Hi and welcome to a new feature that will take a closer look at the nominees in each of the categories for the upcoming Oscars in February. This one is looking at the five actresses up for Best Lead Actress at this year's awards:

 

BEST LEAD ACTRESS

http://i.imgur.com/o6pSFcP.jpg

 

The nominees are:

Isabelle Huppert – Elle (as Michèle LeBlanc)

Ruth Negga – Loving (as Mildred Loving)

Natalie Portman – Jackie (as Jackie Kennedy)

Emma Stone – La La Land (as Mia Dolan)

Meryl Streep – Florence Foster Jenkins (as Florence Foster Jenkins)

 

What do you think will win? Who would you like to win? How many of these have you seen so far? What actresses are you sad about missing the cut? Discuss anything you like!!

 

Here are the latest odds too (with Skybet) just to see how things are likely to pan out:

 

Emma Stone - La La Land 1/5

Natalie Portman - Jackie 4/1

Isabelle Huppert - Elle 9/1

Ruth Negga - Loving 50/1

Meryl Streep - Florence Foster Jenkins 66/1

http://68.media.tumblr.com/fcb20f7bfc555ad775942554fc6f79a8/tumblr_okaz24yt0Z1rbb611o1_1280.jpg

^!!!!! Still gutted Amy didn't get ion :(

 

Obviously rooting for Emma here, one of my favourite performances of all time!! :wub:

 

(Just realised I haven't seen any of the others yet- Jackie and Loving haven't come to my local :( , Elle I'll have to find online as its not out here till March and it's an 18 and I missed FFJ in cinemas! Can't see any of them topping Emma though!)

So far I've seen 3/5 of these and would rank them like this:

 

1. Natalie Portman – Jackie (as Jackie Kennedy)

2. Emma Stone – La La Land (as Mia Dolan)

3. Meryl Streep – Florence Foster Jenkins (as Florence Foster Jenkins)

 

I would like to see both Loving and Elle too so I can compare all five (like Sam, I will have to watch Elle online as it is an 18 and I still won't be 18 yet before the film is released in the UK). Also not sure if I'll be able to catch Loving as it's not at my local and not sure if I have time currently to do the travel to the other nearest cinema which is showing it before it goes.

 

I'd like Natalie Portman to win for sure, without a doubt my favourite performance of the year and I can't see it being topped at all. She was fantastic to watch and her portrayal of Jackie Kennedy made a pretty mediocre film so much more interesting. I don't think she'll win though as she already has one and this definitely feels like both La La Land's and Emma Stone's year. I would be pleased for Emma winning as she seems a lovely lady but the performance wasn't anything really that special or particularly challenging so I am a little disappointed that she's likely to clinch the win here. I probably wouldn't have even had her in my top 5 female performances of the year tbh, much like Meryl who although did a good job with her role, really did not deserve the spot over so many other performances this year.

 

From what I've seen of other films, I would take Emma and Meryl out of my top 5 and put in Emily Blunt (was really hoping she would clinch a nomination here, especially after she got SAG recognition!!) and Amy Adams who was very unfairly snubbed. I won't discredit Huppert/Negga either before I see their performances but it would've been nice to see the likes of Jessica Chastain/Taraji P. Henson nominated out of the other realistic nominees too. If I had it my way, I'd have probably had Alicia Vikander nominated for The Light Between Oceans as well but that ended up having no chance which is a shame, she was just as good here as in The Danish Girl!

1. Emma Stone (La La Land)

 

Oops. Don't think anyone could get anywhere close to Emma for me though, my favourite performance in ages!

 

Meryl completely passed me by on release (though it premieres on Sky next week so I'll watch it then!) and the other 3 never came to my cinema/haven't been released yet :( Especially gutted I didn't get to see Jackie, was desperate to see it :(

 

Though I really wish Amy Adams and Taraji P. Henson were here, both were fabulous! <3