OUTSTANDING BREAKTHROUGH/DEBUT

Cynthia Erivo (Bad Times at the El Royale/Widows)

Elise Fisher (Eighth Grade)

Helena Howard (Madeline’s Madeline)

Kiki Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk)

Thomasin McKenzie (Leave No Trace) AND THE WINNER IS:

CYNTHIA ERIVO (BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE/WIDOWS) While not necessarily an unknown to me with these two films performances being the debut in cinema for Erivo she easily picks up my breakthrough/debut prize. Erivo has grown a concentrated fanbase due to her performance in the recent broadway revival of The Color Purple and thankfully her transition from stage to screen was seamless. That power and talent she had shown on the stage was just as present in these film performances. Calender wise the first I saw was her work as Darlene in Drew Goddard's Bad Times at the El Royale. Goddard has talked about how he had to ask Erivo to sing some bad notes as her live singing came across too note perfect. I can understand this as her voice is singular and stunning, her talent as an actress is also just as great when she is playing both the weak, survivor and heroic moments of her character. Then there's Widows where while she has less to do still manages to make a lasting impression. When in your film debut you can stand head to head with Viola Davis you prove your greatness for me and she does so in multiple scenes in the second half of the film. It's so exciting that Erivo has proven herself on another medium and with an upcoming role as Harriet Tubman she'll likely continue to impress in cinema.