The Oscar Narrative: First 2022 Oscar Nomination Predictions - Best Actor

First Nomination Predictions

Christian Bale "Untitled David O. Russell" 

Leonardo DiCaprio "Don't Look Up"

Adam Driver "House of Gucci" 

Will Smith "King Richard" 

Denzel Washington "The Tragedy of Macbeth" 

Other Contenders - Benedict Cumberbatch "The Power of the Dog", Andrew Garfield "Tick, Tick...Boom!", Andrew Garfield "The Eyes of Tammy Faye", Peter Dinklage "Cyrano", Javier Bardem "Being the Ricardos", Mahershala Ali "Swan Song", Michael B. Jordan "A Journal for Jordan", Bradley Cooper "Nightmare Alley", Joaquin Phoenix "C'mon C'mon", Clifton Collins Jr. "Jockey", Justin Chon "Blue Bayou", Clint Eastwood "Cry Macho",  Oscar Isaac "The Card Counter", Jonathan Majors "The Harder They Fall", Cooper Hoffman "Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson", Timothee Chalamet "Dune", Winston Duke "Nine Days", Dev Patel "The Green Knight", Michael Fassbender "Next Goal Wins", Caleb Landry Jones "Nitram", Simon Rex "Red Rocket", Nicholas Cage "Pig", Ben Platt "Dear Evan Hansen", Anthony Ramos "In the Heights", Tye Sheridan "The Tender Bar", Ansel Elgort "West Side Story", Matt Damon "The Last Duel", Matt Damon "Stillwater"

Commentary - A top heavy category with so many previous winners and nominees, it is prime for a breakthrough performer to upset. Per usual, at this stage, I am leaning on past success. Will Smith's first look in King Richard looks fantastic, and these voters always love when Will goes dramatic. Denzel Washington with Joel Coen and Frances McDormand? Pure Oscar bait. The first trailer for House of Gucci looks wild, and while Lady Gaga is definitely the centerpiece, but Driver is a recent favorite of these voters and could earn his third nomination. Leonardo Dicaprio is pairing up with Adam McKay and Christian Bale is pairing up with David O. Russell. Those dynamic duos seemed prime for Oscar attention. These five are not locked. I am this close to adding Benedict Cumberbatch, whose buzz is rising. Andrew Garfield and Lin Manuel Miranda feels like awards bait and he is also opposite Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye. You have previous winners Javier Bardem, Mahershala Ali, Joaquin Phoenix, Clint Eastwood, Nicholas Cage, and Matt Damon trying to grab another trophy. Previous nominees hoping this is the time they finally here their name called include Bradley Cooper, Timothee Chalamet, Dev Patel, and Michael Fassbender. Veterans hoping for their first nod include Michael B. Jordan, Oscar Isaac, Jonathan Majors, Clifton Collins Jr. and Peter Dinklage. Young performers like Ben Platt, Anthony Ramos, Cooper Hofman, Justin Con, Ansel Elgort and Tye Sheridan are hoping for a breakthrough. Finally, Simon Rex. Yeah I know, that Simon Rex.