Let’s talk Australian Oscar hopefuls and why they probably won’t win a thing…if they’re an actor. Sentimental favourites Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) and Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech) turned in fine performances (as Australian characters no less) but both are outside chances to beat their Best Supporting running mates from The Fighter, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo. Weaver could triumph but Rush needs a miracle to best Bale’s manic turn as crack-addled ex-boxer Dicky Eklund, the surest lock in any major acting category. How about Nicole Kidman’s Best Actress chances, then? Even slimmer. A distant fourth to powerhouse performances across the board, Natalie Portman as a mentally ill dancer, Annette Bening as the lesbian matriarch of an unconventional family and Jennifer Lawrence as the impoverished daughter of a hillbilly meth cooker. Yeah. The Best Actress/Actor gong usually goes to the showiest performance (see: Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote or Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby) and all signs point to Portman who is truly transformative in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.
Damn. Unfortunately, an Australian actor probably won’t approach the Oscar’s podium but judging from recent wins at the PGA, DGA, and SAG awards, the closest we’ll get is a Best Picture win for The King’s Speech Producer Emile Sherman. Actually, it looks very likely. With The King’s Speech topping the nomination count (as period films tend to) and pre-Oscars favourite The Social Network waning slightly since its Golden Globe win, pundits are now calling King’s Speech a Best Picture front runner. Based in Sydney, Sherman is also the cousin of one woman media empire Mia Freedman confirming my theory that overachieving is genetic or at least encouraged when your extended family is really awesome. The duo recently sat down to discuss the Producer’s role, the air miles involved in hitting the campaign trail and the logistical nightmare that is film making.
Via Mama Mia
Title Image- Still from “Kings Speech”
