Marianne Jean-Baptiste was up for Supporting Actress 28 years ago in Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies, which received five total nominations including Best Picture, Director, Actress (Brenda Blethyn) and Original Screenplay. Leigh and Jean-Baptiste have collaborated again for Hard Truths which was unveiled at the Toronto Film Festival before its December 6th stateside bow. Costars include Michele Austin, David Webber, and Tuwaine Barrett. It could certainly put Jean-Baptiste in the mix again and this time for lead Actress.
The Metacritic score for the drama is 86 while some reviews say it’s not top-tier Leigh. The British filmmaker is a five-time hopeful for Original Screenplay (he’s never won). In addition to his Lies mention, the other nominated screenplays are Topsy-Turvy, Vera Drake, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Another Year. He could still make the Academy’s cut for Truths, but it’s no guarantee given the slightly more mixed reaction.
Based on buzz alone, Jean-Baptiste would be a slam dunk for Best Actress inclusion. Yet there’s the competition to consider. That includes a growing list that includes Angelina Jolie (Maria), Mikey Madison (Anora), Saoirse Ronan (The Outrun), Karla Sofia Gascón (Emilia Pérez), Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), and, yes, Amy Adams (Nightbitch). I also question whether distributor Bleecker Street is equipped to run an effective campaign. That said, she is certainly in the top 10 of competitors and likely close to making the quintet. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
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