1.
Bill Murray for Hyde Park On Hudson
Born: September 21, 1950 - Wilmette, Illinois, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2004 - Best Leading Actor for Lost In Translation (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1998 - Rushmore; 2005 - Broken Flowers; 2010 - Get Low
In spite of being a terrific actor, loved by the audiences and respected in the cinema business, Bill Murray's immunologic system faced a couple of Oscar snubs, but the I believe the Academy member's may have big plans for him soon, since he plays President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the upcoming Hyde Park On Hudson. Such an interesting character, such an interesting plot and such a good actor, Murray is just pure awesomeness during the movie trailer, promising a big amount of charisma delivery. After almost winning for his first and only nod for Lost In Translation, Bill Murray seems to have good Oscar prospects this year and the growing Best Picture buzz around Hyde Park On Hudson, which only benefits him, specially when we all know how the AMPAS loves to honour the portrays of American Presidents (and this one comes in a wheelchair!).
2.
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
Born: April 29, 1957 - Greenwich, London, England, UK
Previous
Oscar acting recognition: 1990 - Best Leading Actor for My Left Foot (win); 1994 - Best Leading Actor for In the Name of the Father (nom); 2003 - Best Leading Actor for Gangs of New York (nom); 2006 - Best Leading Actor for There Will Be Blood (win)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1997 - The Boxer
Well, truth to be told, Daniel Day-Lewis is one of the most demanding actors working today, choosing only interesting projects to him and every time he accepts a part, he emmerges himself into the character. Playing one of the most intriguing figures of American history - President Abraham Lincoln - Mr. Day Lewis has everything on his side in order to get another Oscar nomination (including a team that includes Steven Spielberg, an Oscar nominated screenwriter and an ensemble supporting cast composed by talented acting names), but winning a third Oscar this soon is just unlikely to happen, since it requires a "Meryl Streeping" number of nominations. I'm not expecting less than an "amazing" performance from this acting giant and since Lincoln promises to be "good" from the worst point of view, Day Lewis is on the way to another Academy Award nomination, but not to another win, I believe.
3.
Joaquin Phoenix for The Master
Born: October 28, 1974 - San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2001 - Best Supporting Actor for Gladiator (nom); 2006 - Best Leading Actor for Walk the Line (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2008 - Two Lovers
The AMPAS loves when one of its sons comes back home and Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix has his comeback after four years of absence from acting, starring Paul Thomas Anderson's upcoming The Master. If there were any doubts about his placement in the awards race, I believe the movie trailer made things very clear: Phoenix is the leading man and he's just hypnotic during almost two minutes and thirty seconds, pure acting dynamite. Starring a Paul Thomas Anderson movie is almost a guarantee of Oscary material that usually gives an Oscar nod to an actor or actress (Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise and Daniel Day Lewis did it) and The Master promises to be no exception, specially for Phoenix, who plays an alchoolic man in a post-war new life: it just screams Oscar!
4.
John Hawkes for The Sessions
Born: September 11, 1959 - Alexandria, Minnesota, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2011 - Best Supporting Actor for Winter's Bone (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2011 - Martha Marcy May Marlene
Hawkes may not play a dying man, but he surely has one of the meatiest roles of the year (and one of the most physically limited too). Sundance raves draw huge hopes around his performance and the movie gained the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award - Dramatic and the Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize - Dramatic for Ensemble Acting and since Mr. Hawkes is the highlight of The Sessions... and a natural Oscar contender for a nod (and maybe a win) this year. According Los Angeles Times, we have "John Hawkes in a performance that recalls Daniel Day-Lewis Oscar winning role in 'My Left Foot'" and since his first Oscar nod (for Debra Granik's Winter's Bone) stills fresh and since he delivered an extraordinary performance in last year's Martha Marcy May Marlene, I believe he may be in advantage in the next Oscar race. The buzz promises to keep this strong until January...
5.
Oscar Isaac for Inside Llewyn Davis
Born: January 5, 1980 - Guatemala
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
There must be a first-time Oscar nominee in the Best Leading Actor nominations shortlist, but my big question is "Will it be Oscar Isaac or Hugh Jackman?". Well... I believe that Oscar Isaac has better chances for Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, not because the movie is an instant Best Picture Oscar buzzy movie with epic songs and epic sets, but because it promises to have less epic distractions such as an epic ensemble supporting cast fighting! I don't remember a bad casting choice by the Coen bros and the fact is that Oscar Isaac was the best thing in flop Sucker Punch and called my attention in Drive. Playing a singer-songwriter who navigates New York's folk music scene may not be an instant Oscar-buzz kind of character, it will depend on how much range the character recquires, but if the Coens gave him the part, it's because they saw something in this guy. Plus, according to Isaac himself, there will be some concert scenes recorded live: the AMPAS just loves music, but Hugh Jackman also sings live in Les Miz... Who will hit the "Oscar note"? I have a feeling it will be Oscar!
6. Hugh Jackman for Les Misérables
Born: October 12, 1968 - Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
Jackman never had an Oscar-worthy performance, but he never had a meaty role, but, this year, he plays Jean Valjean in Tom Hooper's upcoming adaptation of the musical Les Misérables and Jackman is a praised Broadway-musical performer. While Jackman's part in Les Miz promises a lot, the movie has an all-star supporting cast that are getting a stronger buzz and have most of the best scenes (and songs) of the musical - Jackman will have to be astonishing in order to not be outshined.
