JENNIFER LAWRENCE or EMMA STONE

I think Lawrence has more talent and her highest high (Winter's Bone) is several notches above Stone's (La La Land). I really like both of them though.

I like Stone much more, though I don't think either is doing anything revolutionary, they're both incredibly charming/amusing in their own ways. Stone was kind of a force of nature in Easy A, and I'd still take that over anything from Lawrence. They need to do a movie together asap.

I find Lawrence to be one of the most talented actresses of her age group, but she usually suffers in comparisons like this because so far she's yet to truly live up to her potential. She's frequently miscast and/or in lackluster, forgettable fare, which really brings her down a notch. Understanding your strengths, maneuvering your career accordingly and choosing strong projects are also paramount tools for any actor, and that's where I think she's outshone by some of her contemporaries.

Stone may not have yet displayed the raw potential that Lawrence did in Winter's Bone, but the résumé that she's putting together is seriously impressive, and roles like Easy A, Birdman and La La Land fit her to a tee, which gives her room to really make the them her own and excel. As a result, those three performances alone are far more satisfying and compelling than anything that Lawrence has done since her Oscar win. (Same goes for Kristen Stewart, by the by: what she lacks in range, she makes up for in screen magnetism and project selection. By being smart with her choices, she's able to play to her strengths and establish herself as one of the most watchable and captivating young actresses out there right now.) That's why I have to give Stone the edge here: she's currently making better films and giving better performances, and that puts her ahead of someone who broke out with a bang but hasn't really wowed me in 4 years.

Stone, though I do like Lawrence.

Emma. She's just so usually down to earth and charming. Plus, she has a charm, which can make even dreck like Easy A a bit more palatable when its running.