Lights, Camera, Action! Emma Stone, Jacob Elordi, Chase Infiniti & More Star in the Best Performances Issue 2026
To celebrate the star turns of the year, W created a movie of its own.
For the past 14 years, to salute our favorite cinematic performances, W has commissioned indelible portraits of standout actors. This time around, our photographer, Tyrone Lebon, had a more elaborate plan: He decided to create his own movie, and at the same time capture key moments of the production with still photographs. On a huge soundstage, over four days, Lebon and his team shot Hollywood’s biggest stars in scenes and costumes they hadn’t imagined. The idea was to pay tribute to the process of filmmaking, focusing as much on what happens behind the scenes as on the finished reel.
Of course, our 34 performers were the key element in this endeavor. When Sydney Sweeney arrived on the first day to celebrate her turns as the first prominent female boxer, in Christy, and the complicated employee in The Housemaid, she was asked to pose as a human Oscar statuette. Sweeney immediately agreed to be naked and painted gold, and the tone for the shoot was set. Lebon then asked Elle Fanning, who plays a famous American actor in Sentimental Value, to be a diabolical nurse; her costar, Renate Reinsve, became a beautiful corpse, her head in a shimmering pool of blood. Amy Madigan, the breakout star of Weapons, was asked to transform into a chef baking a cake. Alexander Skarsgård, who is both powerful and emotional in the BDSM romantic comedy Pillion, re-created a classic action film trope: the hero who is literally on fire.
Some actors invented their own characters: Jeremy Strong, who plays Bruce Springsteen’s manager in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, spotted large bunny ears on the dressing room accessories table and cast himself as a deranged rabbit; A$AP Rocky, who triumphs in Highest 2 Lowest and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, asked to play a battered mascot from Hollywood Boulevard. Others gave their characters a special twist: Emma Stone, who is both funny and commanding as a kidnapped CEO (and possible alien) in Bugonia, somehow managed to look innocent as she dragged a dead body along a corridor; Tessa Thompson, who plays the title character in an updated version of the Henrik Ibsen play Hedda Gabler, was excited to be a modern Marie Antoinette imperiously drinking an Erewhon smoothie; Will Arnett, a budding stand-up comedian in Is This Thing On?, had no trouble stuffing himself into the trunk of a car; and Stellan Skarsgård, the complex patriarch in Sentimental Value, channeled Andy Warhol in drag.
Before their starring moments, every actor was asked to pose for a Polaroid, as if they were neophytes auditioning for their big break. They were all game, including Sean Penn, who is mesmerizing in One Battle After Another; Wagner Moura, who won best actor at the Cannes Film Festival for his work in the political drama The Secret Agent; and Wunmi Mosaku, who studied hoodoo for her part in Sinners. Lebon also made a point of creating some setups that were a commentary on the nature of celebrity: Chase Infiniti, sure to be a star after One Battle After Another, was photographed in the back of a limousine; George Clooney, the ultimate Hollywood A-lister, who plays a, well, Hollywood A-lister in Jay Kelly, was dressed in a tuxedo, about to go to a premiere; and Kate Hudson, who endures tragedy but also experiences joy while singing Neil Diamond anthems in Song Sung Blue, was surrounded by blonde Kate Hudson look-alikes. Surely, in their early days in show business, everyone in this portfolio went to an open casting call, only to encounter a dozen nearly identical versions of themselves.
There were also moments in which Lebon was content to capture the innate charisma of the performers. Dwayne Johnson, who underwent a striking physical transformation in The Smashing Machine, looked more elegant than ever; Ethan Hawke, who underplayed his good looks as the lyricist Lorenz Hart in Blue Moon, was back to his usual cool self; and Jodie Foster, who speaks French in A Private Life, felt powerful behind the wheel of a vintage red Mercedes. On other occasions, a simple, straightforward portrait told the story (Amanda Seyfried! Michael B. Jordan! Rose Byrne!). After all, sometimes you want to go big (David Corenswet, aka Superman, screamed in the rain), and other times you’re happy to captivate with just a gesture (Greta Lee stared straight at the camera, utterly unaffected).
This year, Hollywood gave us tremendous films in every genre. They moved us so deeply that we felt compelled to create our own unclassifiable film.
George Clooney | Jay Kelly
Clooney wears a Ralph Lauren Purple Label tuxedo, shirt, and bowtie.
Read the full interview here.
A$AP Rocky | Highest 2 Lowest and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
A$AP Rocky wears a costume with special thanks to Cherry World.
Read the interview here.
Benicio del Toro | One Battle After Another
Del Toro wears a Prada trenchcoat and shirt.
Read the interview here.
Elle Fanning | Sentimental Value
Fanning wears a Gucci coat, dress, and shoes; Cartier High Jewelry earrings and necklace; Wolford tights.
Read the interview here.
Chase Infiniti | One Battle After Another
Infiniti wears a Versace sweater, bralette, belt, and jeans; Bulgari earrings, necklace, and bag; Bulgari High Jewelry ring.
Read the interview here.
Jodie Foster | A Private Life
Foster wears a Loewe dress and sunglasses.
Read the interview here.
Sean Penn | One Battle After Another
Read the interview here.
Tessa Thompson | Hedda
Thompson wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello gown and tights; Chopard Haute Joaillerie earrings and ring; Christian Louboutin shoes.
Read the interview here.
Jacob Elordi | Frankenstein
Elordi wears a Chanel shirt.
Read the interview here.
Renate Reinsve | Sentimental Value
Reinsve wears a Louis Vuitton gown; Cartier High Jewelry necklace.
Read the interview here.
Greta Lee | Late Fame
Lee wears a Dior jacket and skirt.
Read the interview here.
Mia Goth | Frankenstein
Goth wears a Dior dress and sandals.
