10 Best Actress Oscar Wins That Have Aged Perfectly in the 21st Century

However, despite all these women producing wonderful performances, few in the past decade, let alone year, have come close to what Jessie Buckley achieves in Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet. Buckley's power in the loudest and quietest moments in this devastating historical tale is nothing short of jaw-dropping, and most precursor awards seem to agree. But how will Buckley eventually rank among previous winners, should she come out victorious? Here's a look at the 10 Best Actress Oscar wins that have aged the best in the 21st century.

10 Renée Zellweger – 'Judy' (2019)

Several great performances from this century could occupy this position, but seven years on, there is little denying just how impressive Renée Zellweger’s performance as Judy Garland is. In Judy, Zellweger is tasked with tackling the icon in her latter years, with the weight of her heavy professional and personal life hidden behind her ever-sparkling eyes.

Both physically and emotionally, Zellweger nails her interpretation of Garland. Her voice and mannerisms are uncanny, with the actress going above and beyond what many of her contemporaries would have. More importantly, there is a genuine sense of reverence towards Judy in her portrayal. With such a vast catalog of work for Zellweger to call upon, it perhaps takes a slight shine away from this win.

9 Julianne Moore – 'Still Alice' (2014)

There was a lot of discussion about Julianne Moore’s performance in Still Alice following its debut at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. A veteran performer who had previously been nominated four times by the Academy without a win, this moving turn as a woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s was destined to finally break her Oscars curse.

Although some were hoping Rosamund Pike's starring turn in Gone Girl would win the gold, over a decade on, few would deny Moore this win. One of the few legacy wins that is actually the best of their year, Moore's performance is utterly devastating and is sure to reduce audiences to tears for many more years to come.

8 Marion Cotillard – La Vie en Rose (2007)

It is possible to argue that Cate Blanchett or Julie Christie might have deserved the gold back in 2008, but none of that year's nominees would've aged better than Marion Cotillard’s win for the Édith Piaf biopic La Vie en Rose. A performance delivered with full heart, Cotillard has rarely been better than she was here.

With non-English-language performances seldom winning the Best Actress prize, Cotillard's win in 2007 was even more impressive. Almost 20 years on, and with non-English cinema proving much more popular with a much more diverse Academy, Cotillard's win has aged impeccably, both for its remarkable physicality and for her sheer commitment to depict Piaf's tragedy.

7 Emma Stone – 'La La Land' (2016)

It is possible that Stone's win for La La Land could've been higher, had she not delivered an even greater Best Actress-winning performance in the past 25 years. As Mia, opposite Ryan Gosling in one of his best roles, Stone delivers a captivating performance as a woman balanced between chasing both her dreams and romance in the bright, Hollywood Golden Age-inspired lights of Los Angeles.

From start to finish, Stone's Mia is a character worth losing oneself in. Her yearning to have her proverbial cake and eat it too is something utterly relatable in a world bursting at the seams with choice. La La Land's pitch-perfect ending nails the melancholy involved in such choices. Add this to a terrific singing and dancing performance, and Mia is one of the great actresses' most rounded turns.

6 Olivia Colman – 'The Favourite' (2018)

Another movie on this list to feature Stone, The Favourite is her first collaboration with Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. This time, it is her co-star, Olivia Colman, who walked away from the 2019 Oscars ceremony with a surprise Best Actress win. Colman's Queen Anne is both dangerously funny and terrifyingly sad, as she unexpectedly chooses between her trusted advisor, Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), and the newly-appointed Abigail Hill (Stone).

Sure, Colman's Queen Anne is not the only lead in The Favourite, as arguably all three actresses deserved Best Actress placement. However, that aside, few Oscar wins from this century have proven more popular than this one. At a time when Glenn Close looked destined to earn a legacy win for The Wife, the Academy took a swing and went for the most outrageous, and ultimately the most deserving, of the nominees.

5 Halle Berry – 'Monster's Ball' (2001)

It is a tragedy that Halle Berry is the only Black woman to ever win Best Actress in the Academy's nearly 100 years. However, it is this fact that has helped Berry's turn as the doomed working-class Leticia in the heartbreaking Monster’s Ball age so well. That, and, of course, Berry's performance, which is gutwrenchingly stunning from start to finish.

With no Black actress having been nominated this year, we will have to wait another year to see if Berry's damning record can be broken. In 2028, the Academy will celebrate its centenary, and sadly, there is a strong chance that we will look back on 100 years of awarding leading actresses with just one Black winner. Berry's achievement is all the more important, then, not only for what it represented but, perhaps just as importantly, for what it says about the Academy and its willingness to overlook Black talent.

4 Helen Mirren – 'The Queen' (2006)

In a post-The Crown age, viewers are now used to seeing some of the very best British actresses of today tackle the iconic late monarch. To younger audiences, perhaps Oscar-winner Colman or the power in subtlety of Claire Foy would mark their most memorable on-screen Queen. However, in 2006, Helen Mirren delivered what should perhaps forever be known as the quintessential on-screen depiction of Queen Elizabeth II.

Tackling a well-known figure is certain to face scrutiny. So how does one go about tackling one of the most famous faces on the planet? With the calm stoicism she is known for, of course. Mirren delivers a quiet, dignified performance that commands the screen without ever outwardly demanding attention. It's a masterclass in subtlety that rightfully earned her the industry's top honor.

3 Natalie Portman – 'Black Swan' (2010)

Few performances this century have been as uniquely captivating as Natalie Portman’s in the psychological horror Black Swan. Director Darren Aronofsky leaves nothing to the imagination in this fantastical tale of identity and paranoia, with most of its genre contemporaries often finding themselves overlooked by the Academy.

Portman was just so undeniably impressive in Black Swan, from her physicality in the role to her complete immersion in the character's psychological unraveling, that she simply had to be rewarded. This Best Actress win has aged perfectly, especially now that, 16 years on, the Academy is choosing to look more often into the pool of genre misfits for its prize-worthy performances.

2 Emma Stone — 'Poor Things' (2023)

In a decade, this performance could very well be #1 on the list. Given that Stone is still in the earliest stages of her career, it is frankly obscene that she could've already delivered two of the most impressive Best Actress wins of this century. In Poor Things, she has perhaps already crafted her career-best work, cementing her as one of the most talented actresses of her generation.

The character of Bella Baxter is inspired by classic literature, yet feels entirely unique. To watch her grow at a rapid pace as she discovers the charm and possibility of the world around her, before its inevitable cruelty and disappointment break her spirit, is unlike any other viewing experience. No one could've nailed this challenging role quite like Stone did in 2023, helped, of course, by her favorite collaborator, Yorgos Lanthimos.

1 Charlize Theron – 'Monster' (2003)

At the time of writing, there is perhaps no performance in the leading Actor or Actress categories from this century as remarkable as Charlize Theron's in Patty Jenkins’ 2003 crime drama Monster. Both physically and spiritually, Theron is unrecognizable as she immerses herself in this role of a lifetime, eliminating her competition with ease at the 2004 ceremony.

Some may argue that adapting an existing person is an easier feat than crafting an entirely new character, and, in most cases, it is true. However, infamous serial killer Aileen Wuornos is so far removed from what we expect from Theron that it hasn't stopped dropping jaws even over two decades on. Today, her Oscar-winning work remains highly regarded and considered the best of her career.