In a very weak year for lead actress performances, Jennifer Aniston seeks notice for her work in the character piece Cake. Though mostly met with mixed to negative reviews, Aniston has something her competitors on the fringe mostly don’t have: major star power. I guess it doesn’t need saying that bringing Aniston in a race where Angelina Jolie is front and center could prove too delicious for gossip sites to ignore. It could turn into a big thing, like a Kathryn Bigelow vs. Jim Cameron thing and no one is really bringing it up. The reason they don’t bring it up is a good one: who cares? It isn’t that anyone cares, nor should they – a silly tabloid contrivance built to sell magazines that women inclined towards fantasy and taking sides fell way too easily into – Gone Girl anyone? Yet, it’s still out there, this presence of a presumed conflict that could rear its ugly head.
Bringing herself out front and center during Oscar season is the way to publicize a movie, especially if critics aren’t going to do it for you. It also helps Aniston earn, potentially, a Golden Globe nod for role, maybe a Spirit Award. To get an Oscar nod she doesn’t need to appeal to critics. She needs to appeal to actors and they might be appreciative of a Big TV actress dressing herself down and stretching her acting abilities on a smaller scale.
Aniston has been quietly delivering challenging performances for a while now but hasn’t ever really put her star power front and center like she is doing now and that could make all of the difference. It WILL certainly make the difference for the Golden Globes where we will have our dress rehearsal for the potential media frenzy around the Brad/Jen/Angelina love triangle. It’s just like Debbie Reynolds/Eddie Fisher/Elizabeth Taylor! Like that this story, this one has been hard to let go of because women don’t want to let it go. They cast Aniston as the good girl and Angelina as the bad girl, which was absurd. Every once in a while they drag it out and there they are – a fake story on the cover of Us Weekly, which has done more harm to the evolution of women than just about anything else in mainstream media.
While the gossip sites might make a big deal over it, I’m sure it’s water under the bridge for Aniston and certainly for Jolie and Pitt, who have gone on to grow their family and finally get married. Meanwhile, the ongoing fake drama spoon fed to desperate women who “identify” with Aniston has obsessed on whether Aniston will get pregnant, whether she’s married – her love life an ongoing distraction. Oh, the humanity.
But all of that aside, can Aniston break into the top five? The bored pundits keep creating scenarios that swap out one or two but I’m not sure the five is shakable. Let’s go through them.
1. Julianne Moore for Still Alice – Moore is so overdue that all she really needed was a double year like this one where she plays an aging actress resorting to desperate measures in Maps to the Stars, and a professor facing Alzheimer’s in Still Alice, the latter will likely win her award. Moore is showing up, meaning she’s already appeared in pivotal spots so far and is likely prepared to do what even Meryl Streep had to do during the Iron Lady – shake hands, talk to people, in it to win it. She’s in the number one spot and because of her overdue status doesn’t really have any competitors except…
2. Reese Witherspoon is also very much in it to win it and has been appearing everywhere. The MVP for women filmmaking has produced two films this year, Gone Girl and Wild, for which she will likely receive an acting nomination. Witherspoon carries the entire film, turns herself inside out emotionally and if she hadn’t won already for Walk the Line she’d be the one who beat Moore. But therein lies the rub. She HAS won before. To beat a beloved overdue actress with a second win is near impossible in the Oscar race. Nonetheless, Witherspoon’s appearances are as both producer and actress. If Wild managed a Best Picture nomination, Witherspoon could enter the race with three Oscar nominations, two for producing and one for acting – has that even happened ever?
3. Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl – Among the best performances of the year, Gone Girl is about to make $160 million. Pike’s never had the chance to show her range, always cast as the “pretty girl” or the “cool blonde.” In Fincher’s film she upends that stereotype, naturally, as that’s some of what the film is about. Pike is being honored at the Palm Spring’s Film Festival with the Best Actress award. She will also be making appearances but she is either about to give birth or has given birth so it’s going to be a tricky season for her, publicity wise. In Pike’s case, she will likely be in a strong Best Picture contender, which helps her but she’s up against Moore, which is really insurmountable.
4. Hilary Swank in The Homesman – here is where pundits will likely see vulnerability because Swank (spoiler alert) gives such a strong performance that when she leaves the film she leaves a giant hole, or so some have said. Swank is always good and is a two-time winner already. That either helps her or hurts her, I can’t tell, but either way if you’re talking about who deserves to be nominated you simply can’t overlook Swank.
