation.
04:17Her role in Robert Eggers' film The Witch played a key part in that.
04:21"'Any man or thing else vanish I like.'
04:23"'No!'
04:24"'Aye, and I'll vanish thee too if thou displease it, please.'"
04:27She also starred in M. Night Shyamalan's film Split, and expanded her palette in darker
04:31movies such as Thoroughbreds.
04:33Her career took off even further after starring in the Netflix miniseries The Queen's Gambit.
04:37"'I've played your game since I was a small girl.
04:40I've always really admired you.'"
04:42"'You are how old again?'
04:44"'I'm twenty.'
04:45"'Don't tell me.'"
04:47Back on the big screen, she delivered strong performances in films like The Northman and
04:51George Miller's Furiosa, a Mad Max saga.
04:53Her distinctive, intense presence elevates every project from genre pieces to dramas.
04:5810.
04:59Daniel Kaluuya
05:00With his breakout role in Get Out, Daniel Kaluuya graduated from promising actor to
05:03movie star.
05:04"'When I went by the two and three, I just sat there.'"
05:12His ability to draw viewers in with just an expression gives him an edge in a crowded
05:15field of contemporaries.
05:17He showcases his versatility as both the menacing villain in Widows and the unlikely hero in
05:22Nope.
05:23"'No.
05:24Nope.
05:25It's too much.'
05:26"'You should go then.
05:27I gotta get up early anyway.
05:30I got mouths to feed.'"
05:33His work in Black Panther is also a crucial part of a groundbreaking superhero adventure.
05:37For his amazing performance in Judas and the Black Messiah, Kaluuya completely inhabits
05:41the real-life activist Fred Hampton.
05:43"'You can't murder liberation.
05:44You can murder a revolutionary, but you can't murder revolution.
05:45And you can murder a freedom fighter, but you can't murder freedom.'"
05:52The part earned him an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, putting him in contention as one of
05:55his generation's best talents.
05:579.
05:58Florence Pugh
05:59Florence Pugh has made a name for herself in everything from dramas to horror films.
06:14After notable roles in projects like Lady Macbeth, she became even more well-known for
06:18her magnetic performance in Midsommar.
06:20That film allowed her to channel her character's
06:31grief into a horrifying tale of a vacation gone awry.
06:35She then took the part of Amy in Little Women and earned an Oscar nomination for her riveting
06:38portrayal of the classic literary figure.
06:41Pugh also lent her charismatic presence to Black Widow, playing the entertaining Elena
06:45Belova.
06:46Her name only grew from there with her great work in incredible ensembles like Oppenheimer
06:59and Dune Part II.
07:018.
07:02Jessica Chastain
07:03Surprisingly enough, Jessica Chastain didn't become a big movie star until her thirties.
07:12This gave her time to hone her craft onstage before exhibiting fantastic performances in
07:16films such as Zero Dark Thirty.
07:18Chastain commands the screen as a lead, showing an ability to convey intensity and moral ambiguity.
07:22The mastery of her craft carried over into underrated gems like Miss Sloane.
07:36Chastain's moving portrayals stretch from the incisive lead in Molly's Game to the haunted
07:40adult in It Chapter Two.
07:41Her impressive decade also included an Oscar win for The Eyes of Tammy Faye, which she
07:45also produced, encapsulating her many talents.
07:487.
07:49Zendaya
07:50This singer and actress got her start on the Disney Channel.
08:12She embarked on a successful shift into feature films with vibrant work in the Spider-Man
08:16franchise and the musical The Greatest Showman.
08:18Her work as MJ showed off her humor and chemistry opposite Tom Holland.
08:31Her award-winning performance as Rue on HBO's Euphoria proved that she could do serious
08:35dramas as well.
08:36In the Dune series, she plays a pivotal role as the Fremen warrior Chani.
08:40More recently, she's turned heads in the film Challengers, where her character is involved
08:43in a messy romance set in the competitive world of tennis.
08:556.
08:56Timothee Chalamet
08:57Speaking of versatility, Timothee Chalamet is another actor who's shown off his range
09:01in an impressive filmography over the last decade.
09:07His superb work in Call Me By Your Name earned him something of a cult following.
09:11As the teenage Elio, the actor demonstrated his ability to portray an introspective and
09:15complicated character.
09:24This was also the case in movies such as Beautiful Boy and Little Women, which gave him further
09:28opportunities to stand out.
09:29Chalamet is equally able to play both reserved introverts and larger-than-life figures, which
09:33is readily apparent in the Dune movies and the musical Wonka.
09:405.
09:42Viola Davis
09:43I told myself to stay away.
09:46What was broken in me was broken.
09:48No one could fix it.
09:51And then I did the opposite.
09:52Viola Davis was underrated in her early film roles, but achieved breakthrough success as
09:57a leading actress in the 2010s.
09:59Starring opposite Denzel Washington in Fences, she delivered a mesmerizing, emotional performance
10:03that earned rave reviews along with a well-deserved Academy Award.
