Top 10 Surprisingly Awesome Performances of the Last Decade

Top 10 Surprisingly Good Performances of the Last Decade

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were looking at casting choices from the past decade that people didnt think would work on paper, but the actors surprised all of us.

#10: Justice SmithI Saw the TV Glow (2024)

Its a shame that most audiences were introduced to Justice Smith through Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, where he played the obnoxious comedic relief. Smith was much better in Detective Pikachu and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, but Jane Schoenbruns film revealed a completely different side of the young actor. Smith gives a mesmerizing performance as Owen, a repressed teenager whose existence becomes wrapped up in a TV show. What exactly Owen is burying isnt spelled out, but Smith hauntingly captures the essence of a person sleepwalking through life, searching for something to awaken whats inside. Whether or not Owen finds what hes looking for, Smiths performance will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to express who they are and what theyre feeling.

#9: Pamela AndersonThe Last Showgirl (2024)

For decades, the Baywatch and Barb Wire star was an easy punchline. It wasnt until recently that more people considered that maybe Pamela Andersons acting wasnt the issue. The industry just didnt give her a chance to show her range. She didnt have the best representation either, her former agent not even bothering to tell Anderson when The Last Showgirl screenplay arrived. Thankfully, the script eventually reached Anderson, whose own life reflects that of Shelly Gardners, a woman who gives her best years to a profession only to be spat out. Anderson is tragically empathetic as a veteran showgirl caught between an uncertain future and a past that cant be rewritten. Shelly isnt sure where she belongs, but Anderson firmly reestablishes herself among the A-list.

#8: Jennifer LopezHustlers (2019)

People forget that Jennifer Lopez was an actress before she broke out on the music scene. Although bad romantic comedies and thrillers would plague her filmography for nearly two decades, Hustlers reminded audiences why she became a movie star in the first place. Lopez owns the screen and stage as Ramona Vega, a material stripper whos craftier than she looks. Although Ramona is the glue that bands her partners-in-crime together, she can just as easily drive them apart as their operation comes crashing under the weight of her ambitions. Ramona ascends to the top of the pole, but its a slippery slide down. While Ramona experiences the highest of highs and lowest of lows, Hustlers became the apex of Lopezs acting career.

#7: Zac EfronThe Iron Claw (2023)

Zac Efron has spent much of his adulthood shaking his image as the High School Musical kid. As real-life wrestler Kevin Von Erich, Efron gives Troy Bolton the Iron Claw. Efron turns in his most physically transformative performance, putting on 15 pounds of muscle for the role. Yet, its what Efron conveys internally that caught us off guard. Despite his strong build, Kevin is shy about asking out a woman and afraid to confront his father. This inability to communicate causes the Von Erich family to shrink as Kevin goes from having multiple brothers to fighting alone. Efron is heartbreaking as someone who may come off as invincible in the ring. Behind the scenes, though, hes a mortal man wrestling with enormous loss.

#6: Ariana Grande

Wicked (2024)

While Ariana Grande isnt new to acting, most of her roles have leaned into her pop star personality. When she landed the coveted role of Glinda the Good, it sounded like stunt casting that might sell tickets, but wed see a celebrity rather than a character. How wrong the doubters were. Grande hit all the right notes, and not just concerning the musical numbers. She gives one of the great comedic performances, making every line funnier with her delivery and extra Glinda-isms. Her performance overflows with sincerity as well. By the time Glinda and Elphaba solidify their friendship, any traces of the actors are erased. We just see two characters sharing a genuine moment. Grande isnt just Glinda. Shes a Glinda in her own league.

#5: Kristen StewartSpencer (2021)

The stars of Twilight have pulled a 180 over the past decade. Robert Pattinson has balanced indie flicks like Good Time with blockbusters like The Batman. Kristen Stewart gave a string of acclaimed performances, although playing Princess Diana mightve been the biggest risk of her career. While more audiences were realizing that Stewarts range extends far beyond Bella, would they be able to accept her as a figure as recognizable as the Princess of Wales? Quickly dashing any skepticism, Stewart embodies Diana from the opening scene. Although Stewart gets the look and voice down, its the subtle body language that makes us feel Dianas inner torment in a film that plays more like a psychological character study than a straightforward biopic.

#4: Adam Sandler

Uncut Gems (2019)

Although we knew Adam Sandler could give a dramatic performance, Punch-Drunk Love and Spanglish felt like a lifetime ago when Uncut Gems came along. Even with those other films in mind, Howard Ratner was unlike any role Sandler had taken on before. A gambler who cant quit while hes ahead (or behind), Howard goes from one reckless bet to another. Constantly spinning a dozen plates while simultaneously digging his own grave, Howard is incapable of taking a breath. Just as Howard goes all in, Sandler fully commits to the role. He infuses the screen with such rapid-fire anxiety that we forget were watching a performance. Were just watching a man spiral while chasing his big score, which will never be big enough.

#3: Lady Gaga

A Star Is Born (2018)

Occasionally, somebody creates a character so iconic that its hard to accept them as anyone else. Something similar can be said about the personas that celebrities create. Its difficult to say where Lady Gaga ends and Stefani Germanotta begins. In any case, audiences werent sure if they could separate Gagas larger-than-life presence from her A Star Is Born character. As Ally, Gaga strips away the makeup and meat dress, playing a singer from humble roots thrust into the spotlight and a star-crossed romance. Even as Allys life begins to mirror her own, it doesnt feel like Gaga is playing herself. Ally and Gaga can both sing, but each has a distinct voice. While Gaga was far from an unknown, a movie star had been born.

#2: Brendan Fraser

The Whale (2022)

Those who grew up with The Mummy and George of the Jungle had wanted to see Brendan Fraser make a comeback for years. Yet, even Frasers most dedicated fans were amazed by the dramatic depths he unearthed in The Whale. As far as on-screen transformations go, this might be the modern equivalent of Marlon Brando in The Godfather. Charlie is a role that Fraser completely escapes into, not just in terms of body, but soul as well. Fraser repeatedly breaks your heart as a man who knows hes dying and only expedites the process. At the same time, Charlie races against the clock to make amends with his loved ones. As soul-crushing as it is uplifting, the films success largely relies on Frasers towering performance.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Lily-Rose Depp, Nosferatu (2024)

The Best a Depp Has Been in a Decade

Pete Davidson, The King of Staten Island (2020)

Hes Basically Playing Himself, But Theres More to Pete Davidson Than Meets the Eye

Chris Hemsworth, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)

Who Knew He Could Be Hilarious & Menacing All While Wearing A Ridiculous Nose?

Jim Carrey, Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

What Sounded Like Career-Killing Miscasting Turned Out to Be a Comedic Comeback

Awkwafina, The Farewell (2019)

A Reminder That She Can Play More Than the Wise-Cracking Best Friend

#1: Demi Moore

The Substance (2024)

When she won a Golden Globe for The Substance, Demi Moore reflected on a producer who called her a popcorn actress. Moore began to think that was all she could ever be. When this bonkers body horror movie came her way, Moore didnt just surprise critics and audiences. Moore surprised herself, delivering a performance even she didnt know was lying beneath the surface. Moore plays a fading star who wont go quietly into the night. She resorts to desperate measures, losing her identity (and ironically her beauty) in the pursuit of youth and perfection. Some may draw parallels to Moores life, but the reality is that Elisabeth Sparkle is every woman over 50 who has been told that shes done. Moore isnt, however.

Which performance from the past decade surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments.