Who will win Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Picture at this year's biggest film awards show? We tap into our inner psychic to bring you our Oscars 2016 predictions
With the 88th Academy Awards just around the corner, the race is on for the coveted golden statuette! So place your bets, cinephiles and film buffs; we’re getting in on all the Oscar action with our predictions on who will win big at the biggest awards show of the season.
Best Actor
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Matt Damon – The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio – Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Who we support: Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant. With four past nominations under his belt, will this be the year that Leo finally snags the elusive Oscar? We’re keeping our fingers crossed because, frankly, we’re tired of all the ‘Sad Leo’ jokes, memes, and yes, even the highly addictive video game. Give that guy a break; he battled a bear, ate raw bison liver, and survived harsh arctic elements – surely that qualifies as an Oscar-winning performance?
Who will probably win: Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl. Fresh off his triumphant Oscar win last year, Eddie Redmayne looks set to continue his winning streak. The evidence speaks for itself: his portrayal of Danish artist Lili Elbe is every bit as amazing as his performance as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. And given how transgender rights are currently a hot-button issue, Eddie’s imminent win could not – and will not – have come at a better time.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Who we support: Brie Larson for Room. Brie is up against some serious heavyweights – veterans, multiple Oscar winners – but one thing the newcomer’s got going for her? A wonderfully nuanced yet powerful performance in Room that’s sure to propel her to leading lady status. Watch out, J Law: Brie Larson’s coming for your crown as Hollywood darling.
Who will probably win: Brie Larson for Room. See above.
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Who we support: Tom Hardy for The Revenant. Word on the street is that The Revenant is set to score big at this year’s Oscars. But sadly, industry experts are predicting that Tom Hardy won’t be one of those winners. True? Possibly. Unwarranted? Definitely. He may have been eclipsed by leading man Leonardo DiCaprio, but Tom has proven time and time again (see past films The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Legend) that he has the acting chops and a dark horse appeal that The Academy loves.
Who will probably win: Sylvester Stallone for Creed. After being missing out on a nomination at the SAGs (a surprise to many), it looks like Sly is everyone’s favourite underdog this awards season. And we all know, everyone loves a good comeback story. So who knows? Sly’s seventh outing as Rocky Balboa in Creed might just be his most rewarding one yet.
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara – Carol
Rachel McAdams – Spotlight
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Who we support: Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl. Everyone’s talking about Eddie Redmayne, but his performance in The Danish Girl isn’t the only one that’s Oscar-worthy. Alicia Vikander’s soul-bearing performance was spectacular – bringing incredible emotion, love and loss into her role as Lili Elbe’s long-suffering, supportive spouse.
Who will probably win: Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs. Despite the movie’s lacklustre reception at the box office, there’s no denying Kate Winslet’s stellar performance in Steve Jobs. The 41 year-old has already picked up a Golden Globe and a BAFTA this awards season for her role as Apple PR guru Johanna Hoffman, and she looks set to continue her winning streak at the Oscars.
Best Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Who we support: The Revenant. As one of the wildest and most ambitious films in the running, it’s no contest really: The Revenant is a shoo-in for Best Picture. And it’s thanks to Alejandro González Iñárritu’s skilled direction, Emmanuel Lubezki’s breath-taking cinematography, and of course, Leonardo DiCaprio’s all-out performance which make it the must-watch magnum opus of 2016.
Who will probably win: The Revenant. See above.
Catch the live broadcast of Oscars® Red Carpet ‘Live’ at 8am and The 88th Annual Academy Awards at 930am on 29 February 2016 on HBO.