It’s early in the race, but two frontrunners have already emerged in Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for the 2021 Oscars.
Chadwick Boseman And Glenn Close Jump Out To Early Leads
Here is my first of many predictions about the 2021 Oscars.
Both Chadwick Boseman and Glenn Close will win Oscars at the 2021 ceremony.
First, there’s the late Boseman, who tragically passed away this past August after a long battle with colon cancer. The actor was a king, both on and off the screen. Imagine working long and excruciating days on films like Black Panther, The Avenger sequels, and Da 5 Bloods while undergoing chemotherapy and other cancer treatments. How many of us would give up? Frankly, a lot of us would including myself, but not Boseman. He was a special breed and truly a selfless individual. May he rest in power.
For the 2021 Oscars, Boseman was drawing major buzz for Best Supporting Actor in Netflix’s upcoming film, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which premieres on Dec. 18. After his death, the buzz skyrocketed as Boseman went straight to the top of the list in the supporting actor category. That all changed this week when Netflix announced their campaign to run Boseman for lead actor.
The strategist in me said, “Why would Netflix push Boseman in a tough best acting field instead of dominating the supporting category?” It took me less than a minute before the light bulb went off.
Two words: double nominee.
Boseman gave another performance in a Netflix movie that has gained awards buzz. I’m talking about Da 5 Bloods, where he played the undeniable “Stormin'” Norman. With the decision to run Boseman for Best Actor in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, the door has opened for a supporting nomination for Da 5 Bloods.
It’s definitely an ambitious plan from Netflix and at the very least, Boseman will receive a nomination for one of his performances. Those who have seen Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom have raved over Boseman’s final outing.
I agree. Chadwick is going to win an Oscar.
Speaking of Oscar victories, you know who hasn’t won an Oscar yet? Glenn Close. Unfortunately, Close’s relationship with the Oscars can be explained with one phrase, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” 7 nominations, 0 wins.
It’s not like Close lost to scrubs every year. Jessica Lange, Jodie Foster, and Meryl Streep are three of the most accomplished actresses ever. However, if I had to switch up one result, it would be 1988 when Close should’ve won for Fatal Attraction. Before Cher and her fans hurt me, I will say that Cher should’ve been nominated and won for Mask.
It’s a shame Close is Oscar-less, but I believe she’s finally going to win gold in the supporting category for Hillbilly Elegy, a film about the American dream and societal problems through the eyes of an Appalachian family. Close will play Mamaw Vance, the grandmother of J.D. Vance, who wrote the memoir that served as the film’s inspiration. The Oscars typically honor films that are based on real-life events and reward actors who make complete physical transformations. Hillbilly Elegy and Close check off both boxes.
It’s ironic that the actress who beat Close in 2019, Olivia Colman, is also her toughest competition in 2021 as Colman will run in the supporting category for her role in The Father. Expect another close (I couldn’t help myself with this pun) race.
I really like both actresses, but I’d venture to say that Colman would be ok with Close winning this time around. I would be happy with this result, too.
Other News And Notes
-From what I’ve seen and read, the Best Picture frontrunner as of October 23 is Nomadland.
–Mank is coming. I don’t see a world where the Academy hates Mank. Nominations in Best Picture, Best Director for David Fincher, Best Actor for Gary Oldman seem inevitable.
-Netflix, Netflix, and more Netflix. This will be the year the streaming service receives the most nominations in their company’s history. Now, the pressure is on to win in the major categories.
-I still haven’t seen Tenet.
Which Chadwick Boseman and Glenn Close win Oscars? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.