The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, is the most prestigious film event of the year. The top four categories that are most talked about during this event are Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress. These categories celebrate the biggest achievements in filmmaking and acting.
Industry fodder begins hyping up the potential nominees as early as summer when movies start to enter the Oscar race. What’s more, the hype only intensifies as the year progresses, with countless predictions and debates about who will take home the coveted awards. The Academy Awards truly represent the pinnacle of success for any movie or performer, and their impact on the film industry cannot be overstated. So, let’s take an early insight into the 2024 Oscars Best Actress frontrunners.
Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon
Lily Gladstone was born in Kalispell, Montana on August 2, 1986. Over the last few years, she has been slowly climbing the ranks in Hollywood, impressing audiences with her roles in films like Certain Women and First Cow. However, it is her performance in Martin Scorsese‘s Killers of the Flower Moon that has truly catapulted her into the limelight.
The film, which co-stars heavyweights like Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio, sees Gladstone take on the role of Mollie Burkhart, a Native American woman who gets caught up in a series of murders in the 1920s. With her breakout performance in the film, it is clear that Gladstone is one to watch in the years to come, and her rendition has been receiving heaps of praise. As a result, her name has been thrown around in the 2024 Best Actress Oscar prediction dialogue, with the likes of Variety predicting her as the top contender.
Margot Robbie in Barbie
After starting out in Australian daytime TV, Margot Robbie burst into Hollywood after her role in The Wolf of Wall Street. Since then, she has landed lead roles in multiple movies and has been nominated for two Oscars. In Barbie, Robbie delivers the performance of her career as the titular character and beloved fictional icon, Barbie. The movie has been a massive success and has smashed box office records, with audiences of all ages flocking to see the picture.
Robbie’s portrayal of Barbie is incredibly nuanced and multi-layered. Although she could have played the character as a ditzy blond, she serves up more of a complex individual whose naivety only propels her to greater things and enriches those around her. Her performance has been widely revered by critics, with the British Film Institute stating that Robbie and co-star Ryan Gosling “keep the film afloat“.
Emma Stone in Poor Things
Throughout her time in Hollywood, Emma Stone has undergone a significant change. After kickstarting her film career with wild comedies like Superbad and Zombieland, she rose to prominence as a strong comedic talent. From here, she blended comedy and drama in the critically acclaimed teen movie, Easy A. Naturally, these films went on to become genre classics, but Stone quickly set her sights on showcasing her dramatic potential.
In 2015, Stone was showered with praise for her dramatic rendition in Birdman. Alongside her co-star, Michael Keaton, Stone found herself nominated for her first Oscar. Although she didn’t take home the gold, two years later she wowed Hollywood yet again with her role in La Lan Land. To that, she subsequently took home her first Academy Award. Now, after her tour-de-force performance in Poor Things, she has proven to be a strong contender for the 2024 Oscars. In the mind-bending sci-fi romance, Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a young woman who is brought back to life by a brilliant yet wacky scientist named Dr. Godwin Baxter. Time Magazine have praised Stone’s performance, saying “Stone’s Bella is our guide through all of it, peering at this new-to-her world through cautious, inquisitive eyes, but also taking pleasure in it—intellectual and sexual—whenever she can.”
Carey Mulligan in Maestro
Carey Mulligan is a British actress who first gained prominence with her role in the 2009 movie An Education, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. From here, she has continued to shine with roles in iconic movies like Drive, and Mudbound. In 2020, Mulligan took on the lead role in Promising Young Woman, playing a woman seeking revenge against men who commit sexual assault. The movie was highly praised and won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. What’s more, Mulligan was nominated for her second Oscar for her captivating lead performance.
In 2023, Mulligan’s performance in Maestro has started to build Oscar chatter once again. In the biopic, Mulligan stars as Felicia Montealegre, who was a talented actress and dancer, perhaps best known for her work as a television host and commentator. She was also the wife of iconic composer Leonard Bernstein, with whom she had three children. Despite her own successful career, Montealegre was known for her unwavering support of her husband’s work, often serving as an inspiration for his compositions. The movie largely focuses on the relationship between Bernstein and Montealegre, with Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan boasting an undeniable chemistry that may see them both recognised by the The Academy come 2024.
Natalie Portman in May December
Natalie Portman is a renowned Oscar-winning actress who began her career at a young age, taking on roles in classic movies like Heat and Léon: The Professional. Though many child stars find it difficult to transition into adult acting roles, Portman has defied the odds and remained on the radar as a talented performer. As she entered adulthood, she continued to wow audiences with movies such as V for Vendetta and Black Swan, earning her a multitude of awards and nominations.
In the Netflix original, May December, Portman is once again being noticed for her ability to command the screen. Starring opposite Hollywood heavyweight Julianne Moore, Portman stars as an actress who shadows a married couple’s life two decades after their tumultuous tabloid romance enthralled the nation. After the movie’s premiere at the New York Film Festival ahead of its Netflix release, a plethora of positive reviews glistened. IGN exalted both Portman’s and Moore’s performances, saying that when the two share the screen “the result is magic”.
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