by
Samantha Ofole-Prince

It’s a diverse group and includes some of the most obvious actors who have been widely discussed as possible Oscar contenders.

Take a look at our list below:

Idris Elba

Idris Elba – “Beasts of No Nation”
Justly nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Award for his hypnotic performance in “Beasts of No Nation,” it’s easy to lose yourself in Elba’s masterful portrayal of an evil overbearing and brutal warlord who trains children his army captures as soldier. His gestures, his expression and his increasingly menacing look are enough to send chills down your spine.

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp – “Black Mass”
An actor who makes the performance so believable, Depp’s portrayal of the deliriously creepy James “Whitey” Bulger, Boston’s most infamous crime lord is pretty scary. In the chilling drama directed by Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart,”Out of the Furnace"), the three-time Oscar nominee portrays the criminal mastermind with depth in a performance that’s also been hailed as an Oscar worthy one. He exudes menace and shows all levels of his Bulger’s brutality.

Teyonah Parris

Teyonah Parris – “Where Children Play,” “Chi-Raq”
Sometimes, a great performance isn’t about what the actor brings to the role—it’s about what she doesn’t bring. As Belle, a young woman who is forced to nurse her abusive father after her mother’s death in “Where Children Play” Parris never relies on dramatic lines or an emotional breakdown to show her character’s quiet suffering. As the fearless Lysistrata in the Spike Lee directed drama “Chi-Raq” the Juilliard-trained actress who played Don Draper’s long-suffering secretary on the television series “Mad Men,” presides over the film’s underlying sexual drama with sensual intensity.

Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy – “Legend,” "The Revenant"
His range as an actor is exemplified by his terrifyingly intense performances especially in the film “Legend” where he plays real life identical twins Reggie and Ronnie Kray who ruled London’s criminal underworld in the 1960s.  Hardy effectively steps into the shoes of his two vastly different characters with captivating ease. Watching him play twin characters in the same film is mesmerizing. Coupled with his feral, defiant energy in Alejandro Iñárritu’s “The Revenant” and “Mad Max: Fury Road,” there’s enough great performances from Hardy this year to merit him an award or two.

Jason Mitchell

Jason Mitchell – “Straight Outta Compton”
Fans of Eazy-E will find a thrill in watching the actor bring him back to life in the film “Straight Outta Compton” which follows the rise of the group N.W.A. A real breakthrough role for Mitchell, his turn as the deceased rapper made us realize the full range of his talent, but the sheer force of the performance also snagged him the Best Supporting Actor nod from the African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA).

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