Oscars 2014: 10 Underdogs Who Might Get Surprise Nominations

8. Best Actor €“ Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis)

The Best Actor field is arguably the most competitive category this year, with performances from Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), Bruce Dern (Nebraska), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club) and Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips) being considered virtual locks. The final spot is up for grabs, and though the majority belief is that it will be taken up by either Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street) or Forest Whitaker (Lee Daniels' The Butler), I can't quite keep Oscar Isaac's performance in Inside Llewyn Davis out of my mind. More crucially, Isaac has racked up over a dozen significant awards nominations, including Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award nominations, with a few wins from some of the "lesser" critics groups as well. Still, it's an outside bet to say the least, yet the film's passionate following could push it over the edge.