Is the Best Actor in a Leading Role contest even a contest? Did Oscar-hopeful actors gnash their teeth when they found out their best-chance movies were up against a Lincoln political thriller? Directed by Spielberg? Starring Daniel? Day? Lewis? If I were making bets on Oscar night, I’d go all in on this one…with my sympathies to Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Hugh Jackman (Les Miserables), Denzel Washington (Flight) and Joaquin Phoenix (The Master…and my runner-up choice).
In the Supporting Role field, I’m going to throw my support to Christoph Waltz, since my favorite Django Unchained supporting actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) isn’t in the running. Waltz already racked up a Golden Globe for his turn as the verbose and kindly bounty hunter Dr. Shultz, and I think he deserves an Oscar, too. Are any of you rooting for Alan Arkin (Argo), Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook), Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln), or Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master…also my runner-up favorite…the film was more satisfying as an acting showcase than as a story)?
Bradley Cooper
Alias (My favorite Cooper role)
Daniel Day-Lewis
Hugh Jackman
Joaquin Phoenix
Denzel Washington
Alan Arkin
Robert De Niro
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Tommy Lee Jones
Captain America: The First Avenger
I was pleasantly surprised when I watched Wet Hot American Summer last year for the first time in years and realized that a young Bradley Cooper was in the film. Love this list of before they were mega-stars films. Sometimes its their best work.