Best Actress: Ranking Every Oscar Nominee
Written by Andreas Babiolakis
We’ve reached the second major acting category, and this one is much harder to predict. The previously slated frontrunner (Kristen Stewart) lost her lead ages ago. One of the Golden Globe winners for this category, Rachel Zegler for West Side Story, isn’t here. Hell, none of these actresses are nominated for the BAFTA award of the same category and vice versa. There’s only a slight hunch as to who will win (note: this was written before the Screen Actors Guild Awards on February 27th, and there might be a clearer picture as to who will win), but otherwise this can easily be considered one of the more unpredictable categories this year. Here are your nominees.
Biggest Snub: Licorice Pizza-Alana Haim
I left Licorice Pizza feeling like Alana Haim had just forged a new path ahead for herself as a budding star. She’s hilariously abrupt. She has a bit of relatable sincerity deep down. Her role her is the kind of character that could have been insufferable had someone else played it incorrectly. For a first time leading performer, Haim absolutely nailed this role. Consider Lady Gaga for House of Gucci and Renate Reinsve for The Worst Person in the World worthy of nominations here.
5. Being the Ricardos-Nicole Kidman
I have nothing against Nicole Kidman, and I think she actually does a good job as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos. I will say that I liked her performance but didn’t quite love it, despite her strong ability to hop back and forth between the television icon and the sitcom character Lucy Ricardo. Maybe it’s the blandness of the film or the heavy hand direction, but I just never really connected with this character. I think Nicole Kidman is definitely deserving of at least one more Academy Award at some point, just maybe not… well… not for this film.
4. The Eyes of Tammy Faye-Jessica Chastain
Even though I liked The Eyes of Tammy Faye less than Being the Ricardos, I definitely got more out of Jessica Chastain’s performance here as Tammy Faye Bakker. When the film loses sight of what it wants to be, Chastain is the heart and soul of the entire motion picture. She juggles so many different talents, ranging from a spot-on accent to Bakker’s noteworthy singing, in one of her most transformative performances to date. I’m also glad the Academy is finally recognizing Chastain again, after a ten year drought of complete neglect.
3. Parallel Mothers-Penélope Cruz
One of the most pleasant surprises was seeing Penélope Cruz getting recognized for Parallel Mothers. Like any of her collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar, Cruz keeps up with the auteur’s undefinable ways with a similarly multifaceted performance that’s difficult to pinpoint. She’s as sweet as she is charming, but she also is highly sympathetic in a hard hitting sort of way. It’s the kind of performance that may not be considered a complete transformation, but Cruz is able to nail every single intended note, cue, and mark. Of all of the performers that the Academy has overlooked over the years, I’m happy that one of the more underrated thespians of our time consistently gets recognized by them, as Cruz is now a four-time Oscar nominee (having won once before for Vicky Cristina Barcelona).
2. The Lost Daughter-Olivia Colman
Olivia Colman is back with her third nomination (having won Best Actress before for The Favourite), and her presence here is much deserved. Much of The Lost Daughter’s mystery stems from Colman’s reserved performance, but Colman can tell ten thousand stories with a single glance (one of the many reasons why she is a generation defining actress). Colman also knows how to erupt emotionally without going too far (but just far enough), with her numerous revelations that are guaranteed to bowl you over.
1. Spencer-Kristen Stewart
Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would be rooting for Kristen Stewart to win an Academy Award, yet her brilliant work in Spencer shut me right up. She brings something so fresh and different to a film that is based on a real, iconic figure, and I’ve seen people either love or hate her take on Princess Diana. Well I love it. She places deep-yet-rich emotions first, but she also never overdoes her own version of the royal figure. She feels fully believable yet she acts with a theatrical version of Diana in mind. I’m so transfixed by this performance, because it feels so commanding yet tethered at the same time. I’m thrilled to be proven wrong. I love what Kristen Stewart pulled off in Spencer, and I’ll easily claim it as my favourite performance of this group.
Who I want to win: While I like everyone here, I am team Spencer (especially since Pablo Larraín keeps getting overlooked by the Academy) and I’ve been hoping Kristen Stewart would win for this award since I first saw the film back at TIFF 2021. I wouldn’t really be opposed to anyone else winning (even Nicole Kidman, though I think her winning for a better film and performance than Being the Ricardos would be nice), but I definitely am rooting for Stewart.
Who I think will win: Despite everything you’ve just read, I think Nicole Kidman actually has the best shot right now. She won the Golden Globe and has been nominated in most of the major ceremonies. Having said that, something similar happened last year with Viola Davis and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and she wound up losing to Frances McDormand for Nomadland. However, Nomadland won Best Picture, and not a single Best Picture nominated film is here. Just to reiterate, I’ve written this before the SAG awards. If Kidman wins the SAG award, then I would say she is the frontrunner for sure. Should Colman or Chastain win, their odds may rise but I still won’t consider it a clear chance of winning. This is honestly a tough call, but for now I’m sticking with Nicole Kidman.
Tune in tomorrow for our next Academy Award category! We’re reviewing every single nominee on every weekday.
Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.