This year's Best Actor in a Leading Role category is one of the most talked out this year (the others being Best Picture and Best Actress). Here are my predicted nominees:
BENICIO DEL TORO, Che (above)
- My dark horse candidate, 2000's Best Sup. Actor winner (and 2002 nominee) has come up with an inspired, uninhibited portrayal of the Mexican renegade Che Guevarra. He may have won Best Actor honors at Cannes last year, but the four-hour film may feel like "too much labor of love" for del Toro (who co-produced it) and director Steven Soderbergh (who directed him to an Oscar for 2000's Traffic). Acting wise, he deserves it.
CLINT EASTWOOD, Gran Torino
- 'Nuff said. "Get off my lawn!" (In short, I deserve this more than you do.)
FRANK LANGELLA, Frost/Nixon
- The film may have been a limited release box office disappointment, but he stepped up to the plate and delivered the same gusto in this adaptation of the acclaimed West End play. (He won a Tony Award for the role.) Plus, he is an Academy member.
SEAN PENN, Milk
- The question is: will he win another Oscar? Ask the critics and they will say he deserves it.
MICKEY ROURKE, The Wrestler
- The revelation of the year that paid off, his self referential speech at the Golden Globes last week sealed the deal to this once-written off actor's career comeback. The question is: will he give the same speech at the Oscars, or does he have to prepare a speech? We will know it on February 22.
AND THE OSCAR SNUBS...
Leonardo di Caprio, Revolutionary Road (mixed critical reception for the film, coupled with the media's and critics' focus on Kate Winslet, his Titanic co-star)
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor (acclaimed performance, too early release date)
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Fine reviews for his performance, but the film was praised for its script, direction, music score, and co-star Taraji P. Henson.)
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