Introducing W’s 2023 Best Performances Portfolio
Brad Pitt, Michelle Yeoh, Cate Blanchett, and more star in our annual celebration of the year’s top talent.
Nearly all the films that were released in 2022 were conceived—and, in some cases, shot—during the Covid pandemic lockdown. Undoubtedly, the time spent inside, as well as the fear that movies might never return to their glory days, had a huge impact on filmmakers. Their anxiety and pent-up desire resulted in wildly ambitious films such as Babylon, which practically exploded in its depiction of the crazy, decadent 1920s in Hollywood; Elvis, which was the cinematic equivalent of fireworks; and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which took place on a Greek island full of wealthy, antagonistic friends and lovers. Time away from work also made filmmakers introspective: Steven Spielberg created his most personal film to date, The Fabelmans, about his parents, with Michelle Williams playing his utterly unique mother; Todd Field wrote Tár, a character study about the glory and downfall of an orchestra conductor; true-life dramas, such as Women Talking, about a series of rapes in a Mennonite community, and Till, which recounts the harrowing story of Emmett Till’s death through his mother’s sorrow, were showcases for brilliant acting. Danielle Deadwyler was a standout as the bereaved and furious mother in Till, as was Cate Blanchett in her portrayal of the spectacular and deluded Lydia Tár. But there were plenty of other memorable moments: Jennifer Lawrence quietly healing from the wounds of war in Causeway; Zoë Kravitz slinking around Gotham in The Batman; Ana de Armas transforming into Marilyn Monroe in Blonde.
And then there was Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once, playing Evelyn Wang, a dowdy laundromat owner who fights like a superhero in order to reunite her estranged family. Extreme opposition only strengthens Evelyn, and that kind of resolve, as much as anything, could be the theme for our times: The world might have gone mad, but we still need to believe. This year, we are saluting 32 actors who offer thrilling emotion and depth. The pandemic is, we hope, behind us, but these performances are a reminder that art can emerge out of darkness.
Check back here throughout the week as we continue to present the year’s standout acts. To see all 14 covers please click here.
Margot Robbie wears a JW Anderson dress.
Michelle Williams wears a Chanel jacket; Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano hat; Messika Paris necklace.
Jonathan Majors wears a Louis Vuitton Men’s jacket, shirt, and pants; Adidas sneakers.
Cate Blanchett wears a Loewe jacket and top; Falke tights.
Ana de Armas wears a Louis Vuitton dress, earrings, tights, and boots.
Michelle Yeoh wears a Balenciaga dress.
Daniel Craig wears his own T-shirt.
Dior dress, Boucheron necklace.
Eddie Redmayne wears a Gucci jacket, shirt, and pants, Charvet tie, Omega watch.
The Row top, skirt, slip, gloves, and sandals; Fleur du Mal bra.
Taylor Russell wears an Hermès top.
Brendan Fraser wears a Burberry trench coat; Dolce & Gabbana jacket and top.
Butler wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello jacket, shirt, pants, and boots; Cartier ring.
Diego Calva wears a JW Anderson sweater vest.
Paul Mescal wears a Fendi jacket, shirt, and pants; Charvet tie; New Balance sneakers.
Danielle Deadwyler wears a Valentino gown; Assael necklace; stylist’s own gloves.
Hudson wears the Row dress; Patricia von Musulin earrings; Assael necklaces.
Strong wears an Anecho jacket, shirt, and jeans; Falke socks.
Stephanie Hsu wears a Ralph Lauren Collection jacket and skirt; Cartier watch; Wolford tights; Maison Margiela shoes.
Jeremy Pope wears a Valentino coat, shorts, and socks; Rolex watch.
Aubrey Plaza wears an Alaïa bodysuit and tights; Commando briefs; stylist's own shoes.
Ke Huy Quan wears a Wales Bonner suit and T-shirt; glasses, from top: Tom Ford, Oliver Peoples, his own.
Judd Hirsch wears a Tekla pajama top and pants.
Claire Foy wears a Christopher Kane jacket; Cartier earrings.
Rachel Sennott wears a Chanel top and skirt; Assael necklaces.
Palmer wears a Proenza Schouler dress; Alexander McQueen earrings.
Caleb Landry Jones wears the Row jacket and top.
Mia Goth wears a Ferragamo dress; Prada shoes.
Janelle Monáe wears a Richard Quinn dress; Lisa Eisner Jewelry rings from Broken English Jewelry; stylist’s own tights.
Seth Rogen wears a Bode jumpsuit; Rolex watch; Falke socks; his own glasses.
Sadie Sink wears an Alexander McQueen catsuit; Esenshel hat.
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