Yahoo News Performer of the Year: The 20 Finalists
Not even a months-long actors strike could stop the steady stream of phenomenal TV performances we were gifted in 2023.
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All year long, Team TVLine has recognized the small screen’s most compelling work via our Performer of the Week column, honoring actors from broadcast, cable and streaming series as they brought their characters to dazzling, devastating life. But now, we’re tasked with naming a Performer of the Year — a decision that seems almost impossible, given the abundance of talent in the last 12 months.
To make the choice a bit easier, we’ve narrowed down the field to the 20 finalists below (named alphabetically), a list of nominees that doubles as a “ballot” of sorts. (Note: As is TVLine tradition, any contenders comprised of multiple co-stars — for example, BEEF‘s Ali Wong and Steven Yeun — compete as and will be considered one finalist.)
On Wednesday, Dec. 20, we will crown one of the nominees (and only one!) our 2023 Performer of the Year, dethroning the 2022 victor, Better Call Saul‘s Rhea Seehorn. And while our esteemed panel of judges won’t necessarily be swayed by the Comments section, we’re itching to see if our 20 finalists line up with your favorite performances of the year.
Keep scrolling to see who’s in the running from this year’s shows, then drop a comment with your thoughts on who might be named Performer of the Year 2023.
Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman, The Last of Us
Guest stars Offerman and Bartlett took center stage — and broke our hearts — as they chronicled Bill and Frank’s romantic relationship from gruff start to heartbreaking finish. Offerman’s performance as the secretly sensitive Bill was a revelation that proved the comedic actor’s got some serious dramatic chops. And Bartlett’s easy earnestness as Frank made for a loving counterpoint that perfectly complemented Bill’s defensive cynicism. Together, what a dynamic, moving and eminently watchable pair! — Kimberly Roots
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
In the Amazon comedy’s fifth and final season, Borstein — who has already picked up two Emmys for her role as Midge’s indefatigable manager Susie Myerson — was tasked with playing her gruff, potty-mouthed alter ego through multiple decades amid some extreme emotional highs (Susie breaks Midge!) and lows (Susie breaks up with Midge!). And there was nary a false note in her work. In fact, the Susie-centric, Friars Club roast-themed sixth episode ranks among Maisel’s finest hours, in large part due to Borstein’s remarkably restrained comedic and, ultimately, heartbreaking performance. — Michael Ausiello
Phil Dunster, Ted Lasso
Think back to Ted Lasso’s earliest episodes and ask yourself if you ever thought you’d be cheering in Jamie Tartt’s corner. No? Us either. And yet, there we were in Season 3: gutted for Jamie when Zava usurped him as AFC Richmond’s star player; anxious as we waited for that final goal against Man City to hit the back of the net; and utterly charmed by Jamie’s three-season metamorphosis, an arc that satisfied so deeply because of Dunster’s endearing approach to it. In Ted‘s third season, Jamie was all at once an effortlessly cool football superstar, a soft-hearted mama’s boy and perhaps the most devoted friend in Richmond’s entire clubhouse — and Dunster made us believe every version of him. — Rebecca Iannucci
Dominique Fishback, Swarm
We’re still thinking about Fishback’s fascinating turn as Dre, a hyper-fixated fan who embarked on a cross-country murder spree in her idol’s name. The actress impressively matched the show’s chaotic plot with an equally riotous performance, portraying Dre as mild-mannered in one moment and delectably unhinged in the next. We were especially blown away by Fishback’s transformation into Dre’s alternate persona Tony in the finale, appearing unrecognizable with just shorter hair and a downward vocal inflection. Swarm may have illustrated the perils of extreme fandom, but consider us obsessed. — Keisha Hatchett
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Ford’s natural charm and charisma were on full display throughout Shrinking‘s debut season. Even the quietest of quips and Paul’s mildest of irritations were transformed by the actor into big laughs and major moments. And despite the oodles of comedy the screen vet delivered, he also flexed serious dramatic muscle. When his character’s Parkinson’s disease raised concerns with his daughter, lingering resentment came to a boil, giving the actor plenty of meaty material to chew on. The living legend’s performance sizzled, frequently catching us off-guard, and elevating everyone and everything around him. — Nick Caruso
Betty Gilpin, Mrs. Davis
Simone’s profound yet absurd journey in the Peacock show was as impactful as it was entertaining, and that’s because of Gilpin’s divine performance as the wry nun. The actress skillfully navigated each twist and turn of the show’s ambitious story with stunning clarity; even if we didn’t fully understand what was happening, we knew exactly how Simone felt each step of the way. Gilpin has always impressed with her exceptional talent, but it was this memorable performance that converted us into lifetime devotees. — K.H.
