Ten Performances From TIFF That Deserve Oscar Buzz

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Film festivals in the fall traditionally mark the start of awards season, a really exciting time for new movies and the people who make them. However, it’s frustrating that this early stage is often when potential award winners get quickly eliminated. If you’ve already heard someone confidently predict Jessie Buckley will win Best Actress for her role in *Hamnet*, you’ve seen this happen. It feels like we eagerly anticipate these films all year, only to quickly dismiss most of them in favor of obsessing over a select few for months on end.

As a movie lover, I truly believe this isn’t the moment to be picky! We should be celebrating as many great films and performances as possible and making a strong case for them to get the awards they deserve. The Toronto International Film Festival last week was the perfect place to do just that. It had everything – films that had already wowed audiences at Cannes and Sundance, some fresh off premieres at Venice or Telluride, and a whole bunch of brand new movies debuting at TIFF, from Rian Johnson’s *Wake Up Dead Man* to John Early’s *Maddie Secret*. It was a fantastic showcase of everything cinema has to offer.

While acknowledging the praise for actors like Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal in *Hamnet*, and Renate Reinsve in *Sentimental Value*, I want to highlight ten performances that aren’t currently expected to receive Oscar nominations. These actors deserve recognition, and I want more people to discover their work. After all, the value of awards season lies in bringing attention to a wide range of compelling films.

Josh O’Connor in Wake Up Dead Man

Rian Johnson’s mystery films starring Benoit Blanc have always showcased great acting – think Ana de Armas and Chris Evans in *Knives Out*, Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton, and Kate Hudson in *Glass Onion*, and of course, Daniel Craig as Blanc. However, both films only received Oscar nominations for their original screenplays, which felt like a small reward. This time, Josh O’Connor truly stands out and deserves to be considered for a Best Actor award. He plays a young priest hilariously out of his depth, navigating a tight-knit, powerful group in a small town. O’Connor masterfully balances comedic nervousness with a hidden strength, leaving the audience guessing whether his character is truly devoted or hiding a dark secret – or perhaps both. It’s impressive that he manages to shine even alongside Daniel Craig’s charismatic performance. Considering his recent roles – the aggressive player in *Challengers* and the sly con artist in *La Chimera* – O’Connor’s ability to convincingly portray such genuine sincerity in *Dead Man* is remarkable and deserves significant recognition.

Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon

Ethan Hawke delivers a non-stop, 100-minute performance as Lorenz Hart, a talented but troubled lyricist grappling with his partner Richard Rogers’s success with *Oklahoma!*. Director Richard Linklater often features talkative characters-think of Hawke and Julie Delpy’s rambling conversations in the *Before* films-but Hart’s rapid-fire, all-over-the-place monologues in *Blue Moon* are something else entirely. Despite Hart’s flaws, Hawke manages to keep the audience on his side, even as we feel for the bartender and other patrons who have to listen to him, and for Rogers himself, portrayed by Andrew Scott. Scott, who won an award at the Berlin Film Festival for his supporting role, is excellent, but this is truly Hawke’s film. He plays Hart with a poignant sadness, as a man aware his gifts are being wasted by alcohol and overshadowed by what he sees as simplistic songwriting, like the lyrics in *Oklahoma!* about corn as high as an elephant’s eye.

Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

It’s surprising that Rose Byrne hasn’t received an Oscar nomination yet, despite strong performances in films like *Bridesmaids*, *Spy*, and *The Meddler*. While some might blame the Academy for overlooking comedies, that excuse doesn’t apply this year. Byrne delivers a powerful and vulnerable performance in *If I Had Legs I’d Kick You* that is among the best dramatic acting of the year.

In the film, the audience feels intensely connected to Linda, the character played by Byrne. Director Mary Bronstein uses close-up camera work to put us right alongside her as she struggles with a difficult situation: her daughter’s eating disorder, a flooded home, and a critical, distant husband. Byrne brilliantly conveys Linda’s internal conflict – the frustration of feeling inadequate combined with a desperate need to break free – and her expressions reveal a long-held struggle. It’s as if Byrne is reacting to our very presence, making the audience feel complicit in her stress.

Maryam Afshari in It Was Just an Accident

As a film lover, it’s always frustrated me that incredible performances in foreign films often get overlooked during awards season, even though international filmmakers are breaking through more and more. I’m seeing that happen with Jafar Panahi’s *It Was Just an Accident*, which won the Palme d’Or – and rightly so, Panahi is getting most of the buzz for its unique mix of heartbreaking emotion and dark humor. But honestly, the actors deserve just as much praise! I especially want to highlight Taraneh Alidoosti, who plays a wedding photographer unexpectedly pulled into a revenge plot against a suspected torturer. She’s fantastic at bringing a wry, comedic energy to the chaotic group, but then, in the film’s climax, Panahi asks her to tap into real fury and anguish, and she absolutely delivers. It’s a powerful, nuanced performance, and if it were in an English-language film, I have no doubt she’d be a serious Oscar contender. Hopefully, award voters will take a closer look.

