Best Actress 2021

I used to list my favorite actresses of the year in the order I would place them on my Academy ballot if I were allowed to vote. But I can't do that this year because one of my favorites is ineligible and two others are campaigning in the supporting actress category even though they are leads. So... here is my top five in alphabetical order. These are the five I would nominate if I were an academy of one.

CAITRÍONA BALFE, Belfast

OLIVIA COLMAN, The Lost Daughter

JASNA ĐURIČIĆ, Quo Vadis, Aida?

RUTH NEGGA, Passing

KRISTEN STEWART, Spencer

Also loved:
Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Penélope Cruz, Madres Paraleles (Parallel Mothers)
Krisha Fairchild, Freeland

Renate Reinsve, Verdens Verste Menneske (The Worst Person in the World)
Tilda Swinton, Memoria

Apologies to:
Jodie Comer (The Last Duel), Seidi Haarla (Compartment No. 6), Vicky Krieps (Bergman Island), Molly Parker (Jockey), Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), and Léa Seydoux (France), whose films I have not yet seen.

Related:
My Best Actress picks from past years (2004-2020)
My Best Actor picks from 2021
My Best Supporting Actress picks from 2021
My Best Supporting Actor picks from 2021