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Telluride, Colorado – After another Labor Day weekend in this mountain town at high altitude, where the early stages of the upcoming Oscar season can be glimpsed, we part ways not focusing on movies but rather remarkable acting performances that breathe life into their respective projects. Excluding films that have already premiered at Cannes and Sundance (such as “Pillion,” “The Secret Agent,” “Sentimental Value” and “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”), here are six captivating acting performances that will garner attention in the coming months.
Jessie Buckley, ‘Hamnet’
In “Hamnet,” Jessie Buckley’s character Agnes makes an entrance hidden within a log, her vibrant red dress standing out against the lush green surroundings. Locals whisper that Agnes is the offspring of a forest witch, and they aren’t wrong – she is exceptionally skilled as an herbalist, beekeeper, and falconer. Agnes captivates instantly, and it’s easy to understand why a young William Shakespeare (played by Paul Mescal) feels struck by lightning upon meeting her.
Based on Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed 2020 novel, Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” offers a heartfelt, imaginative portrayal of the love between Shakespeare and Agnes, their family life, and the devastating loss they later face. Buckley’s portrayal of Agnes is captivating, starting as a primal feminine force before transforming into a devoted wife and mother with an unyielding affection for her loved ones – an affection that will be severely tested.
Over the past few years, Buckley has been amassing an impressive body of work, including films like “Wild Rose,” “Women Talking,” and “The Lost Daughter,” which earned her an Oscar nomination in 2021. Everything seems to have been leading up to “Hamnet.” Buckley’s powerful, emotionally charged performance is poised to garner numerous accolades over the coming months, a turn as riveting as the character she brings to life on screen. – Glenn Whipp
Billy Crudup, ‘Jay Kelly’
In the sharp, poignant film “Netflix’s The Nowhere Movie” directed by Noah Baumbach, Billy Crudup delivers an outstanding performance, masterfully portraying a complex character in limited screen time. Despite sharing scenes with acting giants George Clooney and Adam Sandler, it is Crudup’s brief yet explosive role that leaves the deepest impact. As Timothy, an old acting school friend of Kelly (Clooney’s character), Crudpud delivers a performance filled with unpredictable intensity during a pivotal early scene. This scene, initially warm and reminiscent of shared dreams, transforms into an intense confrontation as Crudup’s long-suppressed resentment surfaces, leading to bitterness and violence. The challenges in this scene include delivering a Method-style, emotional reading of a restaurant menu, something Crudpud admitted was “very difficult” during a post-screening Q&A. For an actor consistently delivering compelling performances, this role serves as a stark reminder of his long-overdue Oscar recognition. – Josh Rottenberg
Movies
The Academy Award-winning director shares insights about her professional journey post the release of “Eternals,” exploring the transformation of William Shakespeare’s family narrative, and recounting the conversation she had with Ryan Coogler following his viewing of “Hamlet.
Jacob Elordi, ‘Frankenstein’
Guillermo del Toro’s monsters might be too cherished by him, causing them to underperform as traditional monsters. However, they are not unseen. Del Toro’s latest project is filled with elaborate design and rhetoric, but it’s Jacob Elordi’s subtle performance that steals the show.
Elordi appears to have a knack for revealing the flaws of idols, whether they are the privileged youth in “Saltburn” or the King in Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla.” Elordi’s Creature doesn’t make an immediate appearance – not in a burst of lightning sparks, but rather emerging from Victor Frankenstein’s dreams and standing at his bedside. This subtle approach is effective, allowing Elordi to dominate the narrative. He often contradicts the grandeur expected of a new “Frankenstein” production.
The movie could have fallen flat without the heartfelt intimacy that Elordi brings to his role, and it’s reminiscent of the profound work of Del Toro’s frequent collaborator Doug Jones (“Hellboy,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” and the amphibian in “The Shape of Water”). Like Jones, Elordi manages to find depth and relatability in the alien.
– Paraphrased by AI
Linda McCartney, ‘Man on the Run’
Morgan Neville’s “Man on the Run” chronicles Paul McCartney’s endeavor to establish a solo identity after the disbandment of The Beatles in 1970, leaving one pondering if he could have achieved this feat without his wife, Linda, by his side. The film reveals that Linda was included in Wings, McCartney’s band, during a casual conversation while they were in bed one night. This decision, we discover, seemed natural to him, and it made the road life more enjoyable with her and their children present. As I reflect on remarkable performances I witnessed at Telluride this year, Linda McCartney instantly surfaces in my mind due to her prominence throughout an abundance of rare, previously unseen footage. She is genuinely herself in these moments, unaffected by anyone’s opinions. According to Stella McCartney in the movie, Linda’s unique style – characterized by minimal makeup and a Bohemian wardrobe – significantly impacted future female musicians. If asked about this influence, Linda likely would have dismissed the idea casually, as she was simply Linda McCartney. – Glenn Whipp
Movies
In an exclusive interview, the leading actor from “The Bear” and the upcoming Springsteen biopic shares insights on his role preparation and personal ties to the music.
Jesse Plemons, ‘Bugonia’
Jesse Plemons consistently displays a subtle yet powerful acting style, refraining from over-the-top performances even when portraying characters on the brink of madness. In Yorgos Lanthimos’ unique, darkly comical sci-fi thriller, Plemons reprises his role with the director following their collaboration in “Kinds of Kindness,” delivering a captivating performance. As Teddy, a beekeeper who believes a pharmaceutical CEO is an alien from Andromeda, Plemons portrays a mix of paranoia, grief, and righteousness that feels both absurd and sincere. Despite the character’s potential for slipping into comedic stereotypes, Plemons plays it with heartbreaking sincerity, creating a chilling portrait of a man lost in a maze of internet conspiracy theories. In this film, Teddy recruits his younger cousin Don (Aidan Delbis, making a mesmerizing debut as an autistic actor) to help kidnap the CEO, drawing him into the mission misguidedly to protect him. Even amidst chaos, Plemons (nominated for a 2022 supporting actor Oscar for Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog”) grounds the performance in a warped yet relatable human emotional logic. The portrayal effectively captures the anxious, conspiratorial atmosphere of 2025 with uncanny accuracy, further highlighting Plemons’ ability to convey depth without raising his voice. – Josh Rottenberg
Jeremy Allen White, ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere’
Jeremy Allen White’s performances, particularly his subtle and introspective scenes on “The Bear,” are far from ordinary. Instead of being seen as idle, his quiet moments carry a great deal of significance. As he explained at Telluride, even when he seems to be doing nothing, the camera captures it all. The audience will notice too.
White’s portrayal of Bruce Springsteen in this film is particularly impressive, especially given that it’s before Springsteen became a household name with “Born in the U.S.A.” His quest for authenticity is beautifully captured, and White manages to translate his television acting style into a big-screen format that isn’t always receptive to depth and thoughtfulness.
White delivers the concert scenes admirably, but it’s the middle section of the movie that truly shines: a journey to a New Jersey library in late 1981 to research the notorious Charles Starkweather, a late-night viewing of the film “Badlands,” and moments of quiet reflection accompanied by the soft strumming of an acoustic guitar. The resulting album, “Nebraska,” is one of the 80s most subdued masterpieces, and it took an actor as confident as White to make that introspective journey compelling. – Joshua Rothkopf
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2025-09-02 17:31