Jessie Buckley Tipped for Oscar Glory Ahead of Unpredictable Ceremony
Many of the races are still wide open as the Oscars approach, but one performer stands out as a clear frontrunner. The Irish actress Jessie Buckley is poised to win an Oscar on Sunday, in what is set to be one of the most unpredictable ceremonies in recent history.
The Only Shoo-In for a Top Prize
Jessie Buckley, who is nominated for her performance as William Shakespeare's wife Agnes, historically known as Anne, in the film Hamnet, is the only performer considered to be a shoo-in for one of the top prizes. Buckley has steamrolled through all the previous ceremonies, racking up an impressive array of hardware, and is thought to be unbeatable to win the best actress prize for her heart-wrenching turn in Hamnet, which explores the death of Shakespeare's young son.
Unpredictable Categories in Other Races
In contrast, the best actor, best supporting actress, and best supporting actor categories remain highly unpredictable, after a variety of winners at precursor ceremonies. For the best actor category, Sinners' Michael B. Jordan, who was a surprise winner at the recent Actor Awards, now has momentum on his side ahead of the ceremony. For months, it had seemed that Marty Supreme star Timothee Chalamet would take the prize, but his recent comments about ballet and opera could have soured his chances, compounded by the fact he has not won a high-profile award since the Golden Globes in early January.
The winner of the best actor prize at the Baftas, Robert Aramayo for I Swear, is not nominated in the category at the Oscars. However, Narcos star Wagner Moura, who is nominated for the Brazilian thriller The Secret Agent, could also swoop in and take the gong.
Wide Open Supporting Categories
In the best supporting actress category, One Battle After Another star Teyana Taylor, Sinners' Wunmi Mosaku, and Weapons' Amy Madigan have all won major precursor prizes, leaving a wide open race to the award. Similarly, in the best supporting actor race, Sean Penn has won both the Bafta and the Actor Award for One Battle After Another, but Stellan Skarsgard won the Golden Globe for Sentimental Value and Jacob Elordi won the Critics' Choice for Frankenstein. There is also room for a possible upset by Delroy Lindo for Sinners, who was a surprise inclusion in the category but has garnered huge support.
Best Director and Best Picture Dead Heat
The best director race has a clear frontrunner in Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another, his epic about political revolutionaries, as Anderson has won almost every precursor award including at the Baftas. However, a late surge by Ryan Coogler for Sinners has been mooted as a possibility, as support for his vampire film appears to be reaching a crescendo in the run-up to the awards. If Coogler wins the gong, he will be the first black winner of the best directing prize in the 98-year history of the Oscars.
The best picture prize, the biggest award of the night, now appears to be a dead heat between Anderson's film and Coogler's, which goes into the ceremony with the most nominations in history with 16.
Potential History-Making Moments
In the below-the-line categories, there is the possibility history will be made if Autumn Durald Arkapaw wins the best cinematography prize for Sinners, making her the first woman to win the gong.
Ceremony Details and Coverage
The ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, hosted by Conan O'Brien. The Oscars will air on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, with Jonathan Ross anchoring the coverage, joined by panellists Elle Osili Wood, Samson Kayo, and Fred Asquith. Coverage starts at 10.15pm.
