Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a Slave Julia Roberts for August: Osage County June Squibb for Nebraska This has been, and remains, a two-women race for some time now. The two thespians competing for a shot at Oscar glory: first-timer Lupita Nyong'o and last year's Best Actress champ (who is remarkably seven years younger then Ms. Nyong'o) and current it girl, Jennifer Lawrence. My mind has gone back and forth between these two and I consider this the one of the hardest categories to predict this year. For the last couple of weeks, things seemed to be tilting to Lupita's way, particularly after she won the Screen Actors Guild Award for this category. However, more recently the pendulum has seemed to tick back in favor of Jennifer Lawrence, as her win with the British voting bloc of BAFTA (a group that likely seemed more disposed to vote for Lupita Nyong'o's gut-wrenching performance in 12 Years a Slave than Lawrence's comedic flares in American Hustle) proved that her appeal is pretty irresistible no matter which side of the pond you hail from. Many have argued that Lawrence's win just last year for Silver Linings Playbook precludes her from winning a second Oscar just a year later, and while it is certainly rare for an actor to win back-to-back Oscars (the last to do it was Tom Hnaks in 1993-94), I think it's clear by now that Lawrence is not just another good actress. Also, as I stated earlier, categories that American Hustle could actually win appear to be getting fewer and fewer, but like David O. Russell's much beloved comedic hit from last year, Silver Lining Playbook, it may be the case that the only Oscar American Hustle wins is for Jennifer Lawrence's performance. It's really a pick'em in this category between Lupita Nyong'o and Jennifer Lawrence, and I honestly can't tell which won is the more sensible bet. However, I am going to go with my gut on this one, and as crazy as it would be to have a two-time Oscar winning actress at age of 23, I think Jennifer Lawrence may just do it. Meryl Streep, you better watch your back. Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence for American HustleCould Win: Lupita Nyong'o for 12 Years a SlaveShould Win: Sally Hawkins for Blue Jasmine
A film fanatic at a very young age, starting with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies and gradually moving up to more sophisticated fare, at around the age of ten he became inexplicably obsessed with all things Oscar. With the incredibly trivial power of being able to chronologically name every Best Picture winner from memory, his lifelong goal is to see every Oscar nominated film, in every major category, in the history of the Academy Awards.
