Red Carpet Lineup: Cannes Best Actress Watch
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 at 5:06PM We'll update the Oscar charts when Cannes wraps up but for now let's talk about the buzziest actresses of the festival. We should note, however, that Cannes juries are notoriously hard to predict and there are still a few competition films left to premiere. What's more, every year people say "this is a shoo in for that!" and it does not come to pass -- especially when it comes to the acting prizes.
But here are five gorgeous and talented actresses at their premieres* who have garnered enough buzz to make us go "hmmmmm"
From left to right...
Sandra Hüller stars in the nearly 3 hour comedy Toni Erdmann about a prank loving father and his overly serious daughter. The film comes from German director Maren Ade who had a critical hit several years back with Everyone Else (2009). Hüller's chief claim to fame is the drama Requiem (2006) for which she won Best Actress in Germany.
Ruth Negga, best known to date for her television work in the UK and in the US, definitely has Oscar buzz for the 50s interracial marriage drama Loving (alongside screen husband Joel Edgerton) but Oscar buzz is only rarely equivalent to Cannes buzz so only the jury knows if this is one of those times. Loving comes to US theaters in November.
Isabelle Huppert stars in Paul Verhoeven's revenge thriller Elle (*which has not yet premiered from my understanding). But ahead of its premiere Sony Pictures Classics picked it up for distribution and word on the performance is hot. That said, until tastemakers truly get a look at it we can't know if that's just PR buzz or something deeper, like another milestone in her legendary career. Huppert has never been Oscar nominated -- she probably frightens the Academy -- but it may surprise you to hear that the equally controversial Verhoeven has, for all intents and purposes. One of his earliest films, Turkish Delight (1973) was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film. Yes, yes, technically that nomination belongs to the Netherlands rather than to Verhoeven himself but we think of it as also belonging to the director since generally speaking the directors are the ones that pick up the statue and say their thank yous. Verhoeven hasn't made a full length feature since his terrific uncomfortably sexy World War II thriller Black Book (2006) so we'll await this with eager eyeballs.
Kristen Stewart starred in the opening night film Café Society (reviewed here) but she's also the lead of the polarizing ghost story of some sort (we're trying not to read reviews) called Personal Shopper. It's been both booed and raved. Will the jury love it or hate it? It's worth noting that her last duet with Assayas (Clouds of Sils Maria) nabbed her the best reviews of her career, multiple awards notices, and the French César.
the ever gorgeous Sonia Braga
Finally, there's the enduring 65 year old star Sonia Braga who headlines the Brazilian picture Aquarius. It's getting the kind of reviews that leave us salivating, both because of a juicy lead role for this fine actress (who Oscar totally stiffed in 1985 for her prismatic fascinating star turn in Kiss of the Spider Woman), and for the possibility that Brazil could make some headway in the Oscar race. Consider this tweet from our friend Tim Robey:
AQUARIUS: so moving, deepens so intelligently, ends so brilliantly, and has an exact moment when you see Sonia Braga get Oscar-nominated.
— Tim Robey (@trim_obey) May 17, 2016
Brazil hasn't received a foreign language film nomination since Central Station (1998, a category they should have won) and they've yet to win the Oscar. The director of Aquarius, Kleber Medonça Filhou was previously submitted by Brazil for Neighboring Sounds (2013, reviewed).
Do you want to place any bets on the Jury prizes this year?
Reader Comments (32)
sônia <3 <3 <3
and that beautiful protest by the cast at the red carpet! where's DILMA who comments here?
Braga was so transfixing in Kiss of the Spider Woman. I can't wait to see Aquarius.
... and Sasha Lane from Arnold's American Honey. She got raves! Raves, I tell you.
Hoping for several ties that exclude Stewart.
Yes, very surprised to not see Sasha Lane on here, or Adele Haenel.
all less than attractive outfits...
I'm rooting for Ruth Negga. I love Nichols' movies and she was great in the clip I saw.
The only way for my faith in the Academy to be reinstated, is for Isabelle Huppert to be Oscar nominated for best actress in my lifetime.
Still hurting from the 85 snub.
