The appointments are booked in Hollywood: facials, workouts, spray tans and final fittings! Oscar nominees are getting ready for their red carpet walk.. and if they're lucky.. a walk up to the stage to accept their Academy Award. We all like to think we can pick a winner. Let's go through the acting categories and see who's likely to rise to the top!
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- Amy Adams (Vice)
- Marina de Tavira (Roma)
- Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk)
- Emma Stone (The Favourite)
- Rachel Weisz (The Favourite)
This one's easily down to two. Stone and Weisz will cancel each other out, as the ladies fighting for the attention of the queen in "The Favourite." Marina de Tavira came out of the blue and will stay there as the wife & mother in "Roma." That leaves Amy Adams a Lynne Cheney in "Vice." It's her sixth nomination with no wins. Will the Academy make her wait one more time like Glenn Close? Probably so. Regina King was excellent as the mom in "If Beale Street Could Talk." Though she wasn't even nominated for a SAG/AFTRA award (what were they thinking?) , she's won just about everything else this season. The Academy is talking, and they'll crown King.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
- Mahershala Ali (Green Book)
- Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman)
- Sam Elliott (A Star Is Born)
- Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
- Sam Rockwell (Vice)
This is Mahershala Ali's award to lose. He's been a consensus winner leading up to the Oscars, for his portrayal of pianist Dr. Don Shirley in "Green Book" (and no, he did not play the piano in the film.) He's really a second lead to Viggo Mortensen, but studios like to spread things out hoping to rack up the wins. This award often goes to a journeyman (think James Coburn, Christopher Plummer). Wouldn't it be fun to see Sam Elliott win for "A Star Is Born" in his 50th year in the business? (He should win for best voice and mustache, regardless!) Mahersala just won for "Moonlight" two years ago, but anyone but Ali would be a knockout upset.
BEST ACTRESS
- Yalitza Aparicio (Roma)
- Glenn Close (The Wife)
- Olivia Colman (The Favourite)
- Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born)
- Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me?)
YOUR VOTE: Who will win the Oscar for Best Actress?
Lady Gaga will win for her music in "A Star Is Born," and it will end there for her. Olivia Coleman was brilliant as the queen in the royal romp, "The Favourite," and she's certainly a contender here. But when I first wrote about "The Wife," I said go ahead and give Glenn Close her Oscar right now, and I'm sticking to it. This is her seventh nomination with no wins. C'mon! She's also been a powerful speaker on the awards circuit, and the Academy loves a strong acceptance speech (as long as it doesn't go over 90 seconds.) Score a first for Glenn.. and it won't even be close!
BEST ACTOR
- Christian Bale (Vice)
- Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born)
- Willem Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate)
- Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody)
- Viggo Mortensen (Green Book)
YOUR VOTE: Who will win the Oscar for Best Actor?
This is the tightest race. Bradley Cooper wasn't nominated as Best Director for "A Star Is Born." Will they give him the consolation prize here? He hasn't won a statue yet. Neither has Viggo Mortensen, though he was off the charts good in "Green Book." Christian Bale's amazing transformation into Dick Cheney in "Vice" is Oscar worthy, but the money's on Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody." I'm not a huge fan of this movie. It was way too sanitized for the subject matter, but Malik has picked up a number of prizes along the way, so no time for losers, 'cause he is the champion.. of the Oscar world!