Best Actress 2014

My top choices in the order I would place them on my Academy ballot if I were allowed to vote. In other words, this is my top five, but I acknowledge that this list is already influenced by awards buzz, and the actresses who I think would theoretically benefit the most from my vote are at the top.

AGATA KULESZA, Ida

ROBIN WRIGHT, The Congress

MARION COTILLARD, Deux Jours, Une Nuit (Two Days, One Night)

ROSAMUND PIKE, Gone Girl

JULIANNE MOORE, Still Alice

Ineligible, but would be on my list if her film were eligible:

PAULINA GARCÍA, Gloria

Also loved:

Anne Dorval, Mommy
Lindsay Duncan, Le Week-end

Mavis Fan, Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (明天記得愛上我)
Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nymphomaniac: Vol. II
Lisa Loven Kongsli, Turist (Force Majeure)

Hilary Swank, The Homesman

Apologies to:

Jennifer Aniston (Cake), Jessica Chastain (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby), Valeria Bruni Tedeschi (Human Capital), and Julianne Moore (Maps to the Stars), whose films I have not yet seen but will see soon.

Related:

My Best Actress Picks from past years (2004-2013)