5. Felicity Jones for The Theory of Everything – here is the second actress from a potential Best Picture contender, which always helps. Jones is kind of young to be a frontrunner in the category but she’s just magnificent in The Theory of Everything. I suspect that if you love this movie you can’t help but love her performance. The film is almost more about her life than about Stephen Hawking’s but both actors reach such a magnetic symbiosis it’s probably going to be one of those situations where they both keep getting nominated.
Therefore, I’m not seeing any wiggle room here for Aniston, although I remember saying the same thing last year only to be horrified when Amy Adams bumped Emma Thompson from the race. It can happen. Robert Redford also got bumped for Bradley Cooper. Late breaking films can sometimes do that. Indeed, David Oyelowo in Selma will break through, maybe even Jack O’Connell from Unbroken.
Adams, I suspect, broke through because she appeared in a popular Best Picture contender that worked overall for the industry and the critics. If they love the movie they’re going to reward the actors, especially if those actors worked with David O. Russell, a favorite of the actors.
For Aniston to break through there will have to be an extraordinary reason for that and from what I’ve been reading about Cake I’m not seeing it in the way people are responding to the film. But if Angelina Jolie can push her film through, at least so far, on star power alone, it’s certainly possible star power alone can also propel Aniston into the race, giving tabloids a big piece of meat to stew on all season.
![2025 Oscars: Can a Late-Breaker Still Win Best Picture? [POLL]](https://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/gladiator-350x250.jpg)
Marion Cotillard for “Two Days, One Night”. Hopefully enough Academy members will see this film so that he performance will be part of the Best Actress list. She won’t win, but she deserves to be part of the conversation and the top 5. An incredible performance
Speaking of the Best Actress race, I’ve edited a trailer for Still Alice, because the film didn’t have a trailer, Check it out, Julianne Moore is absolutely fantastic and Oscar-worthy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1bNbGFLAz8
I also contend that the Aniston for Best Actress bubble is purely the function of fame. And, Sasha is the first major Awards blogger to put that out there plain, simple and unvarnished – kudos to her for that!
Let’s face it. If the lead actress in CAKE was named Jennifer SMITH – there would be barely a peep about a possible Best Actress nomination. A number of really good performances are given every year in small indies, with rarely a murmur of Oscar talk. (and, if the movie had been released in May instead of December, it – and Aniston – would have totally forgotten by now)
Superb website you have here but I was curious about if you
knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics talked about here?
I’d really love to be a part of group where I can get suggestions
from other knowledgeable individuals that share the same interest.
If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
Many thanks!
I’m not saying that I know or think for sure anyone is or is not getting in, but these lists are becoming so generic now. Should we start preparing for the snubs? A so-called weak year for females does not necessarily mean that, say, Rosamund Pike will get nominated. They may fuck Gone Girl and Fincher altogether. Are we preparing enough for disappointments? You can tell I am having a bad day, right? 😀
It’s just I read so much about “she is definitely not getting in” or “she is nailed on”. Come on, We know better than this.
That said it would be great Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, Felicity Jones, and Rosamund Pike all get in. I am, and have been for some time, struggling with that fifth spot. Marion Cotillard, Shailene Woodley and Emily Blunt look good for it in my view, but coverage of them and their movies from now until ballot time might make all the difference. That would surely make Emily Blunt the favorite. Non?
I disagree with the comment that Rosamund Pike has never been given the opportunity to show range. I thought she showed plenty of range in Barney’s Version; unfortunately, like most Canadian films, BV received little-to-no attention outside of Canada, so nobody got to see how great she was.
ISA BEST FEMALE LEAD nominees-well deserved choices
Marion Cotillard The Immigrant- Yes indeed one of my choices
Rinko Kikuchi Kumiko- The Treasure Hunter-Know nothing about this but now want to see it
Julianne Moore-Still Alice-So happy as she is my first choice
Jenny Slate- Obvious Child-she was very good in this
Tilda Swinton- Only Lovers Left Alive-Great choice
I think Marion and Julianne will be nominated for many more awards. As for the Oscars think Pike, FJones, and maybe Blunt will be nominated along with Julianne and Marion. Aniston was eligible as Cake made the criteria and her not getting recognition here has to be a blow to her award campaign. Reese and Wild also took a hit here as well. Surprising as to Amy Adams and HSwank also being overlooked.
