The 2010s had a long list of movie releases, although the decade will most likely be remembered for the rise of the superhero genre and the beginning of the golden age of television. Streaming also took over, and actors who previously wouldn't touch TV roles with a 10-foot pole began to work in Netflix miniseries.
Judging an actor's success for each year of the decade requires looking at a number of factors. Awards, number of projects, financial success, positive media presence, and performance quality are all important in determining what the actor accomplished.
2010 - Natalie Portman
Beginning with 2011's Academy Award winner for Best Actress, Natalie's performance in Black Swan is one of the best of the decade. Darren Aronofsky is known for his intense, psychological thrillers, and this was no exception.
In a film that leaves the audience with intense anxiety, Natalie Portman is the vessel that delivers these feelings. Her performance allows for audiences to experience the pain of Black Swan with her, making her the only actor on the list to earn a spot purely due to their acting prowess.
2011 - Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling had a career-defining year in 2011. He earned massive respect from the independent film community with his performances in Drive and The Ides of March. He also achieved commercial success as a heartthrob in Crazy, Stupid, Love, opposite Emma Stone.
Ryan proved he could do it all, and these performances allowed him to break away from more saccharine, romantic roles like he had in The Notebook and earn spots in movies such as The Nice Guys and Blade Runner 2049.
2012 - Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence skyrocketed in popularity in 2012. With The Hunger Games becoming the new hit series for teenage viewers, and her Oscar-winning performance in Silver Linings Playbook, she became America's sweetheart overnight, especially after her tripping on her way up the stairs to collect her Academy Award.
She gained the reputation for being incredibly down to earth, which persisted through her dual box office franchises in The Hunger Games and the X-Men films.
2013 - Leonardo DiCaprio
Though it wasn't the year Leonardo DiCaprio brought home his first Academy Award for best actor, it very well could've been. It was certainly the peak year for "Leo still doesn't have an Oscar" jokes. The Great Gatsby received mixed reviews, but no one can deny his performance as the titular character was exactly what one would hope for.
It was The Wolf of Wall Street that truly had movie fans begging for him to win Best Actor. In a film career stacked with major hits like Titanic and Inception, Leo's performance of Jordan Belfort could be the one he is most recognized for.
2014 - Matthew McConaughey
When the revival of an actor's career is titled "The McConaissance," it must be noteworthy. Though his Oscar-winning performance for Dallas Buyers Club was in 2013, 2014 was the year he collected his award. He also starred in True Detective, the series that arguably brought film actors to television, and Interstellar, a major success among science fiction and movie fans, in general.
He won an Emmy for his performance in True Detective, and Christopher Nolan's Interstellar would become a beloved film, mostly by young adult audiences, for many years to come.
2015 - Michael B. Jordan
Michael B. Jordan began his career with some great roles on TV shows such as The Wire and Friday Night Lights. However, it took years for him to transition into the worldwide film star he is today.
2015 was the first major box office year for the actor, beginning his own sports franchise with the Rocky spin-off, Creed, and also venturing into the superhero genre with the unsuccessful Fantastic Four reboot. Despite the lack of success from the latter, being in a superhero film is still the stairway to success and was likely what led him to becoming one of the best MCU villains.
2016 - Amy Adams
Arrival was a critically acclaimed hit, and became beloved by film fans, as do most of Denis Villeneuve's projects. Amy Adams was celebrated in this film, as well as in Nocturnal Animals.
She also achieved commercial success, having a big role in the mixed reviewed Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The film developed a cult following over time, in particular for the director's cut, which was released later on.
2017 - Gal Gadot
Wonder Woman was the standout success of 2017. The film had far more success at the box office than was expected, and also built up excitement for the later DC Comics Justice League film, also starring Gadot. Wonder Woman also had some of the funniest and saddest moments in the DCEU.
Though the second wasn't a success, the director's cut, Zack Snyder's Justice League, later received critical acclaim. Gadot's role as Wonder Woman will be reprised in many more sequels to come, and she stands as the star of the first major female-led superhero film.
2018 - Chadwick Boseman
Chadwick Boseman achieved similar success as Gadot in Wonder Woman, with Marvel's Black Panther becoming a major cultural landmark and one of the only superhero pictures to be nominated for Best Picture.
The film achieved massive financial success, earned critical acclaim, and won an Academy Award for its incredible score. Chadwick wins this year, due to the widespread impact of his film and his character. In fact, Black Panther even set a Guinness World Record for superhero movies.
2019 - Brad Pitt
The oldest actor on the list takes the prize home for the last year of the decade. In a year with an incredible slate of films, both commercial and independent, Brad was a part of two of the best, and his role as Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood is one of the most memorable.
Brad Pitt earned his first Oscar for this performance, while also producing and starring in Ad-Astra and producing The King. His award streak in early 2020 was highly entertaining, and the actor reached a new peak in his long career. With three films set to release in 2022, it could be another huge year for the actor.