Oscar Predictions 2013: Best Actress

 

They say the same thing every year, that there just aren't enough good roles out there for women, but this year I just don't think thats true. With a large range of dramatic roles over possibly the widest age range in the academy awards history, there is everything from a superb perfomance by a 9 year old girl to a brilliant performance from an 85 year old actress. But whose names will be called out when they reveal the nominations in January? Let's take a look a possible contenders...

 

A few weeks ago there was no doubt in my mind or anyone elses; it seems that Jennifer Lawerence's name was already on the Oscar for Best Actress. In Silver Linings Playbook she is brilliant, funny, honest, vulnerable, sexy and crazy. With a stand out performance, she steals the film and holds her own against Robert De Niro. It would be a well deserved win and looked set to be a lock until....

 

 

The first reviews came out for Zero Dark Thirty and everyone started to cream their pants over Jessica Chastain's performance. The academy may also feel like she is owed one after her work over the last few years and not to mention her previous nomination. I have yet to see the film but intend to as soon as it comes out so I can make my judgement, but if the critics and bloggers are anything to go by, it gonna be a race to finish between these two leading ladies.

 

 

Marion Cotillard's perfomance in Rust and Bone has been generating oscar buzz since it was first seen at Cannes Film Festival. The academy loves to reward past winners with a follow up nomination, a pat on their own back for the choice they made, and Cotillard hasn't recevied one since she won a few years ago for La Vie En Rose. This is some of her best work and I loved her in it.

 

                     

 

Another French actress who has been causing a lot of oscar buzz is the 85 year old Emanuelle Riva in Amour. If she does earn a nomination then she'll be the oldest nominated Best Actress in academy history, beating that old bat Jessica Tandy by five years. But is there room in the category for two French actresses? We'll just have to wait and see.

 

                     

 

The last place is a little hard to call, with the wonderful debut perfomance of Quvenzhané Wallis  in Beasts of the Southern Wilds, potenially becoming the youngest nomiee ever. Two British actresses both also have a shot at a place in the nominations - Helen Mirren in Hitchcock and Keira Knightley in Anna Karennina - but their chances seem to lessening as the weeks pass. I'd like to see either of these two names on the list but then there is also a chance for Naomi Watts in the Impossible, but I think it's a long shot.

 

Alright then, here are my predictions for Best Actress:

 

1. Jennifer Lawrence - Sliver Linings Playbook.

 

2. Jessica Chastain -  Zero Dark Thirty.

 

3. Marion Cotillard - Rust and Bone.

 

4. Emanulle Riva - Amour.

 

5. Helen Mirren - Hitchcock.

 

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Or have I forgotten someone you think should be nomintaed, let me know.