The Academy Awards are the most prestigious awards ceremony in cinema. Out of the many categories that exist, the Best Actor category is one that receives a lot of hype in the build up to the ceremony. In order to be in contention for Oscar acknowledgement, studios typically release their movies no later than winter of the cinematic season.
With that said, these predictions are based on performances from movies that have already hit theaters or will land before the 2024 Academy Awards. So far, this cinematic roster has already delivered some powerhouse renditions that have placed themselves into the conversation of potential Oscar glory. So, let’s take an early insight into the 2024 Best Actor Oscar frontrunners.
Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer
Cillian Murphy is a versatile actor who has garnered heaps of praise for his iconic role as Thomas Shelby on the hit show, Peaky Blinders. Outside of this renowned portrayal, Murphy has also stood proud as a solid leading man with films like 28 Days Later, and Sunshine. However, his tour-de-force performance in Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer is easily the biggest moment of his career. The film follows the life and career of J. Robert Oppenheimer (played by Murphy), the American scientist who played a pivotal role in the development of the atomic bomb. While the movie boasts a stellar cast, it is Murphy who shines in an immersive and electrifying performance. The 3 hour picture is carried by Murphy, who commands the screen for the duration. To that, his name has been mentioned as a serious contender for Oscar gold in 2024.
Leonardo DiCaprio in Killers of the Flower Moon
Killers of the Flower Moon serves up yet another mesmerizing performance from Oscar winner, Leonardo DiCaprio. The movie was a long-running passion project for legendary filmmaker, Martin Scorsese. Having worked together numerous times in the past for many successful films, it comes as no surprise that Scorsese was able to etch another compelling performance from DiCaprio.
The film follows the true story of a series of murders that occurred in 1920s Oklahoma when the local Osage tribe became rich from oil deposits on their land. DiCaprio stars as Ernest Burkhart, a man married to Mollie Burkhart, one of the Osage Tribe’s wealthiest members, and he helped facilitate the plot to murder Osage tribe members in order to gain access to their oil-rich land in Oklahoma. Seeing as DiCaprio has been a favourite with Oscar voters in the past, having won the Best Actor award for The Revenant in 2016, his performance in Killers of the Flower Moon is likely to be in strong contention for the 2024 ceremony.
Bradley Cooper in Maestro
Bradley Cooper is a versatile actor who has successfully shifted his career from comedy movies like The Hangover to showcasing his talent as an outstanding writer and director. His movies A Star is Born and Maestro are prime examples of this transformation. Maestro is based on the life of Leonard Bernstein, the acclaimed conductor, and shows Cooper’s eagerness to explore different genres. Cooper has been nominated for nine Oscars in his career, and his immersive role as Bernstein could finally see him take home the gold. His performance has gathered widespread acclaim and placed him into the running for Best Actor in 2024.
Jeffrey Wright in American Fiction
Jeffrey Wright is an accomplished actor who has played a range of supporting roles throughout his career. While he is mostly unknown to the mainstream masses of Hollywood, he has gained a reputation as a versatile and talented actor in the industry. However, in 2023, Wright got the chance to showcase his skills in a captivating lead role in the critically acclaimed film, American Fiction.
The film centres on Thelonious ‘Monk’ Ellison (Wright), an author bereft with the establishment’s exploitation of “Black” entertainment who decided to write a book under a pen name that drives him to the brink of insanity and hypocrisy, which he claims to detest. Wright’s performance has elevating the film to new heights thanks to its depth and nuance. As a result, his leading performance has since flung him into the chatter surrounding the 2024 Best Actor Oscar. When reviewing the movie, The Guardian hailed Wright’s lead performance amongst a “masterful ensemble cast“.
Paul Giamatti in The Holdovers
The Holdovers is a comedy drama from Oscar-winning director, Alexander Payne. Having already cemented himself in the dramedy genre with movies like The Descendants and Nebraska, Payne has formulated a well-crafted film with The Holdovers, borrowing from previous themes whilst still building on them in refreshing ways. The story centers on Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti), a miserable history teacher at a remote prep school who finds himself forced to remain on campus over the holidays with a troubled student who has nowhere to go.
Following the traditional grumpy man turns grounded human formula, the movie is a deep character study of broken individuals who learn from each others shortcomings. Giamatti is already an Oscar nominee, and his performance in The Holdovers has potentially put him in the running for his second nomination. In fact, The Seattle Times encapsulated that Giamatti “shines in the bittersweet drama”, and delivers “a virtuoso acting showcase”.
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