The Best Actor Performances of 2013

List of the best actors performances of 2013, as ranked by movie lovers and film critics. Every year hundreds of movies are released to be enjoyed by the general public. Most of these films are likely to be forgotten as soon as they’re pulled from theaters. However, there are a select few films that will be acknowledged come award season and remembered for decades to come due to amazing performances by lead actors. These male performances offer a unique perspective on a character, while enthralling audiences with emotional honesty.

The actors on this list have done some of the best performances the year, and in some cases of their entire careers, in 2013. Tom Hanks earned international praise for his performance as the title character in Captain Phillips. Chiwetel Ejiofor has received major press for his heartbreaking and tear-jerking performance in Twelve Years a Slave. Other actors like Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale, and Robert Redford have been seen as front runners for the 2014 Best Actor Oscar.

What were the best actor performances of 2013? This list features well known actors in showy performances, as well as lesser known actors who wowed audiences with their fresh talent, such as Michael B. Jordan and Tye Sheridan.