Trailer for Cake is up — I have high hopes for Aniston, though I doubt she’ll sneak in, it looks like a great role nonetheless
https://gma.yahoo.com/exclusive-first-look-jennifer-anistons-movie-cake-125612803–abc-news-movies.html
I think if Julianne Moore was a beloved as assumed she would have won the Oscar the year she had the double nominations.. Think she is a wonderful actress but maybe there is something about her that we civilians are not aware of… as far as Jennifer Aniston is concerned a nomination for her would be a miracle.
My predictions
Julianne Moore- Still Alice
Reese Witherspoon- Wild
Felicity Jones-The Theory of Everything
Jennifer Aniston -Cake
Rosamund Pike- Gone Girl (she could miss out because she isn’t campaigning)
Hilary Swank-Homesman
Benutty, I heard it was ineligible. I think the cutoff for the budget is 20 million. That’s why Grand Budapest was, supposedly, ineligible.
This article is just plain DISGUISTING to read as if am reading tabloid. whoever the writer is should get over herself the triangle is OVER and the last time I checked it was brad pitt who was still talking about Jennifer Aniston. nobody will talk about their past if they are happy with their current life. the dude has a capricon moon in his chart and will never be satisfied or happy hence is happiness is overrated comment and a miserable bastarrd. he is trapped and will never get off easily thanks to the weirdo Angelina Jolie the brother kisser
Was it actually ineligible? It received a Special Distinction award. What was its budget?
How did Foxcatcher take a major hit? It wasn’t even eligible for the Indie Spirits.
Well, I’d say both Jennifer Aniston and Amy Adams took major hits just now missing out on Spirit Award nominations.
Whiplash got a verifiable seal of approval and will go on to its Oscar nomination. Selma, Boyhood, and Birdman all locked in their spots–as did their directors. Inherent Vice and Foxcatcher took MAJOR hits, if you ask me. Nightcrawler got the attention it deserves–I would love to see it continue to reap nominations/wins and find a place in the Oscars.
From the films I’ve seen thus far, my Best Actress nominees would be:
Julianne Moore – Still Alice – I saw this at AFI and when she walked in the room, you could feel how much everyone already wants her to win.
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Juliette Binoche – Clouds of Sils Maria – I thought she was wonderful.
Shailene Woodley – The Fault in Our Stars
Marion Cotillard – Two Days, One Night
I, too, do not believe it is a “weak” year for actresses. I just think most people are being under-valued. Looking forward to seeing Reese Witherspoon, Felicity Jones, Emily Blunt, Amy Adams and it seems like I will have to check out Gugu-Mbatha Raw as well. The Academy could go in so many different directions this year if they’d all just open their eyes and explore the possibilities without their usual restrictive lens.
Aniston has a lot of momentum as of late — she is pushing hard. Right now, I see…
Julianne, Reese, Rosamund, Amy and Jennifer
I’ve only seen Pike and Dorval so far and they were both amazing. I hope they are both nominated!
this thread reminds me a lot of the clashing strata of passengers in the string of railway cars in Snowpiercer
Christophe,
My use of the term “transcendental” to qualify the “LUCY experience” was rather relative. I mainly meant that the narrative is so seamlessly kinetic and has embraced the outlandishness of its claims so unabashedly that is able to transcend all the stupidity and be highly entertaining despite (and even because) of its the lowbrow absurdity. But Before I continue, I must clarify that If you hadn’t brought up both films it would be hard for me to find a context to talk about them together — and I suppose that if LUCY has something to say about anything, I would side with you, and advise anyone to reject its extrapolation to grand statements about the species, also maybe to sign-up for an online introductory biology course.
Now Regarding SNOWPIERCER, a movie I hold in much greater esteem. What you’re getting at are the film’s sociological allegory aspirations. I think it largely succeeds, man. As I said there’s a bit of unnecessary exposition, but I never thought it went all INTERSTELLAR on my ass. If your impression was that the way it goes about communicating is “crass or unpoetic”, I would attribute that to taste? I believe there are moments of magnificent visual poetry in SNOWPIERCER (e.g., the fish, the kid with the torch). Have you seen any other Bong Joon-ho films? I believe the off-beat, “strange” way in which his characters behave, Asian or otherwise, is pretty consistent in all his films, perhaps even emblematic of his oeuvre. I can’t fault a movie for wanting to say something or have thematic significance, but how successful it is in dramatizing it and using the cinematic language to communicate it, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with a speech once in a while, granted the writing is engaging, one way or another. Finally, one can have other valid considerations like are these themes too familiar, is the treatment too facile, is the meaning fallacious, and then you have to consider point of view (you know, like in JFK or Taxi Driver), etc.
“To beat a beloved overdue actress with a second win is near impossible in the Oscar race. ”
It happened 10 years ago, Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) beat “beloved” Annette Bening (Being Julia).
Well I haven’t seen any of these ladies. The movies are not released in Chicago, so I don’t know why everybody is getting all hyper about movies that have only been in festivals and the majority of America hasn’t seen it.
I did see Gu-gu(?) in Beyond the Lights. Loved the movie and didn’t know why it didn’t do better at the boxo. She’s stunning and a really good actress. I think she can get a nod at the Golden Globes, but not the Oscars.
None of those women listed are boxo, Anniston can’t pull anyone in unless she’s in a comedy with Rogen or Sandler.
Although I haven’t seen it yet, Swank is my actress of choice because she’s so damn good in everything she does, which is far and few in between. I guess she’s got money and can wait for the good scripts to come her way.
I just can’t! Are you really considering Jennifer Aniston more than Emily Blunt? For God, the Friends time has gone, this woman now only do crap movies. This is the most pathetic post ever!
Having seen Still Alice, I think there is literally no way Moore loses that Oscar. It’s a showy, important role that demonstrates a huge amount of range and empathy in a film that’s good enough not to get in her way.
I agree that Witherspoon would be a threat to win were she not already a winner and were not Moore so obviously overdue.
I hope you are right Sasha. If Julianne Moore gets the Oscar my night will have been made. Map of the Stars should help her win even if she is not nominated for that film in the way that I felt Looking For Mr. Goodbar cemented Diane Keaton’s win for Annie Hall.
And why is Goodbar still not out on DVD/Blu-Ray? A Richard Brooks film with very memorable performances by Diane Keaton, Tuesday Weld and Richard Gere and it’s as though it never existed.
Off-topic, but if Tyldum gets a director nomination at the ISAs tomorrow that will be a huge indication that TIG has what it takes to win Picture… I would not bet on that to happen, but if it does, Imitation Game is going to be a lot stronger than we think.
At tomorrow’s Spirit Awards, I’d guess the Actress nominees will be:
Anne Dorval – Mommy
Scarlett Johansson – Under the Skin
Gugu Mbatha-Raw – Beyond the Lights
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Reese Witherspoon – Wild
But the number of contenders that exist show that it’s not at all a weak year:
Amy Adams (Big Eyes), Jessica Chastain (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby), Marion Cotillard (The Immigrant), Anne Dorval (Mommy), Scarlett Johansson (Under the Skin), Keira Knightley (Laggies or Begin Again), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle or Beyond the Lights), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Elisabeth Moss (The One I Love), Jenny Slate (Obvious Child), Hilary Swank (The Homesman), Tessa Thompson (Dear White People), Reese Witherspoon (Wild), Shailene Woodley (The Fault in Our Stars)
There’s also Isabelle Huppert in Abuse of Weakness, the year’s finest performance in any category, for my money…
I haven’t seen it yet, but I heard Marion Cotillard was amazing in Two Days, One Night. She has a hell of a better chance of getting nominated than J Law in Mockingjay!
On what planet has Jennifer Aniston, “been quietly delivering challenging performances for a while now?? Earth to Sasha! Have you even seen the crap she’s been doing for the last 10 years – hell, her whole career? What the hell is challenging about We’re The Millers, Life of Crime, Wanderlust, Horrible Bosses, Just Go With It, The Switch, The Bounty Hunter, Love Happens, Management, Marley & Me, etc? The only “challenging” role she’s ever attempted was The Good Girl – 12 years ago! – and the only thing “challenging” about that was her trying to go 95 minutes without flapping her hands in front of her faces, scrunching up her face, twirling her hair – or having her nipples poke through her t-shirt.
