The Fourth Annual Awards Radar Awards (Part One): The Best Performances of 2023

Wow! Folks, welcome to the end of the year! With only a few days left in 2023, it’s time to start giving out some prizes. Today, we kick off the Third Annual Awards Radar Awards, also known as the Joey Awards (because, as mentioned last year and the year before, when you own a site, you get to name a prize after yourself). Throughout the week, we’ll be highlighting my favorites of the year. What makes a worthy winner for me? It’s simply a gut feeling, so don’t necessarily expect just Oscar contenders on these lists. Academy hopefuls are represented, to be sure, but it’s hardly just prestige titles. After all, it’s my tastes, which are decidedly eclectic.

For the first part of this awards series, we’re again going to start by tackling the best performances of the year. Who took home the first wave of the third installment of the Awards Radar Awards, acquiring the clearly coveted Joey Prizes? You’re about to find out. Here we go, ladies and gentlemen…

The Best Performance by an Actor in 2023 – Ryan Gosling in Barbie

Now, Ryan Gosling is my favorite actor, but even I was blown away with what he did with Ken in Barbie. Not only is it the comedic performance of the year, it’s overall just staggeringly effective work. The irony of how much Gosling puts into Ken, an object only seen through the lens of Barbie, just makes it all the more effective. It became an instantly iconic performance after the first scene, and just got better from there, culminating in something very special. My rave review of Barbie included this praise for him:

Gosling is a comedic goldmine and deserves legitimate Best Supporting Actor consideration. The amount that he throws himself into this role is staggering and staggeringly delightful. The commitment itself is hilarious, let alone his comic timing.

The Top Ten Performances by an Actor in 2023

10. Chris Messina in Air

9. Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers

8. Peter Sarsgaard in Memory

7. Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

6. Mark Ruffalo in Poor Things

5. Colman Domingo in Rustin

4. Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer

3. Barry Keoghan in Saltburn

2. Zac Efron in The Iron Claw

1. Ryan Gosling in Barbie

Honorable Mentions

Bradley Cooper in Maestro

Matt Damon in Air

Michael Fassbender in The Killer

Morgan Freeman in A Good Person

Glenn Howerton in BlackBerry

The Best Performance by an Actress in 2023 – Emma Stone in Poor Things

Emma Stone in POOR THINGS. Photo by Yorgos Lanthimos. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2023 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

Working with Yorgos Lanthimos has really brought out the best in Emma Stone, and she was already pretty great to begin with. Poor Things is her crowning achievement to date, in part because of the fearlessness she brings to it. What makes this not just one of the best performances of her career, but the best so far, is how out on a limb she’s willing to be. Emotionally, sexually, even comedically, it’s risky work, but it all pays off in ravishing form. You’re stunned watching her in action. I raved about her performance like so back in my review:

Emma Stone gives the performance of her career so far playing Bella Baxter. She could easily win her second Academy Award for Best Actress. Watching her evolve Bella is a work of art. She’s a riot comedically, but also a forceful power. You root for her at all turns and celebrate every new achievement. Bella is one of the cinematic creations of the year.

The Top Ten Performances by an Actress in 2023