Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance

The Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance is an award presented annually at the Independent Spirit Awards to honor outstanding performances given by a new talent in an independent film. It was first presented in 1995 at the 10th Independent Spirit Awards as Best Debut Performance, which was won by Sean Nelson for his performance in the film Fresh.[1]

Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance
Presented byIndependent Spirit Awards
First awardedSean Nelson
Fresh (1995)
Currently held byDominic Sessa
The Holdovers (2023)
Websitefilmindependent.org

The category was then discontinued in 2005, but it was later re-introduced as Best Breakthrough Performance at the 2023 ceremony.[2]

Winners and nominees

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Aaron Eckhart won for In the Company of Men.
 
Michelle Rodriguez won for Girlfight.
 
Paul Dano won for L.I.E..
 
Nia Vardalos won for My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
 
Nikki Reed won for Thirteen.
 
Rodrigo de la Serna won for The Motorcycle Diaries.

1990s

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Year Winner and nominees Film Role
1995
[1]
Sean Nelson Fresh Fresh
Jeff Anderson Clerks Randal Graves
Jeremy Davies Spanking the Monkey Ray Aibelli
Alicia Witt Fun Bonnie
Renée Zellweger Love and a .45 Starlene Cheatham
1996
[1]
Justin Pierce Kids Casper
Jason Andrews Rhythm Thief Simon
Lisa Donaldson River of Grass Cozy
Gabriel Casseus New Jersey Drive Kyle "Midget"
Rose McGowan The Doom Generation Amy Blue
1997
[1]
Heather Matarazzo Welcome to the Dollhouse Dawn Wiener
Jena Malone Bastard Out of Carolina Ruth Anne "Bone" Boatwright
Brendan Sexton III Welcome to the Dollhouse Brandon McCarthy
Arie Verveen Caught Nick
Jeffrey Wright Basquiat Jean-Michel Basquiat
1998
[1]
Aaron Eckhart In the Company of Men Chad
Tyrone D. Burton, Eddie Cutanda and Phuong Duong Squeeze Tyson, Hector and Bao
Lysa Flores Star Maps Maria
Darling Narita Bang The Girl
Douglas Spain Star Maps Carlos
1999
[1]
Evan Adams Smoke Signals Thomas Builds-the-Fire
Anthony Roth Costanzo A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries Francis Fortescue
Andrea Hart Miss Monday Gloria
Sonja Sohn Slam Lauren Bell
Saul Williams Ray Joshua

2000s

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Year Winner and nominees Film Role
2000
[1]
Kimberly J. Brown Tumbleweeds Mary Jo Walker
Jessica Campbell Election Tammy Metzler
Jade Gordon Sugar Town Gwen
Toby Smith Drylongso Pica Sullivan
Chris Stafford Edge of Seventeen Eric Hunter
2001
[1]
Michelle Rodriguez Girlfight Diana Guzman
Curtis Cotton III, Candace Evanofski, Rachael Handy, Donald Holden and Damian Jewan Lee George Washington Buddy, Nasia, Sonya, George Richardson and Vernon
Rory Culkin You Can Count on Me Rudy
Emmy Rossum Songcatcher Deladis Slocumb
Mike White Chuck & Buck Buck O'Brien
2002
[1]
Paul Dano L.I.E. Howie Blitzer
Hilary Howard, Anthony Leslie and Mitchell Riggs Kaaterskill Falls Ren, Lyle and Mitchell
Clint Jordan Virgil Bliss Virgil Bliss
Ana Reeder Acts of Worship Alix
Yolonda Ross Stranger Inside Treasure
2003
[1]
Nia Vardalos My Big Fat Greek Wedding Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos
Bob Burrus Tully Tully Russell Coates Sr.
America Ferrera Real Women Have Curves Ana García
Raven Goodwin Lovely & Amazing Annie Marks
Artel Kayàru Dahmer Rodney
2004
[1]
Nikki Reed Thirteen Evie Zamora
Anna Kendrick Camp Fritzi Wagner
Judy Marte Raising Victor Vargas Judy
Victor Rasuk Victor
Janice Richardson Anne B. Real Cynthia Gimenez
2005
[1]
Rodrigo de la Serna The Motorcycle Diaries Alberto Granado
Anthony Mackie Brother to Brother Perry
Louie Olivos Jr. Robbing Peter Pedro
Hannah Pilkes The Woodsman Robin
David Sullivan Primer Abe

2020s

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Year Winner and nominees Film Role
2022
[3]
Stephanie Hsu Everything Everywhere All at Once Joy Wang / Jobu Tupaki
Frankie Corio Aftersun Sophie
Gracija Filipović Murina Julija
Lily McInerny Palm Trees and Power Lines Lea
Daniel Zolghadri Funny Pages Robert
2023
[4]
Dominic Sessa The Holdovers Angus Tully
Marshawn Lynch Bottoms Mr. G
Atibon Nazaire Mountains Xavier
Tia Nomore Earth Mama Gia
Anaita Wali Zada Fremont Donya

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "37 Years of Nominees & Winners, 1986–2022" (PDF). Film Independent. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved September 10, 2022.
  2. ^ Chapman, Wilson (August 23, 2022). "Spirit Awards to Implement Gender Neutral Acting Categories". Variety. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  3. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (March 4, 2023). "Film Independent Spirit Awards: Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Moreau, Brent Lang; Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (2023-12-05). "Spirit Awards 2024 Nominations List: 'Past Lives,' 'May December,' 'American Fiction' Lead With 5 Noms Each". Variety. Retrieved 2024-05-31.