The Best Actor category at the upcoming Academy Awards looks like turning into a battle of the Brits and Gary Oldman is leading the way. The 59-year-old is one of Hollywood’s most recognisable stars and has enjoyed plenty of critical acclaim throughout his career, but an Oscar has always eluded him. He came close in 2012, when he was nominated for his lead role in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, but he was pipped by Jean Dujardin. He has his best ever chance this year as he is the odds-on favourite to scoop the prestigious gong, but standing in his way is the legendary Daniel Day-Lewis.
The 60-year-old is the only male actor in history to win the Best Actor award at the Oscars on three different occasions. He first seized glory in 1989 for his stunning portrayal of an Irishman born with cerebral palsy. He doubled up in 2007 with an incendiary performance as a ruthless capitalist in There Will Be Blood, and made it three for his starring role in Lincoln. He could make it four in the upcoming Oscars ceremony as he is second favorite for his role as a renowned dressmaker named Reynolds Woodcock in Phantom Thread.
It is his last role as he is retiring from acting after four decades at the top, so a fourth Oscar would be a fitting send-off for one of the greatest actors of all time. He is likely to get a nomination at the very least, but he has twice been a losing finalist, for Gangs of New York and In the Name of the Father. And he could finish runner-up a third time as the buzz currently surrounds Oldman for what is by all accounts an exceptional portrayal of Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour.
“Hidden behind fake jowls and a receding hairline, Gary Oldman delivers one of the great performances of his career as Winston Churchill,” says Variety, while Vanity Fair adds: “Gary Oldman gives one of those towering, transformative performances that often earn a raft of gold hardware.” The reviews have been universally positive and everyone has praised his performance.
Oldman is cagey on his chances, saying: “I feel very lucky, very privileged to have been offered it, and to have actually played it. So I think I’ve got out of it what I wanted to get out of it. Anything else beyond that is a cherry on the cake. If I had an Oscar that said on it Gary Oldman, best actor for Darkest Hour, if I was going to get an Oscar, I can’t think of a better part to get it for, let’s put it that way.”
He may be trying to play it cool, but the bookmakers have him as the clear frontrunner. Check a review of Bookmaker to find the best odds and you will see that Oldman is currently just 2/5 to win Best Actor at the Academy Awards. Day-Lewis meanwhile is out at 5/1 and Tom Hanks and Timothee Chalamet are both 10/1. Hanks teams up with Steven Spielberg once again to star alongside Meryl Streep in The Post, which documents a publisher’s crusade for justice. That is an award-season dream team right there and The Post is expected to earn a raft of gold hardware itself over the next few months.
Hanks is a two-time winner for Forest Gump and Philadelphia, and has earned further nominations for Big, Cast Away and Saving Private Ryan. Chamalet looks a real dark horse for his breakout performance in Call Me By Your Name. At just 22, he would be the youngest winner in history but he is gaining rave reviews and picking up real momentum at a crucial time of year.
