The Best Performances and Creatives Of 2023
From potential Oscars nominees to underrated gems, there have been so many stand out creatives and performances within the films and TV shows of this year. The writers of Pop Culture Planet are sharing the Best Of 2023.
Abbott Elementary cast
We’ve all come to know and love the hilarious cast of Abbott Elementary and it even seems like an appearance on the show is guaranteed to bring awards buzz. Season 2 didn’t let up — even giving us more of the budding romance between Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) — and we can’t wait for the much anticipated season 3 dropping this February.
- Kristen Maldonado
Ali Wong in Beef
In Netflix’s dark revenge comedy Beef, a road rage incident explodes into an unhinged rivalry. Ali Wong brings us a fascinating and layered portrayal as Amy Lau, one of two people struggling with a rage that threatens to ruin both of their lives. Complex, funny, tragic, unpredictable, and toxic, she delivers a career best performance.
- Kristen Maldonado
Andrew Scott in All of Us Strangers
Andrew Scott is absolutely devastating in his portrayal of Adam’s grief, loss, and deep rooted loneliness in All of Us Strangers. The actor has already garnered a Golden Globe nomination for his work in this film and there is no question as to why. His subtle actions and seamless emotional distress is palpable while he balances these emotions in a beautifully compelling way. Being paired with incredible talent such as Claire Foy and Jamie Bell only helped him, but Andrew Scott stole every scene.
- Jordan Bohan
Ayo Edebiri for The Bear, TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, Bottoms, and more
2023 was the year of Ayo Edebiri! She had stand out roles in Theater Camp, Bottoms, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Black Mirror, Abbott Elementary, and The Bear — and that’s just a few of the projects she was a part of this year.
With her dead pan humor and skills in everything from writing to acting, it’s no wonder she’s nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her role in The Bear. Cheers to 2024, where she’s bound to continue her success!
- Kristen Maldonado
Bel Powley in A Small Light
National Geographic brings the story of Miep Gies to life in their new biographical miniseries A Small Light. The show represents the real-life, unsung heroes who bravely helped hide Anne Frank’s family. Bel Powley delivers a fiercely layered performance as Miep Gies, Otto Frank’s secretary. What makes A Small Light stand out is the way that it makes the true story so accessible and relatable. They don’t play to the dark ending that we know is coming, but instead to the hope and life of the people we’re following.
At the beginning of the limited series, Powley portrays Miep Gies as a carefree young woman, going out with friends at bars and looking for a job. She is a modern woman in so many ways, from her frank discussion of politics to her lack of desire to have children. Over the course of the season Miep keeps her spirit, but grows so much as she works to try to help her friends survive the Holocaust.
- Kristen Maldonado
Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us
Based on the best-selling video game series, The Last of Us stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey journeying across a post-apocalyptic America as humanity’s last hope of survival.
Pascal and Ramsey were a perfectly cast duo and it’s clear that their chemistry grew from the first episode on, alongside their characters. The pair seem to have developed a positive and trusting professional relationship. Each of them have their “wow” moments, but together they are the most compelling duo on screen.
- Jordan Bohan
Charles Melton in May December
Charles Melton for an Oscar nomination, please! Melton’s performance in May December is already being talked about ahead of awards season, leaving everyone breathless. Previously a part of the Riverdale cast, this role is a breakthrough for him, allowing viewers to see what he’s truly capable of.
I didn’t think someone could so perfectly depict childhood trauma that has carried on into adulthood, but Melton did just that — even alongside Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. Melton’s exceptional and unforgettable performance continuously stood out. While May December mainly focused on Elizabeth’s eery obsession with mirroring Gracie’s life, its Melton’s agonized and tormented performance that truly gave the film its emotional and powerful slow burn.
- Danielle Forte
Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a three hour biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb. Played by Cillian Murphy, the famous scientist was the director of the Manhattan Project’s Los Alamos Laboratory that is credited for creating the atomic bomb.
Without framing Oppenheimer as a sort of mad scientist, the film delves into the reasoning and justification behind creating such a deadly weapon. Many people may assume that in creating a weapon of this nature that the scientists behind were in full support of its use against enemy countries or citizens, but the film also depicts Oppenheimer’s moral ambiguity around the creation and use of the bomb. Murphy perfectly portrays the peculiar scientist and the weight of his actions. Holding viewer’s attention for three hours straight is no small task, but Murphy’s compelling performance captivates you until the very end.
