Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit THE COLLECTIVE.
2021 OSCARS PREDICTIONS:
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
UPDATED: Sept. 24, 2020 (PRE-SEASON)
Netflix is still figuring out how to navigate all the talented men of “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” Sacha Baron Cohen could be the “easy” choice but will they all split the vote? Could be. There’s also the likes of Bill Murray, whose film just debuted at NYFF to good reviews, and any of the men from “One Night in Miami,” with the same issues as the “Chicago 7.”
† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories
Apple TV +
AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE:
David Strathairn"Nomadland" (Sesrchlight Pictures)
Chadwick Boseman†/††"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
Bill Murray"On the Rocks" (A24/Apple TV Plus)
Leslie Odom, Jr.†/††"One NIght in Miami" (Amazon Studios)
Lakeith Stanfield†/††"Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros.)
Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios
NEXT IN LINE CONTENDERS:
Sacha Baron Cohen††"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Frank Langella"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Mark Rylance"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Kingsley Ben-Adir†/††"One Night in Miami..." (Amazon Studios)
Shia LeBeouf††"Pieces of a Woman" (Netflix)
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
TOP-TIER AWARDS CONTENDERS:
Eddie Redmayne††"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Lucas Hedges"French Exit" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Tzi Ma"Mulan" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Charles Dance"Mank" (Netflix)
Jesse Plemons"Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros.)
Billy Crystal"Standing Up, Falling Down" (Shou! Factory)
Michael Keaton"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Aldis Hodge†/††"One Night in Miami..." (Amazon Studios)
Jeremy StrongThe Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Melinda Sue Gordon
ALSO IN CONTENTION:
Robert Pattinson"Tenet" (Warner Bros.)
Christian Vazquez"I Carry You With Me" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Orion Lee"First Cow" (A24)
Hugh Laurie"The Personal History of David Copperfield" (Searchlight Pictures)
Richard E. Grant"Everybody's Talking About Jamie" (20th Century Studios)
Matthew Macfadyen"The Assistant" (Bleecker Street)
Bo Burnham†"Promising Young Woman" (Focus Features)
Caleb Landry Jones"The Outpost" (Screen Media Films)
Michael Stuhlbarg"Shirley" (Neon)
Brian Dennehy"Driveways" (FilmRise)
Clay Enos/DC Comics
MORE AWARDS CONTENDERS:
James Corden"The Prom" (Netflix)
Alan S. Kim"Minari" (A24)
Tom Burke"Mank" (Netflix)
Kenneth Branagh"Tenet" (Warner Bros.)
Colman Domingo†"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
Andrew Rannells"The Prom" (Netflix)
Richard Jenkins"Kajillionaire" (Focus Features)
J.K. Simmons"Palm Springs" (Hulu/Neon)
Chris Pine"Wonder Woman 1984" (Warner Bros.)
Graham Greene"Antlers" (Searchlight Pictures)
Courtesy of Disney
UNRANKED AWARDS CONTENDERS:
Gabriel Basso,“Hillbilly Elegy” (Netflix)†Steve Buscemi,“The King of Staten Island” (Universal Pictures)Willem Dafoe,“The Card Counter” (Focus Features)Daveed Diggs,“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)†Idris Elba,“Concrete Cowboy” (No U.S. Distribution)†Jonathan Groff,“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)†Armie Hammer,“Death on the Nile” (20th Century Studios)Oscar Isaac,“Dune” (Warner Bros.)†Christopher Jackson,“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)†Quest Love,“Soul” (Pixar)Leslie Odom, Jr.,“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)†/††Bob Wells,“Nomadland” (Searchlight Pictures)
† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. Since 1927, nominees and winners are selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). 17 branches are represented within the near 10,000 person membership. The branches are actors, associates, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, directors, documentary, executives, film editors, makeup and hairstylists, marketing and public relations, members-at-large, members-at-large (artists’ representatives), music, producers, production design, short films and feature animation, sound, visual effects, and writers.