Damson Idris, Snowfall
Idris’ raw and deeply unsettling turn in the FX drama’s final season is a huge part of why Snowfall is also one of our picks for the Best Shows of 2023. As Franklin’s desperation to retrieve his stolen money intensified, so did the actor’s performance, resulting in one of the richest and most devastating turns we’ve seen all year. — K.H.
Devery Jacobs, Reservation Dogs
Jacobs proved herself to be one of the Hulu series’ most versatile performers. When her character Elora wasn’t grappling with grief or trauma, the actress spent the show’s swan song going toe-to-toe with uproarious guest stars and exploring what it meant to be young and directionless. She aptly juggled complex emotions when Elora met her dad for the first time and made the difficult decision to leave the reservation for college. With her exceptional comedic timing and on-screen vulnerability, Jacobs will forever be remembered as the Rez Dogs’ beating heart. — N.C.
Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face
We loved Lyonne’s raspy-voiced sarcasm on Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll, but she may have found the role of a lifetime in Peacock’s charmingly retro mystery. Lyonne channeled classic TV detectives like Columbo and Jim Rockford as amateur sleuth Charlie Cale, who has a supernatural sense of when someone is lying. But she put a modern spin on it, too, with an endless supply of smart-ass one-liners, and she also let us glimpse the wounded soul that Charlie hides underneath all the punchlines. Here’s hoping she sticks around as long as some of those classic TV detectives did. — Dave Nemetz
James Marsden, Jury Duty
You might say that this was hardly a performance, since Marsden essentially played himself in an elaborate prank that convinced one unsuspecting dude he was a juror on a totally fictional court case. You’d be wrong, though. Marsden’s very presence on the jury helped sell the prank — who would make that up? — and he gleefully poked fun at his movie-star persona with plenty of shameless name-dropping and diva-esque demands from the jury box. He even formed a touching bond with the unsuspecting juror Ronald, cementing this as one of the very best performances of Marsden’s career… since Sex Drive, at least. — D.N.
Zahn McClarnon, Dark Winds
AMC’s Dark Winds with Season 2 amassed more of the acclaim it richly deserves — much of which is born of what McClarnon brings to the role of Joe Leaphorn. As the tribal police lieutenant, McClarnon with the nuance of an artisan brings forth many facets, including dead-serious intensity, understandable fear, camaraderie (and even the occasional dollop of biting wit), and the warmth of a family man navigating all manner of drama. We care about the cases because McClarnon’s performance makes us invested in everything that Joe cares about. — Matt Webb Mitovich
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear
Season 2 of Hulu’s culinary dramedy offered a feast of great performances, from unexpected guest stars (Jamie Lee Curtis!) to cast members hitting new heights (Ayo Edebiri!). But the most satisfying of all was Moss-Bachrach’s heart-wrenchingly vulnerable turn as Richie, the tough-talking bastard who actually got his act together and transformed himself into a world-class restaurant employee. Sure, he was salty throughout, but it was a joy watching him discover his life’s purpose — and sing Taylor Swift along the way. — D.N.
Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death
Coming off 2021’s genre-spanning WandaVision, Olsen confirmed with Max’s true-crime miniseries that her range is indeed boundless. Though Candy Montgomery’s life took a notoriously tragic turn, Olsen played Candy in those early episodes with a magnetic charisma and surprising humor, making her eventual pivot to axe murderer all the more heartbreaking. But Olsen then transformed the housewife into an anxious, withdrawn version of herself as her trial began, and a crucial therapy scene in which Candy mined her childhood trauma proved Olsen can literally deliver the goods with her eyes closed. — R.I.
Bel Powley, A Small Light
The Morning Show alum was immediately lovable as Miep Gies, one of the people who risked everything to help Anne Frank and her family hide from the Nazis. Watching her take Miep from floundering young woman to steely member of the resistance was riveting, thanks to Powley’s choice of making Miep utterly unable to hide any of her emotions. Her turn in the finale, particularly when she blended devastating loss with a determined hopefulness as Miep comforted Otto Frank, was nothing short of a masterclass. — K.R.
Ramón Rodríguez, Will Trent
You don’t deliver a freshman season that earns a rare average grade of “A+” from TVLine readers without having something really special going on. For ABC’s Will Trent, that added oomph came from a stellar cast led by Rodríguez. Readers of the Will Trent novels by Karin Slaughter may have needed a minute to process the TV series’ casting, but Rodríguez from go brilliantly encapsulated both the investigator’s insightful strengths and his haunted, personal weaknesses. The season finale, in which Rodríguez cycled Will through an array of intense feelings, cemented his perfection in the role. — M.W.M.
Sarah Snook, Succession
Everyone brought their A-game to the final season of HBO’s riveting corporate drama — Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin could easily be on this list, as well — but Snook blew us away with her final episodes as scheming sister Shiv Roy. She was still quick with a cutting insult, but she also dove deep into Shiv’s true feelings as she faced unprecedented crises: first, the sudden death of her father Logan (with Snook submitting a career-best performance) and then the sad decline of her marriage to Tom. The worst of times for Shiv, though, brought out the very best in Snook. — D.N.
Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: Picard
This old dog still has a few tricks left up his sleeve. The 83-year-old Stewart could’ve just glided through Picard’s final season on cruise control, but instead, he submitted some of his best Trek work yet as Jean-Luc dealt with the massive shock of learning he had a child he never knew about. His emotionally charged confrontation with Beverly about their son Jack made for mesmerizing TV, and he was downright spry as he led the reassembled Next Generation crew on one glorious final mission. — D.N.
Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building
It took no time for the three-time Oscar winner to escape into the role of a struggling stage actress, wowing us with her well-honed dramatic chops as she delivered Loretta’s audition in the premiere’s opening scene. A season-long arc would afford her the opportunity to be comedic (for instance, when Loretta flipped over a potential part in Grey’s New Orleans: Family Burn Unit) and romantic (in her scenes opposite Martin Short aboard the Staten Island Ferry). She got to sing her heart out (see: “Look for the Light”) and lay it on the line (when Loretta was confronted by estranged son Dickie). Suffice it to say, we were dazzled. Death Rattle Dazzled. — Ryan Schwartz
Juno Temple, Fargo
We know her as Ted Lasso’s perky publicist Keeley Jones, so it took some getting used to when Temple went Minnesota Nice as meek housewife Dot. Within minutes, though, Temple sold us on Dot’s Midwestern roots — and showed us she’s not as meek as she seems, either. Temple is perfectly chipper as the happy homemaker and also holds her own packing heat in Season 5’s high-adrenaline action scenes. Plus, she hints at the many skeletons still hanging in Dot’s closet, making her a fascinating mystery we’re still working to unravel. — D.N.
Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, BEEF
The feud was messy, but the performances were divine. As two characters who clashed, bickered and set out to destroy each other, Wong and Yeun wowed us with turns full of humanity and humor. Amid the series’ campy comedy, both actors dug deep into their character’s insecurities, showcasing blind rage, anxiety and sadness as they wrestled to accept the lives they had created. In a series that ran the gamut of emotions, genres and tones, the two actors combined their skillsets to elicit some truly next-level work, and as promised, this BEEF was flamin’ hot. — N.C.
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