Best Actor - Just how volatile is that fifth spot?

by Nathaniel R

Former Oscar winners: Denzel, Nicolas (and Javier Bardem) all rising on the chart

Oscar chart update time. The SAG nominations threw a wrench into Best Actor predictions with the inclusion of the polarizing performance (or rather polarizing casting) of Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos. But is he really a threat to the nomination? Probably, yes, as Oscar's acting branch loves almost nothing more than celebrities playing other celebrities. Not all biopics are about celebrities or star bonafide celebrities so this is a special awards-magnetized division of the overall 'genre' if you will. We think he might be nominated -- especially if Nicole Kidman becomes the clear favourite in Best Actress -- but he's hardly locked up. Especially because it seems extra foolish to assume his nomination chances are as sturdy as the other four SAG nominees (Will Smith, Andrew Garfield, Benedict Cumberbatch, Denzel Washington) who have all scored at all three important precursors (which Bardem has not). 

Our conclusion. The fifth spot is a true free-for-all...

Click to read more ...

Almost There: Ian McKellen in "Richard III"

by Cláudio Alves

With its streaming release on Apple TV+, it seems like everyone is watching The Tragedy of Macbeth. As people discuss Joel Coen's adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish play, talks of Oscar are nearly unavoidable - Denzel Washington is poised to earn his ninth acting nomination for the titular role. However, while his awards triumph feels obvious, one shouldn't think that playing the Bard's most famous roles is an easy ticket to the Oscars. Many major adaptations have been snubbed over the years, and even when the Academy embraces a Shakespearean flick, it rarely extends such love to its cast.

Look no further than Sir Ian McKellen's first major bid at big-screen stardom. In 1995, after starring in a famed stage production directed by Richard Eyre, the actor decided to take that Richard III to the movies…

Click to read more ...

Sidney Poitier (1927-2022)

by Nathaniel R

The Oscar winning actor Sidney Poitier has died at the age of 94 in the Bahamas, leaving a remarkable legacy behind. Do you remember when you first became aware of Sidney Poitier? It can be difficult to pinpoint for stars of his magnitude. The most legendary actors become so much a part of the cultural fabric that it feels as if they have always existed. As if they have always been part of the very conception of "Hollywood" as our dream machine, as if the cinema couldn't have existed without them. But this is not strictly true. Hollywood had no room for any sidney poitiers before Sidney Poitier. His undeniable charisma and dramatic talent were potent enough to force Tinseltown's gates open, and reconceptualize who could be a movie star. And, it must be said, his good timing helped too...

Click to read more ...

The Case for Andrew Garfield Winning Best Actor

By Ben Miller

Garfield at The Hollywood Reporter actor's roundtableWill Smith has had his name chiseled into the Best Actor Oscar since we first laid eyes on the trailer for King Richard.  It's a foregone conclusion, no need to pay attention to anyone else.  As with Best Actor last season and Best Actress 2018, everyone knows who is going to win, so it doesn't matter who the Academy votes for! If your memory is fogging up, it's because those "foregone conclusion" frontrunners in 2018 and 2020 did not, in fact, take home the trophy.

2021 may well repeat history as Andrew Garfield campaigns, charms, and web-slings his way into the conversation to take home Best Actor on Oscar night.  Let's break down the reasons why Garfield could walk away with the trophy...

Click to read more ...

Almost There: Peter Dinklage in "The Station Agent"

by Cláudio Alves

With Cyrano in cinemas at the end of the month, Peter Dinklage is on the hunt for his first Oscar nomination. Playing a musicalized version of the classic role, the actor can capitalize on his stardom, which has been steadily growing over the past decade. After years of being ignored, Dinklage's stint in Game of Thrones made him a household name, beloved by the industry and with a slew of trophies to show for it. Will an Oscar nomination be next? It's the second time he's seeking Hollywood's most coveted statuette, having also been a contender back in 2003. Tom McCarthy's The Station Agent was Dinklage's breakthrough, an indie gem with incredible acting across the board…

Click to read more ...