Filmsane

I think it’s time to have that talk. The Oscar talk.

And I know it’s a bit early to predict which 5 actresses will make into the Best actress in a leading role Oscar nomination but let’s round up the usual suspects. Shall we? Now I know that some new (rookie) names will pull through in this category, the majority will actually consist of previous Oscar winners/nominees and screen legends of our time.

But who are the major threats and favorites in the Best actress in a leading role category?

Frances McDormand
Movie: Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Previous wins – one for best leading actress in Fargo.
Fun fact about the movie: Frances McDormand was hesitant to take the role when it was offered, but was eventually convinced by her husband, Joel Coen: “Because at the time he gave it to me I was 58… I was concerned that women from this socioeconomic strata did not wait until 38 to have their first child. So we went back and forth and we debated that quite for a while, and then finally my husband said, ‘Just shut up and do it.'”

Sally Hawkins
Movie: The Shape of Water
Previous wins – none but she has one previous nomination for best supporting actress in Blue Jasmine.
Fun fact about the movie: Guillermo del Toro first met Sally Hawkins at the 2014 Golden Globes, and pitched the film to her while being intoxicated; “I was drunk and it’s not a movie that makes you sound less drunk”.

Meryl Streep
Movie: The Post
Previous wins – 3 wins and 20 nominations in total (but who’s counting really?)
Fun fact about the movie: This is the first major film collaboration of actress Meryl Streep and director Steven Spielberg. Streep’s only other collaboration with Spielberg was on A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001) when Streep did a voice over role in the film.

Saoirse Ronan
Movie: Lady Bird
Previous win – none but she has 2 other nominations (one of which when she was just 13 years old- for best supporting actress in Atonement)
Fun fact about the movie: Greta Gerwig said in an interview that she would have preferred the film to be “just close-ups of Saoirse Ronan face” because of her immense beauty.

Margot Robbie
Movie: I, Tonya
Previous wins- none and no previous nominations.
Fun fact about the movie: Margot Robbie trained with choreographer Sarah Kawahara for the role.

Emma Stone
Movie: Battle of the Sexes
Previous wins- one for best leading actress in last year’s La La Land.
Fun fact about the movie: Emma Stone has admitted that she is not very skilled at tennis.

Jennifer Lawrence
Movie: Mother!
Previous wins- one for best leading actress in Silver Linings Playbook.
Fun fact about the movie: Jennifer Lawrence got so much into her character that during the climactic scenes, she started hyperventilating and even cracked a rib.