2019: Best Actress

Contenders
*Determined by precursor mentions*
Awkwafina as Billi Wang in The Farewell
Ana de Armas as Marta Cabrera in Knives Out
Cate Blanchett as Bernadette Fox in Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Jessie Buckley as Rose-Lynn Harlan in Wild Rose
Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman in Harriet
Beanie Feldstein as Molly Davidson in Booksmart
Scarlett Johansson as Nicole Barber in Marriage Story
Lupita Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson/Red in Us
Saoirse Ronan as Josephine "Jo" March in Little Women
Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell 
Emma Thompson as Katherine Newbury in Late Night
Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in Judy

Precursors 

Awkwafina: CC • Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)
De Armas: Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)
Blanchett: Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)
Buckley: BAFTA 
Erivo: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • SAG • Oscar
Feldstein: Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)
Johansson: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar
Nyong'o: CC • SAG •
Ronan: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA • Oscar
Theron: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar
Thompson: Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)
Zellweger: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar

Predictions: Nominations
TBA

Predictions: Winners 
TBA

Audience Polls: Who Deserves/Deserved to Win?:
TBA

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Personal Ranking: 
Last Updated: 26/09/22
1. Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland in Judy
2. Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman in Harriet
3. Saoirse Ronan as Josephine "Jo" March in Little Women
4. Scarlett Johansson as Nicole Barber in Marriage Story
5. Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly in Bombshell

Predictions September: Lead Actor & Lead Actress

Best Actor

Predicted Winner: 

Austin Butler in Elvis

Predicted Nominees: 

Colin Farrell in The Banshee of Inisherin

Brendan Fraser in The Whale 
Hugh Jackman in The Son
Bill Nighy in Living

On the Bubble: 

Diego Calva in Babylon 

Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick
Gabriel LaBelle in The Fabelmans

Others: 

Adam Driver in White Noise

Song Kang-ho in Broker
Jeremy Pope in The Inspection
Daniel Radcliffe in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (if eligible)

Best Actress

Predicted Winner: 

Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Predicted Nominees: 

Naomi Ackie in I Wanna Dance With Somebody
Cate Blanchett in TÁR 
Danielle Deadwyler in Till 
Michelle Williams in The Fabelmans

On the Bubble: 

Ana de Armas in Blonde
Olivia Colman in Empire of Light
Viola Davis in The Woman King
Margot Robbie in Babylon

Others: 

Jessica Chastain in The Good Nurse
Mia Goth in Pearl
Jennifer Lawrence in Causeway
Carey Mulligan in She Said 
Emma Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

Predictions September: Supporting Actor & Supporting Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Predicted Winner: 

Ke Huy Quan in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Predicted Nominees: 

Paul Dano in The Fabelmans

Brendan Gleeson in The Banshee of Inisherin

Judd Hirsch in The Fabelmans

Ben Whishaw in Women Talking

On the Bubble: 

Brad Pitt in Babylon 

Eddie Redmayne in The Good Nurse

Others: 

Woody Harrelson in Triangle of Sadness

Brian Tyree Henry in Causeway

Anthony Hopkins in Armageddon Time

Luke Macfarlane in Bros

Ashton Sanders in I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Best Supporting Actress

Predicted Winner: 

Jesse Buckley in Women Talking

Predicted Nominees: 

Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All at Once
Claire Foy in Women Talking
Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All at Once

Jean Smart in Babylon

On the Bubble: 

Hong Chau in The Whale

Janelle Monaé in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Others: 

Angela Bassett in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Patricia Clarkson in She Said
Kerry Condon in The Banshees of Inisherin
Dolly De Leon in Triangle of Sadness
Laura Dern in The Son
Whoopi Goldberg in Till
Anne Hathaway in Armageddon Time
Nina Hoss in TÁR
Zoe Kazan in She Said
Vanessa Kirby in The Son
Lashana Lynch in The Woman King
Rooney Mara in Women Talking
Thuso Mbedu in The Woman King
Samantha Morton in She Said
Gabrielle Union in The Inspection

Michelle Williams to campaign for Lead Actress

 

Although Michelle Williams appeared to be an early front-runner for the Supporting Actress Oscar, in a turn of events, she will be campaigning in the Leading Actress category for the Steven Spielberg-inspired biopic The Fabelmans, in which she plays the director's mother. 

Williams was nominated for an Oscar four times (Brokeback Mountain, Blue Valentine, My Week with Marilyn, Manchester by the Sea), but never won. This time, instead of running a near-certain campaign as supporting, she chose strong opponents in the person of Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) and Cate Blanchett (TÁR) in an attempt to take the crown.

Did she make the right decision? Only time can tell. 

