Oscars 2017: Who Should Win Every Award (And Who Actually Will)

2. Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role

Oscars Casey Affleck Denzel Washington
Summit Entertainment

Nominees: Isabelle Huppert (Elle), Ruth Negga (Loving), Emma Stone (La La Land), Natalie Portman (Jackie), Meryl Streep (Florence Foster Jenkins)

Who Should Win

Emma Stone (or Amy Adams, had she been nominated).

A strong group, with Huppert and Portman in particular offering real competition, but once again La La Land deserves to come away with the gold here. Stone has long been an excellent performer, but she really makes a step-up here, with career best work. Mia is, as you'd expect from Stone and this film, utterly charming, but there's a real raw steeliness in her performance as well, which gives the film so much of its heart.

Who Will Win

Emma Stone.

It's likely coming down to Stone vs Portman, but the hype very much favours the former. Portman perfectly captures Jackie Kennedy, but Stone is the leading lady of the most beloved film while Jackie didn't score a Best Picture nomination.

Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.