
When I think about the year's best performances, the first word that comes to mind is "diversity". It may sound cliché, but I found it to be a banner year for inclusive stories on the big screen. In particular, American independent cinema shined a rare spotlight on underrepresented perspectives that too often have been relegated to minor supporting roles. And the movies were all the better for it. Though there's still a way to go before we can truly say that equal opportunities exist for actors of all ages, races, genders and sizes, the Top 20 Acting Performances of 2017 show that we are heading in the right direction:
Honorable Mention: Brooklynn Prince in The Florida Project
20. Harry Dean Stanton in Lucky

19. Sam Rockwell in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

18. Meryl Streep in The Post

17. Frances McDormand in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

16. Elizabeth Olsen in Ingrid Goes West

15. Menashe Lustig in Menashe

14. Kumail Nanjiani in The Big Sick

13. Sherwan Haji in The Other Side of Hope

12. Aubrey Plaza in Ingrid Goes West

11. Jennifer Lawrence in mother!

10. Sam Elliott in The Hero

9. Allison Janney in I, Tonya

8. Diane Kruger in In the Fade

7. Michael Stuhlbarg in Call Me by Your Name

6. Jada Pinkett Smith in Girls Trip

5. Tiffany Haddish in Girls Trip

4. Timothée Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name

3. Armie Hammer in Call Me by Your Name

2. Daniel Kaluuya in Get Out

1. Melanie Lynskey in I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