Read the interview here.
Dwayne Johnson | The Smashing Machine
Johnson wears a Ferragamo trenchcoat and pants; Brunello Cucinelli sweater; Cartier necklace.
Read the interview here.
Michael B. Jordan | Sinners
Jordan wears a Burberry trenchcoat and T-shirt; David Yurman earrings.
Read the interview here.
Sydney Sweeney | Christy and The Housemaid
Read the interview here.
Emma Stone | Bugonia
Stone wears a Louis Vuitton dress and sneakers; Tiffany & Co. earrings.
Read the interview here.
Wagner Moura | The Secret Agent
Moura wears a Ferragamo jacket; Brooks Brothers shirt; Charvet tie.
Read the interview here.
Odessa A’zion | Marty Supreme
A’zion wears a Bottega Veneta dress; De Beers rings; Herbert Levine shoes.
Read the interview here.
Amy Madigan | Weapons
Madigan wears a Celine shirt.
Read the interview here.
Kate Hudson | Song Sung Blue
Hudson wears a Chloé dress; Gianvito Rossi shoes.
Read the interview here.
Jeremy Strong | Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
Strong wears a Tom Ford shirt.
Read the interview here.
Rose Byrne | If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Rose Byrne wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello jacket and blouse; Graff High Jewelry earrings.
Read the interview here.
Wunmi Mosaku | Sinners
Mosaku wears a Michael Kors Collection trenchcoat.
Read the interview here.
Amanda Seyfried | The Testament of Ann Lee
Seyfried wears a Prada shirt and skirt; Tiffany & Co. earrings; Hermès bag.
Read the interview here.
Stellan Skarsgård | Sentimental Value
Skarsgård wears a Martine Rose jacket with attached T-shirt, and pants.
Read the interview here.
Adria Arjona | Splitsville
Arjona wears an Hermès top and skirt; Tiffany & Co. necklace.
Read the interview here.
Will Arnett | Is This Thing On?
Arnett wears an Hermès jacket, shirt, and pants.
Read the interview here.
Lucy Liu | Rosemead
Liu wears a Giorgio Armani dress; Graff High Jewelry necklace.
Read the interview here.
Alexander Skarsgård
Skarsgård wears a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello shirt, pants, tie, and shoes.
Read the interview here.
Kirsten Dunst | Roofman
Dunst wears a Prada shirt.
Read the interview here.
Eva Victor | Sorry, Baby
Victor wears a Givenchy by Sarah Burton lattice dress, bodysuit, and earrings.
Read the interview here.
Imogen Poots | The Chronology of Water
Poots wears a Burberry top.
Read the interview here.
David Corenswet | Superman
Corenswet wears a Prada jacket and T-shirt.
Read the interview here.
Executive producer: Marion Zaphirato at DoBeDo Represents; produced by AP Studio, Inc.; Executive producer: Alexis Piqueras; producer: Anneliese Kristedja; production manager: Hayley Stephon; photo assistants: Phoebe Salmon, Max Hayter, David Katzinger, Bailey Beckstead; 1st AD: Ev Salomon; 1st AC: Emile Misisco, Craig Grossmueller; 2nd AC: Holden Miller; 2nd unit: Robbie Corral, Lawrence Haymes; 2nd unit assistant: Jade Rouse; gaffer: Michael Ambrose; film loader: Rob Reaves; best boy electric: Charlie Schneider; lighting programmer: Brian Fisher; electric: Pez Zee, Billy Coleman III; lighting production assistants: Abhishek Tata, Will Coleman IV, and Liam Serwin; driver/electric: Angel Gonzales; key grip: Don Reynolds; best boy grip: Paul Giacalone; drivers: Hydouk Honarchian, Joel Bystrom; dolly grips: Adam (Donnie) Cardenas, John Reynolds; audio techs: Jean Paul Robelot, Gabe Linkiewicz; copywriter: Carmen Hall; film labs: Color&Black&White, Fotokem; Fashion Market Editor: Tori López; fashion assistants: Tyler VanVranken, Celeste Roh, Kaley Azambuja, Marissa Diaz, Antonina Getmanova, Makayla Godden, Haleigh Nickerson, Jacob Norton, Lauren Marron; production coordinators: Nina Su, Malica Chehrzad, Miranda Dos Santos; production assistants: Maya Bergman, Mark Cheche, Cosima Croquet, Kyle Dekker, JB Holmquist, Brandon Johnson, Ariana Kristedja, Moose Krupski, Sammi Kugler, Alan Krohn, Rich Monteiro, Lex Vaughn, Patrick Wetton, Lance Williams, Henri Wuilloud; hair assistants: Marvin Tarver, Remy Moore, Denisse Villalvazo Gutierrez, Kelsie Daily; barbers: Drew Rush, Nicholas Suhr; makeup assistants: Lara Weidmann, Maddie Chamberlain, Claire Brooke, Iona Moura, Yui Ogawa; SFX makeup artists: Gage Munster, Marcel Banks; manicure producer: Michelle Saunders; manicure assistant: Pilar Lafargue; set art director: Ciara Halpin; assistant set art director: Melissa McClintock; set decorator: Nancy McIlvaney; on-set dresser: Bryan Clark; set assistants: Phil Doucedame, Sam Hindle, Saskia Kivilo, Chris Pigott; special effects lead: Mark Noel; leadman: Collin LeBrasseaur; Pyro Fire Safety: Duane Burkhart, Henry Kingi Jr; Pyro Stunt Coordinator: Troy Robinson; Extras casting by Shay Neilsen at Lalaland; tailors: Irina Tshartaryan, Gayane Mnastakanyan, Gohar Avagyan at Susie’s Custom Designs; special thanks: Paramount Studios, Stacy Manzanet, Scotty Dalrymple.
