13 Unexpected Actors Who Might Win Oscars In 2020

5. Cynthia Erivo (Best Actress - Harriet)

The Role: Iconic American abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman, who escaped slavery and helped others find their freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Cynthia Erivo had quite the Hollywood coming-out party late last year, giving memorable performances in Bad Times at the El Royale and Widows within mere weeks of one another, even though both films ultimately fell upon deaf ears with general audiences (and, yes, Oscar voters).

But 2019 could be a truly life-changing year for the actress, as she's set to play one of the most important figures in black American history, a much sought-after role which her Widows co-star Viola Davis was pursuing a few years ago.

The dramatic heft of Tubman's life story speaks for itself, and if director Kasi Lemmons (Eve's Bayou) and co-writer Gregory Allen Howard (Remember the Titans) can represent even a fraction of that emotion on screen, Erivo could end up scooping Best Actress next year.