- Jordan Bohan
India Ria Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Stemming the hit series Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte is a stand alone origin story about Queen Charlotte and how she came to power through her marriage to King George. It’s a heartfelt story about unconditional love and the struggles of adjusting to newfound fame and power in a world that doesn’t seem to welcome her openly.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is a true romance story of longing and miscommunication. India Ria Amarteifio and Corey Mylchreest had undeniable chemistry. You can’t deny the palpable tension between them in the series. They have such care and grace for each other that results in a touching and emotional performance that left fans in tears.
- Jordan Bohan
Danielle Brooks in The Color Purple
Danielle Brooks proves exactly why she was nominated for a Tony Award for her Broadway debut as Sofia of The Color Purple on Broadway in the movie adaptation of the musical. In fact, her electrifying performance has already gotten her nominated for a Golden Globe! Just as she was able to give us both the comedic relief and the bleak layers of Taystee in Orange Is The New Black, she balances those elements in Sofia’s arc as well. She is captivating, empowering, and handles each moment expertly. Give her all the awards!
- Kristen Maldonado
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies cast
In Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, we meet a diverse group of young women that immediately cracks open a world that’s much bigger and more inclusive than the original Grease’s Rydell. The casting is spot on as the stand outs of the series are the actors brought together to bring us the origins of the Pink Ladies. There’s Jane Facciano, played by Marisa Davila, a girl who goes from brain to dating the most popular guy in school to finding her reputation torn apart by rumors. After constantly being caught up in drama and being blamed as a woman for things that are often times a man’s fault, she’s tired of the double standard. There’s Cynthia Zdunowski, played by non-binary actor Ari Notartomaso, who really reminded me of Anybodys from West Side Story as this young woman who wants to get in with the T-Birds but ultimately ends up finding her own path with the Pink Ladies. She’s hilarious and also goes on a really emotional journey figuring out her sexuality. Then there’s Olivia Valdovinos, played by Cheyenne Isabel Wells. She’s got this tough and sexy reputation that she tries to embrace, but is also a bit of a softy. And finally there’s Nancy Nakagawa, played by Tricia Fukuhara, who is all about fashion. She’s very quirky and headstrong and blunt.
While Sandy changes to fit in, Rise of the Pink Ladies is about the complete opposite. It’s about teaching young people that they don’t have to conform to fit in. They can figure out who they are and find their own place and respect in the world. There’s all of these people — teachers, parents, your peers, society — that are going to want you to be quiet and do what’s easiest for them, but this show encourages you to speak up, be loudly and proudly yourself, and beat to your own drum. It works to push past the “boys with be boys” mentality and make people take responsibility for their actions. It’s about young women rebelling against what’s expected of them, against what’s “ladylike.” On top of that, these young women show up for each other. It’s a beautiful look at female friendship and the four of them have incredible chemistry together — as well as insane vocal chops. Not only is this one of the best ensemble casts, but each actor has a very bright future ahead of them despite the early cancellation of the series.
- Kristen Maldonado
Halle Bailey in The Little Mermaid
Following in the footsteps of Brandy in Cinderella, Halle Bailey is the first Black actress to take on the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid in a portrayal that is guaranteed to inspire Black women and women of color, both young and old, with this important representation.
On top of that, Halle Bailey was born to play Ariel! Her “Part Of Your World” is a true revelation. She really added a complexity with her acting choices and dynamic runs. In the original film, Ariel only has that one song, so it was exciting that they took advantage of Bailey’s voice by adding in more internal dialogue songs for her.
- Kristen Maldonado
Iman Vellani in The Marvels
Iman Vellani made her professional acting debut as Kamala Khan in Disney+’s Ms Marvel last year. Now we get to see her make her way the silver screen in The Marvels which solidifies her character as an important part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe alongside Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) and her idol Captain Marvel (Brie Larson).
Vellani is such a stand out in the superhero film, bringing an new exciting energy to the team. With even more of the relatability and charm that we saw from her in Ms Marvel, she is a young actress to watch.
