These Actors and Actresses Deserve Their 2020 Oscar Nominations
The Oscar nominations have been announced for 2020, and as always, it is exciting to see if your favorite actor and actress have been selected to be part of the nominees for Actor In A Leading Role or Actress In A Leading Role.
Here are the nominees for Lead Actor and Lead Actress:
1. Antonio Banderas – “Pain and Glory”
Antonio Banderas plays Salvador Mallo, a middle-aged filmmaker whose life is based on Pedro Almodovar, who wrote and directed the film. Banderas and Almodovar are long-time collaborators, so that’s pressure!
Mallo, afflicted with both physical and mental ailments, looks back on his life and decisions he has made.
2. Leonardo DiCaprio – “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Rick Dalton, a washed-up Hollywood TV actor. He and his stunt double desperately try to achieve success in the film industry in 1969 Los Angeles.
DiCaprio is living Dalton’s dream.
3. Adam Driver – “Marriage Story”
Adam Driver plays Charlie, a stage director dealing with a failing marriage. Charlie is so relatable, and has such major moments that Driver was sure to get a nomination.
4. Joaquin Phoenix – “Joker”
Joaquin Phoenix is already an acclaimed actor, having played troubled loners before, and this performance as Arthur Fleck, the Joker, was one that Phoenix had embodied and suffered for.
5. Jonathan Pryce – “The Two Popes”
Jonathan Pryce plays the future Pope Francis in this Netflix offering. He is a Welsh actor, and not as well known as the other nominated actors.
Pryce is one of those actors that has been consistent and excellent for over forty years, but has not won an Oscar.
1. Cynthia Erivo – “Harriet”
This film about Harriet Tubman’s life contains everything her life did: heroism, danger, twists and turns, and triumph against all odds. Cynthia Erivo captures all this, and gives the larger than life character humanity.
2. Scarlett Johansson – “Marriage Story”
Scarlett Johansson plays Nicole, who wants a divorce from her stage director husband in New York, while she is with their son in California.
Johansson gives a fantastic performance as a woman who wants to move on, and has her own life goals.
3. Saoirse Ronan – “Little Women”
In another film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, Saoirse Ronan plays Jo March, an aspiring novelist who refuses to accept the restrictions of social conventions.
Jo is a passionate character, who was captured with a passionate performance.
4. Charlize Theron – “Bombshell”
“Bombshell” portrays the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News, which led to the firing of the network’s then CEO, and highlighted the institutionalized harassment of women.
Charlize Theron plays one of those women, Megyn Kelly. Theron does her research, and practically becomes Kelly.
5. Renee Zellweger – “Judy”
Renee Zellweger plays Judy Garland, and gives the role everything she’s got, which means a lot, considering that Garland was notoriously troubled.
You will get a chance to see them all on the Academy Awards, airing live February 9th, exclusively on ABC.