It’s Hollywood’s biggest night of the year! The 97th Annual Academy Awards are coming up Sunday, March 2.
And this year, the drama won’t be limited to the big screen. The Associated Press says “Sunday’s 97th Academy Awards has more potential drama than any recent year, with many possible outcomes in the top categories, including best picture, best actor and best actress.”
Here’s a look at the contenders for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and who is predicted to win.
Cynthia Erivo for “Wicked”
Cynthia Erivo’s turn as Elphaba in “Wicked” sets her up to join the elite group of entertainers who have won an EGOT (Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony)if she wins Sunday night. “Wicked” is a twist on the classic “The Wizard of Oz” that tells the story of Elphaba and Glinda, two unlikely friends who discover all is not as it seems in Oz. The movie also earned Erivo’s co-star Ariana Grande an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress.
Karla Sofía Gascón for “Emilia Pérez”
Karla Sofía Gascón earned her nomination for the title role in “Emilia Pérez.” The movie tells the story of high-powered lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña, nominated for Best Supporting Actress) who takes on an unexpected assignment. She’s tasked with helping a Mexican cartel leader (Gascón) fake her death and “disappear” by undergoing sexual reassignment procedures.
Mikey Madison for “Anora”
Mikey Madison scores her first-ever nomination for the title role in “Anora.” The film tells the story a young sex worker, and her relationship with Igor (Mark Eydelshteyn), the impulsive, drug-addicted son of a Russian oligarch. “Anora” is 25-year-old Madison’s first major role.
Demi Moore for “The Substance”
“The Substance” is a horror comedy that earned star Demi Moore her first-ever Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Moore plays an aging actress who takes a black-market drug. The cell-replicating substance temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.
Fernanda Torres in “I’m Still Here”
In “I’m Still Here,“ Fernanda Torres plays Eunice Paiva, an activist coping with the disappearance of her husband, the dissident politician Rubens Paiva, during Brazil’s military dictatorship in the early 1970s. The film is based on the memoir by one of their children, Marcelo.
Who Will Win? Experts Weigh In
“Vanity Fair” calls Demi Moore “tough to beat.”
And “The Hollywood Reporter” agrees, calling Moore “a vet who gave a gutsy turn and may not get a comparable part again.”
And “USA Today” also throws it to Moore, writing, “The “Substance” star not only shines in a wonderfully bizarre role, Moore has a 40-year career to stand behind. Along with the praise, she’s been winning hearts and minds with her acceptance speeches, most significantly her touching “popcorn actress” moment at the Golden Globes. In that speech, Moore said “Thirty years ago, I had a producer tell me that I was a popcorn actress. And at that time, I made that mean that this wasn’t something that I was allowed to have.”
How to Watch the 97th Academy Awards
Conan O’Brien will host this year’s awards. The Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT, with the official live red carpet show airing at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.
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Best Actress Nominees & Oscar Winner Predictions