From quirky chocolatiers and real-life dolls to apocalypse survivors and a ’70s rock star, the coming awards season is chock-full of skillful and fascinating performances worthy of an accolade or two. As we all know, there can only be one winner, so we here at VMAN devised a list of the cultivated actors meriting a place at the top.

Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)

I think we can all admit that Jeremy Allen White’s performance as Carmy on The Bear got us thinking about a career change. The urge to scream and aggressively chop in the kitchen every five seconds was just one of the many new ways we became obsessed with White’s on-screen culinary abilities. So does he deserve a win—YES CHEF!

Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer had us all on the edge of our theater seats. His complex journey to manage the Manhattan Project, and juggling the morality of unleashing an atomic bomb on the world was captivating, to say the least.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon)

A great performance is nothing new to Leonardo DiCaprio, and for Martin Scorcese’s latest work, his portrayal as the gullible WW1 veteran Ernest Burkhart married to Osage tribe member Mollie Kyle is well worth the critical acclaim, alongside co-star Lily Gladstone.

Barry Keoghan (Saltburn)

One of the most anticipated films of the year, Barry Keoghan’s performance of Oliver in Saltburn is sufficiently hypnotic—undoubtedly Oscar-worthy among other awards. The entire film is dark and satirical, with a nod to English and Oxford-tied wealth—definitely a must-watch.

Timothée Chalamet (Wonka)

Timothée Chalamet demonstrates his talent as a triple threat in Wonka, acting, singing, and dancing his way on his journey to becoming a world-famous chocolatier. Proving why he’s at the top of Hollywood, there is no question why he would be at the forefront of our list!

Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

Ryan Gosling’s real-life portrayal of the iconic Ken doll was more than “Just Ken”. Starring alongside the multifaceted Margot Robbie, Gosling’s performance was heartwrenching, adding more to the stigma of Ken acting as just a pretty face. Gosling’s performance of Ken warrants the award for us!

Colman Domingo (Rustin)

An aspirational performance is what was needed for the portrayal of Bayard Rustin, who was the openly gay advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. practically obliterated from the civil rights movement he fought for. Domingo’s performance is unmatched, well-deserving of the nomination, and a win.

Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us)

One of the internet’s most prolific “daddies”, Pascal’s performance in The Last of Us has kept us all on his radar, giving us a reason to enjoy the thrill and suspense of another apocalyptic story to obsess over. Lighthearted yet chilling, Pascal’s performance is worth the nomination.

Steven Yeun (Beef)

Steven Yeun’s portrayal of Danny in Beef is a marvelous performance, displaying the hardships of a contractor struggling to get ahead in the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. Yeun proves once again that he can win the hearts of an audience with both comedy and action-packed fun fit for an accolade.

Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & The Six)

Daisy Jones and The Six was one of the most talked-about shows of the year, and Sam Claflin’s exceptional portrayal of Billy surely added to the success of the show. We too will be singing like rock stars if he takes home the gold!