While many of us were wondering where Jessica Chastain would land for A Most Violent Year, it turns out that she’ll be going lead, the studio just confirmed. The Best Actress race is not as crowded as the Best Supporting Actress race but Chastain will be competing against herself in two other parts, Miss Julie and Eleanor Rigby. She also might be up for supporting for Interstellar. It is yet another busy year for her.
The Best Actress race started the year with Julianne Moore for Maps to the Stars. Then it looked like it would not be a contender for 2014. Now it is a contender. Moore is also in the race for Still Alice, which launched her yet again into the Best Actress race. With Chastain, and Amy Adams for Big Eyes, that makes it a year for redheads!
It’s still too early to say whether A Most Violent Year, or Chastain, will be included in the race. Best Actress right now is down to:
Julianne Moore for Still Alice or Maps to the Stars
Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon for Wild
Hilary Swank for The Homesman
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Jessica Chastain for Eleanor Rigby
Still to come, Jessica Chastain for A Most Violent Year, Amy Adams for Big Eyes, Emily Blunt for Into the Woods and whatever might be coming that we’re not yet aware of.
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Anne Dorval for Mommy!!!
I am glad Sasha has stuck with Swank,tremendous,her best perforamnce/role in 10 yrs,knocks it sideways,i won’t spoil the film or her character arc but she completely sells it,bout time the 2nd oscar win was forgiven.
I obviously haven’t seen Still Alice or Maps to the Stars yet, but at the moment, I’m solidly rooting for Pike. She was incredible.
My Top 5 right now:
1. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nymphomaniac (absolutely brilliant, but it’ll never happen)
2. Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
3. Agata Trzebuchowska, Ida
4. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle
5. Agata Kulesza, Ida
@Jordan, “Cotillard stans”? What about the Jessica Chastain stans who are trying to make her happen for her two flops and negative reviewed films this year? Not to mention that they are screaming “Oscar-worthy” for her terrible wig in A Most Violent Year, they not even saw the film yet. Talk about stan now!
I’m good at predictions
1) Julianne Moore
2) Rosamund Pike
3) Reese Witherspoon
4) Jessica Chastain
5) Hilary Swank
Hathaway, if Interstellar is the knockout it is rumored to be, still seems to me like a natural sweeps nom.
Pike and Witherspoon would seem like the locks. I’m still not convince on Still Alice. It seems like there are many bloggers who are pushing for Moore as consolation for Map to the Stars. I’m not sure that I buy that it’s going to be effective.
Many of you are not old enough to remember this, but in 1967 everyone thought Sidney Poitier would WIN Best Actor for one of his 3 really great potrayals that year in “To Sir WIth Love”, “In the Heat of the Night”, and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”. He was so good in all three films that he cancelled himself out of the running, or so it was supposed by all the movie gurus at the time. I sincerely hope this doesn’t happen to Chastain this year. It takes just one stunning performance to help win the Oscar (not 3). In 1977 when Diane Keaton won for “Annie Hall”, many felt that the Oscar was given to her for that film + her work in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar”. At least that’s an example of two good films working to your credit in one. year.
Hi Sasha,
Considering that SPC will be campaigning for Moore to have a lead nomination for ‘Still Alice’ (a nomination that seems very likely) do you think that Focus World should aim for Moore to land a supporting nomination for ‘Maps to the Stars’?
Past Oscar noms are littered with performances in filmed plays – nothing wrong with that. It’s the performance they’re after.
As her second biggest fan, I think this movie is going to surprise a lot of people.
It’s still makes me sad that every year we only see those Anglicans White Actors/Actress.
Miss Julie? That movie’s not anywhere near Oscar contention! It’s one of the most critically panned film out of the Fall festivals.
Even so. I’m still looking forward to it. I have a feeling TIFF bloggers aren’t quailed to review the material, and I also don’t much take seriously the “boo-hoo it’s not cinematic, it’s just a filmed play” criticism
I’m her biggest fan, but I have a feeling this film will not register once the season starts materializing.
What about Charlize Theron for Dark Places?
I’ve also read that Gugu Mbatha-Raw (from Belle) will get a decent campaign. That would be so lovely if she got some recognition.
Not to mention Woodley who I hear is getting a pretty decent campaign.
I’m srarting to get confused.
Moore
Pike
Witherspoon
————-then————–
Chastain (A Most Violent Year) ??
Jones (but I … thought … I heard, Supporting, a few days ago) ???
Adams (but … the movie seems iffy, and perhaps she, as well?)
————then—————
Swank (loved the performance, but will AMPAS)
Blunt (she’d prob have to hit it out of the ballpark)
————then—————–
Cotillard (who I hear is amazing, but will AMPAS spring?)
———–and………————
I’m sorry, Supporting or not … you can’t count out Meryl for the upgrade to Lead.
So it looks like 3 strong contenders with a plethera of who-the-hell-knows for the last 2 spots, really.
Julianne Moore-Still Alice
Rosamund Pike-Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon -Wild
Hilary Swank-The Homesman
Felicity Jones-The Theory of Everything
For some reason I feel this might be it with no new additions. Shame about The Immigrant. Then again the buzz on The Homesman seems kind of quiet right now.
Miss Julie? That movie’s not anywhere near Oscar contention! It’s one of the most critically panned film out of the Fall festivals. Chastain being nominated for Miss Julie is as likely to happen as Adam Sandler being nominated for another festival turkey, Men, Women & Children!
Is Miss Julie even being released this year? I’m not even sure it has U.S. distribution…
Moore, Pike and Witherspoon look to be locked in. Gets interesting after that.
Good lord, these Marion Cotillard stans must be stopped. Yes, she’s great in that film, but that doesn’t mean you need to troll every article on every awards site and say she needs to be nominated.
Not that I have any problem with her performance, which is top-notch, but strategically Moore should start campaigning for Supporting for Maps. It wouldn’t even be blatant fraud, as Mia Wasikowska has a bigger role.
Yes, she won Best Actress at Cannes, but actresses have won that prize with less screen time (e.g. Linha de Passe).
Marion Cotillard along Two Days One Night should obtain the nomination.