Nearly all the films that were released in 2022 were conceived—and, in some cases, shot—during the Covid pandemic lockdown. Undoubtedly, the time spent inside, as well as the fear that movies might never return to their glory days, had a huge impact on filmmakers. Their anxiety and pent-up desire resulted in wildly ambitious films such as Babylon, which practically exploded in its depiction of the crazy, decadent 1920s in Hollywood; Elvis, which was the cinematic equivalent of fireworks; and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which took place on a Greek island full of wealthy, antagonistic friends and lovers. Time away from work also made filmmakers introspective: Steven Spielberg created his most personal film to date, The Fabelmans, about his parents, with Michelle Williams playing his utterly unique mother; Todd Field wrote Tár, a character study about the glory and downfall of an orchestra conductor; true-life dramas, such as Women Talking, about a series of rapes in a Mennonite community, and Till, which recounts the harrowing story of Emmett Till’s death through his mother’s sorrow, were showcases for brilliant acting. Danielle Deadwyler was a standout as the bereaved and furious mother in Till, as was Cate Blanchett in her portrayal of the spectacular and deluded Lydia Tár. But there were plenty of other memorable moments: Jennifer Lawrence quietly healing from the wounds of war in Causeway; Zoë Kravitz slinking around Gotham in The Batman; Ana de Armas transforming into Marilyn Monroe in Blonde.
And then there was Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once, playing Evelyn Wang, a dowdy laundromat owner who fights like a superhero in order to reunite her estranged family. Extreme opposition only strengthens Evelyn, and that kind of resolve, as much as anything, could be the theme for our times: The world might have gone mad, but we still need to believe. This year, we are saluting 32 actors who offer thrilling emotion and depth. The pandemic is, we hope, behind us, but these performances are a reminder that art can emerge out of darkness.
Check back here throughout the week as we continue to present the year’s standout acts. To see all 14 covers please click here.
Brad Pitt | Babylon
Brad Pitt wears Prada suit, shirt, and tie; his own ring.
Margot Robbie | Babylon
Margot Robbie wears a JW Anderson dress.
Michelle Williams | The Fabelmans
Michelle Williams wears a Chanel jacket; Maison Margiela Artisanal by John Galliano hat; Messika Paris necklace.
Read Williams’s interview here.
Jonathan Majors | Devotion
Jonathan Majors wears a Louis Vuitton Men’s jacket, shirt, and pants; Adidas sneakers.
Cate Blanchett | Tár
Cate Blanchett wears a Loewe jacket and top; Falke tights.
Read Blanchett’s interview here.
Ana de Armas | Blonde
Ana de Armas wears a Louis Vuitton dress, earrings, tights, and boots.
Read de Armas’s interview here.
Michelle Yeoh | Everything Everywhere All at Once
Michelle Yeoh wears a Balenciaga dress.
Daniel Craig | Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Daniel Craig wears his own T-shirt.
Jennifer Lawrence | Causeway
Dior dress, Boucheron necklace.
Read Lawrence’s interview here.
Eddie Redmayne | The Good Nurse
Eddie Redmayne wears a Gucci jacket, shirt, and pants, Charvet tie, Omega watch.
Read Redmayne’s interview here.
Zoë Kravitz | The Batman
The Row top, skirt, slip, gloves, and sandals; Fleur du Mal bra.
Read Kravitz’s interview here.
Taylor Russell | Bones and All
Taylor Russell wears an Hermès top.
Read Russell’s interview here.
Brendan Fraser | The Whale
Brendan Fraser wears a Burberry trench coat; Dolce & Gabbana jacket and top.
Read Brendan Fraser’s interview here.
Austin Butler | Elvis
Butler wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello jacket, shirt, pants, and boots; Cartier ring.
Source: W Magazine
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