Oscars 2018: Who Should Win Every Award (And Who Actually Will)
3. Actor In A Leading Role
Nominees: Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name), Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread), Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out), Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour), Denzel Washington (Roman J. Israel, Esq.)
Who Should Win
Daniel Day-Lewis
The Academy shouldn't award Day-Lewis because it's supposedly his final role, but because it's some of his finest work in one of cinema's most remarkable and distinguished careers. His role as fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock is much more understated than we're used to seeing from the actor, which leads to a more quietly impressive showing, hence the lack of awards hype. He's a character as driven as he was in There Will Be Blood, but that towering performance is instead replaced by one with a vulnerability; his bursts of anger less intimidating than they are a sign of emotional immaturity; his affectations right at the core of the character, rather than by-design to grab awards.
Who Will Win
Gary Oldman
With the make-up and prosthetics, disappearing into a famous role, and a whole lot of Acting with a huge capital A, Gary Oldman's performance in Darkest Hour is the kind awards voters lap up - not unlike Daniel Day-Lewis' turn in Lincoln, as it happens. He took home the SAG Award, and just about every other gong going as well. Tie in the fact he's got a long career of great work to be recognised for on top of all that and he looks a dead-cert.