And here we go! We are about four weeks removed from the 96th Academy Awards airing so that means it’s time to start speculating on the 97th. These are my initial glimpses at the four acting races, Director, and Picture and they will unfold on the blog over the next few days. I already posted my first takes on the supporting derbies and they can be perused here:
We now move to Actor. When I did my first picks on the competition in 2023, it yielded two nominees: winner Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer and Bradley Cooper in Maestro. Under the 10 other possibilities, I named Colman Domingo in Rustin and Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers I did not identify Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction) at the early juncture.
Let’s start with an obvious caveat… it’s early. Some movies listed are likely to be pushed back or simply not turn out as awards contenders. Actors listed here could end up being campaigned for in supporting actor.
My first projections give Colman Domingo a second shot in a row in this competition. Cillian Murphy could be back as well. They also open up the possibility of Joaquin Phoenix’s return as Joker giving him another statue in the role. In 2023, I listed Kingsley Ben-Adir in Bob Marley: One Love as one of my predicted quintet. Now he’s an Other Possibility (and a somewhat remote one at that).
Here’s the first snapshot:
TODD’S FIRST OSCAR PREDICTIONS FOR BEST ACTOR AT THE 97TH ACADEMY AWARDS
Daniel Craig, Queer
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ralph Fiennes, Conclave
André Holland, The Actor
Barry Keoghan, Bird
Other Possibilities:
Kingsley Ben-Adir, Bob Marley: One Love
Adam Driver, Megalopolis
Andrew Garfield, We Live in Time
Paul Mescal, Gladiator 2
Cillian Murphy, Small Things like These
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker: Folie à Deux
Glen Powell, Hit Man
Sebastian Stan, A Different Man
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
John David Washington, The Piano Lesson
Best Actress is up next!
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