Another month on and still no one has truly emerged as a frontrunner for Best Actor. A Complete Unknown finally debuted and with it came reviews you could only call mixed. Some raves, some rants, but all seemed to agree Timothée Chalamet gives a solid performance that should net him his second Best Actor nomination. But has anyone suggested he’s in line for the win? Not really.
It’s Ralph Fiennes who continues to firm as our possible leader. The man has produced an incredible career of stellar performances. Something about him winning feels like Cillian Murphy last year for Oppenheimer. If Conclave becomes our Best Picture runner, it would seem even more like history is repeating.
After months of speculation surrounding whether the June release of Sing Sing would damage its awards chances, Colman Domingo’s Gotham nomination proved it’s here to play this season. Everyone loves Domingo so he feels safe for an Oscar nod. That really leaves that fifth spot open to all sorts of possibilities. I’m sticking with Daniel Craig (Queer) for now, but December should provide more clarity on how this race is shaping.
BEST ACTOR PREDICTIONS:
1. Ralph Fiennes – Conclave (Focus Features)
2. Adrien Brody – The Brutalist (A24)
3. Colman Domingo – Sing Sing (A24)
4. Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown (Searchlight Pictures)
5. Daniel Craig – Queer (A24)
IN CONTENTION
Jesse Eisenberg – A Real Pain (Searchlight Pictures)
Andrew Garfield – We Live in Time (A24)
Ethan Herisse – Nickel Boys (Amazon MGM Studios)
Nicholas Hoult – Juror #2 (Warner Bros.)
Jharrel Jerome – Unstoppable (Amazon MGM Studios)
Paul Mescal – Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures)
Peter Sarsgaard – September 5 (Paramount Pictures)
Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice (Briarcliff Entertainment)
Sebastian Stan – A Different Man (A24)
John David Washington – The Piano Lesson (Netflix)