7. Beanie Feldstein

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After playing a hormone-addled sorority sister in 2016’s Bad Neighbours 2, Beanie Feldstein came into her own last year thanks to her career-defining role as Saoirse Ronan’s unassuming sidekick in Lady Bird. The winner of the best-picture comedy Golden Globe, the film boasts a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes and has won hearts worldwide with its relatable portrayal of high-schoolers teetering on the cusp of adulthood. With razor-sharp accuracy, the writer-director Greta Gerwig presents the complexity of female friendships through her characterisation of Lady Bird (Ronan) and Julie (Feldstein). They fight; they fall out; they split off into different social circles; and yet they still love each other. In one of the film’s most touching sequences, the protagonist abandons her date to take Julie to prom. The actresses’ chemistry lights up the streamer-spangled room and surely helped the Lady Bird team secure an ensemble-cast nomination at the SAGs. The coming-of-age film also catapulted Feldstein towards her dream of performing on the stage, which she has fostered since requesting that her third-birthday party be Funny Girl-themed. Her singing in Lady Bird’s theatre troupe was so impressive that it paved the way for her part in the Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! opposite Bette Midler.