11 Unexpected Actors Who Might Win Oscars Next Year

9. Dev Patel - Lion

The Role: Saroo Brierley, who as a young boy was plucked from India and adopted by an Australian couple (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham), but now as a grown man, he yearns to find his long-lost family. Why He Might Win: For one, it's a fascinating true story that drew major headlines in both Australia and India, and Brierley wrote a popular book, A Long Way Home, about his experiences. It's also got a ripe late-November release date, and could give Patel the platform he's been looking for ever since he first hit it big with Slumdog Millionaire. Why It's Unexpected: Because though Slumdog won Best Picture in 2009, it's distinguished as one of just a few winners to not receive a single acting nomination, which means that the movie was propelled more by the writing and direction rather than Patel's (admittedly solid) performance. Patel has flown fairly low on the cinematic radar since, but if Lion lives up to its heart-wrenching potential, then this could thrust him right into the A-list as an Oscar winner.