1. MAHERSHALA ALI
Not long before entering the awards season for his remarkable performance in Moonlight (for which he has been collecting almost all the awards there's to collect), Ali played Boggs in the last two installements of The Hunger Games franchise and a part in House of Cards TV show and, now, he's on his way to become an Academy Award winner (if he manages not to miss the nomination, he's a safe bet for a win). From a supporting player in a big franchise to an Oscar favorite in such a short space of time! Plus, he has a scene-stealing part in the hugely popular Hidden Figures, being part of an awarded ensemble cast. But Ali's greatest accomplishment this year is the ability to stand out from big ensemble casts full of mesmerizing performances. Well done, Mr. Newcomer! Moonlight says everything about having him in #1.
2. CHRIS PINE
From starring in The Princess Diaries sequel and an atrocious Lindsay Lohan starred comedy to becoming one of the most successful actors of 2016... people start taking Pine more seriously! Sex symbol status apart, he delivered a nice performance in The Finest Hours, holding himself quite well alongside Casey Affleck, Eric Bana and Ben Foster and benefits from the huge international success of Star Trek Beyond who got both praise from critics and box-office success (more than $158.8M only in US for a total $343.5M worldwide). And finally, he stars one of the biggest Oscar contenders, the critically raved independent hit Hell or High Water, where he delivers the best performance of his career - a performance which is impossible to pass unnoticed, but that most award organizations decided to not recognize. Still, while I still believe in Pine's Oscar chances due to the possibility of AMPAS members going all smiles for Hell or High Water, 2016 is the year Pine was put under the titans' radar and on track to being recognized as a serious actor.
3. CASEY AFFLECK
His performance in Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea alone is the reason why he must be considered one of the actors of the year! It's a performance of a lifetime so brilliant it was impossible to loose buzz since its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival. 
4. RYAN REYNOLDS
Ryan Reynolds is no strange name in the comic-book adaptations universe and after playing Hannibal King, Deadppol and Green Lantern, he went to play Deadpool/Wade Wilson once again, but this time he delivered the best performance of his career...! In Deadpool he uses all his charisma, comedic timing and hunkiness to create an unique character that certainly took major credit in turning Deadpool one of the biggest hits of the year: from a $58M budget, it grossed $783.2M worldwide, it received raved reviews and it featured a kind of a cult acting performance. A great and charismatic performance nominated for a Golden Globe of Best Actor in a Musical-Comedy...
5. ADAM DRIVER
He delivers a winning critically raved (and awarded) performance in Paterson by playing... guess what, Paterson, who lives in a city named... guess what... Paterson! - it's a mater's performance in a movie that could turn into a bore if he wasn't able to be that sympathetic, poetic and magnetic. One of the best performances of the year, by far! Starring Martin Scorsese's passion project Silence alongside Andrew Garfield doesn't hurt his status for sure and he manages to hold himself brilliantly alongside Garfield and the scene stealing appearances of Issei Ogata. With Jeff Nichol's Midnight Special also under his 2016's belt, Adam Driver is a definitive choice for the fans of real acting. One of the best actors of the new generation, by far!
Honorable mention for breakthrough year: Alden Ehrenreich for his "movie-stealing" performance in the Coen brothers' acclaimed comedy Hail, Caesar! and for his nice turn in Rules Don't Apply
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