1.
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2011 - Best Leading Actress for Winter's Bone (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
After the tremendous success of The Hunger Games, where Lawrence delivers such a captivating performance, Jennifer's Oscar dream may come true not because of the critically well-received blockbuster mentioned before but because of David O. Russell's independent comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook (the big winner of TIFF). The movie is under serious Best Picture Oscar buzz and Lawrence's performance is nothing less than raved, being called the biggest standout of the whole movie. Only 22, she makes the critics forget about her youth by playing a "mature" widow with some serious problems, making a huge impression by showing a rage and a comic timing that Winter's Bones audiences never imagined she could have (I only saw Lawrence as a "drama actress" until I read SLP's reviews). She's young, beautiful, the leading lady of a successful franchise, a huge promise in the cinema industry and I believe she may become an Oscar-winning actress very soon.
Born: March 24, 1977 - Sacramento, California, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2012 - Best Supporting Actress for The Help (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2012 - The Tree of Life
Well, before I edited this post I said "I don't expect nothing less than "excellent"" from Chastain and early reviews proved my instinct wasn't wrong. Critics simply loved her performance as a woman fighting for respect and for her convictions in an arena traditinally dominated by testosterone, but she also shows a delicate fragility on the outside at the same time. Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, more than generating Best Leading Actress Oscar buzz, is gaining traction in the Best Picture category, which only benefits Chastain by turning her into one of the front-runners of this race. In fact, there are some Oscar folks talking about a possible Jessica Vs Jennifer battle for the Oscar win, making Chastain's name sounding like a lock in the future nominees shortlist (but it's too soon for "win talking", that in my opinion). The woman who leads the movie about the hunt of the most-wanted-man-in-history, directed by a woman... Nominate Chastain, recognize the women who shine in a man's world.
After the tremendous success of The Hunger Games, where Lawrence delivers such a captivating performance, Jennifer's Oscar dream may come true not because of the critically well-received blockbuster mentioned before but because of David O. Russell's independent comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook (the big winner of TIFF). The movie is under serious Best Picture Oscar buzz and Lawrence's performance is nothing less than raved, being called the biggest standout of the whole movie. Only 22, she makes the critics forget about her youth by playing a "mature" widow with some serious problems, making a huge impression by showing a rage and a comic timing that Winter's Bones audiences never imagined she could have (I only saw Lawrence as a "drama actress" until I read SLP's reviews). She's young, beautiful, the leading lady of a successful franchise, a huge promise in the cinema industry and I believe she may become an Oscar-winning actress very soon.
2.
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2012 - Best Supporting Actress for The Help (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2012 - The Tree of Life
Well, before I edited this post I said "I don't expect nothing less than "excellent"" from Chastain and early reviews proved my instinct wasn't wrong. Critics simply loved her performance as a woman fighting for respect and for her convictions in an arena traditinally dominated by testosterone, but she also shows a delicate fragility on the outside at the same time. Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, more than generating Best Leading Actress Oscar buzz, is gaining traction in the Best Picture category, which only benefits Chastain by turning her into one of the front-runners of this race. In fact, there are some Oscar folks talking about a possible Jessica Vs Jennifer battle for the Oscar win, making Chastain's name sounding like a lock in the future nominees shortlist (but it's too soon for "win talking", that in my opinion). The woman who leads the movie about the hunt of the most-wanted-man-in-history, directed by a woman... Nominate Chastain, recognize the women who shine in a man's world.
3.
Helen Mirren for Hitchcock
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1995 - Best Supporting Actress for The Madness of King George (nom); 2001 - Best Supporting Actress for Gosford Park (nom); 2007 - Best Leading Actress for The Queen (win); 2010 - Best Leading Actress for The Last Station (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
While there are a lot of critics who liked it and others who didn't fell in love for Hitchcock, there's a consensus: Helen Mirren is just great as Alfred Hitchcock's wife/partner, Alma Reville. As the woman behind the man behind the camera, Mirren has a very heartfelt Oscar-friendly role, playing the wife who's pushed aside and underappreciate, the frustration of a talented woman caught in her husband’s larger-than-life shadows - and some AMPAS members may just feel related to her character in some way. Plus, there's is no Oscar-winning veteran name in serious contention in this year's Best Leading Actress race besides Mirren's (exclude Maggie Smith and Meryl Streep, who have become longshots), so she may take the "representative of old school" place in the nominees shortlist. Hitchcock may not be getting universal acclaim, but it seems to be praised enough, featuring great acting performances, with Mirren being considered the brightest thing in the whole movie - I believe she won't be ignored by the Academy.
