Which leading ladies will make a splash with Oscar voters?

Jessie Buckley and Rose Byrne are all but certain to receive lead actress nominations, but the remaining slots are still anybody's to take

- Glenn Whipp

Lead actress contenders, clockwise from bottom left: Jessie Buckley, Rose Byrne, Chase Infiniti, Renate Reinsve and Amanda Seyfried.

WE'RE HALFWAY THROUGH DECEMBER. CRITICS groups far and wide, legitimate and otherwise, have weighed in. The Globes have Globed and the guilds are starting to vote. And we haven't crossed off a damn name on our Christmas gift list. Ho-ho-help. Having already parsed the top lead actor contenders, it's time to turn our attention to the women who have delivered some of the year's most interesting work. For your consideration, here are our lead actress power rankings.

1. JESSIE BUCKLEY, 'HAMNET'

Buckley has been the presumed frontrunner in this category since "Hamnet" wrecked audiences at its Telluride premiere. That status hasn't changed, despite critics groups ignoring her emotional performance. ("Wet and wild" is how Times film critic Amy Nicholson described Buckley's turn as Shakespeare's grieving wife.) Critics are always going to pivot away from an obvious choice, so this is less a snub and more a case of advocating for work that's a bit less hyped. Buckley's powerful performance is the real deal, and that final scene of healing at the Globe cracks audiences' hearts in two. If you're in her camp, don't panic. She's fine.

2. ROSE BYRNE, 'IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU'