1. Michael B. Jordan
The worldwide success of Black Panther (both commercially and critically speaking) and the way Creed II worked for Michael B. Jordan as an acting showcase make Michael B. Jordan the unexpected Actor of the Year for Cinema and Popcorn. After the critical praise he got for Fruitvale Station (2013) and Creed (2015), he has been on the radar all these years. It seems his big "award role" is yet to come, but I guess he was close of major Academy Award and Golden Globe recognition for his performnace in Black Panther as N'Jadaka / Erik "Killmonger" Stevens, the movie villain with good intentions. In fact, it's a testosterone driven performance and while a lot of people say he can only act "aggressive", Killmonger wouldn't be that good other way - and he got a Critics' Choice Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his fine work.
2. Bradley Cooper
He's the director, the producer, the screenwriter, the songwriter and... the leading man of A Star Is Born - and he excels! As an alcoholic fading music star, Cooper portrays a sensitive kind of masculinity in a subtle yet heartfelt way, which is something rare these days from male actors. His performance earned him his fourth Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG Award and Critics' Choice Award nods... and in spite of not winning any major precursor award, Cooper's acting turns in one of the finest of the year, by far. And considering the massice $420.1M worldwide box-office gross and the 8 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, A Star Is Born is one of the 2018-defining movies for sure!
3. Lucas Hedges
After Manchester by the Sea (2016) and Lady Bird (2017), Lucas Hedges proves to be (one of) the most talented actor(s) of his generation with his 2018's releases: Boy Erased and Ben is Back. In the former, the carries the whole movie as a gay teenager forced to take part in gay conversion therapy - and he's simply amazing in it and he more than holds himself alongside Russell Crowe and the great Nicole Kidman! The movie was not a box-office success (it grossed only $8M worldwide), but Boy Erased worked as an acting showcase for Hedges, who got a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama and he was considered a contender for a Best Actor nomination this award season. As for Ben is Back, it was't a success too, but it got great reviews for Hedges' acting as a troubled teenager aka ex-drug addict. Most of the highlights went to Julia Roberts, who delivered a commanding performance, but the complexity of Hedges acting turn also received tons of praise, but award buzz didn't materialized. Right now, Hedges is clearly one of the greatest young actors working these days!
4. Rami Malek
In Bohemian Rhapsody, Malek has the role of a lifetime and the performance of a lifetime! It's not subtle, it's not quiet or full of inner force, but Malek's is pure cinematic show! After the success of Mr. Robot TV series, Malek was able to transfer himself to the big screen. The role of Freddie Mercury has already earned him a Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG Award wins for Best Actor and he's the current top contender for a Best Actor Oscar win! About the movie, Bohemian Rhapsody was able to suprass its director's controversies and become a worldwide box-office hit: it grossed $854M worldwide, from a "modest" budget of $50M. The critical reception was mixed, but the precursor awards embraced the movie and Bohemian Rhapsody was even able to get 5 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture!
5. Jason Momoa
The star of the Aquaman film, Jason Momoa was able to take on his Game of Thrones TV series fame and become a franchise movie star! After a scene-stealing acting turn in 2017's Justice League as Arthur Curry AKA Aquaman (after a cameo in 2016's Batman v Superman), he reprised that role in its own solo movie and both critics and audiences! With a deft comedic timing and magnetic movie star charisma, Momoa makes for the perfect big screen superhero, carrying the whole movie and making it work. In fact, Aquaman has grossed over $1.1 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing DCEU film as well as the highest-grossing film based on a DC Comics character, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of 2018 and the 20th highest film of all time. Momoa is the 2018's billion dollar star! And let's not forget Braven - a modest success, but a shiny Jason Momoa starring vehicle!
- Breakthrough Actor of the Year: John David Washington, BlacKkKlansman and Monsters and Men
He's great in Monsters and Men, a small production movie that no one have really seen, but it called my attentions since John David Washington got an Independent Spirit Award nod for his performance in that one. But the role that will define J.D.Washington's breakthrough year is BlacKkKlansman's - he's so charismatic, relaxed and funny you ask yourself how can it be his first leading part. The movie was received under huge Oscar buzz and it managed to get a Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nominations among others (in a total of 6)... as for this young promise, he was snubed by the AMPAS but he got Golden Globe, SAG Award and a big bunch of critics associations' nods! Not bad at all for a start!
- Honorable mention: Robert Redford, The Old Man and the Gun
The Old Man and the Gun will be remembered as Robert Redford's swan song. His last role before retirement from acting, this Hollywood living legend has never been an Academy's darling but audiences still in love for him. As the criminal gentleman Forrest Tucker, Redford proves once again you don't need extremely dramatic scenes or funny lines in order to deliver a commanding performance on-screen. At 83 he conducted the movie effortlessly, showing to younger folks "that's how we do with class". An eternal Hollywood star, Redford says goodbye in great form (and with one more Golden Globe nomination under his belt).
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