And then there were three. Yes, the Best Actor Oscar for 2024 is seemingly a three-way race for the win between Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), and the almost billion-dollar bomber, Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”). And then things get much more interesting.
READ MORE: “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things” are your 2024 Best Picture frontrunners…for now
The last two slots in this category are wide open. So open that deserving actors who might have been severe longshots in previous years have a genuine chance this year around. The two contenders with the best shot are arguably Colman Domingo (“Rustin”) and Andrew Scott (“All of Us Strangers”). On standby are Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) and Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”).
Two films that have not been screened publicly that could affect the race are “Freud’s Last Stand,” starring two-time winner and six-time nominee Anthony Hopkins, and “The Iron Claw,” starring Zac Efron. They could be red herrings thrown into the mix or have a genuine late-season impact.
Deserving performances that AMPAS members should consider include Gael Garcia Bernal (“Cassandro”), Cannes Best Actor winner Koji Yakusho (“Perfect Days”), Teo Yoo (“Past Lives”), and Barry Keoghan (“Saltburn”). Outliers hoping to crack the field include Adam Driver (“Ferrari”), Joaquin Phoenix (“Napoleon” or “Beau is Afraid”), and Matt Damon (“Air”). [Posted October 2]
LIKELY
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Killers of the Flower Moon”
Bradley Cooper, “Maestro”
Cillian Murphy, “Oppenheimer”
ALMOST THERE
Colman Domingo, “Rustin”
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”
Paul Giamatti, “The Holdovers”
POSSIBLE
Koji Yakusho, “Perfect Days”
Gale Garcia Bernal, “Cassandro”
Barry Keoghan, “Saltburn”
Teo Yoo, “Past Lives”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Napoleon”*
Adam Driver, “Ferrari”*
Anthony Hopkins, “Freud’s Last Stand”*
LONGSHOTS
Zac Efron, “The Iron Claw”*
Matt Damon, “Air”
Nicolas Cage, “Dream Scenario”*
Michael Fassbender, “The Killer”*
*Have not been screened at publication