2020 Oscar Predictions, Part 4: Acting

Acting winners today, who are all so locked it’s barely worth talking about.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

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  • Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell

  • Laura Dern, Marriage Story

  • Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit

  • Florence Pugh, Little Women

  • Margot Robbie, Bombshell

So honestly, all of these acting races are so locked up and so boring that I don’t even know how to assess them except to day, yup, one person swept every single precursor award (Critics Choice, Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA), and anyone else winning any of these races would be a shock. This category is the only one where I can even see a possible alternate, and that’s ScarJo, because she got nominated twice this year, and Jojo Rabbit appears to be very beloved in the industry. But it’s Laura Dern’s to lose.

Winner: Laura Dern

Alternate: Scarlett Johansson 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

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  • Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

  • Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes

  • Al Pacino, The Irishman

  • Joe Pesci, The Irishman

  • Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Again, Brad won all the precursors, so it’s his and he’s also the only person in this category who doesn’t have an acting Oscar, so there you go.

Winner: Brad Pitt

Alternate: Joe Pesci (he was the critics favorite)

BEST ACTRESS

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  • Cynthia Erivo, Harriet

  • Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story

  • Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

  • Charlize Theron, Bombshell

  • Renee Zellweger, Judy

Same story again. Renee Zellweger benefited from the physical transformation performance and no clear alternative for who else should win this, I suppose. Her story was kind of a comeback one too, so she’ll now have her second Oscar and first for lead.

Winner: Renee Zellweger

BEST ACTOR

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  • Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory

  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

  • Adam Driver, Marriage Story

  • Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

  • Jonathan Pryce, Joker

And of course, four time nominee Phoenix will finally win and become the second actor in the last decade to win an Oscar for playing the Joker, which is kind of insane. Is this Batman villain the new Hamlet? Cesar Romero really missed out.

Winner: Joaquin Phoenix

Alternate: Adam Driver (not much of a chance now, but he was a critics favorite at one point)