Predictions For Oscar Nominations 2017
Oscar nominations for this year will be impacted by a group of 683 people, in which 46 percent women and 41 percent people of color are coming together for the first time in Academy Awards’ history for the selection process. Before this inclusion, the stats were 25 percent women and 8 percent people of color who were part of the nomination committee.
The academy has been criticized in past for its lack of diversity in the past. Will this affect the Oscar nominations for this year? On Tuesday, we will see the result of this shift as the nominations for the 89th Academy Awards will be announced. This year’s Oscar nominations will be announced via a live stream instead of the pre-dawn conference at its Beverly Hills headquarters on 24th January. The use of digital platforms is to engage and attract a broader audience by the academy.
From Chris Rock’s reference to last year’s Oscar as the “White People’s Choice Awards” to Twitter hashtags like #OscarsSoWhite, the academy seemed to be finally acknowledging the racial controversy, and this year’s Oscar nominations are highly anticipated to witness that change.
Among the Best Picture contenders are La La Land and Moonlight, which were favorites with critics and moviegoers alike. These two films stand in stark contrast to each other, yet they received wide critical acclaim. Manchester by the Sea, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, and Arrival are also expected to get a nomination in this category.
In the Best Actor category, Casey Affleck and Denzel Washington are the strong contenders. Ryan Gosling is expected to get a nomination along with Andrew Garfield and Viggo Mortensen.
Best Actress nominations are expected to include Emma Stone for La La Land, Natalie Portman for Jackie, Isabelle Huppert for Elle, and Amy Adams for Arrival. Other possible nominees include Meryl Streep for Florence Foster Jenkins or Annette Bening for 20th Century Women.
Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson for Nocturnal Animals are top contenders for the Best Supporting Actor category. Other nominees are expected to include Dev Patel for Lion, Jeff Bridges for Hell or High Water, and Lucas Hedges for Manchester by the Sea.
In the Best Supporting Actress category, it is Viola Davis for her fantastic performance in Fences who will likely get a nomination. Other contenders are expected to be Michelle Williams for Manchester by the Sea, Naomie Harris for Moonlight, Octavia Spencer for Hidden Figures, and Nicole Kidman for Lion.
For Best Original Screenplay, Manchester by the Sea, La La Land, Hell or High Water, The Lobster, and Captain Fantastic remain the favorites. Moonlight and Loving are expected to compete with other adapted screenplay like Fences, Lion, and Nocturnal Animals.
Best Director will be a tight race. Barry Jenkins for Moonlight and Damien Chazelle for La La Land are almost assured a nomination. Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea), Martin Scorsese (Silence), and Dennis Villeneuve (Arrival) have a good shot at getting a nomination.
La La Land, Moonlight, and Manchester by the Sea will be competing for the highest number of nominations for a film. La La Land has been receiving positive reviews since its release. This year, a musical could sweep all major categories and lock the spot for the Best Picture.
Moonlight is a stronger contender as well. The African-American coming-of-age drama is among critics’ favorite to win major nominations. Machester by the Sea, another critics’ favorite, has not received the same adoration from audiences. Whether this drama has takers in the academy is yet unknown.
Jimmy Kimmel will host the 2017 Academy Awards, which will air on February 26.
Yes, I am hosting the Oscars. This is not a prank. And if it is, my revenge on @TheAcademy will be terrible & sweet. Thx to @alsformalwear
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) December 5, 2016
[Featured Image by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images]
