Why Michelle Williams, why? “The Fabelmans” star could have easily run in the Best Supporting Actress category and taken home an Academy Award without anyone giving it a second thought. Instead, she decided to jump into the lead category and make an already competitive race even more so.
READ MORE: Best Picture Predictions and Contenders for the 2023 Oscars
Besides Williams, there are three other actresses who are “expected” to make the cut this January. They include Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”), Viola Davis (“The Woman King”) and, the presumptive favorite before Williams entered the fray, Cate Blanchett (“TAR”). That would leave one slot open for a slew of familiar faces.
In the mix for that fifth position is former winner Olivia Colman (“Empire of Light”), who has been nominated three years in a row, two-time nominee Margot Robbie (“Babylon”), five-time nominee and previous winner Emma Thompson (“Good Luck To You, Leo Grande”), 2020 nominee Florence Pugh (“The Wonder”), and Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”).
And this is all assuming Davis or Yeoh (over my dead body), don’t make the cut. Either of the “She Said” stars or former winners such as Jessica Chastain (“The Good Nurse”) and Jennifer Lawrence (“Causeway”) are waiting in the wings to pounce on a nomination. [Posted Sept. 27]
LIKELY
Michelle Williams, “The Fablemans”
Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All At Once”
Viola Davis, “The Woman King”
Cate Blanchett, “TAR”
ALMOST THERE
Olivia Colman, “Empire of Light”
Margot Robbie, “Babylon”*
Emma Thompson, “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande”
Florence Pugh, “The Wonder”
Danielle Deadwyler, “Till”
POSSIBLE
Ana de Armas, “Blonde”
Jennifer Lawrence, “Causeway”
Jessica Chastain, “The Good Nurse”
Zoe Kazan, “She Said”*
Carey Mulligan, “She Said”*
LONGSHOTS
Emma Corrin, “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”
Taylor Russell, “Bones & All”
Naomi Ackie, “I Want To Dance With Somebody”
Zar Amir Ebrahimi, “Holy Spider”