9 Actors We Were Obsessed With In 2022, Who's Your Favorite?

Every year, hundreds of television series and films thrill the masses owing to a plethora of great people. Many people are involved in producing a film or television show, yet the stars usually get all the credit and praise. A number of the industry's most gifted performers delivered memorable performances in 2022, and the audience took notice.
In 2022, audiences were treated to a slew of critically acclaimed and commercially viable works starring an impressive roster of A-list actors and actresses. We were completely captivated by these performers in 2022, whether it was because of a new series, a comeback after a long break, or something else.

1. Brendan Fraser

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The success of Brenden Fraser's career as an actor in Hollywood attests to his widespread acclaim in the industry. His career skyrocketed with his breakthrough performances in Dogfight and Encino Man, and he went on to star in a string of blockbusters throughout the '90s and '00s. The success of the Mummy films showed that he could carry a summer blockbuster, but after that, he seemed to disappear from the public eye for a while.
This was because of several private matters, chief among them being health concerns directly attributable to his career in action films. While he had several roles in films during the decade of the 'teens, 2022 was his breakout year. The Whale was the only film he starred in all of 2022, yet the acclaim he garnered for his performance there was more flattering than anything else he had done.

2. Jenna Ortega

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As shown in flashbacks during Jane the Virgin, Jenna Ortega's acting career began when she was a little girl. Her show was the first step in a career that looks bright. Even though Ortega's acting career began in 2012, 2022 was unquestionably her year because to the premiere of Wednesday on Netflix.
Wednesday Addams, portrayed by Ortega, is an outcast at school because of her habit of releasing piranha into the water. She enrolls at Nevermore Academy, meets others much like her, and soon finds herself at the center of a murder mystery with monsters and other supernatural elements.

3. Jennifer Coolidge

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Many comedy fans were introduced to Jennifer Coolidge for the first time in her role as "Stiffler's Mom" in American Pie, but it was only one of a dozen roles she had under her belt in 1999. Since beginning her career in 1993 as Jodi (the masseuse) on Seinfeld, she has been actively pursuing roles in television and film.
Coolidge's depiction of Tanya McQuoid in 2022's The White Lotus brought her newfound fame after years of acclaim. Since its broadcast in 2021, the HBO series has been hugely successful. Coolidge's performance has been recognized with a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

4. Ke Huy Quan

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Ke Huy Quan was a prominent character actor in two 1980s films, The Goonies and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. In the 1990s, he began focusing more on film production as his acting career slowed down. Thankfully, he chose to get back into acting in 2018, but it wasn't until 2022 that he became a household name.
Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Ke Huy Quan as Waymond Wang, was a smash hit for the company in 2022. Before he transforms into Alpha-Waymond, Wang is a timid man who doesn't know what he's doing. It's great how quickly he transforms from a kind spouse to a fanny pack-carrying badass. The narrative is intricate, but this is the key gist:

5. Joseph Quinn

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Despite his many guest-starring roles on TV shows and a few movies, Joseph Quinn was mostly unknown to the general public until 2022. Some early TV success came from Dickensian and Les Misérables, but he didn't become a household name until he appeared in the fourth season of Stranger Things.
As Eddie Munson, Quinn is a drug-dealing dungeon master who charismatically guides his players through elaborate stories. On top of that, he's being questioned as a possible murder suspect in connection with the Satanic Panic sweeping Hawkins, Indiana. This results in an angry crowd searching for him, but it also sets him up for a memorable and perhaps heroic viral act.

6. Anya Taylor-Joy

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The role of Beth Harmon in 2020s The Queen's Gambit is often seen as when Anya Taylor-Joy first became a public figure. Since then, she's been steadily cast in high-profile films, with three major roles in 2022 alone.
And while her performances in The Northman and Amsterdam are certainly noteworthy, her role as Margot/Erin in 2022's The Menu garnered her the greatest acclaim. The film premiere at TIFF has received positive reviews and strong box office returns. Fans of the actress can't get enough of Taylor-Joy, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy for her role in The Menu.

7. Milly Alcock

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Starting in 2014 with Wonderland, Milly Alcock secured more recurrent television roles. However, her appearance as the young Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon brought her widespread acclaim and recognition. Though she only featured in five episodes, Alcock's performance as the youthful Rhaenyra was full of drama and mystery.
Despite her public declaration that she won't be taking any fantasy jobs in the future, Alcock is on the rise as an actress. Her performance in House of the Dragon garnered rave reviews and gave her new opportunities. A rising star in Hollywood, Alcock has not secured any new assignments since early 2023.

8. Matt Smith

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Matt Smith initially gained widespread recognition as the eleventh Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series Doctor Who. After three years, the actor's career had significantly improved thanks to his breakthrough performance. He then played Prince Philip in The Crown and the main bad guy in Terminator Genisys. We've been enamored with Smith for years because of the critical accolades that follow every movie he's involved in.
In 2022, Smith became a household name owing to his portrayal as Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Smith plays a central role in numerous major plotlines as Daemon, the Prince Who Would Never Be King. While his portrayal as the film's major adversary in Morbius wasn't terrible, the movie was disappointing.

9. Austin Butler

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Austin Butler got his start in the industry on Ned's Unofficial School Survival Guide by Disney. He continued to work with the production company on other programs before moving on to starring parts in shows like The Carrie Diaries and The Shannara Chronicles. Butler's breakthrough as a film star came in 2022 when he first starred in a major motion picture.
While playing the title role in Elvis, Butler does more than look the part. Elvis Presley's early years are portrayed by Butler singing in his place. When Presley was an adult, the King's original recordings are used. Butler's career can only go higher from here after headlining such a critically acclaimed picture as "Elvis."