10 great previous performances from this year's Oscar nominees

...and maybe should be what they got recognition for?

My general reaction to this year’s Oscar nominations was one of pleasant surprise — there was nothing outright embarrassing! (Save maybe the whole Andrea Riseborough situation, which may honestly end up meriting its own newsletter.) The acting nominees were an especially eclectic, energetic bunch. 16 out of the 20 nominees were first-timers, including the entire Best Actor lineup. This level of openness to recognizing newer or undersung talent just makes the clubbiness of the Riseborough whisper campaign all the more jarring.

© The Academy Awards / ABC

But today, I’m not here to talk about the movies and roles that got this year’s acting nominees their chance at a gold statuette. I’m here to recommend some of the ones that led up to this moment for them — the ones that should have made viewers and/or voters stand to attention and recognize a great talent in their midst.¹ Here’s a guide to going deeper into the back catalog of Oscar’s Class of 2022 (I use movie release rather than ceremony year) by highlighting some great watches and roles from their past work.