With less than 4 months until the official Oscar Nominee List is released, speculation has already begun about the year’s top contenders.
2021 saw films and movies released at an almost unbelievable pace. Following the pandemic restrictions of 2020, major productions have finally been able to finish and release their films to the public and what better way to be recognised for their efforts than with an Oscar. Below we have a list of the contenders for the three biggest spots of the awards night: Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress.
Best Picture
While most of these films have actually not been released, they have already received high regard. Most surprising from reviewers is the inclusion of movies produced by streaming platforms, like Netflix and Apple+. The Oscars has been in controversy for its apparent snubbing of “mass-produced’ films and content, but with the 2018 Oscar Nomination of Black Panther for Best Picture, and Netflix films winning seven Oscars in 2021, watchers are hoping for the show to open its door to more mainstream and accessible content.
| 1 | Belfast | Focus Features | Laura Berwick, Celia Duvall, Becca Kovacik, Tamar Thomas |
| 2 | The Power of the Dog | Netflix | Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian |
| 3 | King Richard | Warner Bros | Tim White, Trevor White, Will Smith |
| 4 | Dune | Warner Bros | Cale Boyter, Joe Caracciolo Jr, Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve |
| 5 | tick, tick…Boom! | Netflix | Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Julie Oh |
| 6 | The Tragedy of Macbeth | A24 / Apple Original Films | Joel Coen, Robert Graf, Frances McDormand |
| 7 | Licorice Pizza | United Artists Releasing/MGM | Paul Thomas Anderson, Sara Murphy, JoAnne Sellar, Daniel Lupi |
| 8 | C’mon C’mon | A24 | Mike Mills |
| 9 | Being the Ricardos | Amazon Studios | Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch |
| 10 | CODA | Apple Original Films | Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger, Jerôme Seydoux |
Best Actor
One of the most anticipated nominees for Best Actor is Will Smith, whose acting career has yet to be Oscar-recognised. He stars in King Richard, a loose retelling of Serena and Venus William’s upbringing and rise to tennis stardom. He plays Richard Smith, the father of the two, who was their coach and a central player in the athletes’ success.
The next two nominees are Denzel Washington and Andrew Garfield, both starring in an Apple Original and Netflix production, respectively. These nominations, again, give hope that the awards will give due credit towards mainstream content and its relevance in pop culture.
| 1 | Will Smith | King Richard |
| 2 | Denzel Washington | The Tragedy of Macbeth |
| 3 | Andrew Garfield | tick, tick…Boom! |
| 4 | Benedict Cumberbatch | The Power of the Dog |
| 5 | Clifton Collins, Jr. | Jockey |
| 6 | Peter Dinklage | Cyrano |
| 7 | Joaquin Phoenix | C’mon C’mon |
| 8 | Simon Rex | Red Rocket |
| 9 | Mahershala Ali | Swan Song |
| 10 | Oscar Isaac | The Card Counter |
Best Actress
As for Best Actress, Kristen Stewart’s role as Diana in Spencer has been highly praised, even though the movie has yet to premiere worldwide! The same can also be said of the upcoming film The Tragedy of Macbeth a periodical Shakespearian tale that has both Frances McDormand and Denzel Washington nominated way ahead of the film’s release on Apple+. With a combined Oscar total of six, four just for McDormand, the film has already received high praise. Lady Gaga is also back amongst the nominees, for her depiction of Patrizia Gucci in the biographical crime drama film, House of Gucci.
| 1 | Kristen Stewart | Spencer |
| 2 | Jessica Chastain | The Eyes of Tammy Faye |
| 3 | Frances McDormand | The Tragedy of Macbeth |
| 4 | Olivia Colman | The Lost Daughter |
| 5 | Penélope Cruz | Parallel Mothers |
| 6 | Nicole Kidman | Being the Ricardos |
| 7 | Lady Gaga | House of Gucci |
| 8 | Jennifer Hudson | Respect |
| 9 | Rachel Zegler | West Side Story |
| 10 | Renate Reinsve | The Worst Person in the World |
Nomination contender lists are courtesy of Variety.