And the Envelope Please…Who Will Take Home an Academy Award for 2023 Films on March 10th?

Predictions for the 96th Academy Awards

In one of the most interesting Oscar races in recent years, Cillian Murphy and Emma Stone could take home the gold for their work in Oppenheimer and Poor Things, respectively, on March 10th.

Whereas there is almost no chance that Oppenheimer will lose Best Picture at the Academy Awards ceremony on March 10th, it is the leading acting categories that propose potential surprises. First and foremost, Cillian Murphy and Paul Giamatti are in a fight to the finish for their work in Oppenheimer and The Holdovers, respectively. Remember one thing, folks: Oscar loves an upset. Whether it will come in the Best Actor category or the Best Actress category is the big question mark hanging over the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony next weekend. In the Best Actress race, Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone are coming down to the wire for their performances in Poor Things and Killers of the Flower Moon.

There is no chance that Christopher Nolan will lose Best Director this year for his work on the critically acclaimed blockbuster, Oppenheimer. With that being said, his win also gives Murphy and his co-star, Robert Downey Jr. the edge in the acting categories of Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor. Last year, Everything Everywhere All at Once received prizes for Best Director, Best Actress (for Michelle Yeoh) and in the two supporting categories (Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis). Oppenheimer won’t do all that (it won’t win both supporting categories) but Murphy and Downey Jr. are pretty solid choices to win this year. Paul Giamatti was definitely great and in any other year, the trophy would have been his but probably not this one. The Holdovers‘ Da’Vine Joy Randolph will certainly represent The Holdovers at the Oscars with a guaranteed win for Best Supporting Actress.

The lead actress Academy Award is probably going to be going to Emma Stone for several reasons. Lily Gladstone was a front runner for some time and won the award at SAG but her limited screen time may just lead to Stone taking the gold right out from under her. Stone had a much showier role. Period. The Academy loves a showy performance and Stone simply nailed it and then some. Gladstone could still sneak away with the trophy. Don’t be surprised if she does but, at this particular moment, Stone has the edge.

I believe that the Academy will choose to honor Killers of the Flower Moon in the Best Original Song category for “Wahzhazhe,” also known as “A Song for My People.” That song is haunting, and profound and it would really be hard to bypass it for the light-as-air Barbie song, “I’m Just Ken.” Barbie will not go home empty handed, though, and should win a technical Oscar or two on the show. Many of you probably can’t wait to see the show next weekend. Who do you think will win? The last words of wisdom for tonight will be: Don’t underestimate Anatomy of a Fall! That’s the movie that could sneak a surprise Oscar in one of its nominated categories.

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