Each of the four acting categories this Awards Season has their share of veteran candidates who could be honored, not only for their 2015 performance, but for their entire careers.
In the Best Actor race, there’s Michael Caine as a retired orchestra conductor in the drama “Youth”. He’s a two-time Oscar winner, as is Tom Hanks, who’s excellent as a brave and inspiring lawyer in Steven Spielberg’s “Bridge of Spies”. Hanks hasn’t been Oscar-nominated since “Cast Away” 15 years ago. And then there’s Ian McKellen, who shines as an elderly Sherlock Holmes in the sadly little-seen drama “Mr. Holmes”.
The Best Actress category is even more crowded with living legends: Lily Tomlin as the title “Grandma”, Blythe Danner for the indie “I’ll See You in My Dreams” (the first screener Academy and Critics Choice voters received), Maggie Smith as “The Lady in the Van”, and Charlotte Rampling, whose buzz keeps growing for her work in the relationship drama “45 Years”. And we can’t leave-out Helen Mirren (“The Queen” of this group) with her performance in “Woman in Gold”.
There are three veteran contenders vying for Best Supporting Actor nods: Michael Keaton is currently the frontrunner for his performance in the ensemble true story “Spotlight”. Top honors for him may seem overdue following last year’s “Birdman” snubs from SAG, BAFTA and Oscar voters. Harvey Keitel carries some of the best scenes of any movie this year in “Youth”. And, like the underdog boxer who lands a knockout punch, Sylvester Stallone is stunning the entertainment world and skyrocketing up the rankings in category as Rocky Balboa in “Creed”. This is a cinema icon at his finest, and both he and the film continue to be embraced by critics and audiences. Stallone is a surprise, but legitimate contender.
And in the Best Supporting Actress race, Caine and Keitel’s “Youth” co-star, Jane Fonda is earning rave reviews for her brief (six-minute) but impressive scene. Joan Allen (“Room”) and Julie Walters (“Brooklyn”) are very much in contention as well.
The average age of these 14 actors: 71.