Über Early Actress Predictions

Two days ago the 87th Academy Awards came and left and Julianne Moore can now die with the words "Academy Award/Oscar winner" permanently attached to the front of her name. But it's NEVER too early to make proactive predictions. So who'll be the lucky ladies in contention for next year's statue? A previously nom'd actress? An actress who has never been nominated before? One of the last four winners?

So herein lies my predictions. Last year my ladies of choice were Amy Adams for Big Eyes (a lot of folks predicted her for the win too...ha! But she got pretty close to another nomination), Jessica Chastain for Miss Julie (Whoops!), Michelle Williams for Suite Francaise (Huh?), Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl (Yippee!) and Cate Blanchett in Carol (about that...). As we may already know, early early predictions never amount to anything, and I'll be lucky to accurately predict 2-3, but here goes:

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1. CATE BLANCHETT, CAROL

Who could resist Great Cate? What's more, who could resist Cate as a gorgeous repressed lesbian housewife in what will surely be a gorgeous Todd Haynes flick? I've been eagerly waiting for this one since Cate started filming for it following her Blue Jasmine win, and the very thought of her in a reverse Far From Heaven scenario is too much to resist.

ANTICIPATION: 5/5

2. JULIANNE MOORE, FREEHELD

Looks like our newly minted Best Actress will be riding that new wave of acclaim that started at last year's Cannes straight into next year. Sure, I watched the 12 minute Freeheld sizzle-reel on the web and was left a little indifferent by the footage, but this is as baity as it gets. For starters, its source material won an Oscar. Plus, Moore is playing a terminally ill lesbian, repressed by the man, fighting for the gay right to give Ellen Page her pension after she dies. Add in some Best Actress afterglow love and the Lionsgate distribution and it's looking like Moore will be well on her way to a sixth nom. 

ANTICIPATION: 3.5/5

3. ANGELINA JOLIE, BY THE SEA

I'm well aware that this could go the obvious route--that being Angelina Jolie's shoddy directorial history and the fact that this seems like it could fall into Revolutionary Road territory. But I'm rooting for it to go the route that I want it to go, that being: AWESOME AS HELL. I am one of the few who adored Revolutionary Road as well as Kate Winslet's performance, and who in God's name wouldn't be excited to see Brangelina joining forces on the big screen again? In fact, if By the Sea absolutely kills, it wouldn't be out of the question to envision the Academy handing a second Oscar over to the Queen of Hollywood herself.

ANTICIPATION: 5/5

4. SAOIRSE RONAN, BROOKLYN

Stellar reviews coming out of Sundance, and the fact that she has graduated gracefully from bright child star to ingenue, having done solid, consistent work since her first nomination as a baby nearly a decade ago, could mean that she's ready for her second nomination. Plus, reading the reviews on the film itself has gotten me pretty excited about this one. 

ANTICIPATION: 4/5

5. CHARLOTTE RAMPLING, 45 YEARS

Even more ecstatic reviews coming out of Berlin, plus the fact that she has never, ever gotten a nomination could mean that this is Rampling's chance to nab the Emmanuelle Riva position on the shortlist. My slightest qualms would be a) she has never been recognized by the Academy, so why would she be now? and b) Sundance Selects/IFC isn't the most sure-fire distributor to have, but hey, they did pretty well with Boyhood and got a certain French flower an unexpected Oscar nomination this year, so who knows? 

ANTICIPATION: 4/5

++ A FEW OTHER TOTALLY VIABLE OPTIONS ++

6. JENNIFER LAWRENCE, JOY

Yeah I know she's America's sweetheart and a Hollywood superstar with 3 nominations in the last 5 years. Yeah I know that the film is all about her and is made by David O. Russell. Yeah I know David O. Russell has been on a roll for his last three films. She's a totally legitimate possibility, and I may just feel silly next year for not having predicted her, but for now I don't. So deal. And plus I just can't find the fucks to give for a movie about a woman who invented the Miracle Mop. Plus my feelings towards JLaw are the same as the feelings of your typical Streep fatigued moviegoer. 

ANTICIPATION: 2/5

7. MERYL STREEP, RICKI AND THE FLASH

I know that at this point it's pretty much stupid and foolish to count out Meryl at the Oscars for anything that is even slightly baity, but I don't know. Maybe it's because I have a lingering feeling that with every subsequent nomination it'll be harder for her to get another (Q: She can't surely get another, can she? A: yes, yes she can), but realistically I have her 7th because I feel like the other ladies at this moment in time present stronger individual cases to nominate for rather than Streep's 20th go-around. But trust that if she gets in I'll still be thrilled.  

ANTICIPATION: 3.5/5

8. ALICIA VIKANDER, THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS/THE DANISH GIRL

A-star-is-born kinda year, what with The Light Between Oceans / Tulip Fever and a few other big Hollywood pics, and possibly The Danish Girl if it manages to be filmed and edited on time (I doubt it). But I wouldn't count her out, especially if one of the seasoned top dogs stumble (and I'm sure at least one of them will)

ANTICIPATION: 4/5

9. JENNIFER JASON LEIGH, THE HATEFUL EIGHT

It's Tarantino (not that Tarantino ladies are a shoo-in for Oscar nominations) and it's Weinstein. And I also read on a forum from someone who had allegedly read the Hateful Eight script that JJL's role is a pretty good one. So only time will tell!

ANTICIPATION: 3/5

10. CAREY MULLIGAN, SUFFRAGETTE

Dude I don't know it just seems like the middle-of-the-road, inspiration fluff piece that the Academy goes nuts for. It could either go the route of Made in Dagenham but with Streep's inclusion I'm inclined to think that this will be a legitimate option. 

ANTICIPATION: 1/5

and...

11. MICHELLE WILLIAMS, UNTITLED KELLY REICHARDT MOVIE (because never say never to Michelle Williams....but also, I said that last year regarding Suite Francaise)
12. JESSICA CHASTAIN, THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE (because never say never to Jessica Chastain....but also, I said that last year regarding Miss Julie)
13. MARION COTILLARD, MACBETH (supporting? lead? probably supporting)
14. ROONEY MARA, THE SECRET SCRIPTURE/CAROL
15. SANDRA BULLOCK, OUR BRAND IS CRISIS

So there's that! One thing's for sure: 2015 is lookin pretty great for the actresses. Thank god, because 2014 was a major downer. Shame that most years can't be as rich as the field of this year's offering, but regardless I'm excited for most of these!