OUTSTANDING PERFORMER OF THE YEAR

Willem Dafoe (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Kinds of Kindness, Nosferatu, Saturday Night)

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (The Deliverance, Exhibiting Forgiveness, Nickel Boys)

Margaret Qualley (Drive-Away Dolls, Kinds of Kindness, The Substance)

Jason Schwartzman (Between the Temples, The Last Showgirl, Megalopolis, Queer)

Tilda Swinton (The End, Problemista, The Room Next Door)

AND THE WINNER:

MARGARET QUALLEY (DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, KINDS OF KINDNESS, THE SUBSTANCE)

Margaret Qualley is an actress who I've been a fan basically since her film and television breakthrough a decade ago and with each new performance I've experienced from her my adoration has grown for her and hopes for wider recognition more hopeful which of course takes me to 2024 which feels like the year Qualley really entered the strathosphere of better actors of her generation.

I will say it took me till January of this year to see Poor Things and while her role is small in that film it is worth noting how impressive I felt she was in the film and certainly acted as a set up for the films starring Qualley that would follow. The first title I saw was Drive-Away Dolls the fun if slightly disappointing Ethan Coen directed feature film. Qualley played Jamie one of the central duo of this crime on the run comedy, Margaret if she weren't so impressive and committed to the part would've made me interest in the film far less than it was.

While not the immediate next film I saw featuring Qualley Kinds of Kindness is the second title I will discuss in regards to Margaret. The film marked her returning to the Yorgos Lanthomis universe having just had a part in Poor Things as I mentioned. Yet again Qualley didn't have the largest part in the film in either of the three mini stories but like with Poor Things whenever she showed up I was invested. I really would've liked to Qualley play leading parts of the film like her co-star Emma Stone because I honestly feel Qualley could've maybe played those parts greater and provided a newer energy for Lanthimos world.

And to finish it off there is The Substance which is sure to be the film most will associate with Margaret Qualley from 2024 and having watched the films multiple times I completely understand as Qualley playing Sue is such a breath taking performance. In the gross body horror drama Qualley in playing the younger version of the shared Elizabeth / Sue gets to have a whole bunch of fun physically whether that be dancing on her television show, owning her space during her time living and even as the horror affects her body it is such an attractive performance that has stayed with me since first seeing the film in May.

Margaret Qualley with these three titles and awards success she has received for them I'm so glad to say has proved herself more than just the daughter of Andie McDowell and an actor whose career should be followed. Of course she has proven herself multiple times on television I mean I myself awarded her two years ago for her leading performance in the miniseries Maid. Qualley just makes interesting choices and I look forward to what she will get up to during the next decade especially of her already incredible career.