On Tuesday morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce the Oscar nominations. Sometimes the Academy gets it right. However, often the voters get it wrong.
Here’s one person’s opinion on who should be the acting nominees based on the movies he has seen.
(Note: The selections were limited to five. Also, here are my picks for the best movies of 2023.)
Best Actor
Colman Domingo, Rustin
Zac Efron, The Iron Claw
Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers
Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer
Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction
Paul Giamatti is a well-deserving and sentimental choice. Surprisingly, he has received only one Oscar nomination (Best Supporting Actor for 2005’s Cinderella Man). Giamatti’s second collaboration with Alexander Payne, but first since Sideways (2004), was a Christmas treat capturing the melancholy of the holidays. In The Holdovers, Giamatti is perfect as a worn-out, uptight teacher at a prestigious New England prep school. His character remains likable even when he’s condescending— not an easy feat to pull off. But Giamatti has always infused relatable humanity into all of his roles. Cillian Murphy is a strong candidate, and the Academy loves historical portrayals. However, no performance was more moving in this category than Giamatti’s.
Best Actress
Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon
Carey Mulligan, Maestro
Margot Robbie, Barbie
Emma Stone, Poor Things
Teyana Taylor, A Thousand and One
This should be a two-woman race. Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone give exceptional performances that are polar opposites. Gladstone is a remarkable example of how great acting doesn’t necessarily need a ton of dialogue. She’s the emotional core of Killers of the Flower Moon, and it’s probably not as impactful without her. That’s an astounding realization in a film that features Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Meanwhile, Stone is fearless and funny in Poor Things, showing off her physical acting gifts as well as her verbal skills. There aren’t many who could have pulled off the role of a lustful reanimated corpse.
Best Supporting Actor
Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction
Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer
Ryan Gosling, Barbie
Glenn Howerton, BlackBerry
Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things
Arguably the deepest category. But if we have to separate a couple of standouts from a loaded field, it would be Sterling K. Brown and Glenn Howerton. For Brown, this is his crowning achievement in a lifetime of solid work. The most emotional moments in American Fiction occur with Brown at the heart of it all. The nursing home scene when his character dances with his mother is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking. Meanwhile, Howerton’s turn as a driven, foul-mouthed executive in BlackBerry is so much fun. When you imagine rootable villains, Howerton gives a performance that brings a smile to your face.
Best Supporting Actress
Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple
Penélope Cruz, Ferrari
Jodie Foster, Nyad
Marin Ireland, Eileen
Da’Vine Joy Randolph., The Holdovers
If awards were handed out based on one scene, Marin Ireland would take home the Oscar easily. She’s only in two scenes in Eileen but dominates, especially in the emotional climax. Her gut-wrenching monologue is the most mesmerizing moment captured on film in 2023. But since Ireland will probably not make the cut, Danielle Brooks is a welcome choice. She brings so much energy and joy to The Color Purple. Even when her character hits a low point and seems to be a shell of her former jubilant self, she provides a terrific exclamation point during a dinner table scene.