People really need to stop giving this woman a pass. She’s been wretched for 20+ years. Also, stop giving her a pat on the back for FINALLY getting out of her comfort zone. The woman is about to turn 46 years old and it’s long past due. Critics also need to stop saying she deserves recognition for NOT sucking for once. You’re getting carried away with the novelty of it. Not totally sucking does not equate to Oscar nomination. Especially in a year when there are far better performances by actresses in movies that aren’t even being considered because the distributor is too cheap or too poor to pay for the campaign (see: Julianne Moore in Maps to the Stars and Mia Wasikowska in Tracks – or even Jolie in Maleficent as neither she nor Disney is pushing for an Oscar.). These actresses are being penalized for not paying for their own Oscar campaign the way Aniston is allegedly doing. Not everybody has Friends money to throw away on creating a distribution company and self-distributing their movie to vie for an Oscar nomination in an attempt to salvage a career that’s in steep decline and badly in need of being re-invented.
Also – shame on your for dragging Jolie into this. I highly doubt Aniston is on her radar – or Pitt’s. It’s the media that’s obsessed with that non-existent triangle. Plus, you seem to have a real bee up your butt about Jolie and Unbroken this year. We get it – you’re rooting for Selma. Your very obvious bias in what you think might be the only unseen movie standing between Selma & DuVernay and Oscar glory is starting to get out of hand. Try to reign yourself in.
Every year I hear weak Actress field and every year I see 10+ strong contenders.
My predictions as of now:
Moore – duh.
Witherspoon – great perf, possible BP nom, shes been everywhere (and across 4 movies).
Pike – duh. BUT … Shes not making the rounds (pregnant).
Jones – just saw the movie. Shes excellent. But I feel like shes not a slam dunk because shes little known.
———-fighting for 5th———
Adams – mehhh movie or not, her reviews are good and HARVEY.
Swank – voters lover her and shes EVERYWHERE right now. But as said above, her movie isnt doing well.
———-7-10th——————
Blunt – her reviews for ITW sound complimentary at best.
Aniston – I guess?
Mbatha-Raw – I think great reviews in 2 movies will fare well for her in the future, but no this year.
Cotillard – in a perfect world.
——–the rest———-
Chastain, Dorval, Johannson, etc etc etc.
Soooo many impressive performances.
My gut feeling about the race this year is that Adams and Swank could be campaigning so hard and making themselves so visible that possibly a Pike (not visible enough) or a Jones (solid, but not cemented) are susceptible to potential snubs. We will see.
Possible nominee for TV Emmy: Frances McDormand?
Possible nominee for Oscar: Jennifer Anniston?
Do I have a carbon monoxide leak in the house or are you just fucking with me?
Wondering why Oscar winner and actress extraordinaire Cotillard is not considered a viable best actress in “Two Days, One Night.
I voted for Moore, Pike, Jones, Witherspoon, and Blunt in the poll in that order. I would love to see either of my first 2 choices win, they had terrific performances this year. If I had to choose one I would have to go with Moore, a truly outstanding actress for years.
And lastly Sasha and Ryan why are you letting insane sounding people like that guest who beings tabloid gossip here post?
How can you assess the award worthiness of a performance if you haven’t seen the performance?
lol at “GUEST” stating Brad and Angie are useless and hasbeen without Aniston. the same Aniston that could not get a single distributor to buy her movie at TIFF. Angelina accomplished stuff at age 25 what aniston is trying to do now at 45. Its not Angie’s fault HFPA wont let Cake go as a Comedy
p.s. i wonder why and how Sasha liked Theory of Everything…
@PJ I wonder why these pundits keep talking about Amy Adams or Swank having mixed reviews yet Anistons movie has a 46 on metacritic with 4 or so reviews up, plus the new reviews are embargoed.
“transcendental”
I respect your right to enjoy those films and see in them more than I do, and I do hope you won’t resent me for what I’m about to say, because it’s obviously not aimed at you, and your impressive cinephilic cred, but at those two films and the “disgust” they inspire me:
The use of the word “transcendental” to describe them is exactly what puts me off. Imho. they’re pretending too hard to be metaphysical and tell us “important truths” about who we are as a species and as a society, but they do it in such a crass and unpoetic way, with only clunky ideas and a half-baked vision of what they’re aiming at.
