Oscar voting is done, so all that’s left in Hollywood is to show up in fancy duds and either hoist a trophy in triumph or smile ruefully for the ABC cameras Sunday night at the 96th Academy Awards in Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre.
But for those of us who are entering Oscar pools, there’s work to be done. To help you out, here are our best guesses in all the races:
Picture: “Oppenheimer”
This one’s not quite the lock that Da’Vine Joy Randolph is (see below) but it’s pretty close, especially after recent wins for the cast at the Screen Actors Guild awards and the film at the Producers Guild awards.
Director: Christopher Nolan, “Oppenheimer”
Some years, a split between picture and this award makes sense because of a flashy job of directing. This is not one of those years, particularly since the reliably great Nolan has never won.
Actress: Lily Gladstone, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Emma Stone could still snag this, for a showier, trickier role in “Poor Things,” but she already has one and Gladstone, who’d be the first Indigenous acting winner, is a landmark choice.
Actor: Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
Another two-person race. I once thought previously nominated Paul Giamatti (”The Holdovers”) would nose out Murphy. Could still happen but the latter has more momentum.
Supporting Actress: Da’Vine Joy Randolph, “The Holdovers”
Randolph has won every supporting trophy. This one will be no different.
Supporting Actor: Robert Downey Jr., “Oppenheimer”
Another one comes down to two, with lots of goodwill for Ryan Gosling in “Barbie,” but Downey has paid more dues than Ken.