On Sunday, April 25, what has been the most bizarre, yet uneventful awards season officially comes to a close with the 93rd annual Academy Awards. The show will take place in person (for the most part) at the Dolby Theater, with only nominee’s present. The show is once again, host-less, so you can expect it to be one of the most boring ceremonies to date between the lackluster nominees and limited amount of presenter’s unless the predictable winners end up not winning. This is the only awards season I have ever predicted that I am glad to be finished with, but I think we can all blame COVID-19 for that. Here are my predictions for what/who will win, could win, and deserves to win in the major categories this Sunday. Cheers to the end of Zoom awards season!

 

Best Picture: The nominees are “Sound of Metal,” “Mank,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “The Father,” “Nomadland,” “Minari,” and “Promising Young Woman.”

What will win: While the Best Picture award, the most important award of the night, usually ends up being a wildcard, I think this year’s winner will be “Nomadland,” based upon its success at the last few prestigious awards shows. 

What could win: While “Nomadland” has the best chance of winning, “The Trial of Chicago 7” does not fall too far behind it in the race. “Minari” also presents a possibility, but due to last year’s winner, “Parasite,” being so similar, I feel like the Academy will go in an entirely different direction.

What deserves to win: If “Promising Young Woman,” the only film I personally loved this awards season, doesn’t have a chance of winning, I would like “The Trial of the Chicago 7” to pull through. “Chicago 7” is your typical Best Picture winner, but the true story resonates with present-day America enough to set itself apart from the more traditional, predictable films. Unfortunately, I think this award is going to “Nomadland,” which in my opinion, does not deserve a nomination at all but once again: this awards season is boring.

 

Best Director: The nominees are Emerald Fennell for “Promising Young Woman,” Lee Isaac Chung for “Minari,” David Fincher for “Mank,” Chloe Zhao for “Nomadland,” and Thomas Vinterberg for “Another Round.”

Who will win: Chloe Zhao will win 100% — no doubt about it.

Who could win: Emerald Fennell or David Fincher

Who deserves to win: While I am extremely grateful to see more gender and racial diversity in this traditionally “white man” category for the first time in years, “Nomadland” was one of the most simplistic films I have ever seen in terms of filmmaking technique, which is the only reason I do not think that Chloe Zhao should keep receiving this award. While Zhao is extremely talented, as well as every other magnificent director in this category, I think that Emerald Fennell deserves to win because of the overall complexity that “Promising Young Woman” brought to the awards season table this year. 

 

Best Actress: The nominees are Viola Davis for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Carey Mulligan for “Promising Young Woman,” Andra Day for “The US vs. Billie Holiday,” Vanessa Kirby for “Pieces of a Woman,” and Frances McDormand for “Nomadland.”

Who will and could win: Anyone but Vanessa Kirby has a ginormous chance at winning. Viola Davis and Andra Day lead the predictions, but Carey Mulligan and Frances McDormand do not fall too far behind either of the women.

Who deserves to win: While I love every actress in this category, I think that Carey Mulligan deserves to win for her powerful, intense performance. However, I would be very happy if Andra Day won as well. Viola Davis and Frances McDormand have already won multiple Oscar’s which is why I am pulling for any other actress to win. Not to mention Davis’s performance is not her career best, nor is McDormand’s. 

 

Best Actor: The nominees are Anthony Hopkins for “The Father,” Riz Ahmed for “Sound of Metal,” Steven Yeun for “Minari,” Gary Oldman for “Mank,” and Chadwick Boseman for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”

Who will win: Chadwick Boseman

Who could win: Anthony Hopkins

Who deserves to win: Chadwick Boseman

 

Best Supporting Actress: The nominees are Glenn Close for “Hillbilly Elegy,” Olivia Colman for “The Father,” Maria Bakalova for “Borat Subsequent Movie Film,” Yuh-Jung Youn for “Minari,” and Amanda Seyfried for “Mank.”

Who will win: Yuh-Jung Youn

Who could win: Glenn Close or Amanda Seyfried

Who deserves to win: Maria Bakalova

 

Best Supporting Actor: The nominees are Daniel Kaluuya for “Judas and the Black Messiah,” Sacha Baron Cohen for “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Leslie Odom, Jr. for “One Night in Miami,” Paul Raci for “Sound of Metal,” and LaKeith Stanfield for “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

Who will win: Daniel Kaluuya, much like Chadwick Boseman in the “Best Actor” category, is a shoo-in for this award and has been all season.

Who could win: Sacha Baron Cohen

Who deserves to win: Daniel Kaluuya

 

Best Adapted Screenplay: The nominees are “Nomadland,” “One Night in Miami,” “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” “The White Tiger,” and “The Father.”

What will win: “Nomadland” — but are we even surprised?

What could win: “The Father”

What deserves to win: “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

 

Best Original Screenplay: The nominees are “Promising Young Woman,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Minari,” “Sound of Metal,” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.”

What will win: “Promsing Young Woman”

What could win: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” definitely has a big chance of winning, as its screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin, is someone I consider to be one of the greatest contemporary screenwriters in Hollywood.

What deserves to win: If “Promsing Young Woman” isn’t going to win any of the other awards it is nominated for and deserves to win, I am pulling so hard for the film to win in this category. The script was beyond unique and eerie in the best way possible. It deserves so many awards, but especially this one for best original screenplay.