23 Best Female Performances Of The '00s

These are the women who deserve all the awards.

1. Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Move over, Katniss. Nothing beats a sexy, strong, and vulnerable Jennifer.

2. Helen Hunt - The Sessions (2012)

You have to be pretty brave to go full frontal and perform in some pretty awkward sex scenes. But Helen nailed it.

3. Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Can you say BADASS?? Rooney blew everyone away with her shattering performance of one of the best heroines in literature today.

4. Shailene Woodley - The Descendants (2011)

Who would have thought the girl from The Secret Life of the American Teenager was a powerhouse? She encapsulated grief, fear, guilt, and confusion in a beautifully fresh performance.

5. Viola Davis - The Help (2011)

I don't think anyone was prepared for Viola's performance but she proved to be one of the best actresses today.

6. Emma Stone - Easy A (2010)

Emma not only proved that she was a comedic genius, but she gave girls a great role model that recalled the great Molly Ringwald.

7. Natalie Portman - Black Swan (2010)

Everybody knew Natalie was great, but she threw us all for a loop when she gave a fearless, warts-and-all performance that exposed the frightening depths of mental illness.

8. Michelle Williams - Blue Valentine (2010)

So long, Dawson. Michelle proved her incredible skills when she gave one of the most realistic representations of marriage and romantic disillusionment.

9. Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Taraji was a beacon of light and love in this often painful portrait of an extraordinary man's life. As the adoptive mother of Benjamin Button, Taraji stood out as an example of support and faith.

10. Ellen Page - Juno (2007)

Honest, fresh, and downright adorable, Ellen was a breath of fresh air for film-goers with her incredibly mature portrayal of a young woman facing an incredible dilemma.

11. Cate Blanchett - Notes on a Scandal (2006)

Although Judi Dench got a lot of the attention, Cate's portrayal of a lost teacher entangled in an affair with her young student was breathtaking.

12. Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Come on. It's the Streeper.

13. Q'Orianka Kilcher - The New World (2005)

Although she hasn't been in much since The New World, Q'Orianka stood out for her lovely and nuanced performance of a young smitten Pocahontas. Heartwrenching.

14. Keira Knightley - Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Elizabeth Bennett is probably one of the most beloved heroines in Western literature and Keira played her perfectly.

15. Reese Witherspoon - Walk the Line (2005)

Reese hasn't managed her career well in the past few years but she killed it as June Carter in this great biopic. Complex, strong, and funny as hell, Reese did the country superstar incredible justice.

16. Charlize Theron - Monster (2003)

Easily one of the best performances of the new millennium. Period.

17. Nicole Kidman - The Hours (2002)

It was more than the nose. Nicole gave it all as the tortured Virginia Woolf and finally received the awards she deserved.

18. Julianne Moore - Far From Heaven (2002)

As a '50s housewife dealing with her husband's obvious homosexuality, Julianne broke hearts with her painfully honest and real performance.

19. Diane Lane - Unfaithful (2002)

We've all seen a thousand movies about the "affair" but Diane proved there is a lot more to it than just the sex. She gave one of the most nuanced and realistic portrayals of a married woman cinema has seen.

20. Nicole Kidman - Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Before she won the Oscar for The Hours, Nicole blew the world away with her phenomenal portrayal of Satine, a beautiful but doomed courtesan trapped in the Paris night life. She should have won the Oscar.

21. Sissy Spacek - In the Bedroom (2001)

This entire film was full of amazing performances but Sissy stood out as a mother tormented by the loss of her young son. Fantastic.

22. Juliette Binoche - Chocolat (2000)

This movie was more than a funny I Love You, Man reference, and French goddess Juliette gave one of the loveliest performances as its star.

23. Julia Roberts - Erin Brockovich (2000)

Julia Roberts proved she was more than the queen of romantic comedies. She turned out to be a great actress capable of playing women with more to them than the desire for Prince Charming.