With less than two weeks to go before Chris Rock takes the stage for The 88th Annual Academy Awards, here’s what you need to know about the six major categories:
Picture is Wide-Open
This year’s Best Picture race is one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. This split breakdown is insane: “The Revenant” won the Golden Globe for Best Drama, while “The Martian” took Best Comedy. “Spotlight” earned the Critics Choice Best Picture and SAG Awards Best Ensemble honors. And “The Big Short” won the Critics Choice Best Comedy Award and the Producers Guild of America equilvalent of Best Picture of the Year. BAFTA just gave “The Revenant” top honors. Anything can happen.
Director Repeats Itself?
The Globes and BAFTAs chose Alejandro G. Inarritu (“The Revenant”); they made-up for not giving him a trophy for “Birdman” last year. Inarritu also became the first person ever to win back-to-back Directors Guild of America Awards. One caveat: George Miller received the win from the Critics Choice Awards for “Mad Max: Fury Road”. And Tom McCarthy (“Spotlight”) and Adam McKay (“The Big Short”) aren’t out of this race by any means.
The Leads are Practically Locks
While I’m not making my official predictions quite yet, it’s safe to say that Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”) and Brie Larson (“Room”) are on unstoppable runs heading-into The Oscars for Best Actor and Best Actress, respectively.
Stallone is the Favorite, but Semi-Frontrunner
Rocky Balboa’s off-screen comeback story is one for the ages, but Stallone isn’t a guarantee Oscar winner. Even though he won the Globe and Critics Choice Awards, Stallone didn’t receive SAG Awards and BAFTA nominations for his performance in “Creed”. The SAG went to Idris Elba (“Beasts of No Nation”), who ISN’T up for the Oscar (making SAG history), so Stallone and his marketing team got a bit of a break there. But the BAFTA went to Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies”), and I still believe Christian Bale (“The Big Short”) is getting a lot of consideration.
Supporting Actress is a Solid Race
On the SAG Awards red carpet, Kate Winslet admitted to E!’s Giuliana Rancic just how crazy the Best Supporting Actress category has been this Awards Season. Alicia Vikander (“The Danish Girl”) has shifted from the Supporting to Lead categories for every other show, and Rooney Mara (“Carol”) has been in the same boat. Winslet herself (up for “Steve Jobs”) has stayed consistently in the Supporting Actress group, which is why she took home the Globe. But Vikander, the Critics Choice and SAG winner, has been building momentum. However, BAFTA just awarded Winslet, and she may just wind-up taking home her second Oscar.