Jackman never had an Oscar-worthy performance, but he never had a meaty role, but, this year, he plays Jean Valjean in Tom Hooper's upcoming adaptation of the musical Les Misérables and Jackman is a praised Broadway-musical performer. While Jackman's part in Les Miz promises a lot, the movie has an all-star supporting cast that are getting a stronger buzz and have most of the best scenes (and songs) of the musical - Jackman will have to be astonishing in order to not be outshined.
7. Clint Eastwood for Trouble With the Curve
Born: May 31, 1930 in San Francisco, California, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1993 - Best Leading Actor for Unforgiven (nom); 2005 - Best Leading Actor for Million Dollar Baby (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2008 - Gran Torino
Since Clint Eastwood is seen as an acting legend of the cinema history it's just strange he has only two Oscar nominations under his belt and zero wins for acting. This year, he plays a baseball scout who's getting blind (I'm not sure about the "blind" information) in a father-daughter drama in Robert Lorenz directorial debut. He retired from acting since his Oscar-worthy performance in Gran Torino and seems to do not have any projects as an actor soon, so, will the AMPAS pass an opportunity to nominate this acting legend for Best Leading Actor? Maybe not, but the movie must be any good.
Since Clint Eastwood is seen as an acting legend of the cinema history it's just strange he has only two Oscar nominations under his belt and zero wins for acting. This year, he plays a baseball scout who's getting blind (I'm not sure about the "blind" information) in a father-daughter drama in Robert Lorenz directorial debut. He retired from acting since his Oscar-worthy performance in Gran Torino and seems to do not have any projects as an actor soon, so, will the AMPAS pass an opportunity to nominate this acting legend for Best Leading Actor? Maybe not, but the movie must be any good.
8. Brad Pitt for Killing Them Softly
Born: December 18, 1963 - Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1996 - Best Supporting Actor for Twelve Monkeys (nom); 2009 - Best Leading Actor for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (nom); 2012 - Best Leading Actor for Moneyball (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2006 - Babel; 2011 - The Tree of Life
Playing a quietly powerful sociopath in a very well-received movie in Cannes Film Festival, Brad Pitt may get another Oscar nomination easily since he seems to be living the best years of his career since Benjamin Button and 2011 was the best of them all. Critics loved his performance in Killing Them Softly, audiences love him and this guy is a true movie star, but this year's competition is full of very good actors with meaty roles and Pitt already got some serious recognition in last awards season for both Moneyball (Oscar nod) and The Tree of Life. Will the "Brad Pitt factor" seduce the AMPAS two years in a row?
Playing a quietly powerful sociopath in a very well-received movie in Cannes Film Festival, Brad Pitt may get another Oscar nomination easily since he seems to be living the best years of his career since Benjamin Button and 2011 was the best of them all. Critics loved his performance in Killing Them Softly, audiences love him and this guy is a true movie star, but this year's competition is full of very good actors with meaty roles and Pitt already got some serious recognition in last awards season for both Moneyball (Oscar nod) and The Tree of Life. Will the "Brad Pitt factor" seduce the AMPAS two years in a row?
9. Matthias Schoenaerts for Rust & Bone
Born: December 8, 1977 - Belgium
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
He starred last year's Best Foreign Picture nominated Bullhead and now he's getting some Oscar traction for Rust & Bone. Some critics draw comparision between Schoenaerts and Marlon Brando, praising his extremely physical-full-of-testosterone, raw and full of depth performance, more than holding himself alongside Marion Cotillard. While he may not be seen as an obvious Best Leading Actor Oscar contender in this year's race, I believe he may be a major surprise during awards season and may even win some unexpected traction. If Rust & Bone will compete for Best Foreign Picture and the AMPAS goes for it, I believe Cotillard won't be only one getting an acting Oscar nod for this one.
He starred last year's Best Foreign Picture nominated Bullhead and now he's getting some Oscar traction for Rust & Bone. Some critics draw comparision between Schoenaerts and Marlon Brando, praising his extremely physical-full-of-testosterone, raw and full of depth performance, more than holding himself alongside Marion Cotillard. While he may not be seen as an obvious Best Leading Actor Oscar contender in this year's race, I believe he may be a major surprise during awards season and may even win some unexpected traction. If Rust & Bone will compete for Best Foreign Picture and the AMPAS goes for it, I believe Cotillard won't be only one getting an acting Oscar nod for this one.
10. Terrence Stamp for A Song for Marion
Born: July 22, 1938 - Stepney, London, England, UK
Previous
Oscar acting recognition: 1963 - Best Supporting Actor for Billy Budd (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1994 - The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; 1999 - The Limey
Having Terrence Stamp playing a dying woman's husband who joins a church choir seems just lovely and if the movie gets enough love from the audiences, it is possible to see Stamp getting some accolates for being the leading man of a crowdpleaser. But the movie also stars Vanessa Redgrave as the dying wife and if A Song for Marion gets the kind of treatment Mike Mills' Beginners got, she will be the only one getting some recognition from the Academy, no matter how wonderful the other actors performances are.
P.S.: Leonardo DiCaprio was a contender, but since The Great Gatsby was delayed to Summer 2013, Terrence Stamp took his place in my predictions
Having Terrence Stamp playing a dying woman's husband who joins a church choir seems just lovely and if the movie gets enough love from the audiences, it is possible to see Stamp getting some accolates for being the leading man of a crowdpleaser. But the movie also stars Vanessa Redgrave as the dying wife and if A Song for Marion gets the kind of treatment Mike Mills' Beginners got, she will be the only one getting some recognition from the Academy, no matter how wonderful the other actors performances are.
P.S.: Leonardo DiCaprio was a contender, but since The Great Gatsby was delayed to Summer 2013, Terrence Stamp took his place in my predictions
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