20 Best Breakthrough Performances Of 2015

We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again, but one of the best things about looking back over a year just gone at the movies is thinking of all the names who, just twelve months ago, we were faintly aware of at best, and who now have burgeoning careers, awards buzz, lead roles in indie films and/or blockbuster gigs on the way. Watching the constant refreshing of on-screen talent is a hugely exciting part of this job, and as ever, 2015 has delivered a ton of fresh new faces.

We’re underway on our coverage of the best of 2015, having already looked at the best posters and best trailers of the past year, and now it’s time to move away from marketing and start to examine the movies themselves — in this case, the breakthrough performances. Our 20 picks range from likely awards nominees to freshly minted A-listers, non-professionals to pre-teens, all united by having knocked our proverbial socks off with a turn somewhere between January and now.

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