It's really too bad that Pathe did not show Florence Foster Jenkins at Cannes, since critics in the UK like it. But I know it's expensive to do a premiere, etc. Kristin Stewart is giving me Vegas cocktail waitress, and she and Blake Lively take the prize for desperate and tacky.
Team Braga
Don't forget Anal Clooney.
I really wish that people would hold the insults to the women featured in this site for other places in the internet. I come to this site to celebrate film, not to trash it. I don’t understand why a commenter would call Stewart and Lively desperate and tacky without any context and another calling Amal Clooney, Anal Clooney... sigh..
Team Huppert for Oscar Nom!
Huller and Hupert's films seems far more likely to win in other categories (the former in Palme d'Or or director given the reviews). Likewise, I could see Nichols taking screenplay for Loving. I would put my prediction on Braga or Stewart at this stage, just depends which may George Miller's mind goes, I guess.
Anal Clooney just fits, clearly.
but I agree with you on Stewart and Lively.
Don't forget Marion Cotillard! She's in the two most panned movies so far - could this finally be her year?
Special Jury Prize for Jena Malone for The Neon Demon!!!!!!!
I'd be pleased as heck to see Braga win!! My guess is that TONI ERDMANN and LOVING will get recognized elsewhere by Cannes (and maybe PERSONAL SHOPPER), so maybe that helps her chances.
I come here for the drama,
Yay, Sonia Braga. I heard that she and Robert Redford had a thing after they made The Milagro Beanfield War. I loved that movie too, which came out a few years after Kiss of the Spider Woman. .
Cris -- i wish that too. Mostly we like to celebrate actresses here.
Pam - i saw that. i had convinced myself that Braga was going to be a big star in the US. It never quite happened but she's managed a very steady career and that's what only the lucky ones can do.
Cris
I come here to hear positi e and negative critiques so I don't waste time on
Poor movies. As I stated before... Perhaps this is not the site for the overly sensitive.
I can't wait to see Ruth Negga. The Irish press were so pleased that one of their own got a warm reception in Cannes.
The description of the film Toni Erdman makes it sound awful, like those guys that are always telling you, how about a smile honey, lighten up, can't you take a joke. A woman being serious is not a flaw that has to be changed. But maybe the bare description of the film doesn't do it justice.
@adri
Maren Ade is pretty outspoken about women's rights, so I'm pretty sure the film is very different from what you might think it is after reading the description. Plus, the reviews make it sound amazing.
I am just presuming that Amal Clooney is a typo or autocorrect error.
Huppert already has two Best Actress prizes from Cannes and I don't think anyone has ever won three.
I think Huller will win and given how good she was in Requiem I am okay with that.
I was always surprised at the critical reception for Central Station and Montenegro.
Huppert for a 3rd ...
rick
nobody is saying that you shouldn't be critical of film or that you should not voice an opinion about something film related. I always enjoy reading intelligent and witty comments, and little shade here and there is fun. But when I start seeing that the focus is shifted towards maliciously putting down a person, especially an actress, IT. DRIVES. ME. INSANE!!! and yes, I'm proudly "overly sensitive" about that. I love that this site has always focused on the positive first and that you re guaranteed to visit the film experience to a bouquet of beautiful, talended actresses every day.
Cris.
Point taken.
Yes, Team Huppert here too, although reading the positive reviews for Sonia Braga's film 'Aquarius' makes me want to see it someday soon. I hope the Cannes momentum will bring an Oscar nomination to Braga and especially to Huppert. Not that I put so much premium on the Oscar, but it is more for a variety of roles these actresses will be offered due to exposure.
I'm also a Team Fernanda Montenegro for 'Central Station' in 1998.
It is a crime that City of God was not nominated for Foreign Language Film, but at least it got those four out-of-the-blue noms the following year, as a nice make-up from AMPAS.
It would be sweet to see Sonia Braga nominated, assuming the performance warrants it. It would actually could become a yearly thing, the cherished/legendary foreign actress slot, Emmanuelle Riva, Marion Cotillard (too young for legend?), Charlotte Rampling, Sonia Braga...
Sonia Braga in "Aquarius" is a masterpiece!