Snowpiercer had some good moments and gorgeous settings though, it wasn’t half as bad as Lucy. I’d say there were times when it would indeed get really good, but then it would get all political and philosophical again and make me cringe. And I also object to the weird depictions of Asians in both films, I cannot believe they’re really such psychos, at least not all of them.
Christophe,
1- I didn’t like Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady either, maybe the old age parts but Oscar, she shouldn’t have won that year. I wanted Viola Davis to win.
2- As for Eddie Redmayne, he sure makes a lot of weird faces but his character doesn’t have anything to brighten up his performance and i just didn’t care what was happening with him in the movie. Yet, i know the academy members will have an orgasm seeing his performance and he’ll get a nomination.
3- Again, even if Meryl Streep’s films are crap, i can watch them at least once. That’s what Meryl Streep’s talent and screen presence does to a pathetic film. Eddie Redmayne, yeah right, he’s got a loooooooooong way to go to do that. I couldn’t wait for that damn movie to end.
guest,
you’re going to have to try to confine yourself to attacking the multi-millionaires, ok? Sasha and I are not near rich enough to put up with verbally abusive bullshit.
attention posters here. “Guest” is a rabid insane jennifer aniston fan that spreads lies and gossip about Brad and Angelina all over the web. She was just banned on JUST JARED for spamming the website with lies aand tabloid gossip about Brad and Angelina. She has not seen Cake fyi. You notice how she brought over tabloid gossip about the JP family. By the way CAKE has a paltry 46 on metacritic and the movie is so bad NO ONE bought it at TIFF. Aniston is distributing the film herself. i pray for Brad and ANgie’s safety when Aniston isnt nominated for any awards.
Cake has a 46 Metacritic and is being self distributed. Maybe she happens at Globes for the controversy/tabloid stuff explained in article but outside of that? Thanks for playing!
who said Angelina Jolie voight is even getting a BD nods. she cant act to save her damn manly self not to talk of direct lmao
[ nope nope nope – ryan. expurgated. ] :
it takes away from Jen’s very real accomplishments to suggest that she’s getting attention due to some supposed “showdown” with Jolie. As if
that’s how SAG voters or AMPAS voters make their ballot decisions! Ridiculous. Besides, Jolie IF she gets in would be in BD, not BA.
10yrs and still brangelina fans cant get over this triangle that has finally died down thank GOD. you all make a fool of yourself and brangelina and come across as they are useless and hasbeens if Jen’s name isn’t attached for their own publicity and attention
transcendental*
Christophe,
I disagree. Surprise! I thought SNOWPIERCER was a rather clever train film! Maybe Ed Harris does a bit too much explaining in the last instances, but I really liked it. LUCY was hella fun in an very transcending way, but I agree that it’s dumbass shit.
Bryce,
I have watched Snowpiercer and Lucy in a row this weekend. I feel like my brain was assaulted and reduced to a mere 10% of its capacity. But Tilda Swinton was amazing, as usual, I’ll give you that. I’ll never understand how “smart” women like Swinton and Johansson can agree to star in such stupid films.
“Jen Aniston deserves to have an Oscar Nomination for her brilliant, powerful and believable performance in CAKE and word is that she is indeed going to get the 5th spot.”
Jennifer, is that you?
“I am digging some supporting actress performances like Swinton(Snowpiercer), Coon(Gone Girl), and Russo(Nightcrawler).”
omg those three!! <3 <3 <3
“Too bad they probably don’t stand a chance.”
🙁 🙁 🙁
Murtaza,
The Theory of Everything might indeed be a tougher sell than most pundits seem to think. Is it really a film voters will LOVE enough to put it at #1 or a slot filler? But there’s no doubt Eddie Redmayne’s performance is excellent. In a sense it kind of reminds me of Meryl Streep in the Iron Lady: an outstanding performance in an otherwise tedious and forgettable film.
I think the Top 5 should be Moore* / Witherspoon / Jones / Pike / Swank
Amy Adams doesn’t need to be nominated for a third year in a row in a bland performance she has not shot in winning for.
You might want to add Marion Cotillard for Two Days One Night to your list because she has a lot of fans.
Okay. Thank you Guest. 🙂
Deadline said Yesterday that Cake will be release in first week of December on go world wide in January
Felicity Jones should not be nominated, hell Eddie Redmayne shouldn’t be nominated either. The film is HORRENDOUS…. by far the most overrated movie of the year.
