The Best Actress Race: Dark Horses

2. Melanie Lynskey, "Hello I Must Be Going"

Who doesn’t love Melanie Lysnkey? She co-starred opposite Kate Winslet as a teen in “Heavenly Creatures” and while Winslet has gone on to Oscar glory, Lysnkey has been quietly doing excellent work for years. One of the most likable actors on screens today, everyone has a soft spot for the actor, whether from “Ever After,” “Sweet Home Alabama,” or more dramatic work like “Up in the Air” and “The Informant.” She can even play a stalker—as she did for several seasons on “Two and a Half Men”—and make you root for her. As childless, suddenly divorced Amy in “Hello I Must Be Going,” Lynskey steps into the lead and delivers one of the best performances of a career full of them.

Photo Source: Oscilloscope Pictures