- Kristen Maldonado
Jack Black in The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Jack Black was the perfect Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. I couldn’t think of anyone better, especially because he lent his songwriting and singing talents to create the most unlikely hit song of 2023 with “Peaches.”
The best part is, if you walked into theaters not knowing Jack Black was the voice behind the evil character, you wouldn’t have guessed it was him. He transported us into the world and emotions of Bowser. Black showed us another side of the character that we hadn’t seen before. Yes, Bowser is the villain, but Black revealed the vulnerable side to this character.
- Danielle Forte
James Marsden in Jury Duty
It’s no surprise James Marsden has received a Golden Globe and Emmy nomination for playing a fictionalized version of himself in Jury Duty. It was priceless seeing him play opposite the only non-actor in the series Ronald Gladden, who handled all the chaos Marsden threw at him with humor and ease. It’s refreshing to see that Marsden isn’t afraid to laugh at himself, clearly to great success.
- Kristen Maldonado
Jimmy Tatro in Theater Camp
Jimmy Tatro has nailed down the ability to be bro-fully charming and hilarious in everything from American Vandal to his most recent film Theater Camp. While Theater Camp is both a self-deprecating satire of the theater community and a love letter to that same audience, Tatro is the entry way for those who may not be theater kids with his relatable and unexpected humor.
- Kristen Maldonado
Jonah Feingold for directing At Midnight and EXmas
While rom-coms have seen a decline in the box office in favor of original horror films, director Jonah Feingold has found a way to bring us back into the medium with films like At Midnight and EXmas this year. At Midnight features captivating magical realism, classic cinema elements, and meta humor, while EXmas brings a fresh and hilarious take to the Christmas movie genre. It’s official — Feingold has proved he’s a master of telling endearing and charming romantic stories.
- Kristen Maldonado
Jordan Mendoza in Neon
From a small town in Florida to the bright lights of Miami, Neon finds three best friend hustling to make it big in the world of reggaeton. Jordan Mendoza plays rising reggaeton artist Santi’s (Tyler Dean Flores) creative director Felix. The funniest character of the show, Mendoza is the bright light of the season with his hilarious antics.
- Kristen Maldonado
Joy Ride cast
With one of the best ensembles of the year, Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu are magic together in Joy Ride. The film subverts expectations and the model minority trope when it comes to these women and non-binary actors. They are loud, insecure, sexual, awkward, confident, and messy, really giving us a wide range of Asian characters that we haven’t seen on screen before.
- Kristen Maldonado
Justin Tranter for music in Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies
I can’t tell you how obsessed I am with the brilliant Justin Tranter. The hitmaker, who has written songs for everyone from Selena Gomez to Fall Out Boy to DNCE to Ariana Grande, wrote over 30 original songs for Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies. They even showed up as a new Teen Angel in an exciting full circle cameo moment in the show.
All of the songs are incredible, but a few of my favorites include “I Want More,” “Merely Players,” “All In,” “Pulling Strings,” and “Land Don’t Look So Bad.” I’ve literally been playing it on repeat — and I’m clearly not the only one on the Tranter train. They are nominated for the Grammy Award for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the 66th annual Grammy Awards for their work on songs by Reneé Rapp (one of my favorite new artists of the year!), Måneskin, Raye (obsessed with the song “Hard out Here” that they wrote for her new album!), Baby Tate, Talk, and Miley Cyrus, as well as Rise of the Pink Ladies soundtrack. I can’t wait to see what’s next for them!
- Kristen Maldonado
Kim Kardashian in American Horror Story: Delicate
You can’t deny that Kim Kardashian is a divisive figure in our culture. She’s a mom, business mogul, model, and now an actress. I’m convinced Kardashian can do anything she sets her mind to at this point because her performance in American Horror Story: Delicate was transcendent. AHS, as a series, was starting to lack substance in their content and Kardashian revived the series as a whole. She a brought a new eagerness for loyal fans and new viewers to watch — and she didn’t disappoint. Kardashian delivered an alluring performances throughout the season while cunningly revealing new aspects about her character each episode.