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
While there are a lot of critics who liked it and others who didn't fell in love for Hitchcock, there's a consensus: Helen Mirren is just great as Alfred Hitchcock's wife/partner, Alma Reville. As the woman behind the man behind the camera, Mirren has a very heartfelt Oscar-friendly role, playing the wife who's pushed aside and underappreciate, the frustration of a talented woman caught in her husband’s larger-than-life shadows - and some AMPAS members may just feel related to her character in some way. Plus, there's is no Oscar-winning veteran name in serious contention in this year's Best Leading Actress race besides Mirren's (exclude Maggie Smith and Meryl Streep, who have become longshots), so she may take the "representative of old school" place in the nominees shortlist. Hitchcock may not be getting universal acclaim, but it seems to be praised enough, featuring great acting performances, with Mirren being considered the brightest thing in the whole movie - I believe she won't be ignored by the Academy.
4.
Emmanuelle Riva for Amour
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
The French acting veteran who's the heart of Michael Haneke's Amour. The movie is under crazy awards buzz and it's considered the main contender in the Best Foreign Picture race and Riva plays a woman with a declining health, turning Amour into a huge acting showcase for her. Critics simply loved her performance and a lot of Oscar folks are predicting a nomination for her, so, I believe the studio will take it in advantage and will campaign for her. It is a foreign-language performance, but the Academy always had an affair with the French language and French actresses, so there's no big deal in this field, but there's Marion Cotillard, who's excellent in Jacques Audiard's Rust & Bone and will compete for the foreign-language performance spot. But the hype around Riva is huge and, at this point of the race, I see her as a lock for an Oscar nomination.
5.
Quvenzhané Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
If the AMPAS want to recognize a 2012 breakthrough performance, I believe that there's no other name worthier of such a honor than Quvenzhané Wallis' so far. Called a "tiny force of nature" and "a flat-out amazement", Miss Wallis may be one of the main reasons why the micro-budget production Beasts of the Southern Wild called such a big amount of attentions during Sundance Film Festival (winning the Grand Jury Prize). If Wallis gets nominated, she'll become the youngest actress to score a Best Leading Actress nomination (the current record is holded by Keisha Castle-Hughes for Whale Rider), which may play a huge role in her benefit: sometimes the Academy just loves to give a record to another person. Plus, the polemic announcement from the SAG who considered Beasts of the Southern Wild to be ineligible for the SAG Awards may just make people feel pitty about the young star Wallis and about the whole movie in general, which may help the movie's Oscar prospects in the Best Picture and Best Leading Actress categories.
6. Marion Cotillard for Rust & Bone
Born: September 30, 1975 - Paris, France
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2008 - Best Leading Actress for La vie en rose (win)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2009 - Nine
With one of the best post-Oscar win careers of today, Marion Cotillard is having a rockin' 2012 thanks to The Dark Knight Rises critical and commercial success and to her raved "raw" performance in Rust & Bone, for which she's getting some serious Oscar buzz. Cannes was crazy about her work in Audiard's latest, but she didn't get the film festival's acting prize and she missed a nod in the Best European Actress category of this year's European Film Awards, which may turn her Oscar chances smaller compared to Emanuelle Riva. Having both nominated is possible, but not likely to happen.
7. Keira Knightley for Anna Karenina
Born: March 26, 1985 - Teddington, Middlesex, England, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2006 - Best Leading Actress for Pride & Prejudice (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2007 - Atonement; 2011 - A Dangerous Method
There are a lot of Knightley lovers, but there are also a lot of Knightley haters... Miss "English Rose" may be a divisive actress, but her previous collaborations with Joe Wright always earned her solid Oscar buzz and, in P&P case, an Oscar nomination. There are some love around her performance in Anna Karenina and Oscar folks are including her name in their predictions. I believe she has a BAFTA nod assured, but I have some doubts about her Oscar chances, since she was completely ignored by big awards for her rage-showcase performance in A Dangerous Method, last year.
8. Mary Elizabeth Winstead for Smashed
Born: November 28, 1984 - Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
Miss "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World"just made a huge impression in Sundance by delivering what critics named a "tour de force performance" in Smashed, where plays an alcoholic wife who struggles through sobriety. She will get some nods and a couple of wins for sure, but if the Independent Spirit Awards and the SAG Awards decide to nominate her, I believe Smashed may become Winstead's Half Nelson (the indie drama that gave Ryan Gosling his Oscar nod).
