11 Unexpected Actors Who Might Win Oscars Next Year

8. Joel Edgerton - Loving

The Role: Richard Loving, a Virginia man who was sentenced to prison in 1958 along with his wife Mildred (Ruth Negga) because of their interracial marriage. Why He Might Win: It's based on a jaw-dropping true story and is written and directed by the ever-reliable Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud), who in the past has brought out the best in Michael Shannon and Matthew McConaughey. Also, with the various racial controversies in both the world at large and the Oscars themselves, it's likely that a film of this kind will pick up significant traction, be it out of "white guilt" or simply because it's a great movie. Why It's Unexpected: Because Edgerton has been quietly chipping away at his craft in such an unassuming way that he's never really felt like an "Oscar actor" before, if such a thing exists. He's turned in a litany of great performances in genre films like Warrior and The Gift, and Loving should present him with a unique opportunity to showcase his dramatic chops. It's worth mentioning, though, that his co-star Negga is likely to catch the lion's share of the publicity, given the race issue, so it would be easy for Edgerton's work to get lost in the shuffle.