Top Ten Tuesday: The Best Biopic Performances of the 21st Century

Happy Tuesday, dear readers! Each week, we’ll rank the top 10 films in a specific category. While we aim to tie these lists to big releases, that won’t always be the case. Our goal? For you to enjoy, share your own lists, and join in on a lively, friendly debate. This is an interactive space to build community here at The Contending.

No fancy intros, no long essays – just a category and a list. Sound good?

This week, one of our favorite films from Telluride, Pablo Larraín’s Maria, hits Netflix. The biopic stars Angelina Jolie in a stunning performance as Maria Callas, the world’s greatest opera singer, in her final, most vulnerable days. Jolie delivers her all-time best performance, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. You can read my thoughts on the film from my Telluride coverage here, and Clarence’s full review here.

Since Jolie’s performance is one of our favorites this year, we thought we’d celebrate the film’s release by reflecting on the best performances in biopics from this century. With so many remarkable performances to choose from, defining a “biopic” can vary by author. For this ranking, I’ll define it as a film that dramatizes the life – whether in full or during a specific period – of a real person. The aim is to tell an accurate story, though creative liberties may be taken for dramatic effect.

Let’s get to it:

10. Julia Roberts – Erin Brokovich (2000)

9. Angelina Jolie – Maria (2024)

8. Leonardo DiCaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

7. Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years a Slave (2013)

6. Cillian Murphy – Oppenheimer (2023)

5. Casey Affleck – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

4. Adrien Brody – The Pianist (2002)

3. Philip Seymour Hoffman – Capote (2005)

2. Charlize Theron – Monster (2003)

1. Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln (2012)

What do you agree/disagree with? What is the best biopic performance this century?