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 ACTRESS
UPDATED: Oct. 8, 2020 (PRE-SEASON)
Is there another matchup coming for Glenn Close (“Hillbilly Elegy”) and Olivia Colman (“The Father”) at the Oscars? In a shocking upset, Colman triumphed over Close in 2018 for her performance in “The Favourite.” Will Close lose for a record eighth time? So many questions in this race and there’s still the “overdue” narrative circling Saoirse Ronan (“Ammonite”) despite muted praise and the two new faces like Swankie and Helena Zengel could gain ground over the next few months. And there’s always Queen Streep to take a spot if she goes the supporting route.
† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories
Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE:
Olivia Colman"The Father" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Glenn Close†"Hillbilly Elegy" (Netflix)
Amanda Seyfried†"Mank" (Netflix)
Saoirse Ronan"Ammonite" (Neon)
Ellen Burstyn†"Pieces of a Woman" (Netflix)
Courtesy of Sea Change Media
NEXT IN LINE CONTENDERS:
Audra McDonald"Respect" (United Artists Releasing)
Helena Zengel"News of the World" (Universal Pictures)
Swankie"Nomadland" (Searchlight Pictures)
Vanessa Kirby†"The World to Come" (Bleecker Street)
Meryl Streep††"The Prom" (Netflix)
Photo courtesy of Focus Features
TOP-TIER AWARDS CONTENDERS:
Priyanka Chopra†"The White Tiger" (Netflix)
Yuh-Jung Youn†"Minari" (A24)
Kristin Scott Thomas"Rebecca" (Netflix)
Natasha Lyonne"The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (Paramount Pictures)
Nicole Kidman"The Prom" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Talia Ryder"Never Rarely Sometimes Always" (Focus Features)
Olivia Cooke"Sound of Metal" (Amazon Studios)
Fiona Shaw"Ammonite" (Neon)
Lauren Patel"Everybody's Talking About Jamie" (20th Century Studios)
Gal Gadot"Death on the Nile" (20th Century Studios)
Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures
ALSO IN CONTENTION:
Gong Li"Mulan" (Walt Disney Pictures)
Linda May"Nomadland" (Searchlight Pictures)
Alicia Vikander"The Glorias" (Roadside Attractions)
Dominique Fishback†"Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros.)
Da'Vine Joy Randolph"The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (Paramount Pictures)
Mary J. Blige"Respect" (United Artists Releasing)
Taylour Paige"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
Marisa Tomei"The King of Staten Island" (Universal Pictures)
Molly Shannon†"Promising Young Woman" (Focus Features)
Mackenzie Davis††"Happiest Season" (Sony Pictures)
Photo courtesy of Focus Features
MORE AWARDS CONTENDERS:
Kerry Washington"The Prom" (Netflix)
Letitia Wright"Death on the Nile" (20th Century Studios)
Toni Collette"I'm Thinking of Ending Things" (Netflix)
Lily Collins†"Mank" (Netflix)
Bel Powley"The King of Staten Island" (Universal Pictures)
Felicity Jones†/††"The Midnight Sky" (Netflix)
Rachel Brosnahan"The Courier" (Roadside Attractions)
Gina Rodriguez"Kajillionaire" (Focus Features)
Caitlin Fitzgerald"The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
Betty Gilpin"The Hunt" (Universal Pictures)
Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
UNRANKED AWARDS CONTENDERS:
Shohreh Aghdashloo,“The Cuban” (Brainstorm Media)Angela Bassett,“Soul” (Pixar)Candice Bergen,“Let Them All Talk” (HBO Max)†Annette Bening,“Death on the Nile” (20th Century Studios)Marsha Stephanie Blake,“I’m Your Woman” (Amazon Studios)Gemma Chan,“Let Them All Talk” (HBO Max)†Elizabeth Debicki,“Tenet” (Warner Bros.)Minnie Driver,“Cinderella” (Sony Pictures)Bingbing Fan,“355” (Universal Pictures)Renee Elise Goldsberry,“Hamilton” (Disney Plus)†Amber Havard,“Bull” (Sony Pictures)Lesley Manville,“Let Him Go” (Focus Features)Danielle McDonald,“French Exit” (Sony Pictures Classics)Lupita Nyong'o,“355” (Universal Pictures)Mary Steenburgen,“Happiest Season” (Sony Pictures)Lorraine Toussaint,“Concrete Cowboy” (No U.S. Distribution)†Dianne Wiest,“Let Them All Talk” (HBO Max)†Kristen Wiig,“Wonder Woman 1984” (Warner Bros.)Olivia Williams,“The Father” (Sony Pictures Classics)Mare Winningham,“News of the World” (Universal 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.