The 98th Oscars is finally this Sunday March 15th, with returning host Conan O'Brien. Hope it's a fun show, with a bunch of surprises. Here are my predictions in seven major categories.
We're going to start with Best Actor in a Leading Role. The nominees are Timothee Chalamet — "Marty Supreme," Leonardo DiCaprio — "One Battle After Another," Ethan Hawke — "Blue Moon," Michael B. Jordan — "Sinners" and Wagner Moura — "The Secret Agent." Chalamet was nominated last year. DiCaprio is a previous winner. For Hawke, this is his fifth career nomination. I believe it will be Michael B. Jordan, who played two roles — twins — in "Sinners.” He just won SAG's Actor Award. I think he will also win the Oscar.
For Best Supporting Actor, the nominees are Benicio Del Toro — "One Battle After Another," Jacob Elordi — "Frankenstein," Delroy Lindo — "Sinners," Sean Penn — "One Battle After Another" and Stellan Skarsgard — "Sentimental Value." Benicio Del Toro won for "Traffic" 25 years ago. Sean Penn already has two Oscars. He's won a couple other big prizes this awards season. Could he win his third Academy Award? Maybe. But I think Delroy Lindo has huge momentum right now. I'm predicting he will win Best Supporting Actor.
For Best Actress in a Leading Role, the nominees are Jessie Buckley — "Hamnet," Rose Byrne — "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You," Kate Hudson — "Song Sung Blue," Renate Reinsve — "Sentimental Value" and Emma Stone — "Bugonia". Emma Stone has already won twice. She's not going to win for this. For Kate Hudson, it's her first nomination in 25 years [since "Almost Famous"]. I believe Jessie Buckley, who has been sweeping this category this awards season for her powerhouse performance in "Hamnet", will be an Academy Award winner.
Best Supporting Actress now. The nominees are Elle Fanning — "Sentimental Value," Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — "Sentimental Value," Amy Madigan — "Weapons," Wunmi Mosaku — "Sinners" and Teyana Taylor — "One Battle After Another." The "Sentimental Value" votes will probably split. Could be Wunmi Mosaku. [For] Amy Madigan, this is her first nomination in 40 years, since "Twice in a Lifetime." She could win. She's been receiving some of the other big prizes this awards season. But I believe the Golden Globe winner will also be the Oscar winner: Teyana Taylor, for "One Battle After Another."
Best Animated Feature: The nominees are "Arco," "Elio," "KPop Demon Hunters," "Little Amelie or The Character of Rain" and "Zootopia 2." The first "Zootopia" won in this category almost a decade ago, so I think a lot of Academy members will have that on their minds. It's got to be the music phenomenon, "KPop Demon Hunters."
For Best Director, the nominees are Chloe Zhao — "Hamnet," Josh Safdie — "Marty Supreme," Paul Thomas Anderson — "One Battle After Another," Joachim Trier — "Sentimental Value" and Ryan Coogler — "Sinners." After 14 nominations, Paul Thomas Anderson will finally win, in this category, as well as Best Adapted Screenplay. Ryan Coogler, who's in this category, will win Best Original Screenplay.
And finally, Best Picture of the Year. The 10 nominees are "Bugonia," "F1," "Frankenstein," "Hamnet," "Marty Supreme," "One Battle After Another," "The Secret Agent," "Sentimental Value," "Sinners" and "Train Dreams." "One Battle After Another" has been named Best Picture by so many awards groups and associations this awards season. But "Sinners" has the all-time record number of nominations for the Oscars this year, with 16. It's a movie that came out last April but everyone still remembers it and loves it. "Sinners" will win Best Picture.
Below are my predictions in all 24 categories. Enjoy the Oscars! For WAMC, I'm Jackson Murphy.
Best Picture — "Sinners"
Best Director — Paul Thomas Anderson, "One Battle After Another"
Best Actor — Michael B. Jordan, "Sinners"
Best Actress — Jessie Buckley, "Hamnet"
Best Supporting Actor — Delroy Lindo, "Sinners"
Best Supporting Actress — Teyana Taylor, "One Battle After Another"
Best Original Screenplay — "Sinners"
Best Adapted Screenplay — "One Battle After Another"
Best Animated Feature — "KPop Demon Hunters"
Best Documentary Feature — "The Perfect Neighbor"
Best International Feature — "Sentimental Value"
Best Casting — "Sinners"
Best Cinematography — "Sinners"
Best Costume Design — "Frankenstein"
Best Film Editing — "One Battle After Another"
Best Makeup and Hairstyling — "Frankenstein"
Best Production Design — "Frankenstein"
Best Sound — "F1"
Best Visual Effects — "Avatar: Fire and Ash"
Best Animated Short Film — "Retirement Plan"
Best Documentary Short Film — "All the Empty Rooms"
Best Live-Action Short Film — "A Friend of Dorothy"
Best Original Score — "Sinners"
Best Original Song — "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters"
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