Oscars 2021: Predicting Winners In EVERY Category

It is incredible that Chadwick Boseman has never been nominated for any big awards - whether it be a BAFTA, Golden Globe or Oscar - particularly considering his committed and versatile performances as James Brown and Jackie Robinson. However, with his final role he gets a chance to fully show his dramatic chops in an adaptation of August Wilson's award-winning play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. While he could also receive a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Spike Lee's Da 5 Bloods it is unlikely with his limited screen time that he would win.

Aside from the fact that Boseman genuinely gives a nuanced and moving performance as the band's unpredictable cornet-player Levee, the Oscar feels like a long overdue accolade for his incredible impact on the film industry. While it does his sterling performance a disservice to suggest the Academy would give him Best Actor as a sort of 'lifetime achievement award' it would be a fitting end to a legendary yet tragically short career.

Two other actors who are almost sure fire nominations to look out for are Riz Ahmed for his role as a metal drummer coping with his sudden loss of hearing in Sound of Metal and Anthony Hopkins for his portrayal of a man dealing with dementia in The Father. Both these performances have been met with acclaim for showing the protagonist battling the life changing obstacles in their way (which is traditionally rewarded by the Academy) but the likelihood is Boseman will come out on top this time.