Best Actor Oscars Predictions (November)

Now that we know Chadwick Boseman is considered the lead of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and the first reactions to his performance have been incredibly strong, he edges his way to the front of the pack this month. But it must be pointed out this has nothing to do with his untimely death in August. This is the kind of performance that would have netted Boseman the attention of the Academy regardless.

It’s now looking likely this will be a two-horse race between Boseman and Anthony Hopkins. While it’s still far too early to predict how this will play out, we could be looking at a situation where the two actors split wins throughout the season and it’s left to the Academy to settle the battle. Or we call it a tie and everyone goes home happy.

As much as it pains me, Delroy Lindo has dropped out of my predictions this month, purely on the fact Netflix needs to ramp up the Da 5 Bloods campaign and get people buzzing about the film again. In his place moves Steven Yeun for Minari, which just seems to be picking up steam with every passing week. If Yeun and Riz Ahmed are both nominated, it would be the first time in history two actors of Asian descent are nominated in this category in the same year.

BEST ACTOR PREDICTIONS:
1. Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
2. Anthony Hopkins – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)
3. Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)
4. Gary Oldman – Mank (Netflix)
5. Steven Yeun – Minari (A24)

MAJOR CONTENDERS:
Kingsley Ben-Adir – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
George Clooney – The Midnight Sky (Netflix)
Winston Duke – Nine Days (Sony Pictures Classics)
Colin Firth – Supernova (Bleecker Street)
Tom Hanks – News of the World (Universal Pictures)
Tom Holland – Cherry (AppleTV+)
Lakeith Stanfield – Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
Jude Law – The Nest (IFC Films)
Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
Dev Patel – The Personal History of David Copperfield (Searchlight Pictures)