While Limelight Magazine typically announces its favorite movies at the end of every year, we are holding off until mid-January because there are still a few we missed in 2024 that could make the list. Instead, we decided to acknowledge the incredible female performances that truly captivated us this year. While there were solid male performances, such as Timothy Chalamet in A Complete Unknown and Nicholas Cage in Longlegs, this was the year where women truly dominated the field with their craft. Since their performances were mostly in the horror genre, these actresses will likely not receive the accolades they truly deserve, but we want to spread the word with the hope that you check out these films and some of their previous work. So, without further ado, here are our top 10 favorite female performances of 2024 based on the films we’ve seen. [All photos are screenshots].
- Mikey Madison as Anora “Ani” Mikheeva in Anora
2. Willa Fitzgerald as the Lady in Strange Darling
3. Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle in The Substance
4. Naomi Scott as Skye Riley in Smile 2
5. Amy Adams as Mother in Nightbitch
6. Lupita Nyong’o as Sam in A Quiet Place: Day One
7. Hunter Schafer as Gretchen in Cuckoo
8. Nell Tiger Free as Margaret Daino in The First Omen
9. Zendaya as Tashi Duncan in Challengers
10. [tie] Jessica Belkin as Nancy Osborn in Last Straw
10. [tie] Maika Monroe as Lee Harker in Longlegs
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