The Liz Award

Previous Winners:  Frances McDormand (3 Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri), Viola Davis (Fences), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), Rosemund Pike (Gone Girl), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Berenice Bejo (The Artist), Michelle Williams (My Week with Marilyn),  Yalitza Aparicio (Roma), Renee Zellweger (Judy), Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Rachel Zegler (West Side Story), Danielle Deadwyler (Till), Emma Stone (Poor Things), Mikey Madison (Anora), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked)

Our final acting award is for our BEST ACTRESS which we named after Elizabeth Taylor, aka The Liz. We do have one two-time winner of The Liz, that being Viola Davis for her roles in Fences and in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. This year there are two possible actresses who could join her as a two-time winner.

#20. Cate Blanchett (Black Bag)

#19. Terri Apple (Strange Harvest)

#18. Hassie Harrison (Dangerous Animals)

#17. Carey Mulligan (The Ballad of Wallis Island)

#16. Margot Robbie (Big, Bold, Beautiful Journey)

Some newcomers in this first five. Terri Apple and Hassie Harrison were both in movies that surprised me with how awesome they were. The other three actresses in #20-16 are never a surprise.

#15. Elle Fanning (Predator: Badlands)

#14. Olivia Colman (The Roses)

#13. Renate Reinove (Sentimental Journey)

#12. June Squibb (Eleanor the Great)

#11. Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I’d Kick You)

Again, some consider Rose Byrne a favorite for the Oscar for her movie. She was good, but I can’t see that happening. Elle Fanning has now appeared on both Supporting Actress and Lead Actress this year. I always LOVE Oliva Colman.

#10. Rachel Brosnahan (Superman)

#9. Emma Stone (Bugonia)

#8. Julia Garner (Weapons)

#7. Sophie Thatcher (Companion)

#6. Sydney Sweeney (Christy)

Rachel Brosnahan was a perfect casting for Lois Lane and she was front and center in that movie. Emma Stone is one of the previous winners of The Liz so there will be no two-time for her. One more possible on this list. Sydney Sweeney got a lot of heat because Christy flopped. Her performance was stunning anyway.

#5. Florence Pugh (Thunderbolts*)

#4. Cynthia Erivo (Wicked: For Good)

#3. Vanessa Kirby (Fantastic Four: First Steps)

#2. Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue)

Cynthia Erivo won the Liz last year so there will be no one joining Viola Davis as a two-time winner this year. I am sad that I have a feeling that the Academy will be overlooking Kate Hudson’s performance in Song Sung Blue. She is absolutely spectacular and only an all tie performance kept her from winning the Liz this year. Florence Pugh is so charming and engaging as Yelena that I am excited to see her in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. Vanessa Kirby was a perfect Sus Storm casting.

And #1… winner of 2025 The Liz Award

Jesse Buckley (Hamnet)

Jesse Buckley’s performance in Hamnet is quite literally the BEST performance I have seen this year over any medium or any forum. TV. Movies. Lead. Supporting. Male. Female. Other. YouTube. TikTok. You name it! Anything. It was a generational performance. The first half of Hamnet was not that good, and her work kept that film afloat until the second half of the film when her performance transcended the film into legendary statis. If she does not win the Oscar this year, no one should. She certainly has won The Liz at EYG.