Ian McKellen in The Christophers

Steven Soderbergh’s *The Christophers* is a different kind of film for the director – a small, intimate story. Ian McKellen plays a painter who’s faded from prominence and now makes money filming Cameo videos from his large London home. The acclaimed actor, often more recognized for his blockbuster franchise work, perfectly embodies a disillusioned artist complaining about the changing art world and playfully teasing Michaela Coel, who plays an art restorer and forger tasked with finishing a series of portraits. McKellen hasn’t been nominated for an Academy Award in almost 25 years, while many of his peers – including Christopher Plummer, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, and Anthony Hopkins – have received nominations and awards. Peter O’Toole even received a lifetime achievement-style Oscar nomination for his role as an aging actor in *Venus*. It seems fitting that someone should create a strong awards campaign for McKellen, showcasing his talent in a truly great film.

Yeom Hye-ran in No Other Choice

Park Chan-wook’s latest film is a darkly funny story about job loss, materialism, and bitterness, and it doesn’t rush things. What starts as a critique of corporate layoffs unexpectedly turns into a playful, scheming adventure, and eventually settles into a horror-comedy vibe. It’s a great showcase for Park’s skill with mood and allows the actors to really lean into comedic performances. Yeom Hye-ran particularly shines as the wife of a worker who’s lost his job at a paper factory. Though initially presented as a typical nagging wife, Yeom delivers an energetic and surprisingly physical performance that goes far beyond the stereotype. During my screening, her character’s reappearance late in the film brought a wave of delighted laughter from the audience.

Joel Edgerton in Train Dreams

Following a successful debut at the Sundance Film Festival, Netflix acquired the rights to *Train Dreams*, sparking talk of potential awards nominations. Much of that attention should go to Joel Edgerton, who delivers a compelling performance as a quiet logger in the early 1900s. While Edgerton is often known for his grounded acting style, which some have called reserved, in *Train Dreams* that stillness feels deliberate. He portrays a man observing a world filled with unfairness and unpredictable events, all set against the beautiful backdrop of the American West. Importantly, his performance isn’t passive; Edgerton subtly conveys the inner turmoil of his character, Robert Grainier, as he struggles with a rapidly changing and often violent world. It’s a remarkably nuanced performance in what is already shaping up to be one of the year’s most visually stunning films.

Noah Jupe in Hamnet

Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal are rightfully receiving most of the attention for their incredible performances in *Hamnet*. They’re already strong awards contenders, especially given how powerfully they portray parental grief. However, if the film continues to gain momentum, there’s a chance another actor could also be recognized: Noah Jupe. He appears later in the movie as the actor playing Hamlet, and his casting is particularly poignant because his younger brother, Jacobi, portrays the young Hamnet. This play-within-the-film is meant to provide a release for the audience, and while Mescal and Buckley deliver intensely emotional performances, it’s Jupe who feels like the true vessel for that release. He plays the role as if completely lost in the moment, and it’s a scene that’s likely to stay with viewers long after the credits roll. Hopefully, Jupe’s subtle and impactful work won’t be overlooked.

Bill Skarsgard in Dead Man’s Wire

Bill Skarsgard is quickly establishing himself as a fascinating actor, moving from iconic horror roles like Pennywise in *It* and the frightened character in *Barbarian* to more complex parts, even a stylized gangster alongside John Wick. He brings a clear intentionality to every performance, even when completely transforming into a character like Count Orlok in *Nosferatu*. In Gus Van Sant’s *Dead Man’s Wire*, Skarsgard delivers a performance reminiscent of Al Pacino in *Dog Day Afternoon*, portraying a charismatic criminal seeking revenge against a flawed system. He plays the real-life vigilante as both morally driven and surprisingly innocent, fueled by anger at corporate greed but displaying a childlike trust in a radio host (Colman Domingo) who might amplify his message. Skarsgard brings an unpredictable energy to the role, balancing intense drama with moments of unexpected humor. Notably, Al Pacino himself appears briefly in the film for a brief but impactful phone call, seeming to pass the baton to Skarsgard as a new leading man.

June Squibb in Eleanor the Great

June Squibb is truly showcasing her talent. Following her lead role in *Thelma* last year, the 95-year-old actress delivers another strong performance in Scarlett Johansson’s first time directing a film. Squibb plays Eleanor, a feisty older woman who moves to New York to be near her distant daughter and can only see a glimpse of her grandson’s face through his phone. She finds herself tangled in a lie about having survived the Holocaust. While the story depends too much on Eleanor and a college student she befriends avoiding honest communication, Squibb is completely in command of her performance. She portrays Eleanor as opinionated, lonely, frustrated, and afraid, giving her a lot to work with as an actress. It’s frustrating that Squibb’s only Oscar nomination came for *Nebraska*, a role that wasn’t nearly as demanding as her recent work – something Eleanor herself would likely be very upset about.

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2025-09-16 14:56