I've updated the BEST ACTOR page with various tidbits. You know how we're always hearing that Leonardo DiCaprio is a tall actor? Well, this is a competition among giants because he's actually the shortest nominee @ 5'11" Everyone else is over six foot --Peter O'Toole is even taller than Forest Whitaker if you can imagine it. So Leo is the shortest but he's not the youngest. That honor goes to Ryan Gosling who nabs his first nomination at 26. You may recall that Heath Ledger was a wee babe as far as Oscar statistics go when he was nominated last year, also at 26. So now Gosling joins Ledger (plus Orson Welles & Marlon Brando, esteemed company, huh?) as the collective 5th youngest Best Actor nominee. ever. Only Jackie Cooper (9), Mickey Rooney (19,23), John Travolta (23) and James Dean (24) were under the quarter-century mark when they received their leading actor nominations. Adrien Brody is the youngest actual winner. He was 29 when he won for The Pianist.
WEIRDNESS: We've also got a situation this year where 60% of our Best Actor lineup started in family television. Growing Pains, The Mickey Mouse Club, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air are all in the house.
More on the Best Actor race here. As far as the other men go, I'm beginning to doubt my feeling that Alan Arkin would pick up steam for the Supporting Oscar. Slant Magazine makes a strong case for Djimon Hounsou. People are obviously starting to feel like Eddie Murphy will lose ... but unless buzz coalesces around a single challenger, maybe he won't.ALSO: Please vote on the Best Actor Poll @ the main site
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Leo was not nominated in supporting because he was campaigned as lead for most of the season. It was the supporting SAG placement that ruined everything. He might've been ScarJo circa 2003 all over again if he weren't already a huge star in a vacant best actor category. Though I actually think his Departed perf probably had more votes than Gosling's. I bet MANY people voted for him twice.
And also, I swear he used to be credited on IMDB as 6'1'' (I remember KNOWING he was that height until suddenly it was changed). I guess he is not as tall as he was being made out to be.
Do you really think O'Toole is out of it? It's really hard to imagine them giving him the shaft again... but I guess he does have that honorary oscar...
Also, at this point, it's hard to see Murphy losing. I thought the SAG would totally go to Leo, resulting in no fruntrunner for the oscar (and probably an Arkin win). But that did not happen. I'm still surprised Leo lost the SAG.
Whoa, Nat! I read the Leo 'How'd they get nominated' thing and get a big ol' spoiler for the movie. I don't particularly care to see the movie, but still.
Is it safe to read the other four (considering I haven't seen any of them, strangely)?
I don't see Murphy losing at this point either, but I really, really wish he would. I've never been a huge fan of his, and I didn't love him in Dreamgirls. I would just love to see Wahlberg win this one- it would really take the sting out of the general lack of love for the amazing cast of The Departed, and it's a great performance to boot. Again, however, I don't think it's going to happen.
This might sound ridiculous, but does anyone feel that "Norbit" might hurt Murphy's chances of winning the Golden Boy?
I mean, I don't know. It just seems like he tried to say with 'Dreamgirls', "Take me seriously!!!"
And then he goes around and does THAT.
?
I think the fact that "Half Nelson" beat the November/December Rush in terms of getting it's screeners out to voters certainly helped Gosling. It certainly helped given that despite raves, critics surprisingly snubbed him at their own awards.
Ryan Gosling was on the Mickey Mouse club? Damn!
ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!
I have finally and officially announced my TOP TEN FILMS OF 2006!!!! Got to my blog (here to view them.
And some awards are up at my Awards hub site.
Just thought I'd mention that.
[smiles wide]
Glenn, thanks for pointing that out. I meant to put up a spoiler warning. now it's done.
i'm sorry
Blah. It's hard for me at least to take an analysis seriously when it doesn't deem J-Hud's performance as award worthy. It's exactly the kind of performance AMPAS loves. Even if she loses, her performance in Dreamgirls certainly lit up the screen.
Hounsou has that kind of role that can win too but so does Eddie. At the end of the day, Djimon really did just scream most of the time. I like him, I really do, and his scene with his son is touching (though something about it (Zwick's direction??) reminded me so much of Denzel's scene in Glory), but the performance wasn't really all that.
Supporting categories can go with the frontrunners or produce many a surprise winner. I'll keep my fingers crossed for who I want to win, but I've already steeled myself for two surprises, not just one.
This is the first year in forever that I've only seen one best actor nominee (Leo) before the awards (though I will see Forest before then if I can get to it way up here in Maine).
I'll take your word on Ryan's performance, Nat, but from all the previews and trailers and clips and such, I just don't know how he manages to give all that you see. If I remember, you said his GG clip was one of his best scenes in the film. I wasn't impressed. Other sources have claimed that Shareeka Epps steals the movie and should have been nominated without any doubt.
I'll check it out when it comes out on DVD.
I think Wahlberg will win. It's a fun performance to vote for, it's a legitimately supporting turn, and I'm just not so impressed by the Murphy/Arkin logics. And with the other three acting races looking so foregone (though I'm not convinced about Whitaker), won't the voters want to break the mold somewhere?
I think Haley's fully out of the race, and I really don't think Hounsou can swing it, either. Or maybe I just don't want to subscribe to any of the same views as the increasingly supercilious and misanthropic Slant staff. Or both.
I just read the comments on Heath is a Baby and someone thought it would be interesting if he and Marlon were in Brokeback.
While I loved the film and was fine with both the casting and performances of both leading men, I did wonder upon another viewing what River Phoenix would've brought to either role.
Am I the only one who misses him?
Finally seen O'Toole, and thought he was remarkable.
Whitaker impressed me greatly, though I thought McAvoy was far more impressive. But the only thing standing between him and Oscar is the succession of really, really bad acceptance speeches. The Globes were bad enough, but it seemed to get worse at SAG. Was he on something? How can someone channel a character so effectively on the screen, but be unable to channel the character of somebody coherent when they step onto a stage to say a few words?
I know it's ridiculous to factor this stuff in, but he didn't exactly court votes by sucking so badly and so publicly. Twice.
Bring back Emma Thompson speeches someone!
Rob
Nat, please tell me Jackman at least came in 4th. Perhaps I am factoring in his other perfs into it when I gauge my immense love for his Fountain work, but I'm pretty sure his is my favorite performance of the year (in any category). Both McAvoy and Whitaker were stunning (2nd and 3rd right now), but Hugh Jackman was just rip-out-my-heart-and-make-me-swoon fantastic. Transcendent. Powerful. The range on this man is mindboggling.
I have yet to see Ryan Gosling, though.
Also, you've seen MA and Volver and Children of Men and Shortbus and even Little Children twice. Maybe see The Fountain again, too? It certainly improved for me on a second viewing.
And Craig, I think EVERYONE misses River.
But he would still have been too old for BBM.
Nathaniel, shouldn't Hotness Factor have gone in just a little bit with Ryan Gosling? :)
sorry adam, hugh was my 5th slotter.
and john, as for the hotness factor, i figure the partnership with rachel mcadams covers it.
I'm wondering if Murphy will get fewer votes for not sticking around for the nominees' lunch. I read that he left before the main course was served. While this has nothing to do with any acting ability, the Oscars have been in part about playing well with others. If Murphy loses, he only has himself to blame.
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