It’s been a terrific year for movies and for performances, both male and female, lead and supporting. Having seen all the films eligible for the Oscars, here is a list of distinguished lead performances by female actors. There are 13 actresses, enlisted in alphabetical order, by last name.
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Adele Exarchopolous, Blue is the Warmest Color (foreign-language film)
Paulina Garcia, Gloria (foreign-language film)
Greta Gerwig, Francis Ha
Brie Larson, Short Term 12
Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Enough Said
Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Kate Winslet, Labor Day
Notes
There are many more worthy performances of lead female actors in foreign-language films.
Deja-vu: With few exceptions, such as Exarchopolous, most of the other actresses are Oscar-winners or Oscar-nominees.
For me, Julia Roberts’ performance in August: Osage County is a lead, but I know she will be placed in the Supporting Actress league so that she will not compete with her colleague Meryl Streep.
At a gun point (kidding..), I predict that the toughest competition in this category is between Blanchett, who won the Supporting Actress Oscar in 2004 for The Aviator) and Bullock, Best Actress in 2009 for The Blind Side.