I would be lying if I said I didn’t care about the Academy Awards. As an avid film lover, I’ve been a religious follower of the Oscars for as long as I remember, and I haven’t missed a show since I’ve started watching them. And with the excitement and anticipation of the awards comes speculation as to who will win in the biggest categories. I am by no means a film expert, but it’s fun to predict who will win for this year’s awards! The criteria used to predict the winners here did not include my own personal preferences, but is judged from things like Rotten Tomatoes scores and critics’ reviews, past performances at award shows, and overall buzz associated with the film nominated.
Note: The predictions below include only the categories that seem to be some of the most relevant and most talked about.
Best Animated Feature Film
The Nominees: Anomalisa, Boy & the World, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Inside Out, and When Marnie was There
Predicted Winner: Inside Out
Based on Disney and Pixar’s past performances at the Academy Awards, I would be very shocked if Inside Out was not chosen as a winner. Not only was it super cute and funny (as Disney and Pixar movies are), but it explained mental health in a way that everyone could understand. Inside Out also saw a win at the Golden Globes a few weeks prior, so it is definitely in good shape to be the winner of this category.
Best Supporting Actor
The Nominees: Christian Bale, The Big Short; Tom Hardy, The Revenant; Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight; Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies; and Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Predicted Winner: Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Sylvester Stallone is definitely not a stranger to the acting scene, but he’s been getting buzz about returning to his iconic role of Rocky Balboa in the film Creed. He was previously nominated for playing Rocky in 1977, and has been getting critical acclaim for reprising the role this past year.
Best Supporting Actress
The Nominees: Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight; Rooney Mara, Carol; Rachel McAdams, Spotlight; Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl; and Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs
Predicted Winner: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
The Danish Girl is a groundbreaking film that showcases the life of Lili Elbe (played by Eddie Redmayne), who is considered to be the one of the first transgender women to undergo sexual reassignment surgery. Alicia Vikander plays her wife in the film, and has had positive reception to her performance in the film. Because of the film’s subject, it isn’t hard to imagine Vikander as the winner of this category.
Best Actor
The Nominees: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo; Matt Damon, The Martian; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant; Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs; and Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl
Predicted Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
I’m sure we can all agree that now is the time for Leonardo DiCaprio to FINALLY win an Oscar. His performance in The Revenant is considered one of his best, and the struggle he portrays through his character is almost synonymous to his real-struggle of never winning an Oscar. The Revenant has been getting rave reviews and holds the most Oscar nominations out of all the nominated films, so it seems very likely that Leo could be going home with a golden statuette.
Best Actress
The Nominees: Cate Blanchett, Carol; Brie Larson, Room; Jennifer Lawrence, Joy; Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years; and Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Predicted Winner: Brie Larson, Room
While Jennifer Lawrence always seems to be the Academy’s golden girl, I feel like Brie Larson is in the position to win this one. Larson has already proven that she can win against seasoned actresses, as she won her category for Room in this year’s Golden Globes. This is also her first Academy Award nomination, so it would be really interesting to see her go home with an award.
Best Director
The Nominees: Lenny Abrahamson, Room; Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant; Tom McCarthy, Spotlight; Adam McKay, The Big Short; and George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Predicted Winner: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
This is the second year in a row that Alejandro G. Iñárritu is nominated for Best Director. Last year, he received critical acclaim for his film Birdman, and even snagged the win for Best Director at last year’s awards. Iñárritu has a great chance of winning, with The Revenant receiving the most nominations of the night.
Best Picture
The Nominees: The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, and Spotlight
Predicted Winner: The Revenant
It seems really obvious, given the number of nominations The Revenant has already received. But considering that, it seems apparent that the Academy would choose this film to win. With a superb lead actor and a visionary director, as well as great reviews from critics and viewers alike, The Revenant is in a really good position of winning the night’s biggest award.