Best Acting Duo:

This is such an important category, and I think it would be very valuable to have. We have a lot of categories recognizing individual actors, and although these categories are important to have, so much of the great acting that occurs in films happens between performers, not just from one. A duo can often define the core of the film, whether it’s a couple, two friends, siblings, enemies, or partners working through a problem. Honoring acting duos shines a light on how collaboration between actors is just as important as honoring individual talent.

Example Award: Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting (1997)

The dynamic between Damon and Williams was incredible. Their characters were learning to trust each other, and they started stripping each other’s walls down, slowly revealing things to each other.The mentor-student relationship was an equal relationship; Sean learned from Will, and Will learned just as much from Sean.

Best Romantic Chemistry:
Romance is one of the hardest genres to portray convincingly on screen, and the chemistry between the actors is often what makes their scenes believable. This category would acknowledge the skill behind creating this chemistry, through slow-burn tension, vulnerability, or passion. Romantic chemistry often relies on a shared, continuous rhythm between the actors and on their ability to transmit emotions toward each other, not just through words. The sparks between the actors should be tangible to audience. Honoring this romantic chemistry would validate the amount of craft it takes to create love stories whose complexity is shaped by this chemistry.

Example Award: Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in Before Sunrise (1995)

Watching this movie felt like a breath of fresh air. Their conversations with each other felt so natural and real. It felt like there was no script, that the actors were just talking about whatever they wanted to talk about, in the best way.

Best Breakout Performance:

A breakout performance is so important, especially when, sometimes, new actors who deserve to be recognized are hardly acknowledged in these award shows. This category would provide rising actors with stardom by having their acting recognized in bigger spaces. It would challenge traditional Hollywood systems. Breakout roles often require actors to break themselves out of their shells or commit to demanding characters while still adjusting to such roles. This category would celebrate the skill it takes to be new to this industry while still leaving a lasting impact on audience members.

Example Award: Brie Larson in Short Term 12 (2013)

Brie Larson was known for supporting roles in comedies like 21 Jump Street and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, but she didn’t get a major role until Short Term 12. Her performance was incredible and it was important to the story, as her being a supervisor in a group home for at-risk teens not only showed her character’s leadership, but she was also able to portray her character’s past trauma and why that trauma led her to take on this job.

Best Ensemble Cast:

Some films aren’t built around the performance of one star. Many succeed because of the collaboration and harmony of the entire cast. This category would honor films where the performances from each actor work together like a coordinated team. Ensemble work requires not only collaboration, but adaptability. Choosing the right ensemble is important, especially with films that have storylines with a large number of characters, whose stories are also interconnected. Highlighting this would also celebrate casting as an art form, which is just as important as screenwriting, directing, and acting, as it actually determines who fits each role best.

Example Award: Little Women (2019)

Little Women is the definition of a film driven by the chemistry of the actors. The casting choices definitely played into the films success. The story is about family, sisterhood, romance, and friendship, so it was important that the entire cast had chemistry. The film contained so many stars: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Timothee Chalamet, and so many more! Every character contributes to the story, every performance is strong, and the movie isn’t based off of just one character. In my opinion each character has a role of equal importance.

Best On-Set Choreography:

This category would honor complex physical scenes in films. This includes fight sequences or intricate blocking. On-set choreography requires communication between actors, directors, cinematographers, and stunt teams. Recognizing this work would allow people to acknowledge the amount of work it takes to do choreography correctly, from the timing, spatial awareness, and precise movement that is needed to convey the story.

Example Award: La La Land (2016)

The musical numbers were so iconic and the film was built off of coordination in movement. That combined with dance, cinematography, and the ensembles turned the film worthy of this award .Every cast member hit the precise beats and marks needed, and most of all, they were all in sync.