Why isn’t Cotillard eligible for The Immigrant? Be funny if Scarlett got in for Under the Skin, but then it would leave me to wonder where the voters were when Watts was in Mulholland Dr. Yea last year was stronger for this category. I am digging some supporting actress performances like Swinton(Snowpiercer), Coon(Gone Girl), and Russo(Nightcrawler). Too bad they probably don’t stand a chance.
BTW, I think IMDb needs to update it’s release information then if for sure, Cake, will be eligible this year.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3442006/releaseinfo?ref_=tt_ov_inf+
Sasha, Ryan, or anyone else, when will it be released? Plus, will it only be a Los Angeles / New York release, and go wide in January or February?
Anyways since you chose to bring her up I will give you brangelina current gossip that happened last week in Austria.
From Women’s day
Brad and Ange’s balcony blowout and smoking weed (Pictures and Video included)
Brad and Ange’s balcony blowout
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Three months after their fairytale wedding in France, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were witnessed having a blazing argument on their Sydney hotel balcony.
Just hours after reuniting in Australia for the first time in weeks due to their hectic separate schedules, Brad was seen throwing his arms up in a frustrated manner. Angelina meanwhile, appeared to be tired, upset and defeated.
When questioned about married life, Angelina kept her response to reporters vague: “It makes us happy to be married, if that makes any sense. I don’t think we needed it but it feels… he’s my husband.”
At one point, the pair – known in Hollywood circles for being publicity masterminds – crossed paths and briefly hugged and kissed. The move was described by one onlooker as “stiff”.
Photographers found it tricky to snap the pair side by side, despite it being their first red-carpet event as a married couple. Even when they were in the same frame, Unbroken actors were strategically placed between them
Brad, 50, downed a Crown Lager at the early hour of 10am and the pair were both seen clutching cigarettes as their intense discussion raged on. Industry insiders tell Woman’s Day that the tensions could be down to Ange’s hectic workload in the past year.
The couple, along with their youngest children, 6-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox, were in town for the world premiere of WWII movie Unbroken, which director Angelina shot in NSW and Queensland.
By 6pm that same day, Brad and Ange had pasted on happy smiles for the cameras as their first red-carpet event as a married couple and greeted a throng of fans on the way to Sydney’s State Theatre.
Despite arriving together in a black Land Rover, they barely looked at each other at the event –Brad busied himself signing autographs, while Ange focused on speaking to the assembled media on the other side of the road.
it totally absurd to bring up Jen’s personal life in her work. why do you even have to bring up Angelina jolie in an article that doesn’t have anything to do with her, we all know that you love her but she will forever be a HOMEWRECKER no matter how much image rehab she does. she is classified as a media manipulator by everyone and very unlikeable. tell me why she doesn’t even have one friend something she admitted herself. all she knows is to sleep with married men.
I haven’t seen Beyond the Lights but Mbatha-Raw is simply sensational in Belle. If Fox Searchlight pushes hard for it they could sneak her in. I’d love to see that happen.
In the poll, I voted for Moore, Pike, Witherspoon, Jones, and Blunt. Moore is clearly overdue (and said to be a tour de force in Still Alice), so she’s the frontrunner. If Moore weren’t in the race, I think Pike would be the sure-fire winner given the huge success of her movie and praise for her performance. Witherspoon made a huge splash when her movie premiered at festivals and she’s likely to carry that momentum for the next few months. Jones also has a lot of praise coming her way. Blunt could get in a la Renee Zellweger in Chicago. Adams, Mbatha-Raw, and Swank are also possibilities.
hey, “guest”
You have a lot to learn about how a guest should talk if that guest wants to join the discussion around here.
compare your comment that survived to the one I needed to kill, and decide which way you want to proceed, ok?
It wouldn’t be very weak if you […] Americans recognized such great works made by Marion Cotillard, Juliette Binoche and Agata Trzebuchowska
[EDITED. Watch your step with reckless adjectives, alright, Igor? – Ryan]
The only reason why they say it’s a weak year for actresses is because there’s not enough big name female stars in higher profile films. In actuality, there are several smaller films featuring outstanding performances, just in indies or from lesser known stars. The difficulty for the academy is to acknowledge these performances.
