Timothée Chalamet and Adrien Brody are bringing serious excitement to a race that won’t be decided until the last moment. The young rising star aiming for superstardom and a former winner delivering a sublime performance.
For weeks, four names have seemed like locks, with a fifth slot that remained uncertain until the final nominations. Experts had little doubt in naming Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown), Adrien Brody (The Brutalist), Ralph Fiennes (Conclave), and Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) as frontrunners to succeed last year’s winner, Cillian Murphy. The final nomination, which saw fierce competition, ultimately went to Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), who edged out contenders like Daniel Craig (Queer) and Hugh Grant (Heretic).
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Since stunning the world in 2002 with his portrayal of Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman in Roman Polanski’s The Pianist—a role that earned him worldwide fame, along with an Oscar and Golden Globe—Adrien Brody hasn’t been this much of a Hollywood talking point in years. After a period of relative obscurity, he’s now firmly back in the spotlight. He remains the youngest actor ever to win Best Actor (at 29), and a second victory would place him in the elite club of two-time winners.
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Hollywood’s new prodigy. Chalamet’s name alone now drives some of the industry’s most ambitious projects. This is his second Oscar nomination, following his 2018 nod for Call Me by Your Name. Over the years, he has headlined major productions like Little Women, Wonka, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films. He even had a small role in Interstellar. With four Golden Globe nominations, working with him has practically become a recipe for success.
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The African American actor earns his second consecutive Best Actor nomination, following last year’s recognition for Rustin. After years of playing minor roles, he’s finally getting his due. Domingo already won an Emmy for his guest role in Euphoria, and next year, he’ll make his directorial debut with Scandalous, a film centered on the love affair between Kim Novak and Sammy Davis Jr.
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Playing a young Donald Trump during his early business years has been enough to land Sebastian Stan his first Oscar nomination. Without a doubt, this has been his breakout year—he won the Golden Globe and earned recognition at the Berlin Film Festival for another standout performance in A Different Man. While Marvel fans know him as the Winter Soldier, this Romanian-born actor has proven he’s much more than an action star. Fun fact: His godmother is a globally famous cosmetics entrepreneur.
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A powerhouse of versatility, the British actor lands his third Oscar nomination, following past nods for Schindler’s List (Supporting) and The English Patient (Lead). Despite seven Golden Globe nominations, he has yet to win. While he’s known for ambitious projects, his portrayal of Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise remains his most iconic role. He also happens to be a distant cousin of King Charles III.
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Though Adrien Brody recently won the Golden Globe for The Brutalist—an award he missed out on for The Pianist—this category is incredibly tight, and a last-minute shake-up by Timothée Chalamet is very possible. The American actor, who has French heritage, has been widely praised for his portrayal of a young Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s biopic. If he wins, he would surpass Adrien Brody as the youngest-ever Best Actor winner—also at 29, but by just a few days. Hollywood seems ready to officially cement Chalamet as a major star. This could be his moment. Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes—one of the greatest actors never to have won an Oscar—may have to wait yet again.
