20 Essential Movie Performances That Will Define 2016
9. Ruth Negga - Mildred Loving (Loving)
Release Date: November 4
The Role: Mildred Loving, a black woman who along with her white husband Richard Loving (Joel Edgerton), was sentenced to a year in prison for their interracial marriage.
Why It'll Define 2016: Because Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special) is an excellent director, and can no doubt wring a terrific performance out of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress.
It's an incredibly important role from a landmark legal decision in American civil rights history, and aside from being another obvious riposte to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy, on its own terms it's an emotionally devastating dramatic part that's going to get Negga plenty of awards attention following its upcoming Cannes premiere.
If she's not in the Oscar frame later down the line, then something's gone pretty horribly wrong somewhere.