2011 Celebrities: Who Had The Best Year? Adele, Fassbender, Chastain & More

As we count down the final hours of 2011 and look forward to (perhaps drunkenly!) turning the calendar to 2012, the general consensus amongst resolution makers is the same as always: have a better next year.

For some people in Hollywood, however, keeping things exactly the same sounds like a pretty good option, too.

In a town of winners and losers, these stars came out on top in 2011, with big hits, big headlines and big smiles. From breakout stars with a career's worth of film credits in one year to spotlight grabbers with the smarts to keep interviewers wanting more, the following celebs had some of the best years in the business.

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Comments

[Purlantov Purlantov]

04:36 PM on 01/03/2012

Seems like every celebrity that tops these lists ends up having a horrible following year. It is almost like a curse waiting to happen.

-Purlantov Purlantov

[karadjordje]

10:41 AM on 01/03/2012

He swept all best-supporting actor awards with exception of BAFTA and yet he is nowhere to be found on the list. Christian Bale had a stellar year 2011. He should probably fire the P.R. guy but those who know him he will not. Living under the"radar" in sensation driven Hollywood is all right with him.

[Primesuspect]

08:11 AM on 01/03/2012

The women rule- Chastain, McCarthy, Betty White, Adele, Emma Stone. All class acts. Gosling is talented and good-looking in a clean, masculine way. Fassbender is overhyped because of his sex movie.

[getalittlesneakpeek]

03:39 PM on 01/02/2012

THE HARRY POTTER CAST.

[michaeligou]

11:27 PM on 01/01/2012

Betty White gets my vote.

[David Keith]

12:48 PM on 01/01/2012

Oh, come on! DC Comics is whooping ash on Marvel Comics!

[gutenmorgen]

08:40 AM on 01/01/2012

Colin leaves all of them in the dirt. He is not on this list? Why?

[HaroldHowe]

09:36 AM on 01/01/2012

What did he do in 2011 to put him on the list?

[David Keith]

12:48 PM on 01/01/2012

Colin who?

[Primesuspect]

08:12 AM on 01/03/2012

Firth? He's the Colin on my mind :) He's very good in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

[StevieTheK]

08:30 AM on 01/01/2012

when I first heard of Rooney Mara, I thought her name was a joke because it sounded like she was named after two NFL owners.

Apparently she's actually related to both families. Weird.

[HaroldHowe]

09:32 AM on 01/01/2012

Her great grandfather on her mother's side founded the Pittisburgh Steelers and on her father's side founded the NY Giants, where he now acts as the VP of player evaluation. Her real name is Patricia Rooney Mara (her mom's maiden name is Kathleen Rooney).

[butchcliff]

06:57 AM on 01/01/2012

Nice to start the new year with a list of winners, each in their own successes (instead of the usual losers) Positive

[HaroldHowe]

09:35 AM on 01/01/2012

The 4 actors listed are all, first and foremost, great acting talents: Gosling, Chastain, Fassbender and Mara, not celebrities.

[butchcliff]

11:00 AM on 01/01/2012

Splitting hairs? Never used the word celebrities myself, used winners.

[Primesuspect]

08:13 AM on 01/03/2012

Agree with this.Maybe we can avoid Sheens, Lohans, Tigers, Kims, Jennifers.

[butchcliff]

06:23 AM on 01/04/2012

Exactly

[Volt61]

02:28 AM on 01/01/2012

You missed Nicki Minaj....

[David Keith]

12:49 PM on 01/01/2012

Who is that?

[Primesuspect]

08:15 AM on 01/03/2012

Singer? She's probably talented but too gimmicky in a land of gimmicky broads - Gaga, Coco, some who are vulgar and silly.-looking.

[bluegnu63]

01:47 AM on 01/01/2012

Another one: J.R. Martinez. And, he'll be the Grand Marshall of the Tournament of Roses Parade later today. Happy, healthy 2012, everyone!

[Lulo]

02:45 AM on 01/01/2012

Tomorrow. The parade is on monday.

[HoneyRyder]

12:28 AM on 01/01/2012

Michael Fassbender is not only hot , he is talented. he is the new hot guy who can actually act. Yum!

[rini]

12:15 AM on 01/01/2012

I cannot wait for 'Life's too Short." The clips I've seen are hilarious.

[the grange gorman]

07:28 AM on 01/01/2012

it is brilliant , especially Warwick Davis

[sivabala]

07:56 AM on 01/01/2012

The series has been broadcast in the UK. Sorry Rini but it's awful. It's basically a rehash of Gervais earlier work but with Warwick playing Gervais. It's just one big ego trip (yet another one) for Gervais and Merchant.

[rini]

02:34 PM on 01/01/2012

Well, I guess I'll see when it's broadcast here. Hopefully, your wrong.

[GeorgeGee]

11:59 PM on 12/31/2011

No doubt that Ryan Gosling, Jessica Chastain and Emma Stone ripped it up big time this year. They worked alot, and everything they did was fantastic. They have moved into the very rarified air of top end A Listers in Hollywood.

[ofalaska]

11:55 PM on 12/31/2011

This has got to be written by neo-adolescent New York yahoos!