Jen Aniston deserves to have an Oscar Nomination for her brilliant, powerful and believable performance in CAKE and word is that she is indeed going to get the 5th spot
Also, it’s worth noting that, if Mockingjay – Part 1 does end up being the highest-grossing film of 2014 worldwide, it will be the first time in 28 years a female-centric live-action movie achieves that position, and the first time since the ’60s that such a film achieves that position without a male co-lead.
Marion Cotillard was exceptional in “Two Days, One Night.” She would get my vote!
I don’t think it’s fair to say it’s been a weak year for lead actress performances, let alone a “very weak” year. Maybe it’s been a weak year for lead actress performances *in the radar*, but, between Wasikowska in “Tracks”, Mbatha-Raw in “Beyond the Lights” and “Belle”, Scarlett in “Under the Skin”, Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night” and Jenny in “Obvious Child”, this has been one of the strongest years overall for female-driven films in recent memory.
Hm.
Nah.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw for BEYOND THE LIGHTS period!
I really am hoping Gugu Mbatha-Raw gets in. When a more deserving performance from a lesser-known star deserves recognition.
I’m all for the wonderful Jennifer Aniston, but not at the expense of Amy Adams, as suggested by the poll above. Amy finally gets to shine in a film that revolves mostly around her character, directed by an utter Hollywood genius. It’s now or never Academy!
Also, I would like to acknowledge Emma Stone’s delightful performance in Magic in the Moonlight. The latest Woody Allen is unfairly being ignored this season. It’s not a brilliant film but it’s quite mellow. Jacki Weaver is charming too in her supporting turn as a naive rich widow.
Let’s not make fetch happen…
I voted for:
Amy Adams – Big Eyes
Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild
But I wouldn’t be surprised if Jennifer Aniston gets nominated, if her performance is truly that good. I just wonder who she’d knock out of the 5th spot….
As for Angelina Jolie in Maleficent, I thought she was great, but I didn’t think the movie was. If I was a voter, I’d rather vote for a performance in a movie I really like, since theirs are the performances I’d watch again and again.
Hmmm…Marion Cotillard isn’t even listed in the poll? I think she’s the big one most people are unjustly counting out of the race.
Swank is by no means an assured nomination given the film’s dismal box office and an iffy distributor. Adams really shouldn’t have a hard time getting that fifth spot with Harvey behind her, and the academy obviously loves her.
The fact that pundits even feel the need to bring up Aniston is hilarious. Her film’s original distributor dropped the film because it knew it was a dud. It was critically savaged out of Toronto, and basically the only people backing it now are Aniston and her PR team.
Robert, I think Adams is the least likely to get in. Burton films have not gone over so well with the academy in recent years and usually favors style over substance. A movie as big as Burton’s usually has to be very good for acting to be considered. Depp getting in for Sweeney Todd years ago was a bit baffling but his star power at the time was nearly unmatched. Big Eyes seems to be falling a bit short of greatness.
I think Swank is very vulnerable. Like Emma Thompson last year, she’s in a film that has gotten middling reviews, and the lukewarm reception for the film will hurt her. Honestly, a similar thing happened to Swank with Conviction a few years ago.
I think the real question is whether Amy Adams will be able to break in with Big Eyes. She’s been talked about from a lot earlier on in the season than Aniston.
I also think it’s doubtful that Aniston will break into the Best Actress slate. Right now it’s hard to see Moore, Witherspoon, Pike, and Jones not getting nominated. I know things can change, but there just don’t seem to be any late-breaking contenders that can up-end one of those four from their slots.
The fifth slot is probably between Swank and Adams, and I’m having a hard time figuring out which one to go with. The response to Big Eyes seems to have been a bit muted in advanced screenings, but they weren’t horrible responses and Adams has Harvey in her corner, so he could help Adams get that fifth “filler” slot. Swank, however, might have the stronger performance, but can she fight against Harvey’s publicity machine? Just how much of a million dollar baby is she? I don’t know. Tough call. (I haven’t seen either The Homesman or Big Eyes, by the way.)
Redford was bumped for Christian Bale. I really don’t think it’s a weak year for best actress. Plenty of people have been championing Aniston all year long. But I agree about the whole Jolie/Aniston thing, it’s gotta be water under the bridge for all parties. People should have stopped caring a long time ago, if they ever should have cared at all really. As far as star power goes, it’s not just Aniston going up against Jolie. Witherspoon and Moore are huge names as well.