Recap: PopCultureGuy's 2012 Entertainers of the Year

Number 1 - Heart

Number 2 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Number 3 - Ryan Murphy

Number 4 - Jennifer Lawrence

Number 5 - Chris Hemsworth

PopCultureGuy's 2012 Entertainers of the Year: Number 1 - Heart

Photo Credit: Sony Legacy/Miles High

Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson, along with their band Heart, had a banner year in 2012. They released their first ever box set, Strange Euphoria, as well as a new CD, Fanatic, and a memoir, Kicking & Dreaming. Heart also received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, were chosen for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013, and the band also toured throughout most of the year. Ann and Nancy also made numerous appearances on various talk shows and news programs. In addition, Ann sang the National Anthem at the Dallas Cowboys' Thanksgiving day game and the sisters wowed the crowd at the Kennedy Center Honors with their "Stairway to Heaven" tribute to Led Zeppelin.

2012 has been an amazing year for the Wilson sisters, who started Heart more than 35 years ago and just now seem to be receiving long overdue recognition. They are clearly dedicated musicians whose drive and talent has stood the test of time. The recent accolades that they have received are a reminder of their significant contributions to the music industry and they clearly have much more to give. Anyone who attended a recent Heart concert can attest to the power of Ann's voice and Nancy's amazing guitar playing skills, as well as her boundless energy. I am not sure if Heart can ever top what they achieved in 2012, but I would not bet against them.

PopCultureGuy's 2012 Entertainers of the Year: Number 2 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Photo Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images

Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues to shine in a variety of different film roles. The Indie darling has branched out to mainstream films in recent years and has become one of the busiest actors in the movie industry. Gordon-Levitt appeared in four films in 2012, playing the lead role in two of them, Looper and Premium Rush, and contributing significant supporting roles in the other two, The Dark Knight Rises and Lincoln. His versatility in portraying characters in different genres, including sci-fi, action/adventure and historical epics, is extremely impressive. He has also added a degree of physicality to his work, which is on display throughout Premium Rush. In addition to his film roles in 2012, Gordon-Levitt hosted Saturday Night Live for the second time and continues to contribute to his hitRECord website, which is a creative collaborative effort that produces music, artwork and has also spawned The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories series (the second volume was recently released). I have been a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt since his work on the Dark Shadows revival series in 1991. He has continually impressed me over the past twenty plus years and I expect and hope that he will continue to do so for many years to come.

PopCultureGuy's 2012 Entertainers of the Year: Number 3 - Ryan Murphy

Glee, American Horror Story and The New Norman are three of my favorite television series and they were all created by Ryan Murphy. Before Glee, I was an avid viewer of Murphy's Nip/Tuck for a few years, especially during the Carver storyline, and was impressed with the often controversial subject matter. The diversity of the aforementioned series speaks to the creativity of Murphy, who is willing to take chances and experiment with different genres. Despite the critical backlash facing Glee, I have remained a loyal viewer. Yes, the consistency is lacking, but some episodes are brilliant, including this season's "The Break Up." Glee also routinely introduces likable new characters who are portrayed by talented youngsters. There is still much to like about the series.

American Horror Story has had two terrific seasons and I am thrilled to see Jessica Lange prove that she has not lost her ability to steal every scene in which she appears. The series, like Nip/Tuck, is not afraid to explore controversial subject matter and the writing constantly challenges the actors to rise to the occasion and they almost always do.

The New Normal seemed to be an early critical favorite, but has since fallen out of favor. I am enjoying the series and I think the work that young Bebe Wood (Shania) has been doing is Emmy worthy. The writing for The New Normal is strong and the banter between Shania and Bryan (Andrew Rannells) is just perfect. I hope the series finds the audience that it deserves. Three is clearly a charm for Ryan Murphy.

PopCultureGuy's 2012 Entertainers of the Year: Number 4 - Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence is, perhaps, the finest young actress of her generation. The 22 year-old has delivered consistently solid performances since her Oscar nominated turn in the 2010 film Winter's Bone. In 2011, Lawrence assumed supporting roles in The Beaver, Like Crazy and the very successful X-Men: First Class. However, the best was yet to come for Lawrence, who won the coveted role of Katniss Everdeen in this year's mega-hit, The Hunger Games, and she assumed the lead role in a convincing and physically impressive way. Her star will, no doubt, continue to rise in the two upcoming Hunger Games sequels. Of all of her performances, I think Lawrence has done her best work to date in the recently released Silver Linings Playbook. Lawrence portrays Tiffany, a troubled young woman who is still grieving for her recently deceased husband and is dealing with emotional problems which led to her making several very bad decisions. The depth of her performance and the strength of character that she exhibited is extraordinary for any actor of a similar age. Jennifer Lawrence is already a cinematic treasure and I suspect her career will last as long as she wants it to.

PopCultureGuy's 2012 Entertainers of the Year: Number 5 - Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth has gone from rising star to superstar over the past two years. The Thor actor has proven that he is the real deal and, as a result, appeared in four movies in 2012. To be fair, two of those films, The Cabin in the Woods and Red Dawn were made a few years ago, but were not released in a timely manner. Regardless, there was little to like about Red Dawn, besides Hemsworth's performance as the leader of a resistance group who are trying to reclaim their country from invaders. The Cabin in the Woods was a much better film, with Hemsworth playing more of a supporting role, but he was effective nonetheless.

Of course, it was Hemsworth's portrayal of Thor that made him a household name and he reprised that role for this year's mega-hit The Avengers. Although Thor was one of many characters in the ensemble cast, Hemsworth made him stand out in several scenes. Another film that allowed Hemsworth to showcase his physical talents was Snow White and the Huntsman, which was released this past summer and became a hit. Looking ahead, Thor 2 will be released in 2013 and another installment of Snow White and the Huntsman is "to be determined." but it appears that Hemsworth will reprise his role if the film becomes a reality.

Obviously, Chris Hemsworth's good looks and physical presence have helped land him roles in major films. However, there is much emotion simmering beneath his brawny exterior and it is on display in many of his performances. He excels at playing the "everyman" hero who can always be looked upon to help those in need. Besides that, Hemsworth appears to be a friendly and down to earth guy who you would want to have a beer with. He has also caught the eye of talented directors, including Ron Howard, who cast Hemsworth in the upcoming film Rush, as race car driver James Hunt. That speaks volumes about his talent and potential. I am certain that Chris Hemworth's star will continue to rise in 2013 and beyond.