Reviews: Luke Macfarlane in Bros

 *The post contains the opinions of Rotten Tomatoes certified Top Critics.*

"Eichner and Macfarlane’s sideways chemistry offers plenty to swoon over as they stroll and chat in a graciously filmed Manhattan and, for a brief but no doubt expensive jaunt, Provincetown." (Vanity Fair)

"The duo’s yin-yang chemistry is never wholly believable, this despite Macfarlane’s charmingly low-key performance as a juicehead who’s attracted to Bobby for his intelligence, success and lack of reserve." (The Daily Beast)

"Inevitably Macfarlane’s bro gets a little less texture and at times his existence and some of his dialogue borders on fan fiction (he tells Bobby how incredible he is on numerous occasions but the same is rarely said back to him) but the actor, a Hallmark Channel stalwart, makes for a charming vision of what a dream boyfriend could be." (Guardian) 

Verdict:

Although based on the reviews Macfarlane is undoubtedly one of the bright spots of Bros, the Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) and Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) type of showstopper raves about his performance are missing.

Reviews: Jesse Buckley & Claire Foy in Women Talking

*The post contains the opinions of Rotten Tomatoes certified Top Critics.*

"Women Talking is a showcase for its leading ladies...particularly, a distressed Buckley and incensed Foy - revolve." (The Daily Beast)

"Foy painfully illustrates Salome's apoplexy about what was done to her daughter." (Vanity Fair) 

"Buckley commandingly lashes out in confusion and fury." (Vanity Fair) 

"The actor turned director brings strong performances from a talky female ensemble, including Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley." (Guardian)

"There’s really strong work here from Foy, recovering from a brief career stumble where she went to Hollywood and came back empty-handed, whose flickering anger burns through the screen also from...a typically flinty Buckley..." (Guardian)

"If Foy or Buckley don't get at least one major industry nod, the awards system isn't working." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Claire Foy, who runs away with the movie in a performance of burning rage...You see it in Foy’s eyes so vividly that you believe she means business." (TheWrap)

"As Mariche, who’s long been suffering in her cruel husband’s hands, Jessie Buckley portrays another one of the clan’s most memorable women. Her character is perhaps the most complicated one too, stuck between a sense of resignation and concealed desire to burn it all down." (TheWrap)

"Buckley chips away at her character’s defensive callousness with such controlled precision that you can feel the exact moment she hits bone." (indieWire)

"Foy has the most animated role, and therefore also the most show-stopping moments, but the way she ratchets up the “You’re all a bunch of boys!” energy she brought to “First Man” is a sight to behold." (indieWire)

Verdict: 

Both actresses have received excellent reviews and are likely to be nominated for an Oscar. The only question is, which of the two has a better chance, because the critics didn't quite come to a decision on this matter. Buckley is the Oscar nominee, but Foy has also won prestigious awards during her career (including two Primetime Emmy awards for The Crown), not to mention that she was already close for First Man. The British bloc can support both. 

2007: Best Actress

Contenders

*Determined by precursor mentions*

Amy Adams as Princess Giselle in Enchanted

Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Nikky Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray

Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Julie Christie as Fiona Anderson in Away from Her

Marion Cotillard as Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose

Jodie Foster as Erica Bain in The Brave One

Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl in A Mighty Heart

Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis in Atonement

Laura Linney as Wendy Savage in The Savages

Elliot Page as Juno MacGuff in Juno

Precursors 

Adams: CC • Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)

Blanchett: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar

Blonsky: Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)

Bonham Carter: Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical)

Christie: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar

Cotillard: CC • Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar

Foster: Golden Globe (Drama)

Jolie: CC • Golden Globe (Drama) • SAG

Knightley: Golden Globe (Drama) • BAFTA

Linney: Oscar

Page: CC • Golden Globe (Comedy or Musical) • BAFTA • SAG • Oscar

Predictions: Nominations
ComingSoon: Blanchett ★ Christie ★ Cotillard ★ Jolie ★ Page
Slant Magazine: Adams ★ Christie ★ Cotillard ★ Jolie ★ Page
Vulture: Christie ★ Cotillard ★ Jolie ★ Knightley ★ Page 

Predictions: Winners 
Scene-Stealers: Christie 
Whatever: Page
RogerEbert.Com: Page
Slant Magazine: Christie 
Vulture: Christie
The New York Times: Cotillard 
River Cities' Reader: Cotillard
ComingSoon: Cotillard
Firstshowing.Net: Christie

Audience Polls: Who Deserves/Deserved to Win?:
Guardian - 2008: Cotillard (29%) ◾ Christie (25%) ◾ Blanchett/Page (17%) ◾ Linney (11%)

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Personal Ranking: 
Last Updated: 19/09/22
1. Laura Linney as Wendy Savage in The Savages
2. Marion Cotillard as Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose
3. Elliot Page as Juno MacGuff in Juno
4. Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth: The Golden Age
5. Julie Christie as Fiona Anderson in Away from Her