Kardashian brought a refreshing nuance to a series that has previously leaned heavily on satirical horror character types. Her performance was something I had never seen in the AHS franchise. The mere fact that this is not her main profession and she hasn’t been classically trained in acting? I’ll just say… this woman deserves an Emmy!
- Danielle Forte
LaKeith Stanfield in The Changeling
LaKeith Stanfield delivers one of my favorite performances of the year as Apollo in Apple TV+’s The Changeling. He anchors the project with a rich and layered take on fatherhood. A stunning and complicated take on parenthood, postpartum, and generational trauma through the eyes of Black parents, The Changeling — and his performance — will leave you utterly captivated in this dark New York fairytale.
- Kristen Maldonado
Madeleine Yuna Voyles in The Creator
Madeleine Yuna Voyles makes her professional acting debut in Gareth Edwards’ sci-fi odyssey The Creator as an AI weapon in the form of a child named Alphie. She is absolutely adorable and her captivating performance opposite John David Washington solidifies her as a young actor to watch.
- Kristen Maldonado
Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez in Red, White & Royal Blue
Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez are the perfect pairing in the movie adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue. The two brought these characters alive right off the page and fans have been demanding the alleged 3 hour long directors cut. They beautifully captured the struggles each other their characters dealt with while also giving us a truly romantic love story. It is so clear the two had a blast filming this movie and it shows through in their performances.
- Jordan Bohan
Seth Rogen for his producing work
Seth Rogen is known for his acting and voiceover work, but did you know he’s expanded into producing? That’s right, over the last few years he’s produced some of our favorite shows and movies including Blockers, The Boys, and Long Shot. But this year, he’s taken his work to the next level producing Joy Ride, Platonic, Cobweb, Invincible, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Gen V. Talk about hit after hit!
- Kristen Maldonado
Shea Serrano for creating Primo and Neon
This year Shea Serrano brought us both Primo and Neon, two very different shows that celebrate Latino joy in different ways. Based on his own life, Primo is a wholesome family sitcom that centers around a Mexican-American teen who is balancing college aspirations, crushes, and his home life anchored by his single mom and five uncles. Authentic, feel good, and silly, Primo is the perfect comfort show. Later this year, his show Neon hit Netflix, which follows three best friends trying to make it big in the world of reggaeton. Neon is surprisingly optimistic and lighthearted for a show about the music industry and finds humor in the most unpredictable places. I can’t wait to see what Serrano brings us next!
- Kristen Maldonado
Sofia Wylie in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
Sofia Wylie remains a scene stealer in the final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. Even with the addition of original cast members from the High School Musical franchise, she held her own as her character Gina Porter. Gina finally gets the recognition she deserves — and the guy too! — so we have to give Wylie her flowers too!
- Kristen Maldonado
The Boys and Ice Cube in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
For the first time ever, the beloved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are being voiced by actual teenagers in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The teen voice cast of Micah Abbey as Donatello, Shamon Brown Jr. as Michelangelo, Nicholas Cantu as Leonardo, and Brady Noon as Raphael were impeccable. They authentically capture loyalty, brotherhood, and the emotions of wanting to fit in. Each voice actor was able to carry out the little intricacies that make each of the turtles there own personality. Along with capturing what makes each turtle unique, all they boys were able to connect their lives to kids nowadays, mentioning TikTok, video games, and school.
Meanwhile, Ice Cube was superb as the film’s main antagonist Superfly. He does a great job balancing that comedic nature in the way he talks while also being dead serious. Ice Cube brought a nuance to the role and was able to capture the villainous nature of Superfly while also showing he wasn’t your typical bad guy.
- Sam Schultz
Tom Blyth in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Tom Blyth is a revelation as the complex young Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, delivering one of the best performances of the year. He starts out hesitant and even compassionate as he does everything he can to try to help Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the games, even if that means cheating. The trust they develop is central to the film, especially the way, despite love, that trust breaks.
Through his journey we see his struggle to balance his feelings for Lucy with his ambitions for himself and his family until he ultimately becomes so paranoid that he does the unthinkable. It is a captivating transformation that reinvigorated my excitement for The Hunger Games as a franchise. While the third act does feel a bit jarring — almost like a different movie from the first two — it allows Blyth to go down a terrifying spiral that shows off his chops even further.
- Kristen Maldonado
