On Tuesday, January 10, movie fans will gather to watch the 2023 Golden Globes Awards, where we honor the achievements made in the film and television industry throughout the year. One of the most important and anticipated categories of the night is that of Best Actress. The Golden Globes divides their motion picture awards for acting into two categories: Motion Picture (Drama) and Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy). The Best Performance by an Actress award being split into two different categories gives the opportunity for two deserving actresses to take home the award as opposed to other award shows, such as the Oscars.

The number of brilliant and powerful performances from leading actresses this year is endless. Margot Robbie gave one of the best performances of her career as Nellie in Academy Award-winning filmmaker Damien Chazelle’s Babylon. The gritty, powerful, and charming woman Robbie portrays has big dreams of being an actress in Hollywood. Even when everyone around her looks at her as if she’s nothing, Nellie never stops believing in herself and her star power. Ana de Armas is another one of the incredible actresses nominated this year. Her portrayal of the iconic Marilyn Monroe is sensational and mesmerizing in every way. Regardless of how critics and audience members felt about the film, it is undeniable that de Armas did a remarkable job bringing such an icon and symbol in pop culture back to life. Here are all the 2023 Golden Globe Best Actress in a Motion Picture nominees, ranked.

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10 Lesley Manville — Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris

     Focus Features

Lesley Manville lights up the screen in this feel-good drama/comedy about a widow living in London, who falls in love with a couture Dior dress and declares that she must have it. She makes the journey over to Paris to fulfill her dreams and ends up changing the face of the House of Dior forever. Fashion, fun, and strong female characters make up the essence of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. With a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it is clear the film was a success in not only the eyes of audiences, but critics as well.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 Emma Thompson — Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

     Hulu

Emma Thompson is easily one of the most gifted and beloved actresses working in the film industry. The impact she has created on cinema is ineffable, and the number of incredible performances she has given is countless. Her portrayal of Nancy Stokes in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is no exception. She stars alongside Daryl McCormack, who plays Leo Grande in the drama/comedy. Thompson is the recipient of two Academy Awards for Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay, a two-time Golden Globe winner, and a BAFTA winner. There is no question about whether she deserved this nomination.

8 Viola Davis (The Woman King)

     Sony Pictures Releasing 

Another powerhouse of an actress is the incredible Viola Davis. She is one of the most celebrated and acclaimed actresses working today, and her performance in The Woman King is sensational. This film revolves around women empowerment and is the story of an all-female warrior tribe in the 1800s, using their skills and fire to defend their kingdom against unprecedented threats. Davis stars alongside Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, and John Boyega.

7 Anya Taylor-Joy — The Menu

     Searchlight Pictures

Anya Taylor-Joy shines in the horror/thriller The Menu. Her character Margot received a last-minute invitation from the guy she was seeing to attend an elite five-star meal from one of the most sought-after and exclusive chefs in the world. Her date, Tyler, along with all the other ultra-wealthy and famous guests are completely in awe of Chef Slowik, played by Ralph Fiennes, except for Margot, who sees through the sophisticated illusion. The dinner menu was carefully selected for each individual guest who was supposed to be attending, so Margot’s unexpected arrival throws off the evening. When things start to go south, she must figure out a way to escape the restaurant or risk losing her life.

6 Olivia Colman — Empire of Light

Academy-Award-winning actress Olivia Colman tackles yet another beautiful role this year as Hilary Small in Empire of Light. Colman’s energy and charisma on screen are unmatched, there is a likability and truth she gives off that shines through each of her roles and touches audiences. Empire of Light is the story of a simple and beautiful romance that sparks out of an old cinema on the south coast of England. While the film itself wasn’t a hit among critics, Colman’s performance definitely was.

5 Cate Blanchet (Tár)

Tár is a musical/drama about a renowned and acclaimed conductor named Lydia Tár, who is nearing one of the biggest moments in her career. This exciting moment is clouded when everything that could go wrong does. Lydia’s daughter becomes one of the most important people in her process to cope with what has happened. Cate Blanchett is a brilliant actress and has received dozens of accolades and awards throughout her career, including Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

4 Michelle Yeoh — Everything Everywhere All at Once

     A24

Everything Everywhere All at Once is the story of the most unlikely hero who finds themselves fighting wild creatures from an alternate multiverse. This adventure/sci-fi film directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert stars Michelle Yeoh as the film’s lead character and protagonist Evelyn Quan. Yeoh is the heart of the film and the connection audiences make with her character is what carries them through this journey. Yeoh has previously been nominated for a BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, Hong Kong Film Award, and MTV Movie & TV Award, but her performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once earned the actress her first Golden Globe nomination.

3 Michelle Williams — The Fabelmans

     Universal Pictures

Michelle Williams stars as the mother of a young boy named Sammy, who falls in love with cinema and starts to make his own movies with him. His mother plays an intricate part in his journey with movies, encouraging him every step of the way to keep pursuing this passion and go after his dreams. Steven Spielberg, one of the most successful directors in the world, did an incredible job creating The Fabelmans, which is widely recognized as one of the best films of the year 2022. Williams’ performance is astounding, and she is a top contender this year at the Golden Globes.

2 Ana de Armas — Blonde

     Netflix

When playing an icon such as Marilyn Monroe, one of the most famous, looked at, and referenced women in the world, there is an extreme amount of pressure to look like her, pick up her mannerism, understand her voice, and embody the essence of who she was. Ana de Armas did just that in Blonde: she was able to completely become Marilyn. Her performance of this legend was iconic and carried us through the entire film Blonde, which told the story of how Marilyn Monroe came to be. De Armas without a doubt deserves this Golden Globe nomination for how incredibly she was able to bring this beloved star back to life.

1 Margot Robbie — Babylon

     Paramount Pictures

Margot Robbie gave one of the wildest, most brilliant, and most exciting performances of her career in filmmaker Damien Chazelle’s Babylon. Her portrayal of Nellie, a young woman living in 1920s Hollywood, who believes she is a star regardless of the fact that everyone around her treats her like dirt, is a career-best. Nellie is a wild child who likes to party, do drugs, and immerse herself in the spectacle that was Hollywood during this time. One night, fate steps in and gives Nellie her big break in getting to act on a movie set. Her success is almost immediate, and the rest of the film depicts her rise and fall in movies during the transition between silent films and talkies. Babylon is unlike any other film released last year, and Robbie’s performance is absolutely incredible.