Awesomest Lead Actors And Lead Actresses Of 2011

Until last month, I was vouching for George Clooney for the best Actor bid at the upcoming 84th Oscars, for his towering performance in The Descendants, but then I watched The Artist and I was blown away by Jean Dujardin‘s transformation into a character whose charm and looks reminiscent of Gene Kelly, Clark Gable, and Douglas Fairbanks all in one.
The competition for lead actress category is fierce this year, Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Michelle Williams, Tilda Swinton, Glenn Close, all of them deserve to win. It’s a tough decision but I’d have to go with Viola Davis. Now, I know that some of you may be defensive about the possibility of Davis, a black actress, getting considered for a nod for playing a maid, but I don’t look at it that way, I’ve always considered Davis a solid actress no matter which role she plays, and she’s played various kinds. This year she just happened to be so damn good as The Help.
So here are my choices for best of the best of 2011 in lead actor and lead actress categories…

MALE LEAD

1. Jean Dujardin (The Artist)
2. George Clooney (The Descendants)
3. Michael Shannon (Take Shelter)
4. Ryan Gosling (Drive)
5. Michael Fassbender (Shame)

Other worthy contenders:

Brad Pitt (Moneyball)
Demian Bichir (A Better Life)
Woody Harrelson (Rampart)

FEMALE LEAD

1. Viola Davis (The Help)
2. Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs)
3. Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady)
4. Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn)
5. Tilda Swinton (We Need To Talk About Kevin)

Other worthy contenders

Adepero Oduye (Pariah)
Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene)
Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo)