teenager whose life is changed after meeting with an aspiring painter, Emma (Léa Seydoux). The quiet and distant 15-year-old Adéle discovers that she is attracted to women and is confused about her sexual identity until Emma comes along to show her what it means to be wild and free. Exarchopoulos, who was just nineteen when she was cast in the film, played the character with a vulnerability that showed her character’s strength and weakness, nervousness and confidence, her indecisiveness and clear-sightedness, all at once. She won the Palme d’Or for her performance, becoming the youngest actress to receive the award.

20. Yalitza Aparicio (‘Roma’, 2018)

Alfonso Cuarón’s masterpiece, ‘Roma’ is an intimate depiction of his Mexico. The film follows the story of a live-in maid who encounters some problems ina team that stuck with the project and the commitment of the actors to their characters. While the story focuses on Ellar Coltrane’s Mason Evans Jr, it is Patricia Arquette’s Olivia that attracts the attention of the viewers. She plays the role of a single mother who goes through massive upheavals in her life, trying to balance her personal life and career with motherhood. For bringing raw honesty to her performance, Arquette received an Academy Award.

15. Olivia Colman (‘The Favourite’, 2018)

Olivia Colman is a queen, and she received the crowning glory of an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Yorgos Lanthimos’ black comedy, ‘The Favourite’. The film follows a tussle for power between three women, making the audience question the price of winning something. While