Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla
When it comes to actors, there are some names everyone knows. We’re looking at you: Oscar Isaac. Pedro Pascal. Diego Luna. Anya Taylor-Joy. Ana de Armas. But other performers are also there, giving us consistent, supporting performances year after year. Without them, the shows and movies we enjoy would not be as rich or as entertaining as they are. And yet, more often than not, they don’t make it to the end of the year lists, because we tend to focus on the bigger names.
At Remezcla, this year, we wanted to try something different. We wanted to showcase those performances that stirred something in us, but that did not come from someone who was number one on the call sheet. Because without these actors, these stories don’t hit as hard as they did. And that deserves recognition.
Diego Luna might be the titular character in Andor, but Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen is the beating heart of the show. And she’s not there to just be a love interest or someone’s inspiration. She’s there to make the big sacrifice for the good of the galaxy. And without her, everything falls apart. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, after all.
We were all mentally preparing for The Last of Us to suffer from the loss of Joel, and then came Isabela Merced’s Dina to save us. And it wasn’t just because she was so likable that it was hard to look away, or so competent that she made everything look easy. Or because of her amazing chemistry with Bella Ramsey’s Ellie. It was because of all of that, and the promise of what might come next.
Liza Colon-Zayas has been recognized for her role as Tina in The Bear, but despite people knowing how good she is, it’s still kinda amazing to watch the show and realize how outstanding she is. Tina reminds us that we don’t have to settle for what we have, and Colon-Zayas has done a great job of showcasing how our communities can shine, even from a supporting role.
Did you know Colman Domingo can be funny? And not just haha funny, but laugh-out-loud funny. After Oscar nominations for serious movies like Rustin and Sing Sing, there was something delightful about seeing Domingo just have a blast as Danny in a role that was a little chaotic, but very grounded. And even in a show full of stars, we couldn’t look away.
White Tiger wasn’t a memorable performance by Kamar de los Reyes on Daredevil: Born Again because we knew it was the actor’s last. In a supporting superhero role, he really commanded the screen and made us interested in something outside of Daredevil. Perhaps that just compounds the tragedy of knowing that we won’t get to see his talent displayed again.
We knew Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres would be stepping into the role of the Falcon in Captain America: Brave New World, but we didn’t know how he would make Falcon his own after so many years of Anthony Mackie owning the title. The answer was with a smile, plenty of jokes and an enthusiasm that at times, almost stole the spotlight.
There was a lot going on in Frankenstein. There always is. Oscar Isaac was inhabiting the character of Victor Frankenstein. Jacob Elordi was giving an inspired performance as The Creature. And yes, surprisingly, without Mia Goth’s Elizabeth, the movie doesn’t work. Her compassion makes the story move along, and Goth’s dual performance as Claire Frankenstein doesn’t go unnoticed, even if she’s not the star.
Miguel Mora is a veteran of this film series; except for in Black Phone 2, he’s playing a new character. He was Robin in the first movie; now he’s playing Robin’s brother, Ernesto. Sounds confusing? Thankfully, Mora is pretty good at making the characters distinct. And at immersing you in the story in a way that makes you forget these characters look so much alike.
It’s hard to argue that anyone drives the plot more than the dinosaurs in any Jurassic World movie, but Manuel Garcia Rulfo, who audiences will know from The Lincoln Lawyer, does his very best in Jurassic World: Rebirth. Sometimes you’re annoyed at him, others you’re rooting for him, but one thing is certain: you’re always, always paying attention to Reuben Delgado.
Young Glinda wasn’t supposed to give us so many feels! And yet Scarlett Spears showed up as the young version of Ariana Grande’s character, and she was absolutely enchanting. Why is Glinda the way she is? Where did she start from? Wicked: For Good tries to peel back all the layers of the character, and Spears is a big reason why it succeeds.
