Oscar Nominations 2023: 8 Ups & 9 Downs

6. Shock: Andrea Riseborough & Paul Mescal Secure Lead Acting Nods

To Leslie Aftersun
Momentum Pictures & A24

There were two big shocks in the acting categories this year.

First and foremost, Andrea Riseborough's extremely late-in-the-game campaign for her incredible performance in To Leslie paid off dividends, netting her a well-deserved Best Actress nod in favour of more widely-campaigned competition - namely Viola Davis (The Woman King) and Danielle Deadwyler (Till).

It's a nomination which completely disrupts the established formula for campaigning, relying instead on a last-minute surge propelled by support from fellow actors like Kate Winslet and Edward Norton, and damn-near guarantees we'll see similar ambush-style campaigns en masse next year.

On the other hand, Paul Mescal nabbed the fifth Best Actor slot for his stunning performance in Aftersun, but given the prominent support for Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick, it was never a sure thing that he'd make the cut. Praise be.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.