2014 Awards Season: Oscar Highlight: Best Lead Actress

February 20, 2014

Blue Jasmine poster

With our annual Oscar Prediction contest underway, now is the best time to look at the nominees and try and figure out who the favorites are and which films should just feel honored to be nominated. This week we will look at the four acting categories, finishing with Best Lead Actress. Unlike last year, this year the race is far more competitive in nearly all of the of the four acting categories this year. The person seen as the favorite has switched, more than once, and at the moment, I'm not sure who is going to win.

(Note: All previous awards listed are only for acting and not other categories. However, they are for supporting and lead acting.)

Best Lead Actress

Amy Adams for American Hustle
Tomatometer Score: 93% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe and One SAG
Movie's Previous Major Wins: SAG
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Four Oscars, Four Golden Globes, Five SAGs, and One Independent Spirit Award
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One Independent Spirit Award
Notes: As I said last year, Amy Adams will win an Oscar... just not this year. I'm a little worried she will be given an Oscar for a sub-standard performance, because the voters are trying to make up for the number of years she was nominated and passed over.

Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine
Tomatometer Score: 91% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe, One SAG, and One Independent Spirit Award
Movie's Previous Major Wins: One Golden Globe and One SAG (One Pending)
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Five Oscar, Seven Golden Globes, Twelve SAGs, and Three Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One Oscar, Two Golden Globes, Two SAGs, and Two Independent Spirit Awards
Notes: So far Cate Blanchett has won practically every award she's been nominated for and almost all analysts agree she will win her second Oscar this year. Amy Adams might get her make up Oscar this year, but it is very unlikely.

Sandra Bullock for Gravity
Tomatometer Score: 97% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe and One SAG
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: One Oscar, Four Golden Globes, and Two SAGs
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One Oscar, One Golden Globe, and Two SAGs
Notes: While Gravity has earned the best reviews of the five films on this list, Sandra Bullock has almost no chance of winning. She hasn't won either of the major awards she was nominated for and she very recently won an Oscar (for a performance that wasn't as good as this one) so the Oscar voters will be less likely to vote for her again.

Judi Dench for Philomena
Tomatometer Score: 92% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe and One SAG
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: Six Oscars, Ten Golden Globes, and Eleven SAGs
Actress's Previous Major Wins: One Oscar, Two Golden Globes, and Two SAGs
Notes: Judi Dench hasn't picked up wins for either of the previous major awards nominations she earned, plus she previously won an Oscar, so she won't earn a Lifetime Achievement Award. She's not the longest of the long shots on this year's list of nominees, but it is close.

Meryl Streep for August: Osage County
Tomatometer Score: 64% Positive
Movie's Previous Major Nominations: One Golden Globe and Two SAGs
Movie's Previous Major Wins: None
Actress's Previous Major Nominations: 17 Oscars, 25 Golden Globes, and 12 SAGs and Two Independent Spirit Awards
Actress's Previous Major Wins: Three Oscars, Seven Golden Globes, and One SAG
Notes: This film earned the weakest reviews of the five films on this year's list, while Meryl Streep has already earned three Oscars, so there's little hope she will win again.

Conclusion: Unless Oscar voters decide they really have to give Amy Adams an Oscar this year, Cate Blanchett will win for Blue Jasmine. She's been earning all of the buzz and has picked up the Golden Globe and the SAG.


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Filed under: Awards Season, Gravity, August: Osage County, Blue Jasmine, American Hustle, Philomena, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Judi Dench, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams