FILM INFORMATION
The Oscars 2023 are approaching and after the sensational verdicts of the PGA Awards made Everything Everywhere the film to beat, let’s take a look at the fight for the Oscar for best leading actor.
During the ceremony of the SAG, the awards of the Hollywood Actors Union, it was Brendan Fraser to be elected Best Actor for The Whale by Darren Aronofsky: This award appears crucial in view of the 2023 Oscars, given that many SAG/AFTRA selectors, almost all actors, are also members of the Academy, and their vote at the SAGs is a strong indicator of how they will vote at the Oscar 2023. At the moment therefore Brendan Fraser appears the favorite at the Oscars 2023 in the category of best leading actor, opposite the young man Austin Butlerwho instead won the BAFTA and the Golden Globe for his role in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, and above all Colin Farrellconsidered the great front runner of this edition after he had won the award for best leading actor at the last Venice Film Festival with The Spirits of the Island (surpassing Brendan Fraser at the Lido, with The Whale always presented in competition at the festival).
Last year, the SAG Awards predicted all the acting Oscar winners, rewarding Will Smith, Jessica Chastain, Troy Kotsur and Ariana DeBose, who a few days after winning at the SAG also collected the Oscars in their respective categories. More generally, the prize SAG for Best Cast is a strong indicator of the Academy Award for Best Picture as well: in the last fifteen years the two verdicts have differed only on three occasions, the SAG of Inglourious Basterds (Oscar went to The Hurt Locker), the SAG of The Help (won The Artist) and the SAG of American Hustle (with the Oscar being won by 12 years a slave).
Will the verdict of the SAGs be respected again this year? Will Brendan Fraser be elected Best Actor? We’ll see. In the meantime, here are all the Oscars 2023 nominations.