Who's going to win Best Actress?
From an ambitious sex worker to the Wicked Witch of the West – who will be awarded Best Actress at this year's Oscars?
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- Chezelle Bingham
The race for Best Actress is undoubtedly the most controversial category in this year’s Oscars cycle. From the absence of intimacy coordinators to resurfaced problematic tweets, there has been more than enough drama to go round. But as the Academy prepares for the biggest night in film, who will walk away victorious?
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At the moment, Demi Moore seems to be the frontrunner. At 62 years old, Moore has defied critics who scrutinised her body, marriage and career with her electrifying, genre-defying, socially relevant performance in The Substance. Having already taken home the Golden Globe and delivered an emotional speech on Hollywood’s dismissal of her in the 1990s, a win for Moore would not only be an apology from the industry, but also an overdue victory for the horror genre and a female-directed film, both of which have long been swept under the rug by the Academy.
Demi Moore in The Substance Mubi
Moore certainly faces some stiff competition, though, and none of her opponents are more formidable than fresh-faced Mikey Madison, who captivated audiences with her role as Ani in Sean Baker’s comedy-drama Anora. Then there's industry veteran Fernanda Torres, who plays a grieving wife dealing with the forced disappearance of her congressman husband in Brazilian political biography I’m Still Here.
At only 25 years old, Madison has had a breakthrough role with Anora, and her performance is undoubtedly the best of her career thus far – as evinced by the multiple awards she has received across this award season (including a Critics Choice and a BAFTA). As Ani, Madison is electric and screen-stealing, providing a performance that was almost certainly the reason behind Anora’s Palme d’Or win at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite this, the film has been met with debate regarding the presence of intimacy co-ordinators, especially after Madison admitted to declining one when offered one by Baker, with some suggesting than an intimacy co-ordinator should be a protective requirement for actors and not just a passing question from a director.
Fernanda Torres in I'm Still Here.
The most traditional nominee in the race, Fernanda Torres's performance in I’m Still Here is poignant and powerful, and has been praised for its depth. Torres’s nomination is already a historic feat – she is only the second Brazilian woman, after her own mother, to be nominated for the category in question – but her presence is not without its own looming controversy, with Torres forced to apologise shortly after the film’s release when footage resurfaced of her performing a comedy sketch in blackface years ago.
Karla Sofía Gascón in Emilia Pérez. Why Not Productions/Pathé Films/France 2 Cinéma
But the competition doesn’t just stop there. Karla Sofia Gascón also stands in the Best Actress storm for her hugely divisive role in Netflix’s comedy-slash-musical-slash-serious-crime-flick Emilia Pérez. After a large-scale social media controversy involving the resurfacing of problematic tweets, though, Gascón’s prospects have been largely diminished, even though if she were to win, she would make history as the first openly transgender woman to receive the award.
Cynthia Erivo in Wicked. Universal Pictures
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Rounding off the roster is Cynthia Erivo, nominated for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. Already an icon to musical fans, Erivo had huge boots, and even bigger lungs, to fill taking on Elphaba – a role originated by “Queen of Broadway” Idina Menzel in the original's stage production – but her performance was received warmly by critics, who praised her heartfelt characterisation and vocal mastery. Although for the moment, Erivo seems to have fallen underneath the rubble of her fellow nominees, Wicked: For Good is set to be released later this year, meaning Erivo’s golden statuette chances may not be completely lost.
Authors
Chezelle BinghamSub-Editor
Chezelle Bingham is a Sub-Editor for Radio Times. She previously worked on Disney magazines as a Writer, for 6 pre-school and primary titles. Alongside her prior work in writing, she possesses a BA in English Literature and Language.
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