Oscar Nomination Predictions

 Before tomorrow's Oscar nominations here's my brief predictions of what I think will pick up what. 

Best Actor

Three spots definitely look filled firstly by Golden Globe and BAFTA winner and front-runner Colin Firth joined by young upstarts Jesse Eisenberg and James Franco for The Social Network and 127 Hours respectively.

There are five possible performances to fit into the two final slots. Last year’s winner Jeff Bridges has been touted a lot for his role in True Grit and could at least get back-to-back nominations. Another good bet is Ryan Gosling who has sneaked in their once before with his Half Nelson turn and may do the same for Blue Valentine. Robert Duvall may get a not for Get Low but the film was released so long ago that he may be lost in the shuffle. Mark Wahlberg may be in with a shot for The Fighter and there’s also a chance that Golden Globe Comedy Winner Paul Giamatti could sneak in there with Barney’s Version

Best Actress

Again this one looks like its going to be a straight fight between Annette Bening doing lesbian in The Kids are All Right and Natalie Portman doing psycho ballerina in Black Swan. Of the other three spots its seems inevitable that first time nominee Jennifer Lawrence will appear thanks to her marvellous performance in Winter’s Bone. The other two are harder to call but the suspects look like Nicole Kidman for Rabbit Hole, Michelle Williams for Blue Valentine or possibly Bening’s onscreen lover Julianne Moore. The one possibility is that The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s Noomi Rapace will get a spot as she has already had a Critic’s Choice and a BAFTA nomination it just depends how brave Oscar want to be. 

Best Supporting Actor

This is possibly the tightest category as the five nominees look likely to be favourite Christian Bale for The Fighter, Andrew Garfield for The Social Network, Geoffrey Rush for The King’s Speech, Mark Ruffalo for The Kids are All Right and Jeremy Renner for The Town. However Renner may not be on the short list due to The Town not doing as well as expected in the awards season. So his place could go to an outside bet and that could most possibly be John Hawkes’ terrifying turn in Winter’s Bone or even Bill Murray in Get Low.

Best Supporting Actress

An interesting category as again there are a few certainties. The Fighter duo Amy Adams and Melissa Leo will definitely feature as will Helena Bonham Carter for The Queen’s Speech. Mila Kunis is likely to take up the fourth spot thanks to her turn in Black Swan however she could lose out to fellow cast member Barbara Hershey. There are a few possibilities for the final slot Australian actress Jacki Weaver is picking up a lot of buzz for her role in Animal Kingdom. But the spot may well go to an actress whose performance have divided academies who are unsure whether they count as Lead or Supporting. One of these is Julianne Moore who is co-lead in The Kids Are All Right but she may be pushed into Supporting Actress as Bening will get the Lead nomination. Similarly Hailee Stanfield is also on-screen the longest in True Grit but she is less well known than co-stars Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges so will be suggested as Supporting Actress. Finally Lesley Manville who was hotly tipped for a Best Actress nomination may now be put in Supporting Actress which, unlike Stanfield and Moore, she actually is.