Strong Performances by a female actor in a lead role (in alphabetical order):
Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
Emily Blunt (Into the Woods)
Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year)
Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night)
Anne Hathaway (Interstellar)
Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)
Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
Hilary Swank (The Homesman)
Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars)
Analysis
Note that four of the 11 actresses are Oscar-winners: Cotillard, Hathway (albeit in a supporting role), Hillary Swank (two-time winner), and Reese Witherspoon.
Seven of the 11 actresses on our list are Oscar nominees, some multiple times: Amy Adams (5 nominations in a decade), Julianne Moore (4 nominations), Jessica Chastain (2 nominations.
