The 2017 Oscars are just around the corner! It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating the most memorable film moments from the previous year, but already the awards season is here again. Who will take home the golden statues this year? Will any of our favorite stars be nominated for a Best Actor/Actress award?
Last year, most fans were probably wondering if Leonardo DiCaprio would finally take home his second Oscar. But what if I told you that Robert Pattinson had a much better chance of winning this year’s award?
The British actor stormed the box office this year with his breakout role in the dark romantic comedy, Remember Me. He played the lead role of Jack Taylor, a charming yet troubled young man who finds success as a social media influencer. The film became the fourth highest-grossing of 2016, and the success of the film propelled Pattinson to the forefront of the 2017 awards conversation. While DiCaprio was nominated for four Academy Awards last year, including Best Actor, Pattinson is up for just one: Best Supporting Actor. So, while DiCaprio may have been at the center of the Oscar buzz, it’s Pattinson who has really shot to stardom in the last year.
Will Robert Pattinson beat Leonardo DiCaprio and other heavyweights in the race for Best Actor?
The 2017 Oscars will be handed out on Sunday, March 4th at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The ceremony will start at 7:30 p.m. PST and will be streamed live on the Internet.
This year will mark the 80th Academy Awards, with Jimmy Kimmel serving as host for the third time. It will also be the first Oscars held in Los Angeles in 25 years; the last ceremony was in 1993. The Academy invited moviegoers to join them in LA for the big event; a Golden Globe Awards ceremony will be held at the same time as the Oscars, which in turn will be followed by a gala premiere of the winners’ films.
While we can’t predict who will win the Oscars this year, it’s certain that this year’s award season will be one of the most exciting in recent memory. With two weeks to go before the Oscars, the race is already heating up. But who will take home the gold? Who will be crowned King (or Queen) of the Oscars? Let’s take a look at the top candidates for this year’s Best Actor award.
Leonardo DiCaprio
It’s no secret that Leonardo DiCaprio has been on a golden roll this year. The Academy Award-winning actor/producer has recently starred in two box office smashes: The Revenant and The Wolf of Wall Street. On top of that, he’s producing and starring in the upcoming Tarantulinu film, The Gucci Mane Story, based on the singer’s life. So, it’s no surprise that DiCaprio is in the running for his fifth Best Actor Oscar.
DiCaprio’s ever-increasing popularity is evidenced by the fact that he’s now one of the most popular actors on social media. He broke the record for the most Twitter followers ever accrued by a performer. The record was previously held by Ashton Kutcher, and now DiCaprio has over 14.3 million followers. Plus, he’s the most followed actor on Instagram, with over 20.3 million followers.
The 41-year-old actor will be competing against some heavyweights in the race for the top film award this year. He will be facing off against Daniel Day-Lewis, Bradley Cooper, and Joel Edgerton. As well, DiCaprio is up against Martin Scorsese for the honorary award this year. If he’s going to beat Scorsese, who directed him in the critically acclaimed film, The Wolf of Wall Street, he’ll have to improve his performance in the remaining months of the 2016 film cycle. However, if Scorsese wins, DiCaprio may face an upset.
Robert Pattinson
Just when you thought the 2016 movie season was getting a bit of a break, along comes Robert Pattinson to ruin your relaxation. The British actor, who shot to fame as the young Edward Cullen in the Twilight series, has been pretty prolific in 2016, starring in four movies so far. While three of the four films were commercial flops, Remember Me was a sleeper hit and the fourth highest-grossing film of the year. (It’s worth noting that Twilight was not a commercial success, but it did perform well worldwide, earning over $850 million at the box office.)
Pattinson will be competing against heavyweights like Tom Hanks, Will Smith, and Matt Damon for the Best Actor award. (He’s also up against Eddie Murphy for Best Supporting Actor.) While Twilight may not have been a box office winner, it won fans over with its depiction of young love in a historical context. And it’s that very reason why it could be a dark horse in the Best Actor race: the fact that it’s a drama. As much as we’d love to see Will Smith take home the gold this year, it’s probably not going to happen.
Daniel Day-Lewis
It’s always a tough act to follow, but Daniel Day-Lewis has proven that he’s still got what it takes to make it as an actor. The 55-year-old is probably best known for his portrayal of former US President Andrew Jackson in the movie, Gone With the Wind. He’ll be competing against some of the biggest names in the business for the top film honor this year, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks. (Day-Lewis is also up against Michael Keaton for Best Supporting Actor.)
For the past two years, Day-Lewis has only starred in one movie: Phantom Thread, a period piece directed by the great Paul Thomas Anderson. (He’s also set to star in Anderson’s forthcoming film, The Master). While Day-Lewis may not have hit movie stardom yet, he is continually improving as an actor, and he has certainly been gaining traction in recent years.
Joel Edgerton
Joel Edgerton is one of Australia’s most well-known and popular actors. He’s arguably most famous for playing the role of Harry Dean Stanton in the film, My Own Private Idaho. The 69-year-old will be competing against some heavyweights in the Best Actor race, including Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio. (He’s also up against Matt Damon and John Travolta for the coveted Best Supporting Actor award.)
As much as we want to see all of our favorite stars win the Oscars this year, it’s important to keep in mind that this is an award given out for artistic and technical merit. While Spielberg’s Cold War was a critical and commercial success, it’s unlikely that he’ll ever win an Oscar for his direction. It’s the same for The Revenant, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s massive masterpiece. It’s not that these films were bad; it’s just that they were not made with an eye to the Academy Awards.
So, while we can’t deny that we want to see our favorite stars take home the gold, it’s also important that we consider the types of films and performances that usually get recognized by the Academy.
It’s been a great year for acting so far, and we can’t wait to see who will take home the gold when the 2017 Oscars are handed out on Sunday, March 4th.