9. Maggie Smith for Quartet
Born: December 28, 1934 - Ilford, Essex, England, UK
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1966 - Best Supporting Actress for Othello (nom); 1970 - Best Leading Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (win); 1973 - Best Leading Actress for Travels with My Aunt (nom); 1979 - Best Supporting Actress for California Suite (win); 1987 - Best Supporting Actress for A Room With a View (nom); 2002 - Best Supporting Actress for Gosford Park (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1987 - The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne; 1993 - The Secret Garden
She got huge praise for playing a prima donna in Dustin Hoffman's directorial effort Quartet, but, in spite of the raves, the reception between Oscar folks wasn't enthusiastic - it simply didn't generate Oscar buzz. Miracles can happen and maybe if she gets a "surprise" SAG Award nomination or an unexpected Golden Globe nod (the movie seems too small to Globes' tastes), things may happen...
10. Meryl Streep for Hope Springs
Born: 22nd June, 1949 - Summit, New Jersey, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 17 nominations, with 3 wins (1980 - Best Supporting Actress for Kramer Vs Kramer; 1983 - Best Leading Actress for Sophie's Choice; 2012 - Best Leading Actress for The Iron Lady)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1979 - Manhattan; 1996 - Marvin's Room; 2002 - The Hours
Meryl is always great and Hope Springs features a performance where she proves she can be a great comedy actress. Playing a wife who wants to improve her relationship with her husband (including her sex-life) is just delicious to watch. Critics loved her and her chemistry with Tommy Lee Jones and the movie is a smart comedy, but Meryl took home her third Oscar last year, so maybe she has to wait for her 18th Oscar nomination, but a Golden Globe nod seems assured.
Born: March 26, 1985 - Teddington, Middlesex, England, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 2006 - Best Leading Actress for Pride & Prejudice (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 2007 - Atonement; 2011 - A Dangerous Method
There are a lot of Knightley lovers, but there are also a lot of Knightley haters... Miss "English Rose" may be a divisive actress, but her previous collaborations with Joe Wright always earned her solid Oscar buzz and, in P&P case, an Oscar nomination. There are some love around her performance in Anna Karenina and Oscar folks are including her name in their predictions. I believe she has a BAFTA nod assured, but I have some doubts about her Oscar chances, since she was completely ignored by big awards for her rage-showcase performance in A Dangerous Method, last year.
8. Mary Elizabeth Winstead for Smashed
Born: November 28, 1984 - Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: none
Oscar snubed performance(s): none
Miss "Scott Pilgrim Vs the World"just made a huge impression in Sundance by delivering what critics named a "tour de force performance" in Smashed, where plays an alcoholic wife who struggles through sobriety. She will get some nods and a couple of wins for sure, but if the Independent Spirit Awards and the SAG Awards decide to nominate her, I believe Smashed may become Winstead's Half Nelson (the indie drama that gave Ryan Gosling his Oscar nod).
9. Maggie Smith for Quartet
Born: December 28, 1934 - Ilford, Essex, England, UK
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 1966 - Best Supporting Actress for Othello (nom); 1970 - Best Leading Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (win); 1973 - Best Leading Actress for Travels with My Aunt (nom); 1979 - Best Supporting Actress for California Suite (win); 1987 - Best Supporting Actress for A Room With a View (nom); 2002 - Best Supporting Actress for Gosford Park (nom)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1987 - The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne; 1993 - The Secret Garden
She got huge praise for playing a prima donna in Dustin Hoffman's directorial effort Quartet, but, in spite of the raves, the reception between Oscar folks wasn't enthusiastic - it simply didn't generate Oscar buzz. Miracles can happen and maybe if she gets a "surprise" SAG Award nomination or an unexpected Golden Globe nod (the movie seems too small to Globes' tastes), things may happen...
10. Meryl Streep for Hope Springs
Born: 22nd June, 1949 - Summit, New Jersey, USA
Previous Oscar acting recognition: 17 nominations, with 3 wins (1980 - Best Supporting Actress for Kramer Vs Kramer; 1983 - Best Leading Actress for Sophie's Choice; 2012 - Best Leading Actress for The Iron Lady)
Oscar snubed performance(s): 1979 - Manhattan; 1996 - Marvin's Room; 2002 - The Hours
Meryl is always great and Hope Springs features a performance where she proves she can be a great comedy actress. Playing a wife who wants to improve her relationship with her husband (including her sex-life) is just delicious to watch. Critics loved her and her chemistry with Tommy Lee Jones and the movie is a smart comedy, but Meryl took home her third Oscar last year, so maybe she has to wait for her 18th Oscar nomination, but a Golden Globe nod seems assured.
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