With one win and five additional nods, Meryl Streep was the Best Actress queen of the 1980s. Will she be similarly dominant in my ideal Oscars ballots? Come find out.
Nathaniel has shared some of his annual top ten lists from the 1980s in honor of the site's special theme for November. Now, it's time for me to present some lists of my own. Rather than my favorites from each year, let's consider one of the readership's favorite Oscar races, instead – Best Actress. Only, instead of the Academy's choices, you get to appreciate or disparage my picks. From 1980 to 1989, I compiled what my ballots would look like, selecting these dream nominees from the pool of eligible films for each year. This is another glimpse into my personal Academy Awards, that gigantic spreadsheet, with bonus honorable mentions, ineligible performance shout-outs, and some titles still on my watchlist, waiting to be seen…
1980
Judy Davis, MY BRILLIANT CAREER
Shelley Duvall, THE SHINING *winner*
Nicole Garcia, MY AMERICAN UNCLE
Mary Tyler Moore, ORDINARY PEOPLE
Sissy Spacek, COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER
Honorable Mentions: Shelley Duvall in POPEYE, Sophia Loren in BLOOD FEUD, Lily Tomlin in NINE TO FIVE.
Ineligible: Anouk Aimée in LEAP INTO THE VOID, Vanessa Redgrave in PLAYING FOR TIME.
On the Watchlist: Chieko Baisho in A DISTANT CRY FROM SPRING, Christine Buchegger in FROM THE LIFE OF THE MARIONETTES, Romy Schneider in WOMANLIGHT.
1981
Isabelle Huppert, LOULOU *winner*
Krystyna Janda, MAN OF MARBLE
Diane Keaton, REDS
Sissy Spacek, RAGGEDY MAN
Kathleen Turner, BODY HEAT
Honorable Mentions: Faye Dunaway in MOMMIE DEAREST, Bernadette Peters in PENNIES FROM HEAVEN, Hanna Schygulla in LILI MARLEEN.
Ineligible: Isabelle Adjani in POSSESSION, Isabelle Huppert in THE WINGS OF THE DOVE, Krystyna Janda in MAN OF IRON.
On the Watchlist: Julie Andrews in S.O.B., Fanny Ardant in THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR, Isabelle Huppert in EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF.
1982
Sandy Dennis, COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN
Diane Keaton, SHOOT THE MOON
Jessica Lange, FRANCES *winner*
Barbara Sukowa, LOLA
Rosel Zech, VERONIKA VOSS
Honorable Mentions: Julie Andrews in VICTOR/VICTORIA, Jessica Lange in TOOTSIE, Jennifer Jason Leigh in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, Meryl Streep in SOPHIE’S CHOICE.
Ineligible: Nora Aunor in HIMALA.
On the Watchlist: Sônia Braga in I LOVE YOU, Natja Brunckhorst in CHRISTIANE F., Dolly Parton in THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS.
1983
Teri Garr, MR. MOM
Mariel Hemingway, STAR 80
Linda Hunt, THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY
Meryl Streep, SILKWOOD *winner*
Debra Winger, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
Honorable Mentions: Shirley MacLaine in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, Janet Suzman in THE DRAUGHTSMAN’S CONTRACT.
Ineligible: Inna Churikova in VASSA, Miou-Miou in ENTRE NOUS, Kaycee Moore in BLESS THEIR LITTLE HEARTS, Sumiko Sakamoto in THE BALLAD OF NARAYAMA.
On the Watchlist: Rosanna Arquette in BABY IT’S YOU, Linda Griffiths & Jane Hallaway in LIANNA, Isabelle Huppert in THE TROUT, Joey Kennedy in STARSTRUCK.
1984
Mia Farrow, BROADWAY DANNY ROSE
Jessica Lange, COUNTRY
Darling Légitimus, SUGAR CANE ALLEY *winner*
Gena Rowlands, LOVE STREAMS
Kathleen Turner, ROMANCING THE STONE
Honorable Mentions: Helen Mirren in CAL, Vanessa Redgrave in THE BOSTONIANS, Kathleen Turner in CRIMES OF PASSION.
Ineligible: Glenn Close in SOMETHING ABOUT AMELIA, Swatilekha Sengupta in THE HOME AND THE WORLD.
On the Watchlist: Karen Allen in STARMAN, Sandrine Bonnaire in À NOUS AMOURS, Isabelle Huppert in PASSION, Diane Keaton in MRS. SOFFEL
1985
Norma Aleandro, THE OFFICIAL STORY
Cher, MASK
Laura Dern, SMOOTH TALK
Mia Farrow, THE PURPLE ROSE OF CAIRO *winner*
Whoopi Goldberg, THE COLOR PURPLE
Honorable Mentions: Geraldine Page in THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, Miranda Richardson in DANCE WITH A STRANGER, Maggie Smith in A PRIVATE FUNCTION, Vanessa Redgrave in WETHERBY.
Ineligible: Michelle Yeoh in YES, MADAM!
On the Watchlist: Isabelle Adjani in METRO, Theresa Russell in INSIGNIFICANCE, Lori Singer in TROUBLE IN MIND.
1986
Ellen Greene, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
Carmen Maura, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THIS?
Marie Rivière, SUMMER
Helen Shaver, DESERT HEARTS
Sigourney Weaver, ALIENS *winner*
Honorable Mentions: Sandrine Bonnaire in VAGABOND, Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey & Dianne Wiest in HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, Chloe Webb in SID AND NANCY.
Ineligible: Kris Bidenko & Emma Coles in TWO FRIENDS.
On the Watchlist: Anne Bancroft & Sissy Spacek in ‘NIGHT MOTHER, Béatrice Dalle in BETTY BLUE, Isabelle Huppert in SINCERELY CHARLOTTE.
1987
Cher, MOONSTRUCK
Glenn Close, FATAL ATTRACTION
Faye Dunaway, BARFLY
Sally Kirkland, ANNA *winner*
Maggie Smith, THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE
Honorable Mentions: Holly Hunter in BROADCAST NEWS and RAISING ARIZONA, Catherine Mouchet in THÉRÈSE, Meryl Streep in IRONWEED.
Ineligible: Stéphane Audran in BABETTE’S FEAST, Yang Lin in DAUGHTER OF THE NILE.
On the Watchlist: Juliette Binoche in RENDEZ-VOUS, Christine Lahti in HOUSEKEEPING, Sheila McCarthy in I’VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING.
1988
Glenn Close, DANGEROUS LIAISONS *winner*
Carmen Maura, WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
Gena Rowlands, ANOTHER WOMAN
Susan Sarandon, BULL DURHAM
Meryl Streep, A CRY IN THE DARK
Honorable Mentions: Jamie Lee Curtis in A FISH CALLED WANDA, Li Gong in RED SORGHUM, Michelle Pfeiffer in MARRIED TO THE MOB, Sigourney Weaver in GORILLAS IN THE MIST.
Ineligible: Joan Plowright & Juliet Stevenson in DROWNING BY NUMBERS.
On the Watchlist: Barbara Hershey & Jodhi May in A WORLD APART, Amy Irving in CROSSING DELANCEY, Christine Lahti in RUNNING ON EMPTY, Nonna Mordyukova in THE COMISSAR, CCH Pounder in BAGDAD CAFÉ, Zelda Rubinstein in ANGUISH.
1989
Annette Bening, VALMONT
Isabelle Huppert, STORY OF WOMEN *winner*
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, THE ABYSS
Michelle Pfeiffer, THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS
Meg Ryan, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY…
Honorable Mentions: Sally Field in STEEL MAGNOLIAS, Nicole Kidman in DEAD CALM, Kathleen Turner in THE WAR OF THE ROSES.
Ineligible: Maja Barełkowska, Adrianna Biedrzyńska, Ewa Błaszczyk, Krystyna Janda, Maja Komorowska, Maria Kościałkowska, Maria Pakulnis, Anna Polony & Grażyna Szapołowska in DEKALOG.
On the Watchlist: Youki Kudoh in MYSTERY TRAIN, Patricia Neal & Shelley Winters in AN UNREMARKABLE LIFE.
What about you? What are your Best Actress ballots for the 1980s and which movies should I add to my watchlist beyond those mentioned above?