One of the most surprising 21st century Best Actor snubs at the Oscars was Paul Giamatti being left out in 2004 for Alexander Payne’s Sideways. The movie itself nabbed five nominations – Picture, Director, Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen), Supporting Actor (Thomas Haden Church), and a win for its Adapted Screenplay. Somehow its star couldn’t make his final five.
Giamatti would receive his one and only nom in Supporting Actor the following year with Cinderella Man. Nearly two decades after the Sideways omission, his latest collaboration with Payne could get him the second and first in lead. Dramedy The Holdovers has premiered at Telluride prior to an October 27th limited release and November 10th wide bow.
Early reviews are hailing it as a return to form for Payne (100% right now on RT). His previous effort Downsizing in 2017 underwhelmed critics and crowds. It could be his fourth Best Picture nominee after Sideways, The Descendants, and Nebraska and if he gets in for his direction, that would also be #4. The original screenplay by David Hemingson seems like a shoo-in.
Could Giamatti miss again? Sure. We already have major contenders such as Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer), Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers of the Flower Moon), Colman Domingo (Rustin), Bradley Cooper (Maestro), and Barry Keoghan (Saltburn). Those are just the pics that have already screened. I’d look for Focus Features to make a strong push. They’ll do the same for his costars Da’vine Joy Randolph and newbie Dominic Sessa in their supporting fields. The former probably has the best shot, but don’t discount Sessa. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
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