10:07It's not easy for me to admit that I've been standing in the same place for 18 years.
10:11Well, I've been standing with you.
10:14I've been right here with Detroit.
10:16Around that time, she also impressed audiences with her hit show, How to Get Away with Murder.
10:20Davis then took on powerful historical movies such as Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and The Woman
10:25King.
10:26Whether you're watching her in a searing drama or Suicide Squad, you're always captivated
10:34by her work.
10:354.
10:36Cillian Murphy
10:37Never lose, Godfrey.
10:38I do not lose.
10:39I am a winner.
10:40Do you understand?
10:41I am a winner.
10:44Each time he takes on a film, Cillian Murphy gives 100 percent, whether he's playing
10:47a 19th century sailor or a hardened survivor in a post-apocalyptic world.
10:51Aside from his compelling work in the series Peaky Blinders, he's kept up an extended
10:55partnership with Christopher Nolan.
10:56This includes his tortured soldier in Dunkirk and the troubled genius in Oppenheimer.
11:00When the world learns the terrible secret of Los Alamos, our work here will ensure a
11:06peace mankind has never seen.
11:08The latter role not only allowed him to command the screen in a major film, but also earned
11:12him a slew of awards.
11:13Murphy's performance as the title character exemplifies his extraordinary work ethic and
11:17ability to portray gripping characters.
11:19Are we a jigsaw?
11:22Yeah.
11:24I didn't want much.
11:28Number 3.
11:29Tom Cruise
11:30It's been a hell of an adventure.
11:31Yeah, sometimes a little more than I bargained for.
11:33He's been a movie star for decades, but Tom Cruise had an undeniably good run in the 2010s.
11:38The 2000s saw scandals and tabloid fodder overshadow his career, but he spent the next
11:42two decades mainly focusing on his acting and star power.
11:45He reinvigorated the Mission Impossible brand with even more death-defying stunts.
11:48Just keep going straight.
11:49Keep going straight.
11:50We're left.
11:51We're left.
11:53Go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
11:54You're doing good.
11:55Cruise also starred in other franchise entries like Jack Reacher, Never Go Back, and Top
11:59Gun Maverick.
12:00The latter helped draw audiences back to theaters in 2022, delivering a successful follow-up
12:04that reminded people of his cinematic strengths.
12:06Working as a team, you have to shoot me down or else.
12:09Or else what, sir?
12:10Or else I shoot back.
12:13Number 2.
12:14Margot Robbie
12:15It might be hard to believe considering her current pop culture omnipresence, but like
12:18Jennifer Lawrence, this talented actor ended the decade while still in her 20s.
12:22What if I'm in the movie?
12:25What do you mean?
12:26I mean, I'm in the movie.
12:29Margot Robbie was catapulted into the spotlight with The Wolf of Wall Street, and despite
12:33it being a supporting role, she proved herself to be an absolute scene-stealer.
12:37Since then, she's further distinguished herself with roles in Suicide Squad, Mary Queen of
12:41Scots, Bombshell, and I, Tonya, with the latter rightfully earning her an Academy Award nomination
12:45for Best Actress.
12:46Because leading up to it, you're like, I can't do it, I can't, I can't, and then bam, I can!
12:53She stole our hearts as the titular role in Greta Gerwig's cinematic phenomenon Barbie.
12:57We can't wait to see what choices she makes next, and what new characters she'll bring
13:00to life.
13:01Hey Barbie, can I come to your house tonight?
13:03Sure!
13:04I don't have anything big planned, just a giant blowout party with all the Barbies and
13:07planned choreography and a bespoke song, you should stop by.
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13:26Number 1.
13:27Joaquin Phoenix
13:28You know what?
13:29I can still just come to you.
13:30I'm still coming.
13:31I'm on my way.
13:32I just...
13:33What do you think I should do?
13:35In 2008, Phoenix announced that he was retiring from acting.
13:38Thankfully, it was an elaborate ruse for the 2010 mockumentary I'm Still Here.
13:41Even though the film was divisive, Phoenix promptly recovered with The Master and Her,
13:45and there have been precious few roles in the decades since for which he hasn't been
13:49heaped with praise.
13:50This includes indie films like You Were Never Really Here and box office smashes like Joker.
13:54Everybody is awful these days.
13:57It's enough to make anyone crazy.
13:59Whatever role Phoenix takes on, he fully inhabits.
14:01In 2023, he even stepped into the shoes of French General Napoleon.
14:05While the follow-up to Joker, Folie a Deux, wasn't as acclaimed, Phoenix's performance
14:08was unquestioned.
14:10I will no longer allow you, or you, or you, or any of you to keep me down.
14:17I am free!
14:19No matter the oddball character, he makes them all feel fully realized, commanding audiences
14:23with his versatility and intensity.
14:24Did we forget another movie star that helped define the decade?
14:27Let us know in the comments below.
14:29Now are you willing to go outside of strict procedure on this?
14:32Yes.
14:33You sure?
14:34Yes.
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