Our penultimate set of awards highlights the biggest and best stars of entertainment releases in 2012...We're close to the end of the 'Best Of 2012 Awards' series of features now, and today's pair of lists focuses on the Top 10 Best Actors & Actresses Of 2012. As there are essentially twenty listed stars here, each and every one of them just gets a small listing with the show and character they won their place for, as well as a reason for their placement. Without further ado, then, that brief introduction from me aside, let's look back fondly on what the past year has given us from big Brit and American stars...
TOP 10 BEST ACTORS
10. COLIN MORGAN- Who else but the lead star of Merlin could place the final season of the brilliant BBC1 fantasy drama on this list? Colin gave an inspired and layered performance as the world's most iconic Arthurian warlock.
9. MATT SMITH- Clocking in his third year as the Doctor, Matt performed brilliantly in his six blockbuster adventures. The highlight here was undoubtedly with the fall of the Ponds in the superb The Angels Take Manhattan.
8. DANIEL CRAIG- As James Bond in both Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace, Daniel had already more than proved his credientials. However, it was in Skyfall that things came to a head, as Mr Craig showed that even a fifty-year old character can have newfound depth.
7. TOM HARDY- Having watched The Dark Knight Rises again just last night, I can happily state without a doubt that Tom Hardy's Bane proves more than a match for Heath Ledger's Joker. That's in no small part due to Hardy's vigour and pure strength in this tough-to-accomplish role.
6. HUGH LAURIE- All this British legend essentially had to do to succeed in his final season of House was turn up. It's testament to Hugh Laurie, then, that he does so much more with that, providing us with a fitting and realistic final rendition of the doctor we've grown to love these past ten years.
5. JEFF DANIELS- The Newsroom was by far one of 2012's greatest new television shows. Again, that's in no small part due to the introduction of Jeff Daniels as newsreader Will McAvoy, a likeable and layered rogue who we look forward to seeing develop further in the second season.
4. BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH- The follow-up series of Sherlock was packed with great performances, one of which scored even higher on this list. All the same, Benedict Cumberbatch was fantastic once again as the titular hero, bringing new depth and passion to the character.
3. TOM CRUISE- Well, this was a surprise entry, wasn't it? In Rock Of Ages' Stacee Jaxx, Tom Cruise pulled a shocker, coming into his own as a drug-riddled addict of rock and roll whose only salvation lay with an intrepid journalist eager to find love- honestly, this performance is well worth a watch.
2. MARTIN FREEMAN- I've always loved watching Martin Freeman as Watson, but this award goes to him for another role. As Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the man finally 'found his feet', standing up against screen legends like Andy Serkis without so much as a blink of fear.
1. ANDREW SCOTT- We had the briefest of glimpses of Andrew Scott as the villainous Moriarty in Sherlock Season One. However, it was in Season Two where the man truly shone to his full potential, providing the perfect scary rendition of this iconic antagonist in a truly unforgettable manner!
10. KATE MCGRATH- After last year's set of pantomime-esque performances, I didn't think I would be placing Kate McGrath's Morgana on this list. Nevertheless, in Merlin's fifth and final season, McGrath gave us both a emotional and iconic villain to root against one final time.
9. SCARLETT JOHNASSON- It was great to have a full appearance from Scarlet as the infamous Black Widow in Avengers Assemble after her cameo role in Iron Man 2. This time around, Scarlet gave a passionate and captivating portrayal, readying us in anticipation for future appearances.
8. JENNIFER LAWRENCE- Jennifer showed off the first strands of her acting talents in X-Men: First Class, but it was in The Hunger Games where she really came into her own. As Katniss, Lawrence possesses a degree of sheer empathy and engagement the likes of which we haven't seen in ages...
7. EMMA STONE- Gwen Stacy was always going to be a difficult performance for anyone to pull off after Kirsten Dunst's Mary-Jane Watson. That said, Emma Stone was perfect for the role, utilising her experience from flicks like The Help in a way that made her intoxicating to watch.
6. ANNE HATHAWAY- Easily the standout surprise performance in The Dark Knight Rises, Anne Hathaway was by far the most layered and in-depth version of Catwoman we've seen so far, and with any luck we'll see her back in a future movie spin-off.
5. ALEX KINGSTON- This E.R. actress has taken the guise of the Doctor's wife ever since Steven Moffat's 2008 Doctor Who episodes Silence In The Library and Forest Of The Dead. In The Angels Take Manhattan, Kingston brought new layers to the role, showcasing River's pain and age with beautiful veracity.
4. JENNA-LOUISE COLEMAN- Few fans could have predicted that the new companion in Doctor Who would be split across multiple time-periods. Jenna-Louise Coleman brought across that shocking truth with ease, providing shifting and unpredictable performances as Oswin Oswald and Clara Oswin Oswald in a sense that already has us eagerly awaiting the 2013 run!
3. KAREN GILLAN- Karen has been a fantastic companion to the Doctor these past two years as Amy Pond. It was a great tragedy to see her depart Doctor Who this year, but she did it with the utmost sense of style, leaving in dramatic fashion with the masterful The Angels Take Manhattan.
2. LARA PULVER- In Irene Adler, Lara Pulver gave us a beautiful and intelligent ploy to Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock could not have kicked off on a better note, and that's due in no small part to Pulver's brilliant debut on the show.
1. JUDI DENCH- I think that it's fair to say that Judi Dench's final appearance in the James Bond film franchise will never be forgotten. Her portrayal of M in Skyfall was beautifully done, a masterclass in realist acting that touched the souls and hearts of film viewers across the world.
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